The big Christmas markets of Flanders and Brussels open between Friday 13 November and Friday 4 December 2026: Winterland Hasselt on 13 November, Bruges on 20 November, Brussels on 27 November, the Gentse Winterfeesten in Ghent on Thursday 3 December and Winter in Antwerp on Friday 4 December.
Antwerp, Ghent, Brussels, Bruges and Hasselt all run until Sunday 3 January 2027. Leuven's market ends on Sunday 20 December and Mechelen's on Thursday 24 December. Entry is free in Ghent, Leuven, Hasselt and Brussels. Wallonia's markets, such as Liège and Durbuy, are not in this guide.
Checked 9 November 2026. Not announced yet: the ice rink and Ferris wheel prices in Antwerp, the rink, curling and Ferris wheel prices in Brussels (the 2025 prices are in the table below), and Bruges's hours on Christmas Day and New Year's Day.
Christmas markets in Belgium 2026: dates and opening hours
| Christmas market | Dates 2026 | Opening hours | Official page |
|---|---|---|---|
| Antwerp: Winter in Antwerp | Fri 4 December 2026 – Sun 3 January 2027 | Sun–Thu 12:00–22:00, Fri–Sat 12:00–24:00 | winterinantwerpen.be |
| Ghent: Gentse Winterfeesten | Thu 3 December 2026 – Sun 3 January 2027 | Mon–Thu 12:00–24:00, Fri 12:00–01:00, Sat 11:00–01:00, Sun 11:00–24:00 | gentsewinterfeesten.be |
| Brussels: Winter Wonders (Winterpret) | Fri 27 November 2026 – Sun 3 January 2027 | Daily 12:00–22:00 | winterpret.be |
| Bruges: the two Winter Glow markets | Fri 20 November 2026 – Sun 3 January 2027 | Sun–Thu 11:00–22:00, Fri–Sat 11:00–23:30 | visitbruges.be |
| Leuven: Leuvense Kerstmarkt | Thu 3 – Sun 20 December 2026 | Mostly 12:00–23:00; Sun and Mon until 22:00 | wintertijdleuven.be |
| Hasselt: Winterland | Fri 13 November 2026 – Sun 3 January 2027 | Mon–Thu 11:00–22:00, Fri–Sun 10:00–22:00 | winterland.be |
| Mechelen: Kerstmarkt binnenstad | Fri 4 – Thu 24 December 2026 | Fri 17:00–23:30, Sat 14:00–23:30, Sun 14:00–21:00; Mon–Thu only on 21–24 December | mechelenhoudtjewarm.be |
The squares, the ice rinks and the Evenitto pages for each city follow below. Christmas concerts, shows and the Nutcracker in the same cities are on Christmas in Belgium; the six city pages are Antwerp, Ghent, Brussels, Bruges, Leuven and Mechelen.
Which Christmas markets are open on Christmas Day and New Year's Eve?
Winter in Antwerp, Winter Wonders in Brussels, the Gentse Winterfeesten and Winterland Hasselt are open on Christmas Day, Friday 25 December 2026, and Bruges's markets follow their normal hours because Visit Bruges publishes no exception. Leuven's market has closed by then and Mechelen's ended on Christmas Eve.
| Christmas market | Thu 24 December | Fri 25 December | Thu 31 December | Fri 1 January |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Antwerp | 12:00–18:00 | 12:00–22:00 | 12:00–18:00, fireworks | Closed |
| Ghent | 12:00–17:00 | 12:00–01:00 | 12:00–17:00 | 12:00–01:00 |
| Brussels | 12:00–18:00 | 12:00–22:00 | 12:00–18:00 | 12:00–22:00 |
| Bruges | Normal hours, 11:00–22:00 (no exception published) | Normal hours, 11:00–23:30 (no exception published) | Until 03:00 | Normal hours, 11:00–23:30 (no exception published) |
| Leuven | Ended on 20 December | Ended | Ended | Ended |
| Hasselt | Until 18:00 | From 12:00 | Until 18:00 | From 12:00 |
| Mechelen | 14:00–17:00 | Ended | Ended | Ended |
Hasselt's ice rink and Grand Café open at 11:00 on 25 December and 1 January, and the bars on Winterland's forecourt stay open until 02:00 on New Year's Eve. Ghent's ice rink closes at 17:00 on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve. For what is on in the cities themselves on 31 December, see New Year's Eve in Belgium.
Antwerp Christmas market 2026: Winter in Antwerp
Winter in Antwerp, the city festival around the Antwerp Christmas market, runs from Friday 4 December 2026 to Sunday 3 January 2027 on eight sites in the historic centre: the Grote Markt, the Handschoenmarkt, the Hendrik Conscienceplein, the Groenplaats, the Suikerrui, the Steenplein, the Operaplein and the Koningin Astridplein, according to the festival's site.
The Antwerp Christmas market opens on Friday 4 December at 14:00 and then follows the weekly hours: Sunday to Thursday 12:00–22:00 and Friday and Saturday 12:00–24:00, with the stalls on the Operaplein closing an hour earlier. On Christmas Day it is open from 12:00 to 22:00 and on Friday 1 January it is closed. The last day, Sunday 3 January, runs from 12:00 to 17:00 and ends with a New Year's drink; the city announces fireworks on Thursday 31 December.
Winter in Antwerp has a covered ice rink on the Groenplaats, by the Rubens statue (you can bring your own skates or hire them, and skating aids for children are for hire), a Ferris wheel on the Koningin Astridplein and a carousel on the Operaplein.
The city calls it the largest Christmas market in Flanders and says it had more than 1.5 million visitors last year. The prices of the rink and the wheel are not published yet. Visit Antwerpen adds that every Sunday in December is a shopping Sunday.
On Evenitto: Christmas in Antwerp, Antwerp and Elixir d'Anvers, a Wonderful Christmas Market on Sunday 13 December.
Ghent Christmas market 2026: Gentse Winterfeesten
The Gentse Winterfeesten, the Ghent Christmas market, run from Thursday 3 December 2026 to Sunday 3 January 2027 on the Korenmarkt, the Emile-Braunplein, the Goudeleeuwplein and Klein Turkije, and entry is free: the organisers say no ticket is needed.
The Gentse Winterfeesten are open Monday to Thursday 12:00–24:00, Friday 12:00–01:00, Saturday 11:00–01:00 and Sunday 11:00–24:00. On 24 and 31 December they close at 17:00, and on 25 December and 1 January they stay open until 01:00.
More than 150 Christmas chalets sell food and drinks. The ice rink with real ice stands under the stadshal, the Ferris wheel on the Korenmarkt and the Sapin Magique on the Sint-Baafsplein, and children's entertainment is free every day. Dogs are welcome on a lead, but not on the rink or the attractions. The organisers serve alcohol to people over 16 (spirits over 18), and drinks come in reusable cups with a deposit reserved on your bank card.
Getting to the Gentse Winterfeesten, Visit Gent says Gent-Dampoort station is a 15-minute walk from the centre, and from Gent-Sint-Pieters (30 minutes on foot) tram 1 or 3 reaches the centre in 10 minutes. Between the town hall and the Emile-Braunplein no traffic can pass during the festival. Drivers can park free at a park-and-ride on the edge of the city; the city centre is a low-emission zone. See Christmas in Ghent and Ghent on Evenitto.
Brussels: Winter Wonders 2026 (Winterpret)
Winter Wonders, called Winterpret in Dutch and Plaisirs d'Hiver in French, is the Brussels Christmas market: it runs from Friday 27 November 2026 to Sunday 3 January 2027, daily 12:00–22:00 and until 18:00 on 24 and 31 December and 3 January. The City of Brussels lists it as free, with more than 200 chalets.
Winter Wonders celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2026, with Béarn Pyrénées and the Basque Country as guests of honour and a village on the Beursplein. The City of Brussels also names a Ferris wheel, carousels, an ice rink and curling lanes. The zones, last year's prices and how to get there are in Brussels Christmas market 2026: Winter Wonders, and the festival is listed as Winterpret on Evenitto. More on Christmas in Brussels and Brussels.
Bruges Christmas market 2026: Winter Glow (Wintergloed)
Winter Glow (Wintergloed) in Bruges runs from Friday 20 November 2026 to Sunday 31 January 2027, and its two Christmas markets, on the Markt and the Simon Stevinplein, are open from 20 November to Sunday 3 January 2027.
The Bruges Christmas markets are open Sunday to Thursday 11:00–22:00 and Friday and Saturday 11:00–23:30, and on New Year's Eve until 03:00. Visit Bruges gives no other exceptions, so Christmas Day and New Year's Day follow the normal hours.
The IJsgloed ice rink in the Koning Albert I-park is open daily 10:00–22:00 (24 and 31 December 10:00–17:30, 25 December and 1 January 12:00–22:00) and costs €9 for adults and children; children up to 3 skate free. The Handmade in Brugge MAKERSmarkt sells handmade gifts in the Stadshallen from Friday 18 to Sunday 20 December.
De Lijn discounts buses in the Bruges area every Saturday and Sunday from 21 November to 3 January and every day from 21 to 25 December; visitors who drive are asked to use a free car park on the edge of the city. More at Christmas in Bruges and Bruges.
Leuven Christmas market 2026: 3–20 December
The Leuven Christmas market (Leuvense Kerstmarkt) runs for eighteen days, from Thursday 3 to Sunday 20 December 2026, on the Ladeuzeplein and the Herbert Hooverplein, and the city lists it as free. More than 120 stalls sell gifts, handmade products and winter treats. There is a Ferris wheel, a Christmas village where Santa waits, and live music; the city names Garry Hagger and Lisa del Bo.
The Leuven Christmas market is open 12:00–23:00 on most days (Fridays from 11:00), 12:00–22:00 on Sundays and Mondays and 12:00–21:00 on its last day, Sunday 20 December.
Wintertijd in Leuven also has evening visits to the University Library tower on Thursday 3, 10 and 17 December, Botanique Magique from Tuesday 8 December to Sunday 10 January, and the Groot Begijnhof by candlelight on Saturday 12 December. See Christmas in Leuven and Leuven.
Winterland Hasselt 2026: 13 November–3 January
Winterland Hasselt runs from Friday 13 November 2026 to Sunday 3 January 2027, entry is free according to the organiser, and it is the first of the markets in this guide to open. The ice rink, the Ferris wheel, the Grand Carrousel, a Christmas market and Santa's House are on the site.
Winterland's Christmas market and attractions are open Monday to Thursday 11:00–22:00 and Friday to Sunday 10:00–22:00, and its Grand Café until 24:00. Winterland closes at 18:00 on 24 December, 31 December and 3 January and opens at 12:00 on 25 December and 1 January. From 21 December the ice rink and the Grand Café open daily at 10:00.
An ice rink ticket costs €7 plus €6.50 for skate hire. On Sunday 6 December Winterland holds the national arrival of Santa Claus, and on Sunday 20 December the Santa Run and a breakfast with Santa in the Grand Café (09:00–11:00: adults €35, children 3–12 €20, under 3 free). A New Year's Eve party follows on Thursday 31 December. Evenitto lists Winterland Hasselt.
Mechelen Christmas market 2026: 4–24 December
The Mechelen Christmas market runs from Friday 4 to Thursday 24 December 2026 on the Korenmarkt, the Haverwerf, the Van Beethovenstraat and the Vismarkt, with about 50 stallholders selling food, drinks and Christmas items.
The Mechelen Christmas market is open on 13 days: Friday 17:00–23:30, Saturday 14:00–23:30 and Sunday 14:00–21:00 on the three weekends before 21 December, then every day from Monday 21 to Wednesday 23 December 14:00–22:30 and on Thursday 24 December 14:00–17:00.
The Mondiale Kerstmarkt, with about 20 stallholders selling sustainable gifts, takes place on Saturday 12 December from 11:00 to 17:00 in the courtyard of the town hall, free of charge. The art market kerstmARTa runs from 4 to 24 December in the former Heilig Hartkerk. See Christmas in Mechelen and Mechelen.
Ice rinks at the Belgian Christmas markets
Ghent, Bruges, Hasselt and Brussels all put an ice rink next to the market, and Antwerp has a covered rink on the Groenplaats; only Ghent, Bruges and Hasselt have published prices for 2026.
| City | Rink | Price | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ghent | Under the stadshal, real ice | €6 ticket plus €6 skate hire; €6 with your own skates | Mon–Thu 11:00–22:00, Fri 11:00–23:00, Sat 10:00–23:00, Sun 10:00–22:00 |
| Bruges | IJsgloed, Koning Albert I-park | €9 for everyone, children up to 3 free | Daily 10:00–22:00 |
| Hasselt | Covered rink at Winterland | €7 ticket plus €6.50 skate hire | Mon–Thu 11:00–22:00, Fri–Sun 10:00–22:00 |
| Brussels | De Brouckèreplein | 2025: €12 over 16, €6 under 16, €30 for a family of four (2026 not announced) | 2025: daily 12:00–22:00 |
| Antwerp | Covered rink on the Groenplaats | Not announced yet | Not announced yet |
Which Belgian Christmas market should you visit?
Choose the Antwerp Christmas market for the largest market in Flanders, the Ghent Christmas market for free entry, an ice rink and hours until midnight or 01:00, and Hasselt for the earliest opening and free entry. Brussels opens on 27 November, a week before Antwerp and Ghent, and has a sound and light show on the Grand-Place on most evenings. Bruges has two markets and opens on 20 November. Leuven (3–20 December) and Mechelen (4–24 December) are shorter, with more than 120 and about 50 stalls.
Antwerp and Ghent open within a day of each other, so you can plan both for one weekend after 4 December. Mechelen's market ends on Christmas Eve, so go there before 24 December. Use the tables above for the day you plan to go.
Quick answers
When do the Christmas markets in Belgium open in 2026? Winterland Hasselt on Friday 13 November, Bruges on Friday 20 November, Brussels on Friday 27 November, Ghent and Leuven on Thursday 3 December, and Antwerp and Mechelen on Friday 4 December.
Until when does the Christmas market in Antwerp run? Until Sunday 3 January 2027, a short day from 12:00 to 17:00. On Friday 1 January the market is closed.
Which Belgian Christmas markets are free? Ghent (the organisers), Hasselt (the organiser), Leuven (the city) and Brussels (the City of Brussels) say entry is free. The pages of Antwerp and Bruges state no entrance price. The ice rinks and rides cost extra.
Which Christmas markets are open on Christmas Day 2026? Antwerp (12:00–22:00), Ghent (12:00–01:00), Brussels (12:00–22:00) and Hasselt (from 12:00). Bruges publishes no exception for Christmas Day, so its normal hours apply.
Is there a Christmas market in Belgium on New Year's Eve? Yes: Bruges stays open until 03:00, Antwerp and Brussels until 18:00, Ghent until 17:00 and Hasselt until 18:00, with the bars on its forecourt open until 02:00.
How much does the ice rink cost? €9 in Bruges, €6 plus €6 skate hire in Ghent (€6 with your own skates) and €7 plus €6.50 skate hire in Hasselt. Brussels charged €12 for adults and €6 for under-16s in 2025; its 2026 prices are not out yet.
Bruges or Ghent for a Christmas market? Bruges opens on 20 November, two weeks before Ghent, with two markets in the historic centre and a rink in a park for €9. Ghent opens on 3 December, is free to enter, has more than 150 chalets and stays open until 01:00 on Fridays and Saturdays.
How do I get to the Ghent Christmas market? By train to Gent-Dampoort (15 minutes on foot) or Gent-Sint-Pieters (tram 1 or 3 to the centre in 10 minutes), or park free at a park-and-ride on the edge of the city and take a bus or tram.
Cover photo: Christmas market on the Grote Markt in Antwerp, 22 December 2024, by DimiTalen, Wikimedia Commons (CC0).
