Celebrating Christmas in Belgium
Christmas is the perfect reason to visit Belgium. Every year, both big and small cities get transformed in winter wonderlands that offer visitors great shopping, great food and a good time.
Bruges, Belgium
Mini ice sculpted Bruges at the The Snow & Ice Sculpture Festival Bruges 2013, Belgium. It's -6C inside and all worth it. It looks to me like the exhibit is a tad larger than in past years. The main theme this year is Disney's Frozen but my...
Bruges, Belgium
One great thing about the Belgian Christmas markets is that you will most definitely find a table with local cheeses and one with local meats, hams, and sausages. This table was at the Bruges Christmas Market and was set by the Baliehof farm. The...
Bruges, Belgium
Every other booth at the Christmas market in Bruges sells chocolate. This display caught my attention since it looks so much like the city of Bruges. You can find these boxes in the chocolate stores too but getting them at the market will save you...
Rue du Parc 2, 4577 Modave, Belgium
The Chateau is gorgeous at any time of the year but at Christmas time it's extra special as each room gets decorated with Christmas trees and beautiful ornaments. We went this past Christmas and I loved it. I cannot wait for next Christmas!
Bruges, Belgium
This colorful display of Matryoshka dolls caught my attention at the Bruges Christmas market. There are all kind of interesting things sold there. You get winter clothing, hand made household items, chocolate, Christmas ornaments and toys. I love...
Bruges, Belgium
One of the main attractions of the Christmas market in Bruges is the ice skating rink in the center of the town. It's a good size rink and you can rent the skates for a small fee. Everybody is welcomed. The rink is surrounded with booths where you...
Bruges, Belgium
Bruges is one of the best cities to visit in Belgium. I haven't been able to visit it properly in winter until now. Getting to see it after dark, beautifully decorated is a wonderful experience. I love the old, traditional buildings covered in...
Bruges, Belgium
Belgium is notorious for the rainy days but sometimes it's so nice to have it around. I was walking around the Christmas market in Bruges and it started to rain. Nothing major, just a light drizzle. Not ideal but I walked behind the ice skating...
The Christmas market in Bruges is divided in two. One takes place on Simon Stevinplein street, not far from the main square and the other is in the main square or Grote Markt. From one to the other it's a five or less minutes walk. They are both...
Bruges, Belgium
Best thing about the European Christmas markets is the street food. This is "Tartiflette", a French dish from the Haute Savoie region of France. It is made with just a few ingredients - potatoes, reblochon cheese, lardons and onions, and you can...
Bruges, Belgium
If you think Bruges is beautiful in summer you should see it in winter. Most of the buildings in Grote Markt are decorated and covered with lights. The streets are decorated and there is a large ice skating rink in the middle of the square. The...
Leuven, Belgium
The ice skating rink is in Oude Markt, in Leuven. It costs six euro for one hour of ice skating fun. If you get hungry, restaurants and pubs are open until late.
Leuven, Belgium
I posted about how much I love Leuven before. I have never seen during the holidays. It's even more beautiful than normal, which I did not think was possible. If you ever wanted to visit, the winter holidays is the time to do it. It simply...
Ypres, Belgium
The Christmas Market season is in full swing and Belgium has some beautiful and well-known markets, but I am trying to explore the relatively new ones that are becoming very popular in Belgium. One of them is the Christmas Market in Ypres. Roughly...
Leuven, Belgium
This time of year Leuven looks especially beautiful. I you want to dine outside, the same you would do in summer, fear not as the restaurants have heat lamps mounted over the tables that makes eating outside a very enjoyable experience. With all...
Ghent, Belgium
The Gent Christmas market just started and it's incredible. So far, it's the best one from all the markets I've been to this year. These delicious things are called oliebollen and it's a type of doughnut. It's very soft, it feels like butter when...
Ghent, Belgium
The Christmas Market in Gent is very diverse. There are tables selling food form a lot of countries. The Italian tables offer delicious treats. Different cheeses, salamis, different types of prosciutto, whole legs or sliced. You can have sliced...
Ghent, Belgium
While at the Christmas Market in Gent, try to find the table selling honey and mustard. They have types of both that I've never heard of before. All local and organic. The best part, they have a jar open from each one and a basket of small bits of...
Ghent, Belgium
Gent is my absolute favorite town in Belgium. The Christmas market is happening just a minute walk from here. A beautiful day like this doesn't happen often in winter so if you get one make the best of it. The Christmas market is very big and...
Ghent, Belgium
I've been to Gent so many times and I've never had the chance to go up in the 91m Belfry of Gent. Entry price is only five euro. Now was the perfect time as people visiting are more interested with the Christmas market happening at the foot of the...
Ghent, Belgium
I am really impressed with the city of Gent for putting together such an outstanding Christmas market. It is the best we've see so far. Very diverse street food, the decorations are amazing, there is a huge ice skating rink, merry-go-rounds for...
Ghent, Belgium
First thing we did when we got to the Christmas market in Gent was to ride the ferris wheel. I think it was the second time in my life to ride one. It's very large and when at the top it's a bit scary. The cabins are moved by the wind so it made...
Ghent, Belgium
I recommend going to the Gent Christmas market hungry. The street food diversity is fabulous. This booth selling pumpkin soup is right by the church, on the left hand side. I am not a fan of pumpkin soup but I am always willing to try variations...
Ghent, Belgium
While in Gent, ride the giant ferris wheel for just five euro. It's located at the foot of the Belfry, were part of the Christmas market is also taking place. I have haven't been, in the past years, to the Christmas market in Gent so I have no...
Ghent, Belgium
Make sure you are going hungry to the Christmas market in Gent. The food selection is fabulous. There is food everywhere you turn and the prices are not high at all. This booth, right by the church, is offering garlic mushrooms and spicy chili...
Leuven, Belgium
Leuven is simply gorgeous this time of year. The city did an amazing job with putting up all the lights and the Christmas trees. The Christmas market is happening not far from the Grote Markt. Don't let the cold scare you, the food and the hot...
Ghent, Belgium
The ice skating rink in Gent is the largest one I've seen so far at the Christmas markets. It's set up at the foot of the Belfry. Although big it's not crowded at all and people of all ages can enjoy it, including people in wheelchairs. The little...
Leuven, Belgium
I really love this set of buildings in Oude Markt, just off Grotte Markt. I passed by them so many times and never had a moment to spare to take a photo and to really look at them. Others seems to be doing the same thing. During the holidays every...
Soignies, Belgium
The Christmas Market in Soignies is pretty small and it's nothing to write home about but the reason we went was not esthetics but the food. A wide variety of foods and drinks are being sold including a champagne booth. The booth where we got the...
Brussels, Belgium
The Christmas Market is happening in several locations this year, in the Grote Markt, Beurs, Sint-Katelijneplein and Vismarkt. The ferris wheel is in Sint-Katelijneplein as well as a large ice skating rink, a merry-go-round and many, many...
Brussels, Belgium
Brussels is beautiful year around. Around Christmas it's enhanced by the most beautiful of colors. The colors are accompanied by music which starts at the beginning of every hour, for ten or so minutes. People are swarming all around and when it...
Mechelen, Belgium
Dizzying view from St Rumbold's Tower over the center of town, in Mechelen, Belgium. The build started in the year 1492 and today it is a UNESCO World Heritage site. The Christmas market lasts until December 22nd and we got there just in time, the...
Ghent, Belgium
I have no comparison to other years, as I have not been before, but this year, the Christmas market in Gent is outstanding. The weather has been very kind so going there, although cold, was a real pleasure. Seeing this magnificent town all dressed...
Mechelen, Belgium
I have been very impressed with Mechelen. The Grote Markt is dominated by beautiful architecture and especially by St. Rumbold's Cathedral with it's 97m tall tower, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. There is a fee for the tower but brace yourself for...
