Bruges at a glance:
- Travel time: 3hrs 30mins from London via Eurostar (change at Brussels for a quick 1hr local train).
- Vibe: Fairytale, indulgent, romantic.
- Top must-see: Rozenhoedkaai at night has so much atmosphere and the picture perfect spot.
- Best for: Couples, foodies, architecture lovers.
Cobbled streets, fairytale buildings, and picturesque canals. Everywhere you turn in Bruges it looks like you’ve stepped into a postcard. It’s pretty to visit any time of year, but during Christmas in Bruges, the city really does sparkle.
The whole of the city centre is a listed UNESCO World Heritage Site, and it’s easy to see why it has been the location of so many films such as In Bruges and Love, Romance & Chocolate. Even for the Scrooges amongst us (myself included), you can’t help but get into the festive spirit if you spend the lead up to Christmas here! Here’s the best festive things to do.
Visit Bruges Christmas Market
I’ll start with the most obvious one! If you’re in Bruges in the run up to Christmas, then you have to visit the Christmas Market in Grote Markt (which you can’t miss to be honest as all roads tend to lead there!). It is extremely pretty and photo worthy. In my opinion, it isn’t the best Christmas market in terms of what is for sale and many of the items at the market stalls are overpriced. You’re better off shopping down some of the side streets. It is worth visiting for the festive vibes though with all the lights, and there’s the opportunity to drink glühwein (mulled wine).
Do your Christmas shopping
Aside from the Christmas Market, Bruges is a great place to pick up some gifts. Steenstraat is what I’d say is the main high street and has several shops you’ll know of if you’re based in the UK, such as H&M, Zara, and Rituals. It also has great European shops like Pimkie and Vero Moda, and C&A which brought back some great memories as we don’t have it in the UK anymore. Fun fact: there’s also a fancy McDonald’s on this street where you order the food on a touch screen and it’s served to you at your table!
For independent brands and boutiques, it’s worth checking out Geldmuntstraat and Nordzandstraat (one street leads into the other). The Galerij Ter Steeghere, next to the Basilica of the Holy Blood (mentioned further on), is also worth visiting. From the outside it looks like a single shop front, but it actually leads through to a walkway with different shops including a chocolate shop, beer shop, antique shop, and souvenir shop. There is also a hidden gem of a tea room, with an outdoor terrace looking over the canal (although I’d advise wrapping up warm if you plan to sit outside in winter!)
Eat some Belgian waffles
Waffles are found everywhere in Bruges. They are the perfect sweet treat to stop and enjoy whether it’s during a busy day of exploring or after dinner as dessert. We had ours at Grand Café Craenenburg which is on Grote Markt. There’s different toppings to choose from depending on your taste including Nutella, strawberries, banana, cherries, sugar, ice cream, and whipped cream. Inside it felt quite authentic with stained glass windows and brass chandeliers that emitted a warming light that left us feeling cosy. If you’re happy to brave the cold and sit outside, it is a brilliant spot to people watch.
Stock up on Belgian chocolate
As well as plenty of waffles, there are so many chocolate shops to pick from in Bruges that you may feel overwhelmed with the choice! I’d advise looking in a few first before picking where to buy from. My recommendations would be Chocolates and Happiness on Wollestraat where I bought a box of chocolates for my mum – you can select each chocolate so it is really personalised to the recipient’s tastes and I loved the black and hot pink packaging! I also bought some cheaper chocolates from Chocolaterie de Burg that went down well with colleagues and friends.
See the Stadhuis of Bruges
The Stadhuis is the city hall of Bruges and its Gothic style of architecture influenced many other buildings in Belgium. It’s from this grand building that the city has been governed for hundreds of years. In the lead up to Christmas, a large tree is lit up in Burg Square opposite the Stadhuis, and you can often hear the clip clopping of horses on the cobbles taking tourists around in carriages.
Admire the Basilica of the Holy Blood
This building is right next to the Stadhuis, tucked away in the corner but definitely not shying away from public admiration! It is arguably even more Gothic looking than the city hall, with a deep grey exterior, red wood, and gold carvings. Inside the Basilica is an intricately decorated glass box with a blood stained cloth in it, said to be the blood of Jesus Christ. It was always really busy whenever we went past so we didn’t go in, but if this unique item peeks your curiosity then you may be willing to queue to get a glimpse.
Take a photo at the Rozenhoedkaai
This area was said to be a mooring place for ships back in the late Middle Ages, and also was a place to sell rosaries (the street was actually named something else previously but was renamed as the Quay of the Rosary). It’s now a photo hotspot with its stunning views across the meeting point of the Groenerei and Dijver canals. It’s beautiful at any time of day, but at night the lights reflecting on the water make it a truly romantic and festive place to be.
Explore Bruges’ canals
There is nothing more festive than wrapping up warm, grabbing a hot chocolate to go, and exploring the canals in Bruges. There are so many different bridges too that you’ll be spoilt for choice when it comes to taking beautiful photos and of course, some selfies. Boat trips don’t tend to run in winter although we did see the odd few so you may be lucky. One of my favourite spots was walking along the Groenerei (pictured), and it’s even described as the loveliest of all of Bruges canals by Visit Bruges.
Spot the top of the Belfry
Arguably the best known landmark in Bruges is the Belfry, a medieval bell tower in the Grote Markt. In the past it would have been used as an observation post for spotting fires and other dangers, and it also used to house a treasury and the town archives. It was even taller at one point with a wooden spire, but after catching on fire three separate times (including being struck by lightening!) it wasn’t restored again after 1741. Nowadays it is a museum, and you can climb the tower’s 366 steps for a fee if you wish.
Pick your favourite Bruges Christmas display
If like me, one of your favourite things about Christmas is the lights, then you’ll love exploring and finding the spots around Bruges that have the best displays. Some of my personal favourites were Brasserie Raymond (pictured), Pietje Pek (another restaurant), and the Eiermarkt (Egg Market) a cute area home to several restaurants and an 18th century water pump, that were all lit up by fairy lights.
Buy a Christmas souvenir to remember Bruges
As well as buying gifts for others, I think it’s always crucial to buy a memento for yourself on a trip! To remind yourself of Christmas in Bruges, what better thing to buy than a decoration that you’ll treasure. There’s plenty in Käthe Wohlfahrt on Breidelstraat, it isn’t quite as grand as the one in York, but there’s lots of choice nonetheless. You’ll also find It’s All About Christmas on Steenstraat for more inspo. I personally got a bauble for myself and for a friend from the Christmas Market (it’s the only thing I bought there!) as it specifically said Brugge on it and had an illustration of the colourful buildings (pictured above) that were one of my favourite things.
Stay at the Royal Dukes Palace
If you want to have the full fairytale experience in Bruges, then a stay at Hotel Dukes Palace will add the finishing touch. It’s the only five star hotel in Bruges and used to be a palace that was home to Belgian aristocracy. For a five star hotel, the price was extremely reasonable (we only discovered it was five star after we booked it as we used Booking.com and the price was so good we genuinely didn’t realise!).
In the lead up to Christmas, it has beautiful decorations inside and it’s in a great location less than five minutes walk from the Grote Markt and around 10 minutes from the train station. You don’t need to worry about noise, as it is set back down a side street and very peaceful. The beds are massive and super comfy too! As a bonus, it has a spa that is only open to hotel residents – warming up in the hammam or sauna is the perfect way to end a festive but chilly evening.
Bruges at Christmas FAQs (2026)
The markets usually kick off in the last week of November and run until the first week of January. For the 2026 season, expect the festivities to begin around November 22nd.
There are two primary locations you can’t miss:
Market Square (Grote Markt): The “main” one with the traditional wooden chalets and the Belfry backdrop.
Simon Stevinplein: Located just a short walk away, this area usually feels a bit more artisanal and is beautifully lit by trees.
To experience the markets without too many people, aim for a Tuesday or Wednesday at the end of November/beginning of December. Weekends are always very busy, especially the closer you get to Christmas.
Yes. In Belgium as a whole, 25th December is a quiet family holiday. Most shops, museums, and many restaurants will be closed. However, the Christmas Market stalls often stay open for at least part of the day. Always book your dinner reservation weeks in advance if you’re there on the 24th or 25th!
While many stalls now accept cards it is still highly recommended to carry a bit of cash (Euros). Small transactions for a glühwein or a waffle are often easier and faster with cash.
Sophie is a freelance writer and editor, and the founder of Britain and Beyond.
