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Brussels' Winter Wonders event includes a 240-stall Christmas market, Ferris Wheel, 130-foot-long dinosaur made of ice, two ice rinks and whimsical carousels. After dark, the historic facades in the Grand-Place are illuminated during a brilliant light exhibition that takes place every 30 minutes from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. during Winter Wonders.
Christmas market dates: Nov. 29 – Jan. 5, 2020
Location: Grand-Place, Bourse, rue H. Maus, rue Devaux, rue Saint-Catherine, place Saint-Catherine, Vismet, Tour-Noire, rue de l’Évêque, rue de l’Ecuyer, place de la Monnaie
Helpful hints: The market does not open until noon and closes at 10 p.m. every day, 6 p.m. Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve.
Come hungry to enjoy Belgium’s world-renowned beers, waffles and chocolates, steamed mussels and pommes frites — fries are served with mayonnaise, not ketchup, here. When you get the chills, sip a mug of smooth, rich hot cocoa made from the Belgian chocolate at one of the heated terraces.
To ensure you get high-quality gifts for family and friends, look for booths selling wares with artisan labels, and shop at the creative expo in Halles Saint Géry.
Beyond the market: See artwork carved from ice at the Snow and Ice Sculpture Festival, open now through Jan. 1, 2019. Browse at the 19th-century Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert shopping arcade and in the Saint-Jacques neighborhood, which is decorated with beautiful light sculptures during the holidays. With your Christmas shopping list complete, grab a beer at Delirium Café, which as more than 3,000 types of beer.
If time permits, check out some of Brussels' noncoventional museums, like the Choco-Story Chocolate Museum and Comics Art Museum.
