One of Europe’s most magical festive escapeswraps this stunning city’s cobbled streets, canals, and medieval squares in twinkling lights from late November right through to early January.
For Londoners, it is an easy, storybook‑pretty getaway: a compact, walkable city where every corner feels like a Christmas card brought to life.
A fairy‑tale winter in Bruges
In winter, Used feels like a living snow globe, with the historic centre – a UNESCO World Heritage Site, transformed by garlands, glowing façades, and the city’s Winter Glow light installations.
The markets and illuminations are spread across the old town, so a simple stroll between sights doubles as a festive wander past cosy cafés, chocolate shops, and canal‑side viewpoints.
The 2025-26 festivities are scheduled from November 21 2025 to January 4 2026giving plenty of scope for pre‑Christmas weekends and twinkly January escapes once the rush has died down.
Opening hours typically run from around 10am to 10pm daily, with slightly later evenings on Fridays and Saturdays, plus shorter hours on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
Bruges’ main Christmas market squares
The heart of Bruges’ Christmas celebrations is the Grote Markt (Market Square)framed by gabled guild houses and the famous Belfry tower. Here, wooden chalets cluster around the square, serving steaming cups of glühwein and hot chocolate alongside Belgian waffles, frites, and local beers under a canopy of fairy lights.
Just a few minutes’ walk away, Simon Stevinplein hosts another market space, often slightly calmer but just as atmospheric, lined with stalls selling decorations, gifts, and artisanal treats. Further out, Zand Square and the Minnewater area join the Winter Glow programme, so the festive feel stretches well beyond a single plaza.
Ice rinks, Winter Glow and festive fun in Bruges
Rather than one static ice rink on the main square, Bruges’ Winter Glow setup has in recent years introduced skating and winter bars around Minnewater, the so‑called “Lake of Love”. Here, visitors can lace up skates, sip mulled wine, and warm up with hearty street food while fairy lights reflect off the water and nearby trees.
The citywide Winter Glow trail adds another layer of magic, with light artworks, projections, and illuminated walking routes guiding you past landmarks and lesser‑known corners of the city. Families will find carousels, smaller rides, and kid‑friendly snacks dotted around the markets, while couples can duck into quiet side streets for romantic canal views between shopping stops.
Bruges is a dream for festive foodies, and the Christmas market only amplifies that reputation. Expect Belgian classics like crisp waffles piled with cream, artisan chocolates in every flavour, spiced speculoos biscuits, and indulgent hot chocolate made with real melted chocolate – plus warming cups of vin chaud and regional beers.
On the gift front, stalls and nearby boutiques sell hand‑crafted ornaments, woollen accessories, candles, ceramics, and plenty of chocolate boxes and local delicacies to take home. It is easy to mix classic “tourist” souvenirs with genuinely local products, especially if you wander a couple of streets away from the main square into the quieter lanes.
How to get to Bruges from London
For London travellers, Used is a low‑stress, largely rail‑based Christmas escape rather than a long‑haul ordeal. The most popular route is to take the train from London to Brussels (via Eurostar)then connect to a direct Belgian Rail service to Bruges, which takes about one hour from Brussels.
Those who prefer to fly can choose a short flight to Brussels or nearby regional airports, then connect by train to Bruges, but the train‑first option usually proves quicker door‑to‑door and more eco‑friendly. Once in Bruges, there is no need for a car: the station is a pleasant walk or short bus ride from the historic centre, and all the key markets, ice rinks, and Winter Glow installations are easily explored on foot.
