For my main Christmas market break this year I chose to visit the Brussels Christmas Market. I chose Brussels this year because when I first visited Brussels a couple of years ago I thought that the architecture in the city centre was absolutely stunning, and that it would make the perfect setting for a Christmas market.
Destination: Brussels, Belgium
Flight Time From London: The published flight time was one hour and 10 minutes, however the actual time in the air was just 45 minutes.
Airline & Airport of Operation: British Airways operate 6 daily services from London Heathrow, with one way flights starting at just £42 per person.
Transfer Time to City: The city centre is approximately 8 miles from the airport, and the transfer time is approximately 15 minutes by either train, bus or taxi. I took the train and it cost just €8 one way.
Where to Stay: I stayed in the Hilton Brussels City, and I booked this trip as a weekend break package directly with British Airways at a price of £125pp including flights and hotel. The reception area and lobby were modern and tastefully decorated, check-in was quick and efficient. The hotel had a bar and restaurant and were located just off the lobby, however I did not use either during my stay. The hotel also had a gym and sauna, but again I did not use these. The rooms themselves were spacious, comfortable, clean and quite modern. The only downside to the rooms was the temperature. For some reason during winter months you only had the option to heat the rooms, but not cool them. My room was on the warm side, so I had no option but to sleep with the window open to cool the room down.
Top Attraction: The Christmas Market! As I have visited Brussels before I didn’t plan anything for this trip apart from visiting the Brussels Christmas Market.
Local Delicacy: The local dish in Brussels is Moules Frites, however we didn’t have any on this trip as we spent the majority of our time in the Christmas markets and just enjoyed the food which we had there.
Top Tip: We were told at the airport that taxis are extremely expensive in Brussels, so the best mode of transport from the airport to the city centre is by train. There are a few train stations in central Brussels, for the Brussels City Hilton the closest station in Brussels Nord.
Currency: The Euro is the currency of Belgium, and at the time of writing the current rate is about 1.18 Euros per British Pound.
Weather: As I went to Brussels for the Christmas markets the weather is going to be on the cold side, so it is best to pack a warm coat, gloves, scarfs and hats. You may see some rain, or even some snow at this time of year.
Best Time To Go: The Brussels Christmas market is open from late November until late December.
Recommended Duration: 2-3 days will be more than adequate for a Christmas market break to Brussels.
Conclusion: As I had visited Brussels before I didn’t go there to explore the city like I usually do, I went with the sole purpose of visiting the Brussels Christmas Market. The Brussels Christmas market was definitely one of the biggest I’ve been to, and one of the prettiest. The main market area was located in the Marché aux Poissons, just off Sint Katelijneplein, and there were also many more smaller areas located in squares and along streets between there and Grand Place. Grand Place itself had a nativity scene and a massive Christmas tree, gifted to Brussels from Slovakia. The market is definitely worth a visit if you can get to Brussels during the festive season.
Nice blog, good factual review – no excuse but to take the Misses now! 🙂
Wonderful! A beautiful destination for a city break, and a stunning Christmas Market!
Nice! We’re heading to Brussels in about 2 weeks. We’re staying in Rotterdam and didn’t think Brussels was as pretty. Now, I need to plan a day in Brussels.
Thanks
Hey there!
Brussels is a very beautiful city with a lot to see! I’ve been twice now, check out my blog from my first visit for some great things to do in Brussels!
https://worldwidewill.co.uk/brussels/
Hope you have a great time!