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Quick Answer
At a glance
- Best time
- May–Sep; late Nov–Dec for markets
- Time needed
- 4 to 6 days
- Currency
- Euro (EUR)
- Language
- Dutch, French and German
- Plugs
- Type E, 230 V
- Visa
- Schengen area rules apply
- Getting around
- SNCB trains between all main cities
Belgium is small, flat and very well connected: four of its best cities sit within about an hour of each other by train, so the real decisions are when to go, where to base yourself and which city deserves the extra night. All prices and dates below were checked on 9 October 2026.
Belgium weather month by month
The figures are the Royal Meteorological Institute of Belgium’s (IRM/KMI) 1991-2020 normals for Uccle, its reference station in Brussels. Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp are close enough to share the same pattern, with the coast a little milder in winter and windier all year.
| Month | Average high / low | Rain | Sunshine a day | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6.1°C / 1.4°C | 75.5 mm | 1.9 h | Museums, low hotel prices |
| February | 7.1°C / 1.5°C | 65.1 mm | 2.6 h | Quiet city breaks, Winter Glow in Bruges |
| March | 10.9°C / 3.5°C | 59.3 mm | 4.1 h | First spring days, few crowds |
| April | 15.0°C / 6.0°C | 46.7 mm | 5.7 h | The driest month, parks in bloom |
| May | 18.4°C / 9.2°C | 59.7 mm | 6.4 h | Walking the canals, long evenings |
| June | 21.2°C / 12.0°C | 70.8 mm | 6.6 h | Terraces, day trips, cycling |
| July | 23.2°C / 14.1°C | 76.9 mm | 6.6 h | Warmest and busiest |
| August | 23.0°C / 13.9°C | 86.5 mm | 6.2 h | Summer holidays, events |
| September | 19.5°C / 11.3°C | 65.3 mm | 5.1 h | Mild, thinner crowds |
| October | 14.9°C / 8.1°C | 67.8 mm | 3.6 h | Autumn city breaks |
| November | 9.9°C / 4.6°C | 76.2 mm | 2.2 h | Christmas markets open late in the month |
| December | 6.6°C / 2.1°C | 87.4 mm | 1.6 h | Christmas markets and lights |
Two numbers matter most. Rain falls on 13 to 19 days a month, so dry spells are short in any season; and daylight collapses in winter, from about 6.6 hours of sunshine a day in June to 1.6 in December. Pack a compact umbrella from our best travel umbrellas guide whenever you go.
Top Cities to Explore
Best time to visit Belgium by trip type
Christmas markets (late November to early January)
Belgium’s two big markets both run into the new year, which makes them useful for a trip between Christmas and New Year when the German markets have closed. Brussels Winter Wonders, organised by Brussels Major Events, runs from Friday 27 November 2026 to Sunday 3 January 2027, with 238 chalets around the Grand-Place, spread across Place de la Monnaie, the Bourse, Place Sainte-Catherine, the Vismet and Place Poelaert. Our Brussels city guide has the details and the best areas to stay. Bruges opens its Christmas markets on the Markt and Simon Stevinplein from 20 November 2026 to 3 January 2027, open 11:00 to 20:00 from Sunday to Thursday and to 21:00 on Fridays and Saturdays, with an ice rink in Koning Albert I-park.
Compare them with the rest of Europe in our Christmas markets in Europe 2026 guide; Brussels to Bruges to Cologne is one of the routes in our Christmas markets by train guide. Our Christmas market packing list covers what to bring for evenings at around 2°C.
Winter (January to February)
After the markets close, Belgium is quiet and cheaper. Bruges keeps its Winter Glow programme going until 14 February 2027, and the big museums are indoors. Check closures: the Atomium shuts for annual maintenance from 18 January to 5 February 2027.
Spring and summer (April to September)
April is the driest month at 46.7 mm, and May to September brings highs of about 18 to 23°C and the longest days, which is when canal walks in Bruges and Ghent are at their best. July and August are the busiest months in Bruges, so go early or stay overnight, when the day-trippers have left.
Where to go in Belgium
Brussels is the capital and the rail hub, home to the Grand-Place, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1998, the Royal Museums of Fine Arts and the Atomium; give it two days and use it as a base. Bruges is the medieval canal city in West Flanders; the climb up the 83-metre Belfry, 366 steps, costs 15 euros in winter and 16 euros in summer and at weekends. Ghent has the Gravensteen castle, the Graslei waterfront and the Ghent Altarpiece in St Bavo’s Cathedral, with fewer crowds than Bruges. Antwerp is the port city of the Flemish north, known for its Grote Markt, its cathedral and its fashion and design scene. Dinant, on the River Meuse in Wallonia, is the classic day trip south, below its clifftop citadel.
Belgium’s food culture is the other reason to come: chocolate shops in every city centre, waffles in two styles (the light, rectangular Brussels waffle and the denser, sweeter Liège waffle), and fries from a friterie. None of it needs a reservation.
How much does Belgium cost per day?
Hotels are the biggest cost, and Bruges fills up first on summer and December weekends. Transport and museums are where the official prices are fixed and easy to plan around:
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| STIB metro, tram or bus, one journey (contactless) | 2.40 euros |
| STIB daily cap with a contactless bank card | 8.50 euros |
| STIB airport bus line 12, Airport2City ticket | 7.90 euros |
| Brussels Airport train supplement (included in the ticket price) | 6.90 euros |
| Brussels Card, 24 / 48 / 72 hours, 45 museums | from 41 / 53 / 59 euros |
| Atomium, adult | 17 euros |
| Royal Museums of Fine Arts, Old Masters or Magritte, adult | 13 euros (20 euros combined) |
| Bruges Belfry, adult | 15 euros in winter, 16 euros in summer |
Free entry worth knowing: the Royal Museums of Fine Arts in Brussels open their permanent collections for free on the first Wednesday of the month from 13:00, and visitors aged 18 to 25 pay 5 euros.
How to get around Belgium
Trains. SNCB, the national railway, links every city in this guide. Direct trains from Brussels to Bruges take around an hour, Ghent and Antwerp are closer, and services run several times an hour, so you do not need to book a train in advance. Brussels has three main stations in a line (North, Central and South/Midi), and many intercity trains stop at all three. Up to four children under 12 travel free with an adult on the Belgian rail network.
From abroad. Eurostar runs from London St Pancras to Brussels-Midi/Zuid in about 1 hour 53 minutes, from £39 one way in Standard. Eurostar also links Brussels with Paris, Amsterdam and Cologne; see our best train booking sites in Europe to compare where to buy. By air, Brussels Airport at Zaventem is the main gateway; Charleroi, used by low-cost airlines, is much further from the city and needs a bus.
In Brussels. STIB runs the metro, trams and buses. Tap a contactless bank card at the validator: one journey costs 2.40 euros, and spending caps at 8.50 euros a day.
Entry requirements, money and connectivity
Belgium is in Schengen. Belgium is an EU member and part of the Schengen area, so days spent there count towards the 90-in-180 limit; read our Schengen 90/180 rule explainer. Non-EU visitors are registered in the EU Entry/Exit System, fully operational at the external borders since 10 April 2026, with a facial image and fingerprints at the first crossing; our EES and ETIAS guide explains the process. On Eurostar from London, the Schengen check happens at St Pancras before you board.
Money and plugs. Belgium uses the euro and Type E sockets at 230 V; check our travel adapters by country guide. Cards and contactless payment are accepted almost everywhere, including on Brussels public transport. If a card terminal offers to charge you in your home currency, decline and pay in euros: the conversion rate is set by the terminal operator and is usually worse than your bank’s.
Languages. Belgium has three official languages: Dutch in Flanders (Bruges, Ghent, Antwerp), French in Wallonia (Dinant, Liège) and German in a small area in the east. Brussels is officially bilingual French and Dutch, so street signs and station names appear in both: Brussels-South is also Bruxelles-Midi and Brussel-Zuid.
Mobile data. EU roaming rules apply in Belgium, and a Europe eSIM covers it along with the rest of the continent; compare options in our best eSIM for Europe guide.
- Activate before you fly: data works on arrival
- Plans for 200+ countries from a few dollars
- Keep your number; no physical SIM swap
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best time to visit Belgium?
May to September is the best time for most trips. The Royal Meteorological Institute’s 1991-2020 normals for Uccle in Brussels give average highs of 18.4°C in May and 23.2°C in July, with about 6.4 to 6.6 hours of sunshine a day from May to July. Late November and December suit a Christmas market trip to Brussels and Bruges instead.
What is Belgium like in winter?
Cold, grey and damp rather than snowy. Uccle averages highs of 6.6°C in December and 6.1°C in January, lows around 1.4 to 2.1°C, and only about 1.6 hours of sunshine a day in December. December is also the wettest month at 87.4 mm, with rain or drizzle on about 19 days, so pack a waterproof and a warm layer.
When are the Christmas markets in Belgium in 2026?
Brussels Winter Wonders runs from Friday 27 November 2026 to Sunday 3 January 2027, with 238 chalets around the Grand-Place, the Bourse, Place Sainte-Catherine and the Vismet. Bruges opens its Christmas markets on the Markt and Simon Stevinplein from 20 November 2026 to 3 January 2027, as part of its Winter Glow festival, which continues to 14 February 2027.
Is Belgium in the Schengen area?
Yes. Belgium is in the EU and the Schengen area, so days spent there count towards the Schengen limit of 90 days in any 180-day period. Non-EU visitors are registered by the EU Entry/Exit System, which has been fully operational at the external borders since 10 April 2026. Arriving on Eurostar from London, you pass the Schengen check at St Pancras before boarding.
How do you get from Brussels to Bruges?
Take an SNCB train from Brussels-Central, Brussels-North or Brussels-South; direct trains take around an hour and run several times an hour, so there is no need to book a seat. From Bruges station, walk or take a city bus to the Markt, where the Belfry and the Christmas market are.
How many days do you need in Belgium?
Four to six days covers the main cities. Give Brussels two days, then add a day each for Bruges and Ghent, and one for Antwerp if you have time. Belgium is small and the trains are frequent, so most visitors stay in one or two bases and do the rest as day trips.
Start planning your Belgium trip
Book the room first, especially for December weekends in Bruges and Brussels, when the markets fill the hotels. Brussels makes the easiest base, with trains to every other city and Eurostar to London, Paris and Amsterdam; for a longer rail trip, add Amsterdam, Paris or Cologne.
Find cheap flights to Brussels | Compare Brussels hotel prices
More ideas: where to go in December, where to go in November and the cheapest European countries to visit in 2026.
