Quick Answer
At a glance
- Best time
- May–Sep; late Nov–early Jan for markets
- Time needed
- 2 to 3 days
- Currency
- Euro (EUR)
- Language
- French and Dutch
- From the airport
- Train to Brussels-Central, about 18 min
- Getting around
- STIB metro, tram and bus, contactless
Brussels is Belgium’s capital and its rail hub, a compact city with one of Europe’s finest squares at its centre, big art collections and a food culture built on chocolate, waffles and fries. The old centre is walkable, and the metro, trams and buses cover the rest. Prices and dates below were checked on 9 October 2026; our Belgium country guide covers the rest of the country.
When is the best time to visit Brussels?
| Month | Average high / low | Rain | Sunshine a day | What it is like |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6.1°C / 1.4°C | 75.5 mm | 1.9 h | Coldest month, quiet, low hotel prices |
| February | 7.1°C / 1.5°C | 65.1 mm | 2.6 h | Short days, indoor sightseeing |
| March | 10.9°C / 3.5°C | 59.3 mm | 4.1 h | Early spring |
| April | 15.0°C / 6.0°C | 46.7 mm | 5.7 h | Driest month, parks in bloom |
| May | 18.4°C / 9.2°C | 59.7 mm | 6.4 h | Mild, long evenings |
| June | 21.2°C / 12.0°C | 70.8 mm | 6.6 h | Terraces and parks |
| July | 23.2°C / 14.1°C | 76.9 mm | 6.6 h | Warmest month, summer events |
| August | 23.0°C / 13.9°C | 86.5 mm | 6.2 h | Warm, holiday season |
| 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 | Winter Wonders opens on 27 November |
| December | 6.6°C / 2.1°C | 87.4 mm | 1.6 h | Christmas market and lights |
Figures are the Royal Meteorological Institute of Belgium’s 1991-2020 normals for Uccle, its reference station in the south of Brussels. Rain or drizzle falls on 13 to 19 days a month, and December is both the wettest and the darkest month. Pack a compact umbrella from our best travel umbrellas guide, and in winter a warm layer from our best packable down jackets guide.
Christmas in Brussels: Winter Wonders 2026
Winter Wonders (Plaisirs d’Hiver in French, Winterpret in Dutch) runs from Friday 27 November 2026 to Sunday 3 January 2027 and is organised by Brussels Major Events from the City Hall on the Grand-Place. Its Christmas market has 238 chalets selling food and crafts, spread across Place de la Monnaie, the Bourse, Place de Brouckère, Place Sainte-Catherine, the Vismet (the old fish market), Rue de la Madeleine, the Black Tower and Place Poelaert, with the Christmas tree on the Grand-Place. The organisers will publish the full programme of shows, lights and attractions in November 2026.
Getting there is easy: Brussels-Central station is right in the middle of the market area, and the Gare Centrale, Bourse and De Brouckère stops are on metro lines 1 and 5 and trams 4 and 10. Because Winter Wonders runs to 3 January, it is one of the few big markets still open between Christmas and New Year. Compare it with the others in our Christmas markets in Europe 2026 guide, and see our Christmas market packing list for evenings at around 2°C.
Plan around holiday hours: the Royal Museums of Fine Arts close at 15:00 on 24 and 31 December and all day on 25 December and 1 January, and the Atomium closes at 16:00 on 24 and 31 December.
Where should you stay in Brussels?
The centre is small, and most first-time visitors are best served staying inside the ring of boulevards around the old town.
| Area | Best for | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Grand-Place and Ilot Sacré | The old centre on foot, the Christmas market on your doorstep | Busy with tour groups, noisy at weekends |
| Sainte-Catherine and Dansaert | Restaurants, independent shops, the Vismet market area | Lively late in the evening in December |
| Sablon and Mont des Arts | Royal Museums of Fine Arts, chocolatiers, a quieter base | Uphill walk from the Grand-Place |
| European Quarter (Schuman, Luxembourg) | Business trips, airport bus line 12, Parc du Cinquantenaire | Quiet and office-like at weekends |
| Ixelles and Avenue Louise | Cafés, a residential feel, tram links | A tram or metro ride into the old centre |
| Brussels-South (Midi) | Eurostar arrivals and early trains | Busy transit area with less to see |
For a first visit, stay between the Grand-Place and Sainte-Catherine, or in the Sablon if you prefer quiet evenings. Check live rates here: compare Brussels hotel prices .
How do you get to and around Brussels?
From Brussels Airport. Brussels Airport-Zaventem station is directly under the terminal. Six direct trains an hour run from early morning until around midnight, taking about 11 minutes to Brussels-North, 18 minutes to Brussels-Central and 23 minutes to Brussels-South, according to the airport. Fares include the Brussels Airport supplement (formerly the Diabolo fee) of 6.90 euros. Up to four children under 12 travel free with an adult. The alternative is STIB bus line 12, the Airport Line, which goes straight to the European Quarter, stopping at Schuman and Luxembourg; an Airport2City ticket costs 7.90 euros.
From Charleroi. Brussels South Charleroi Airport, used by several low-cost airlines, is much further from the city and has no station of its own, so allow extra time for a bus transfer.
By Eurostar. Eurostar runs from London St Pancras to Brussels-Midi/Zuid in about 1 hour 53 minutes, from £39 one way in Standard, and links Brussels with Paris, Amsterdam and Cologne. Our Christmas markets by train guide has a Brussels, Bruges and Cologne route.
Getting around. STIB runs the metro, trams and buses. A single journey costs 2.40 euros when you tap a contactless bank card or phone at the validator, or 2.90 euros on a paper ticket, and contactless payments cap at 8.50 euros a day. The Brussels Card, from 41 euros for 24 hours, 53 euros for 48 hours and 59 euros for 72 hours, gives free entry to 45 museums; add unlimited STIB travel for 9 euros on the 24-hour card, which also covers bus line 12 from the airport.
What should you not miss in Brussels?
- The Grand-Place. The guildhalls and the Gothic City Hall around the central square have been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1998. Free, and at its best early in the morning or lit up after dark.
- The Atomium. Built as the flagship of the Expo 58 world’s fair, with exhibitions inside its spheres and a view over the city: 17 euros for adults, 15 euros for seniors and 9 euros for students and children over 115 cm. It opens daily from 10:00 to 18:00, last entry 17:30.
- Royal Museums of Fine Arts. The Old Masters Museum (Bruegel, Rubens) and the Magritte Museum cost 13 euros each or 20 euros combined, and 5 euros for visitors aged 18 to 25. Open Tuesday to Friday 10:00 to 17:00 and weekends 11:00 to 18:00, closed on Mondays.
- Mont des Arts. The free terraced garden between the old town and the museum quarter, with a view over the old town.
- Manneken Pis. The small bronze fountain statue a few streets from the Grand-Place, often dressed in one of its many costumes. Free.
- Parc du Cinquantenaire. The park and triumphal arch in the European Quarter, an easy stop on the way from the airport bus.
- Chocolate and waffles. Chocolatiers line the Sablon and the Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert, and street stands sell both the light Brussels waffle and the sweeter Liège waffle.
What day trips can you take from Brussels?
- Bruges. Around an hour by SNCB train. Climb the 366 steps of the Belfry, 15 euros in winter, and in season see the Christmas markets on the Markt and Simon Stevinplein, open from 20 November 2026 to 3 January 2027.
- Ghent. Closer than Bruges, with the Gravensteen castle, the Graslei waterfront and the Ghent Altarpiece in St Bavo’s Cathedral.
- Antwerp. The port city of the Flemish north, with the Grote Markt, the Cathedral of Our Lady and a strong fashion and design scene.
- Dinant. A town on the River Meuse in Wallonia below its clifftop citadel, for a change of language and scenery.
For the whole country, including how the four cities fit into one trip, see the Belgium guide.
What goes wrong in Brussels?
- Planning the Atomium in late January. It is closed for maintenance from 18 January to 5 February 2027.
- Visiting museums on a Monday. The Royal Museums of Fine Arts close every Monday, as do several other museums in the city.
- Getting off at the wrong station. Brussels-South, Bruxelles-Midi and Brussel-Zuid are the same station; Brussels-Central is the one for the Grand-Place.
- Flying into Charleroi without a plan. It is far from the city, with no train station at the terminal.
- Expecting snow at the Christmas market. December averages 87.4 mm of rain and 1.6 hours of sunshine a day; it is usually damp and grey rather than white.
How many days do you need in Brussels?
Two days covers the Grand-Place, the Royal Museums of Fine Arts, the Mont des Arts and the Atomium. Three days adds a day trip to Bruges, Ghent or Antwerp, and four or five lets you combine Brussels with a night in Bruges.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best time to visit Brussels?
May to September is the most comfortable time, with average highs of 18.4°C in May and 23.2°C in July at Uccle, according to the Royal Meteorological Institute’s 1991-2020 normals. Late November to early January is the best time for a Christmas city break, when Winter Wonders fills the centre from 27 November 2026 to 3 January 2027. Rain falls on 13 to 19 days a month, so pack a waterproof.
Where should I stay in Brussels?
Stay around the Grand-Place and Sainte-Catherine for the old centre and the Christmas market on your doorstep. The Sablon and Mont des Arts area is quieter and close to the Royal Museums of Fine Arts. The European Quarter suits business trips and is on the airport bus line, and Ixelles around Avenue Louise has more cafés and a residential feel.
How do I get from Brussels Airport to the city centre?
Take the train from Brussels Airport-Zaventem station, directly under the terminal, to Brussels-North in about 11 minutes, Brussels-Central in about 18 minutes or Brussels-South in about 23 minutes, with six direct trains an hour. Tickets include a Brussels Airport supplement of 6.90 euros. STIB bus line 12 goes to the European Quarter for 7.90 euros with an Airport2City ticket.
When is the Brussels Christmas market in 2026?
Winter Wonders runs from Friday 27 November 2026 to Sunday 3 January 2027, organised by Brussels Major Events. It has 238 chalets around the Grand-Place, spread across Place de la Monnaie, the Bourse, Place de Brouckère, Place Sainte-Catherine, the Vismet, Rue de la Madeleine and Place Poelaert. The full programme is published in November.
How much does the Atomium cost?
An adult ticket costs 17 euros, seniors pay 15 euros, and students and children taller than 115 cm pay 9 euros; children up to 115 cm go free. The Atomium opens every day from 10:00 to 18:00, with last entry at 17:30, and closes for annual maintenance from 18 January to 5 February 2027.
How many days do you need in Brussels?
Two days covers the Grand-Place, the Royal Museums of Fine Arts, the Mont des Arts and the Atomium. Three days lets you add a day trip by SNCB train to Bruges, which takes around an hour, or to Ghent or Antwerp, which are closer.
Start planning your Brussels trip
Book the room first for December weekends, when Winter Wonders fills the central hotels. From London, Eurostar is quicker than flying once you count the airport time; from elsewhere, compare flights into Brussels Airport rather than Charleroi. 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 our London guide if you are combining both by Eurostar.
