Bruges in Winter: Why December Is the Best Time to Visit Belgium's Medieval Gem
Let me tell you something the summer crowds don't want you to know: Bruges in December is better than Bruges in July.
There. I said it.
I've visited this city in every season over the past six years, and winter Bruges — specifically late November through December — hits different. The canals reflect strings of lights. The Markt fills with wooden market stalls selling glühwein and speculoos. The 366 steps of the Belfry? You might have them to yourself.
Why This Season Works
Bruges gets roughly 8 million visitors a year. Most of them come between April and September. By December, the day-trip buses from Brussels thin out dramatically. The cobblestone streets that are shoulder-to-shoulder in July become walkable in December. Actually walkable — as in, you can stop and look up at a building without getting bumped.
The weather is cold. Average temperatures hover around 3-5°C. It rains. Sometimes it sleets. But Bruges was built for this weather. The medieval buildings create windbreaks. The cafes have thick walls and candlelight. The entire city was basically designed for hygge before the Danes trademarked the concept.
The Christmas Market
Bruges' Wintergloed festival runs from late November through early January. The main market spreads across the Markt (Market Square) and Simon Stevinplein. Expect:
Glühwein stands: €4-5 for a mug of hot spiced wine. The mugs are festive and you pay a €2 deposit — most people keep them as souvenirs
Artisan food stalls: Belgian waffles (€4-6), braadworst (grilled sausage, €5), and jenever (traditional Belgian gin, €3-4 per shot)
An ice skating rink on the Markt, with the Belfry tower looming above. Rental skates included in the ~€8 entry
Light installations along the canals — the Wintergloed light trail runs about 2 km through the old town
The market is busiest on weekends. Go on a Tuesday or Wednesday evening for the best experience — warm lights, fewer elbows.
The Weather (Let's Be Honest)
Temperature: 1-6°C. Sunrise around 8:30AM, sunset by 4:30PM. Short days, long evenings.
This is a feature, not a bug. The early darkness means the city lights come alive by late afternoon. The canal reflections at 5PM in December are more photogenic than anything you'll shoot in broad summer daylight.
Rain is likely. Bring a waterproof jacket and decent shoes — those cobblestones get slippery. Skip the umbrella in narrow medieval streets; you'll poke someone.
What to Do When It's Cold
Morning: Belfry Climb (With No Line)
The Belfry of Bruges — 366 steps, 83 meters, €14 entry. In summer, the queue stretches 30-40 minutes. In December? I walked straight in at 10AM on a Thursday. The narrow spiral staircase is tight regardless of season, but without a human traffic jam, you can actually pause at the 47-bell carillon room and listen to the chimes without someone breathing on your neck.
At the top, the winter view is different. Bare trees. Slate roofs with frost. The flat Flemish countryside stretching to the horizon. Beautiful in a stark, honest way.
Late Morning: De Halve Maan Brewery
The only active brewery in the old city center. Brugse Zot ("Bruges Fool") is their flagship — a crisp, golden blonde that's become my default Belgian beer. Guided tours run every hour from 11AM-4PM, cost €16, and include a rooftop view and a tasting glass. The 3 km underground beer pipeline to their bottling plant outside the city is one of the most Belgian things I've ever heard of.
In winter, the rooftop terrace is biting cold but the view is gorgeous. The brewery's brasserie downstairs serves hearty Flemish stews that are exactly what you need after standing in the wind.
Afternoon: Museum Crawl
The Brugge City Card (€32/48hrs or €38/72hrs) includes entry to 27 museums and attractions plus a canal boat ride. In summer, you're competing with outdoor activities. In winter, museum-hopping is the move.
Groeningemuseum (€14 without card): Jan van Eyck's 'Madonna with Canon van der Paele' and the finest collection of Flemish Primitives in existence. Small museum — 90 minutes is plenty
Choco-Story Chocolate Museum (€12): Interactive chocolate history with live demonstrations and tastings. Combo tickets with the Belgian Beer Experience run €19
Begijnhof: The 13th-century walled beguinage. In winter, the tree-lined green is bare and atmospheric. The Benedictine nuns still live here. Free to walk the grounds; the small museum is €2
Evening: Beer and Chocolate
This is Bruges. You're legally required to consume both.
For beer: skip the tourist bars on the Markt. Walk two blocks to 't Brugs Beertje on Kemelstraat — a legendary beer café with 300+ Belgian beers. Or try Cambrinus on Philipstockstraat for their beer-pairing menu. A local Brugse Zot at a proper café runs about €4-5.
For chocolate: The Chocolate Line by Dominique Persoone is the mad-scientist option (bacon chocolate, wasabi truffles). Dumon on Eiermarkt is the classic, no-gimmick choice. Budget €15-25 for a decent box of pralines.
Seasonal Food You Can't Get in Summer
Winter unlocks specific Belgian foods:
Waterzooi: A creamy chicken or fish stew with vegetables, originally from Ghent but served everywhere in Bruges. €16-20 at a good restaurant
Stoofvlees/carbonade flamande: Beef stewed in Belgian beer. The kind of dish that makes you understand why northern Europeans invented comfort food
Speculoos: Spiced shortcrust biscuits that appear everywhere in December. The fresh ones from bakeries are nothing like the packaged versions
Jenever: Belgian gin served in tulip glasses at traditional cafés. Try it at Herberg Vlissinghe — Bruges' oldest pub (since 1515). A glass costs €3-4
Crowd Levels (The Real Advantage)
Summer Bruges can feel suffocating. The canal boats queue for 20-30 minutes. The Markt is standing room only. Horse-drawn carriage rides (€55/30 mins for up to 5 people) have hour-long waits.
December Bruges? Canal boat rides end for the season in November, but everything else is accessible without the madness. The Basilica of the Holy Blood on Burg Square — normally packed — is peaceful enough to actually appreciate the 12th-century Romanesque lower chapel. Walking the streets, you hear church bells instead of tour guides.
Sample Winter Weekend Itinerary
Saturday: Belfry climb (9:30AM) → Markt and Burg Square exploration → Lunch at Den Dyver (Flemish beer cuisine) → Groeningemuseum (1:30PM) → Choco-Story (3:30PM) → Christmas market at sunset → Dinner at De Bottelier
Sunday: Begijnhof morning walk → Minnewater (Lake of Love) → De Halve Maan brewery tour (11AM) → Lunch at the brewery brasserie → Old town shopping and chocolate hunting → Evening jenever at Herberg Vlissinghe → Waffle from a street vendor → Train back to Brussels
Packing for Winter Bruges
Layers. The temperature bounces between indoor warmth and outdoor bite. A waterproof outer layer is essential. Warm socks — the cobblestones transmit cold straight through thin soles. Gloves for the Belfry climb (the stone walls at the top are ice-cold). A scarf, because standing on the Markt with wind cutting across that flat square is no joke.
And comfortable shoes. Those cobblestones are unforgiving in any season, but wet winter cobblestones are an ankle-twist waiting to happen.
The Bottom Line
Bruges in summer is beautiful. Bruges in winter is magical. The Christmas lights reflecting in the canals, the smell of glühwein and waffles on a medieval square, the fact that you can actually be in the city instead of being pushed through it — it's a completely different experience.
Book a Friday-to-Sunday trip in early December. Stay near the center (the walk from the train station is 15 minutes, and that's fine in summer but miserable in freezing rain). Eat stew. Drink beer. Buy more chocolate than you think is reasonable.
You won't regret it.
For more European winter inspiration, Salzburg transforms into a Christmas wonderland with atmospheric markets and fortress views. And if you're planning a broader trip, our complete Bruges travel guide covers the city in every season. Copenhagen is another capital where hygge culture thrives in the cold months.
