Winter in Belgium: historic cities & Christmas markets

Brussels - Bruges

Day 1: Welcome to historic Bruges

Welcome to Belgium! After your arrival to into Brussels-Zaventem Airport, your private driver will pick you up and take you to your hotel in historic Bruges. During the end of year, across its main squares and ancient streets, you will find an expansive Christmas market filled with festive charm and cheer. In the late afternoon and early evening, as it gets dark, the lights are a particularly enchanting sight.

Bruges

Day 2: Take a sightseeing tour in Bruges

Bruges is best explored on foot, as you will experience on a walking tour with your private guide. Cobbled streets link up countless charming squares, and as the inner city itself is compact, you'll come face-to-face with landmark sights and monuments at every turn. Take it all in from atop the 83m medieval bell tower, the Belfry of Bruges, which overlooks the Market Square. Then, continue with a visit to the Church of Our Lady, followed by the historic center.

You'll have the rest of the day to relax and explore the city at your pace, perhaps seeking out your new favorite type of Belgian beer, or taking time to enjoy more of the Christmas market as day turns to night.

Bruges - Ghent - Bruges

Day 3: Take a day trip to Ghent

This morning, return to the train station to board a direct train to Ghent, where a day of historic wonders awaits! On a private walking tour, you'll enjoy two hours' worth of sightseeing, from the banks of the river Leie and the Graslei boulevard which runs alongside it, to specialist produce shops and the medieval Castle of the Counts - the only remaining castle with moat and intact defence system in Flanders.

Take time in the afternoon to explore Ghent's Christmas market by yourself: with more than 150 wooden huts selling all manner of snacks, drinks, trinkets and authentic crafts, you'll have plenty to take in and admire as you soak up scents of pine and mulled wine.

If you're looking to taste quintessental local fare, don't miss your chance to indulge in Belgian waffles and frites, as well as mussels and oysters, before your return to Bruges for the night.

Bruges

Day 4: Christmas spirit & chocolates in Bruges

Spend another day in Bruges, exploring more of its many attractions at your own pace this morning. Feel yourself swept away by the enchantment of its Christmas market stalls and decorations, as you enjoy some souvenir shopping and people-watching in its squares.

In the afternoon, prepare to enter divine heaven at the interactive Choco Story museum, which celebrates the 4,000-year-old history of chocolate. Learn about how cacao beans are grown, get a chance to taste and smell the ingredients, and watch as a chocolatier makes luxurious pralines - with the chance to try them afterwards, of course!

Bruges - Brussels

Day 5: A world of flavors in Brussels

Today, check out of your hotel in Bruges as you prepare for a private transfer to the capital, Brussels.

When it comes to Belgian food, Brussels is the place to be for sampling delicious flavors such as bloempanch sausage, choesels (veal sweetbreads simmered in a Belgian beer sauce), and plattekeis (creamy cheese spread). That's why you'll love embarking on today's mouthwatering walking food tour, taking you through the historic city center to taste both famous and lesser-known specialties.

You'll have the rest of the day free to explore Brussels, with a sightseeing card granting entry to almost every monument and museum in the city, plus access to public transport.

Brussels

Day 6: Soak up culture & history in the capital

Today you'll have time to explore Brussels however you'd like! With your Brussels Card at the ready, go in search of more remarkable museums and sites. Pay a visit to the Magritte Museum and the Oldmasters Museum for your fill of art, dive into history at the Jewish Museum, or enjoy the thrills of the Comics Art Museum and Autoworld.

Of course, you'll have wonderful and atmospheric Christmas markets to enjoy, with light shows, a ferris wheel, ice skating rinks and more to be found all across the city. Refresh your senses with hot mulled wine and shop for more souvenirs to bring home to your loved ones, soaking in the buzzing yet lovely ambience on Grand-Place square.

You'll also get a chance today to learn how to make mouthwatering waffles during an immersive workshop, complete with a demonstration and tasting - a perfect way to end your trip!

Brussels

Day 7: Goodbye, Belgium!

Your dreamy Belgian adventure is sadly coming to an end: prepare to bid farewell to Brussels today, as your private driver picks you up from the hotel for a transfer back to the airport, in time for your flight home.