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When to go · Belgium

Belgium in December

Good month. Christmas markets in Brussels (Winter Wonders), Bruges, Ghent and Liège.

Key facts

Verdict
Good
Crowds
Medium
Belgium
Prices
Medium
Belgium

Verdict

GoodVoykit month rating for Belgium

Christmas markets in Brussels (Winter Wonders), Bruges, Ghent and Liège.

Is another month better than December?

December is rated good. These months rate higher:

Weather in December

  • Flanders, Brussels and the coast · Bruges, Ghent, Antwerp, Brussels, Ostendcool

    Mild, cloudy and damp; summers around 22–25 °C (72–77 °F) with occasional heatwaves. December Christmas markets offset dark afternoons.

  • Wallonia and the Ardennes · Namur, Dinant, Durbuy, Liège, Bouilloncool

    Colder upland winters with some snow; autumn colours in October; hunts close some forest trails from October to December.

  • Flanders: Coastal Flanders · Bruges, Ostend, Knokkecold

    Sea wind keeps it cooler in summer and milder in winter; rain any month.

  • Flanders: Inland Flanders · Ghent, Antwerp, Leuven, Limburgcold

    April–June and September are the driest and least crowded; July–August is peak.

  • Wallonia: Meuse valley (Namur, Dinant, Liège) · River towns and the Sambrecool

    Mild and damp; summer days around 22–25 °C (72–77 °F), winter around 3–6 °C (37–43 °F). Rain is possible in any month.

  • Wallonia: Ardennes (Durbuy, La Roche, Spa) · Hills above about 400 mcold

    Cooler and wetter than the valleys; snow is common in January and February and can close minor roads.

  • Brussels6 °C (43 °F) / 2 °C (36 °F), 18 rain days
  • Aalst7 °C (45 °F) / 2 °C (36 °F), 19 rain days
  • Aarschot6 °C (43 °F) / 1 °C (34 °F), 9 rain days
  • Antwerp7.2 °C (45 °F) / 2 °C (36 °F), 13 rain days
  • Arlon5 °C (41 °F) / 0 °C (32 °F), 14 rain days
  • Ath7 °C (45 °F) / 2 °C (36 °F), 13 rain days
  • Avelgem6 °C (43 °F) / 2 °C (36 °F), 10 rain days
  • Bastogne5 °C (41 °F) / -1 °C (30 °F), 12 rain days
  • Berlare6 °C (43 °F) / 1 °C (34 °F), 9 rain days
  • Beveren7 °C (45 °F) / 2 °C (36 °F), 12 rain days
  • Binche6 °C (43 °F) / 1 °C (34 °F), 11 rain days
  • Bouillon5 °C (41 °F) / 0 °C (32 °F), 12 rain days
  • Bruges7 °C (45 °F) / 2 °C (36 °F), 13 rain days
  • Cambron-Casteau6 °C (43 °F) / 1 °C (34 °F), 14 rain days
  • Charleroi7 °C (45 °F) / 2 °C (36 °F), 13 rain days
  • Chimay6 °C (43 °F) / 1 °C (34 °F), 13 rain days
  • Damme6 °C (43 °F) / 1 °C (34 °F), 9 rain days
  • De Haan7 °C (45 °F) / 2 °C (36 °F), 13 rain days
  • Deinze7 °C (45 °F) / 2 °C (36 °F), 13 rain days
  • Dendermonde6 °C (43 °F) / 1 °C (34 °F), 12 rain days
  • Diest6 °C (43 °F) / 1 °C (34 °F), 9 rain days
  • Diksmuide7 °C (45 °F) / 2 °C (36 °F), 13 rain days
  • Dinant6 °C (43 °F) / 1 °C (34 °F), 13 rain days
  • Eeklo6 °C (43 °F) / 1 °C (34 °F), 12 rain days
  • Eupen6 °C (43 °F) / 1 °C (34 °F), 12 rain days
  • Gembloux6 °C (43 °F) / 1 °C (34 °F), 11 rain days
  • Genk6 °C (43 °F) / 0 °C (32 °F), 12 rain days
  • Geraardsbergen6 °C (43 °F) / 1 °C (34 °F), 9 rain days
  • Ghent7 °C (45 °F) / 2 °C (36 °F), 13 rain days
  • Grimbergen7 °C (45 °F) / 2 °C (36 °F), 19 rain days
  • Halen7 °C (45 °F) / 2 °C (36 °F), 19 rain days
  • Hasselt7 °C (45 °F) / 2 °C (36 °F), 13 rain days
  • Herentals7 °C (45 °F) / 2 °C (36 °F), 10 rain days
  • Hermalle-sous-Huy6 °C (43 °F) / 1 °C (34 °F), 9 rain days
  • Herve5 °C (41 °F) / 0 °C (32 °F), 10 rain days
  • Heuvelland6 °C (43 °F) / 1 °C (34 °F), 9 rain days
  • Huy7 °C (45 °F) / 2 °C (36 °F), 13 rain days
  • Keerbergen6 °C (43 °F) / 1 °C (34 °F), 11 rain days
  • Kelmis6 °C (43 °F) / 1 °C (34 °F), 9 rain days
  • Knokke-Heist6 °C (43 °F) / 2 °C (36 °F), 11 rain days
  • Koksijde7 °C (45 °F) / 2 °C (36 °F), 13 rain days
  • Kortrijk7 °C (45 °F) / 2 °C (36 °F), 13 rain days
  • Kraainem6 °C (43 °F) / 2 °C (36 °F), 19 rain days
  • La Louvière6 °C (43 °F) / 1 °C (34 °F), 9 rain days
  • La Roche-en-Ardenne5 °C (41 °F) / 0 °C (32 °F), 9 rain days
  • Leuven7 °C (45 °F) / 2 °C (36 °F), 12 rain days
  • Liège6 °C (43 °F) / 1 °C (34 °F), 13 rain days
  • Lier7 °C (45 °F) / 2 °C (36 °F), 12 rain days
  • Lochristi8 °C (46 °F) / 3 °C (37 °F), 12 rain days
  • Lokeren6 °C (43 °F) / 1 °C (34 °F), 13 rain days
  • Louvain-la-Neuve7 °C (45 °F) / 2 °C (36 °F), 19 rain days
  • Maasmechelen6 °C (43 °F) / 0 °C (32 °F), 9 rain days
  • Mechelen7 °C (45 °F) / 2 °C (36 °F), 12 rain days
  • Mons6 °C (43 °F) / 1 °C (34 °F), 10 rain days
  • Namur6 °C (43 °F) / 1 °C (34 °F), 13 rain days
  • Neerijse7 °C (45 °F) / 2 °C (36 °F), 12 rain days
  • Neupré6 °C (43 °F) / 1 °C (34 °F), 11 rain days
  • Nieuwpoort7 °C (45 °F) / 2 °C (36 °F), 12 rain days
  • Ostend8 °C (46 °F) / 3 °C (37 °F), 13 rain days
  • Oudenaarde6 °C (43 °F) / 1 °C (34 °F), 12 rain days
  • Poperinge7 °C (45 °F) / 2 °C (36 °F), 12 rain days
  • Pottes5 °C (41 °F) / 0 °C (32 °F), 9 rain days
  • Roeselare7 °C (45 °F) / 2 °C (36 °F), 12 rain days
  • Sint-Martens-Latem6 °C (43 °F) / 1 °C (34 °F), 8 rain days
  • Sint-Niklaas7 °C (45 °F) / 2 °C (36 °F), 12 rain days
  • Sint-Pieters-Leeuw7 °C (45 °F) / 2 °C (36 °F), 9 rain days
  • Sint-Truiden7 °C (45 °F) / 2 °C (36 °F), 12 rain days
  • Spa5 °C (41 °F) / 1 °C (34 °F), 13 rain days
  • Spiennes6 °C (43 °F) / 0 °C (32 °F), 9 rain days
  • St. Vith5 °C (41 °F) / -1 °C (30 °F), 13 rain days
  • Tervuren7 °C (45 °F) / 2 °C (36 °F), 19 rain days
  • Thuin7 °C (45 °F) / 2 °C (36 °F), 19 rain days
  • Tielt6 °C (43 °F) / 1 °C (34 °F), 13 rain days
  • Tongeren6 °C (43 °F) / 3 °C (37 °F), 19 rain days
  • Tournai6 °C (43 °F) / 1 °C (34 °F), 13 rain days
  • Turnhout6 °C (43 °F) / 1 °C (34 °F), 9 rain days
  • Verviers5 °C (41 °F) / 0 °C (32 °F), 12 rain days
  • Villers-la-Ville6 °C (43 °F) / 1 °C (34 °F), 9 rain days
  • Vilvoorde6 °C (43 °F) / 1 °C (34 °F), 10 rain days
  • Waasmunster7 °C (45 °F) / 2 °C (36 °F), 12 rain days
  • Waterloo6 °C (43 °F) / 1 °C (34 °F), 10 rain days
  • Welkenraedt5 °C (41 °F) / 0 °C (32 °F), 14 rain days
  • Ypres7 °C (45 °F) / 2 °C (36 °F), 12 rain days
  • Zaventem6 °C (43 °F) / 1 °C (34 °F), 12 rain days
  • Zottegem6 °C (43 °F) / 1 °C (34 °F), 10 rain days
  • Zoutleeuw6 °C (43 °F) / 1 °C (34 °F), 10 rain days

Festivals and holidays

Dates as our data lists them. Moving holidays (lunar and Islamic calendars, Easter) shift every year: check the date for your year before you build a trip on it.

  • Christmas

    25 Dec

    Shops closed; markets run until early January.

  • Winter Wonders Christmas market

    Late November to early January · Brussels

    Market stalls, a light show on the Grand-Place and an ice rink; centre streets fill in the evenings. Book beds early.

Crowds and prices

Crowds · Belgium
Medium
Prices · Belgium
Medium

Compare two months

Weather, crowds and prices for any two months in Belgium, side by side.

  • Verdict

    Dec: Good

    May: Great (better)

  • Crowds

    Dec: Medium

    May: Medium

  • Prices

    Dec: Medium

    May: Medium

  • Festivals listed

    Dec: 2

    May: 4

December: Christmas markets in Brussels (Winter Wonders), Bruges, Ghent and Liège.

May: Mild; Brussels Jazz Weekend and outdoor terraces; long weekends fill Bruges.

Belgium: figures are long-term averages from this guide, not a forecast.

What to pack

  • Layers: a fleece or light jacket

Build the full packing list for your trip →

Where to go in December

Rated best or good this month

  • Liège

    Best months: May–Sep; Dec for the Christmas market

  • Namur

    Best months: May–Sep; Dec for the Christmas market