CHRISTMAS IN BRUSSELS GUIDE (Winter Wonders Guide, Christmas markets & Illuminations)

Brussels in winter is a veritable winter wonderland, with markets spilling out onto the streets, delicious food at every turn and lights illuminating even the darkest nights and rainiest of days. The capital of Belgium is famed for many things, including its mouth-watering waffles, abundance of fries, its number of bars serving Belgian beers and for its pint-sized mascot, the statue of a little boy peeing, known locally as Manneken Pis. Welcome to Brussels. We're here to discover the best of Brussels this Christmas time. In the next few days, we're going to show you the best Christmas markets, the best illuminations and more. So without further ado, let's get into the best things to do in Brussels at Christmas. Mont des Arts is one of the most iconic places to visit in Brussels, thanks to the gorgeous view you have of the rest of the city. Each winter there's a themed activity here and as you can see this one is a set of swings where you can swing for free while enjoying the views. Manneken Pis is the statue of the little boy peeing and it's become something of a symbol of Brussels. There are statues of it everywhere, replicas, there's even the Garderobe Manneken Pis where you can visit his entire wardrobe. Although a lot of people are unfortunately a bit disappointed by the size of the statue. Grand Place lies in the heart of Brussels and is often touted to be one of the most beautiful public squares in the world. A true must-see when you're visiting Belgium. At Christmas it's home to an enormous tree. The story of Grand Place dates all the way back to the 12th century, though it was only completed in its present form in the 17th century. The first buildings in the square would have been constructed from wood. Unfortunately most of the buildings in the square were destroyed in a French bombardment in 1695 and so it had to be reconstructed. Today the illustrious square boasts elements of Baroque, Gothic and Louis XIV architecture and has been designated as a I personally recommend heading to the Grand Place both during the day and in the evening while you're visiting Brussels. After all, in the day you'll be able to spy all of the intricate details, while at night you can enjoy the night show which takes place on the hour every hour for five to ten minutes. Although do note that this light show can get quite busy and so you'll want to arrive ahead of time in order to ensure a prime viewing spot. There are also a number of chocolate shops in the Grand Place. The historic city centre of Brussels is completely pedestrianised and so the best way to explore is on your own two feet. Wander through the streets and you'll be rewarded with gorgeous views of beautiful storefronts and illuminations. Though Paris may be most famous for its covered arcades, Brussels has a few too. The Galerie Royale are free to visit and you can even sit at one of the many cafes inside if you want to hide from bad weather. Constructed between 1846 and 1847, the shopping arcades in Brussels actually predate those found in Milan and St Petersburg. Perfect to wander down during a rainy day, there are also a number of delectable chocolate shops where you can purchase souvenirs or alternatively a tasty treat for yourself. My personal favourite shop is a bookstore by the name of Tropisme. As well as books in French and Flemish, there are a number of English language books for sale. Much like many of the other places I'm going to mention in this guide, I definitely recommend heading here both during the daytime and at night as the galleries look completely different whether illuminated by candlelight or by the sunlight. While Manneken Pis often gets all of the credit, there are actually a few different peeing statues in Brussels, including one of a little girl known as Yenneke Pis and also of a dog known as Het Zinneke. Visiting Yenneke Pis will also put you in a prime position for visiting one of the most touristy places in Brussels, though it's someplace that I would recommend going even though it is full of crowds and that is Delirium, which is home to one of the biggest selections of beer in the entire world. There's truly something for everyone from sour beers to IPAs and even at Christmas time you'll find a number of festive beers and Christmas beers. As Delirium can get incredibly busy, I do recommend heading here mid-afternoon, mid-week if possible, in order to actually secure a table to enjoy your drink. If it happens to be raining during your time in Brussels, which unfortunately is quite likely as the winter sees a fair bit of rain, then one of the best indoor activities is to actually head into the cathedral. Located just a few minutes walk away from the Mont des Arts, the ecclesiastical building is dedicated to Saint Michael and Saint Gaudula. The cathedral finds its roots as far back as the 9th century when a chapel to Saint Michael likely existed on the site. The church you see today was built between the 11th and 15th centuries with the twin towers on the front facade having been constructed in 1485. At Christmas, the cathedral is home to a number of amazing life-size nativity scenes which have been created in various countries from across the world. And now let's discuss the best Christmas activity of them all, the Christmas markets. All across the city, there are a number of free illuminations to the best scene at night. One of my favourites is Fontaine's plan where there are a number of installations like penguins and Christmas trees. From there, you can wander on down to Place de la Bourse. When wandering around the centre of Brussels, you would be forgiven for thinking that the Christmas market is just one continuous stretch. However, this is just not the case and the market actually takes place over several specific locations. One of the most iconic is on Place de la Bourse where you'll find a number of vendors selling everything from Christmas market food like churros and raclette and mulled wine to vendors selling artisanal goods and craft including scarves, hats, gloves, ornaments and the like. If you're looking to warm up from the cold outside, then I highly recommend heading into the Bourse which has recently been renovated with money from the EU. This amazing space is completely free to visit and if you head to the top floor, although you'll have to get an elevator around the side to do this, then you'll be greeted with the beer lab. This space is quite amazing as it's a rooftop bar but also offers amazing views onto the Christmas markets below. We didn't have a lot of time and so we didn't opt to stay for a beer here but we did really enjoy watching the crowds move through the markets below as well as the views onto the Grand Place. Place de la Monnaie i.e. the Mint doesn't necessarily have the greatest selection of Christmas market stalls, however there are several nice bars here where you can get a drink and relax. Nearby, Place de la Broukaire is home to a number of activities that are fun for all the family. This includes a Santa Claus ride as well as a virtual reality station where you can go into virtual reality sets. If you're feeling hungry then Place de la Broukaire is also home to a number of unique Christmas food stands including bagels and hot drinks. This is also where you'll find the main ice skating in town, indeed this is the only place to ice skate. It's not that big and so it can get quite congested during the evenings. Saint Catherine is home to a tiny market that is home to just a handful of stalls, however what's unique is that this is actually Canadian stalls featuring goods such as maple syrup and other Canadian goodies. The largest and most impressive of the Christmas markets of Brussels and one that you definitely won't want to miss is Marché aux Poissons which means the fish market. This is truly the place to come whether you want to get food or buy some souvenirs, after all you can find jewellery for sale, hand-poured candles, leather goods and much much more. In terms of food this is definitely where we saw the greatest selection. There are also a number of amazing drinks for sale including hot chocolate, vin chaud of course and even some indoor chalets where you can warm up with a drink while overlooking the crowds. Even though I'm scared of heights it's worth noting that the Marché aux Poissons is also home to a giant ferris wheel which I definitely recommend taking to get gorgeous views of the market laid out below. And if you've made it to the end of the video then thank you so much for watching and don't forget to subscribe for more travel movies. See you next time, bye!