The historic heart of Brussels is once again set to transform for more than a month over midwinter into a Christmas wonderland, as the 24th edition of Winter Wonders returns to the Belgian capital from 29 November 2024 to 5 January 2025.
Market stalls, ice skating, carousels and mulled wine
After welcoming four million visitors last year, event organisers expect to see millions of attendees again this year at the five week long winter extravaganza. Known as Winter Wonders (Plaisirs d’Hiver in French or Winterpret in Dutch), the yuletide entertainment includes magical Christmas light shows illuminating Brussels’ impressive Baroque Grand Place and nearby cobbled streets, as well as a traditional Christmas market on Place St Catherine and its fishmarket. The market also extends to Bourse, and Place de la Monnaie, and even takes in the newly renovated architectural gem that is Galerie Bortier.
Against a backdrop of carollers and seasonal cheer, sellers at chalet-themed stalls will be selling artisan decorations and gifts, as well as mulled wine and other sweet and savoury goodies to keep you warm while you enjoy sights. These include the return of the event’s beloved steam punk carousels, a Big Wheel situated on Place St Catherine, and, over at Place de Brouckere, a skating rink and curling pistes. Waiting in the wings, cosy covered bar terrasses will be ready to serve you, your family and friends, as you soak up the atmosphere.
A French guest of honour
And, after hosting the 11 indigenous nations of Quebec in 2023, this year’s Winter Wonders will include another special guest of honour: the region of Var, southeast France, from where sellers will bring a Provençal nativity scene and tastings of Provençal specialities and delicacies, such as the chestnuts, olives, wine, honey and figs that are so highly prized in the region.
While Provence might not conjure immediate associations with Christmas, the tie-in with Brussels Christmas market makes sense at a time when chilly northern Europeans’ thoughts might be turning to dreams of summer.
“Belgium is a key market for Le Var with more than two million Belgian overnight stays recorded each year at our destination,” said Var Tourism president Guillaume Decard. “Le Var invites its Belgian friends and visitors to the Christmas market to discover our end-of-year traditions. Olive oil, truffles, wines, Var perfumes, Provençal nativity scene and more await you,” he added.
The grand opening of one of Europe’s biggest Christmas Market events takes place at 6 pm, appropriately enough on Grand Place, with music and light installations to get you in the festive spirit, before the Christmas tree is lit to the hair-raising sounds of an operatic performance by choirs from La Monnaie’s opera house.
