Antwerp Christmas Market: 2024 Dates & What to Expect (+Local’s Tips)
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Are you thinking of visiting Antwerp Christmas Market in Belgium and wondering when it’s open, where exactly to go, and what to expect? This short guide should answer all your questions. Find out!
Christmas Markets are very popular in Belgium. But if you visit just one, which one do you choose? They all have something similar and something unique.
We live in Belgium and Antwerp Christmas Market is one of our personal favorites of all the biggest Belgium Christmas Markets, mainly because of its most spectacular setting.
In this article, you can learn more about the Antwerp Christmas market and find all the practical info and some insider tips. Read on!
TIP: If you are looking for a hotel in Antwerp, we recommend the highly-rated Hotel Rubens in the heart of the old town. If you rather stay close to the railway station, Hampton by Hilton is a super popular choice (and offers great value).
READ ALSO: Where to Stay in Antwerp
Where to Find Antwerp Christmas Market
Antwerp Christmas market is normally spread over different squares in the historic city center: The Grote Markt, Suikerrui, Handschoenmarkt, the Groenplaats, and Steenplein at the foot of Antwerp Steen Castle.
Recently, there have been some big works at Steenplein, so that location is replaced by two new ones: Hendrik Conscienceplein, a cozy square in the old town, and also Operaplein, which is located halfway between the central railway station and the old town.
These are one by one the nicest places in Antwerp, so the Christmas Market setting is always very picturesque and cozy.
TIP: New this year is this highly-rated private Christmas Market walking tour. It’s a great way to get to know the city with a local and explore the best spots of the Antwerp Christmas Market. Check it out, especially if you are short on time and are not sure where to start!
When is Antwerp Christmas Market Open
The Christmas market in Antwerp is an annual event, and it’s usually open from the first weekend of December until the first weekend of January.
In the 2024-2025 winter season, the Antwerp Christmas market will be open from December 6, 2024, until January 5, 2025.
During this period, Antwerp Christmas Market is normally open daily, from noon to 10 PM. On Fridays and Saturdays, it’s open until midnight. On December 24th and 31st, the market closes at 6 PM.
On the first day the Christmas Market opens, it’s typically open from 4 PM to midnight, and there are some special events to celebrate the opening. On the very last day of the Christmas Market, it closes at 6 PM.
What to expect when visiting Antwerp Christmas Market
Antwerp Christmas Market typically has over a hundred market stalls and is spread out over some of the most beautiful locations in the city center.
Just by walking from one place to the other, you will see many of the main landmarks in the old town.
The atmosphere is great and even if you don’t buy anything, you can enjoy a cup of hot chocolate or a glass of glühwein, taste some Belgian waffles and smoutebollen, or go ice skating.
You can easily visit Antwerp Christmas Market with your friends, family, or young children as there is plenty to do for all ages.
A fair with some children’s rides and a Ferris Wheel is usually located at the Scheldt River next to the Castle. In some years, they move it to Astripdplein, the big square next to the Zoo in front of the Central Station.
The ice skating rink can usually be found on the Groenplaats (location varies in some years). There are plenty of other family-friendly activities in the city to keep you entertained during the day as well (zoo, aquarium, museums,..).
TIP: See our guide to Antwerp with kids for some inspiration for fun things to do in the city (not just for families!).
READ ALSO: Why Antwerp Is Well Worth Visiting
Antwerp in winter
If you are looking for a short winter getaway in Europe, Antwerp is a great choice. It has plenty to offer for young and old.
Antwerp is the home base of Rubens, the world diamond center, it also provides some of the best shopping in Belgium. in addition, you can find some fun experiences like a local food tour or a city brewery tour.
Furthermore, there are lots of dining options for any budget, all in a beautiful historical setting. Add the warm Christmas atmosphere and you cannot go wrong with visiting Antwerp in December.
For some more ideas on what to see and do in Antwerp, make sure to check our city guides below!
READ ALSO: Best Things to Do in Antwerp & The Hidden Gems of Antwerp
For families: In the past, Antwerp Zoo organized a really nice light event called China Light. It’s absolutely worth a visit as well! Last winter, however, this event took place in Planckendael animal park which is located near Mechelen, and not in Antwerp Zoo itself. So you may have to make a separate trip if interested.
TIP: If you can, plan on spending a weekend in Antwerp and staying for at least one or two nights. That way you can experience more of what this great city has to offer. See some hotel suggestions below.
Where to stay for the Antwerp Christmas Market
Here are some of the best-rated hotels in the heart of the old town, close to everything and perfect for sightseeing and the Christmas market:
- €€€€€ Botanic Sanctuary Antwerp (most luxurious).
- €€€€ Hotel Rubens-Grote Markt (most popular).
- €€€ HotelO Kathedral (good value for the old town).
- €€ A-STAY Antwerp (close to the station, 20 minutes walk from the old town, but very good value if you’re looking for a nice place to stay on a lower budget).
LEARN MORE: Where to Stay in Antwerp (Best Areas & Hotels)
If you are looking for more travel inspiration and tips for visiting Belgium, please check our other articles via the links below.
If you are planning a winter visit to Belgium, but are not sure what to expect in terms of the weather, check out our guide to traveling to Belgium in winter.
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE TO VISIT Brussels Christmas Market & Bruges Christmas Market & Best European Christmas Markets – Hidden Gems
Belgium travel guides:
- Belgium Itinerary – how to see the best of Belgium in 3-4 days.
- Top Things to Do in Brussels – all the musts!
- Where to Stay in Brussels – best areas for any type of trip.
- WWI Battlefields and Ypres – for history buffs.
- Bastogne War Museum & Mardasson Memorial – WWII history.
- Best Things to Do in Bruges – a must-see in Belgium!
- Best Theme Parks in Belgium – for families with kids.
- Brussels Flower Carpet – one for your bucket list.
- Facts About Belgium – a fun read to get to know Belgium a bit better.
- Manneken-Pis (the real story of this quirky symbol of Brussels).
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Hi Jurga! Appreciate this article so much for my family and I usually go out on Christmas Day itself. Are the Christmas markets open on Christmas Day, 25th December, (cuz in Cologne where we spent Christmas in 2022 they were closed)?
Hi Cheyenne, yes, as already said in the article, the market is open daily. This includes the Christmas Day itself.
German Christmas markets have nothing to do with the ones in Belgium 😉.
@Jurga,
A gazillion thanks for the quickest reply! I just wanted to be sure hence the query. 😉 Happy holidays ahead!
Hi Jurga,
I appreciate all your kind efforts to gather all this information for a holiday celebration! It is very useful!! Can you help and guide me about chocolate and diamond museums on 24th December? Will it be open? Where can I find this information?
Warm regards,
Priyanka.
Hi Priyanka, you can find this information on the official websites of each place you want to visit. Some are clearer than others, I have to admit.
I didn’t find opening hours for Chocolate Nation for Dec 24 on their website, but I tried booking tickets for that day and got all the time slots from 10 am to 4 pm, so they are likely open at least until 5-6pm that day. The website is chocolatenation.be
The Diamond Museum is open from 10 am to 3 pm on the 24th and closed on the 25th of December.
Hope this helps. Enjoy Antwerp!
Good morning how are you. I wanna book a place in Christmas market I want to put my stall there. I sell jewelry. Please can you help me how to book a place there. Thanks alot.
Best regards Mustafa
For something like this you would have to check the website of the city of Antwerp. Good luck!
Hi Jurga,
I hope you’re doing well, thanks for your information ahead.
Is the above information published is correct, what’s the source ?
Kindly let me know.
Hi Phillip, yes, of course, the dates are correct. We wouldn’t publish them if we were not sure or would indicate if it’s tentative. But the dates have been confirmed.
As for the sources, our blog is a reputable source you can refer to ;).
Hello, are the Christmas markets walkable from the main central station? How far away would they be from the central station? Thank yo 🙂
Hi Chandra, the Christmas Market is spread out over several different areas, but they are all in the same direction from the station and all within easy walking distance. For example, Opera Square is just 5 minutes walk, and the main square (Grote Markt) is about 25 minutes.
@Jurga, thanks for the quick answer! Great blog too! That’s great to know about how walkable it is. I’ll be coming from Utrecht most likely.
Hi there, thanks for article – it was very helpful. May I please confirm if the Christmas market will be open on Christmas Day 25th of December? And if there are restaurants/cafes open this day also?
Thank you!
Hi Claudia, yes, of course, as said in the article, the market is open daily during its opening season, so also on Christmas day. It should be open from noon.
As for the restaurants and cafes, it depends. Many restaurants close on 24-25/12, but some are open. If you want to dine at a specific place, you should check with them in advance.
Hello,
We will be in 8th December in Antwerp. It says christmas market opens in that day. It’s friday so it’s going to be open at night or the saturday morning? I am little confused about it. I have only weekend in Belgium and Ä° want to visit Brugge after Antwerp.
Hi Meo, the market opens on Friday so there will be some special activities that day. I’m not sure what time it will start exactly, but in the evening, it will definitely be open.
@Jurga, thank you so much!! I can’t wait to be there.
Good afternoon
We are on a cruise which arrives in Antwerp on 7 December 2023. I understand the Christmas Markets open on 8 December 2023. Although officially opening on the 8th December will some market stalls be open earlier say on the 7th December
If not what would you recommend, prefably with a Christmas theme, for a day tourist coming off a cruise ship
Thanks
Hi John, it’s unlikely that any market stalls will be open a day early, but most shops and street lights will likely be in Christmas theme already. There is also plenty to see and do in Antwerp without the Christmas Market.
See here and here for some inspiration.
Have a great trip!
Hi we are a party of 13 staying in Antwerp for New year 23-24. We are mostly 65 plus, but have 2 younger family members visiting from Oz. Can you suggest somewhere for our NYE dinner? we want somewhere nice but not too ‘posh’ any suggestions would be helpful, we want to get it booked as there are so many of us!
Hi Julie, there are so many nice restaurants in Antwerp, and yes, it’s a good idea to book well in advance for New Year.
RAS by the river could be great, but it’s a bit on a pricier side (still not too bad compared to many others). The fireworks should be visible right from the restaurants.
ARTE Italian restaurant has excellent price-quality and is also very centrally located. The restaurant is rather narrow however, so you would have to check with them if they can accommodate you.
But there are really way too many to mention – different styles, cuisines, prices, location, etc. etc.
I suggest you simply open Google Maps for the location you like, pick the type of food you like, and then check reviews of the restaurants in that area.
Good luck!
Hi, I have a teenager daughter who follows a strict vegan diet, could you let me know if there are restaurants and supermarkets in Antwerp that cater for anyone following this diet.
Hi Nicola, I’m quite sure that you’ll find plenty of restaurants that have vegan food, but I’m not sure if there are some supermarkets that are exclusively vegan. Also, I have no personal experience with this, so I really can’t help you. Try to do some research online. If you just google ‘vegan restaurants in Antwerp’, you get plenty of suggestions.
@Jurga, Thank you for letting me know.
Hi ,
We leave England for Antwerp on the 19th December 2022 and are staying at the Hyllit Hotel near Antwerp Central , I know Antwerp rather well but my question is where is nice to eat near the greonplaats ( Christmas Market ) ?
Hi Andy, there are lots of nice places to eat in that area – it’s the heart of the city with tons of restaurants. It really depends on your interests, how ‘fancy’ you want to go, and what kind of food you like. Here are some suggestions for all budgets:
Restaurant Sir Anthony Van Dijck is our favorite for when we’re looking for a more special experience. Also Pelgrimhuis is in a similar style and really nice. These are on the pricy side.
RAS restaurant by the river is also on the fancier side, if you are looking for something a bit more upscale.
If you want to try some Belgian food, check out De Pottekijker.
For steaks, hamburgers, etc. try Meat Factory.
Bia Mara is quite good for a simple quick meal like fish&chips.
And there are many, many more.
Have a great time in Antwerp!
Don’t forget now the new 5star hotel Botanic Sanctuary Hotel at the Botanic Garden in the theater district in the center of Antwerp. Also a low budget is the Prizotel in Antwerp which is the Design budget Hotel bij Radison (20 minutes on foot from center but trams nearby) .
China light is not in Antwerp zoo this year but only in Planckendael.
Thanks for the tips, Steve.
Hello! We will be visiting Antwerp for Christmas this year (from Australia). Do you recommend doing a special meal out for Christmas on either Christmas Eve or Christmas Day? Will the market be open on Christmas Day? If so, maybe we should do our special meal at a restaurant on Christmas Eve, and eat at the markets on Christmas Day. Will restaurants be open on Christmas Eve and/or Christmas Day? So hard to arrange this from this far away. Any suggestions for great restaurants open over Christmas would also be appreciated.
Hi Christine, Antwerp Christmas market opening times are below:
Monday to Thursday and Sunday: noon – 10pm
Friday and Saturday: noon to midnight
Exceptions: 24 & 31 December and 1 and 5 January: noon to 6pm.
I’m afraid I can’t help you much with the restaurants. It’s especially difficult on Christmas Eve (24/12) as that’s a family evening here in Belgium. So I think most restaurants will be closed. On the other hand, it’s a big city and there is always something open; I just don’t know what and I really have no time to research. Finding a nice hotel with a restaurant is probably your safest bet. Or something like Hard Rock cafe Antwerp – they often have special events for Holidays and seem to be open on 24/12.
If you are looking for a really nice place for Christmas Day, I think Sir Anthony Van Dijck restaurant is open. It’s a place for finer dining, but we love it for special occasions.
Hope this helps a bit. Otherwise check Google Maps for some of the best choices.
Enjoy your trip!
@Jurga, Aahaar if you like great Indian food! We are regulars there!
Thanks for the suggestion, Christie.
Hi Jurga,
Thinking of visiting the market with a 2 year old in tow the weekend before Christmas. Is there any hotel or area you’d recommend for us to stay in?
Thanks, your blog is great!
Máire
Hi Maire, there are so many really nice hotels in Antwerp. It’s hard for me to suggest something specific not knowing what you like or what your budget is. Also, I’d book asap because the weekends before Christmas are usually very busy.
If you have a budget and want to be in the center of the action, Hilton on the Groenplaats is right where the Christmas market is. I’m not sure if the noise from the outside bothers inside the hotel, but I’d assume not. Otherwise, take a look at other hotels nearby using the map function on Booking.com.
If you rather stay close to the Central Station, Radisson Blue Astrid is very well located. Also here, open the map and take a look at the alternatives nearby. Another nice alternatives are Hotel Indigo and NH Antwerp City Center (the latter is a bit further from the main streets, but still well located).
Hope this helps.
hello we are coming over to Antwerp Christmas week i was wondering do you need cash to pay for the items at the Christmas market or do they all hold master card facilities ?
also we are staying at the Radisson Blu Astrid hotel will we be able to walk there ?
Hi Veronica, yes, you definitely need cash at the Christmas market. Some stands might take cards, but I don’t think the food and drink stands have credit card facilities – we always pay cash. Also, in Belgium you have to pay for the use of bathroom facilities, so it’s always useful to have some small change as well.
Your hotel is located close to the Central Station. You can definitely walk to the Christmas market, it’s about 20-30 min walk along the busiest shopping street in Antwerp. If you find that’s too far, you can also take a tram/pre-metro to Groenplaats station.
Really excited to be visiting this market next week as part of a mini cruise thank you for all the lovely pice and useful information
Enjoy your trip, Dianne!
Is the market open Christmas Day?
Hi Kirsty, from what I see it’s open on the 25th.
Here are Antwerp Christmas market opening times for 2018/19 winter season:
Sunday to Thursday: noon – 10pm
Friday and Saturday: noon to midnight
Exceptions are 24/12 and 31/12 when the market closes at 6pm.
We are due to visit Amsterdam and Antwerp Xmas markets , however we are on a cruise ship, and don’t want to take an expensive tour. Are the markets near the port?
Hi Jan, Antwerp city centre is quite compact and most cruise ships dock right next to the Steen castle, in the heart of the old town. You don’t need any special tour in order to visit Antwerp or the Christmas market. If you are looking for ideas on how to best plan your time, please check my guides for the best things to do in Antwerp and how to see the best of Amsterdam in one day. They both have a map and even a suggested waking route, so you can easily see the main highlights on your own.
Have a nice trip!
Thank you , so helpful and such a quick response
Hi Jan, are you by an chance doing the cruise and maritime C903 cruise? If so, see you there 🙂
Hi, When does this years, 2018 Christmas market start in Antwerp?
Many thanks
Hi Jonathan, I guess you missed it – it’s right at the top of the post: ‘This year Antwerp Christmas market will be open from Saturday 8 December 2018 until Sunday 6 January 2019’.
Hi, have the dates for 2017/2018 Market been announced as of yet? It looks beautiful!
Hi Pam, the dates for the Antwerp Christmtmarket this year are as follows: from Saturday 9 December 2017 till Sunday 7 January 2018. Plenty of time to enjoy it! ?
Very tempted to jump on a plane now! After visiting Brussels last month, I can’t get enough of Belgium!
Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment, Tilly. It’s at the moments like this that I realise that we take so many things for granted. Like the fact that we have such beautiful places like Antwerp, Brussels or Bruges nearby, or that we can go to Amsterdam or Paris for a weekend whenever we feel like… It’s good to be reminded how special it actually is and what a privilege it is to live here in Europe.
Wonderful!
Thanks!