Brussels Flower Carpet: 2026 Dates, Best Time to Visit & Local Tips
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Want to visit the Brussels Flower Carpet in 2026 and wondering if it’s really worth planning your trip to Belgium around it?
We live in Belgium and make a point of seeing the Brussels Flower Carpet almost every time it takes place. In this practical guide, you’ll learn exactly what to expect, when the event happens, and how to plan your visit so you get the best views without wasting time in crowds.
The Brussels Flower Carpet is a biennial event on Brussels’ Grand Place and one of the city’s most popular and photographed attractions. Below, you’ll find a short overview of the event, followed by clear, experience-based tips to help you plan your visit to the Brussels Flower Carpet in the easiest and most efficient way.
What Is the Brussels Flower Carpet?
Just as the name suggests, the Brussels Flower Carpet is a carpet made of flowers. Well, it’s not really a carpet, but it sure looks like it… Set on the main town square of Brussels, UNESCO World Heritage Site Grand Place, the flower carpet is huge. It’s composed of hundreds of thousands of colorful begonia flowers.
With a length of 77 m and a width of 24 m (253 x 79 ft), the carpet is massive. The total area is 1,800 m2 (19,000 sq ft). It’s made out of up to a million fresh flowers, set in patterns, and is a very impressive sight.
On the morning of the opening day, over 100 volunteers come together to make the carpet. Following a set composition, they turn the cobblestoned town square into a massive carpet in a matter of just several hours.
No two flower carpets are ever the same and a different theme is chosen for each festival. These themes are not just random; in most cases, they are chosen to commemorate a certain historical event.
Brussels Flower Carpet 2026 Dates
Brussels Flower Carpet is set every two years (on even years) on the weekend around Assumption Day in mid-August.
It’s normally set on Thursday with an opening ceremony in the evening and stays on display till Sunday.
Good to know: The next Brussels Flower Carpet edition will take place from 13 to 16 August 2026.
READ ALSO: Best Things to Do in Brussels
Brief History
The first Brussels Flower Carpet dates from 1971. It was not until 1986 that it became a regular biennial event.
This event is organized by a non-profit organization Tapis de Fleurs de Bruxelles. Together with a group of professional landscape architects and designers, they choose a theme for the next flower carpet. It can be anything from a specific event to a whole continent.
After the theme is decided, a design is made and the colors are chosen. Then, calculations are done in order to know how many flowers will be needed for the carpet. Needless to say that an event with this many fresh-cut flowers requires advance preparation…
It’s not a coincidence that begonias are the most-used flowers for the creation of the Brussels Flower Carpet. They come in a very wide variety of colors and are resistant to all weather conditions, from sunshine and summer heat to rain and cold… Furthermore, Belgium is one of the world’s biggest exporters of begonia flowers.
Sometimes, the flower carpet is also decorated with small fountains. In the evenings, there is usually a light and music show that runs for the entire duration of the event.
Interesting to know: The original creator of the Brussels Flower Carpet, Belgian architect Etienne Stautemans, had been making flower carpets since the 1950s. Over the years, his team has created over 180 flower carpets in a large number of European cities, in Argentina, and also in the U.S. However, they all agreed that the Brussels Grand Place provided the most magnificent setting for the flower carpet. So Brussels it was.
Brussels Grand Place (Flower Carpet Location)
Grand Place (in French) or Grote Markt (in Dutch) is one of the most beautiful town squares in Europe. It’s also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. No matter when or for how long you visit, this is #1 of the must-see places in Brussels, together with the quirky symbol of the city – Manneken-Pis.
The entire square is surrounded by beautiful guild halls, one more impressive than the other. Most of the buildings here date from the 15th century and have been rebuilt in the 17th century. The impressive Town Hall of Brussels (Hôtel de Ville) with the 96-m (315 ft) high tower and the King’s House (Maison du Roi) that houses the Brussels City Museum are also located on the Grand Place.
I think that it’s indeed this stunning location that makes the Flower Carpet of Brussels an even more special and truly magnificent sight. Living in Belgium, we have been to Grand Place and seen the flower carpet countless times. And every time again, I am impressed by its beauty.
The Grand Place is absolutely worth a visit in itself and the beautiful flowers are just the cherry on the cake.
How to Visit Brussels Flower Carpet
There is no special preparation required in order to see the Brussels Flower Carpet. Set in the Grand Place, in the center of Brussels, the flower carpet is FREE to access for everybody.
Good to know: If you want to, you can get a ticket to access to the balcony of the Town Hall of Brussels, from which you have an elevated view over the Grand Place market square and the carpet.
You can buy balcony tickets online starting about two months before the event – check the official event website. It’s usually also possible to buy tickets on the day, but it gets very busy and you’ll likely spend a couple of hours waiting in line.
TIP: You can also just enter any of the cafés on the Grand Place and go upstairs for an elevated view of the carpet. However, the chances of being able to find an empty table by the window, are really low. The following cafés have a higher floor: Le Roy d’Espagne, La rose blanche, La Chaloupe d’Or.
There are no opening hours. Once the flower carpet is set, it can be viewed day and night.
On the first evening of the event, there is always an official opening ceremony. Often with fireworks and a beautiful light and music show, it’s really impressive. However, it’s also very crowded… It always is…
Best Time to Visit
If you are staying in Brussels during the Assumption weekend, I recommend that you visit the flower carpet several times, at different times of the day.
The best time to see Brussels Flower Carpet in all its glory and without the crowds is early in the morning or very late at night.
In the evenings, there is a light and music show that is really not to be missed. Expect it to be crowded, but it will be worth it.
If it’s very hot, the flowers will be nicest on the first days of the event. However, they really do their best to ensure that the flower carpet stays nice throughout the entire weekend.
How Much Time Do You Need
You don’t need much time to see the Brussels Flower Carpet – you can see it in less than 10 minutes.
That being said, I suggest you plan 30-60 minutes for a visit because you’ll probably want to take some time to walk around the carpet and take some pictures from different angles.
Add another hour if you’re planning to go on the balcony of the Town Hall (maybe even longer, if you didn’t buy your ticket in advance).
How to Get There
Brussels Flower Carpet is set on the Grand Place, the central square of Brussels. It’s located within a very short walking distance from Brussels Central Station.
You can reach it by car (not recommended), by train, and by public transport from anywhere within the city.
Where to Stay
For the easiest visit to the Brussels Flower Carpet, we recommend staying in the city center, ideally within walking distance of Brussels Central Station and the Grand Place.
This is the most practical base for the event itself, since the flower carpet is set directly on Grand Place and the surrounding streets get very busy. Staying nearby allows you to visit early in the morning or late in the evening, when the square is much quieter.
It’s also the best location for sightseeing in Brussels in general and very convenient if you plan to take day trips to other Belgian cities by train (which is exactly what we usually do ourselves).
Below are some of our recommended hotels in the center:
- €€€€ Rocco Forte Hotel Amigo – a well-located 5* boutique hotel just steps from the Grand Place, ideal if you want to stay right next to the event.
- €€€ Warwick Brussels Grand Place – a popular 5* hotel in the heart of the city center, within easy walking distance of Grand Place and Brussels Central Station.
- €€ Ibis Off Grand Place – one of the best-value lower-budget hotels in the historic center.
READ ALSO: Where to Stay in Brussels
So, this is our guide for visiting Brussels Flower Carpet. Planning a visit and have any questions that have not been covered in the article, feel free to leave a reply below.
READ ALSO: Fun & Interesting Belgium Facts
More tips for your trip to Belgium:
- Where to go: Belgium Itinerary (best suggestions for 3-4 days)
- Antwerp:
- Bruges:
- Christmas Markets:
- War Sites:
- With kids:
- Safety: Is Belgium safe + Brussels Safety Tips
TIP: Did you find this guide helpful? Bookmark this post for later, share it with your friends, and save it to Pinterest to inspire your next trip.
Hi- has the date been set yet or where do we check to find the confirmed dates and theme?
Thanks!
Hi Sek, no, it hasn’t been officially announced yet. But – as said in the article – it’s always on the weekend around August 15, usually from Thursday to Sunday.