Leuven Christmas Market: What to Expect & 2025 Dates
Belgium has so many Christmas markets that it can be hard to choose where to go. Leuven has always been one of our favorite towns, so we often make a stop at the Leuven Christmas Market.
It’s a charming market that quickly puts you in the holiday spirit.
In this article, you’ll find practical information about visiting Leuven in winter and what to expect from its Christmas market. While no two markets are exactly the same from year to year, this will give you a good idea of what to look forward to.
Leuven is a lively town with a rich history, beautiful architecture, great restaurants, and plenty of shopping.
It’s also home to Belgium’s oldest university, KU Leuven, which gives the city a vibrant atmosphere, especially in the evenings.
Just a short trip from Brussels, this charming town has everything you need for a fun day out or an evening visit. Add in the festive holiday lights and a cozy Christmas market, and it’s easy to see why Leuven is a favorite winter destination for many Belgians.
Leuven Christmas Market
The Leuven Christmas Market is one of the oldest in Belgium, taking place in the city center every year for about 10–14 days before Christmas. Surprisingly, the tradition is quite recent – the first Belgian Christmas market only appeared in 1988.
Leuven’s market has a wonderfully cozy atmosphere, set against the beautiful backdrop of the university library. It’s no wonder it was once named the Coziest Christmas Market in Europe.
Unlike the large, bustling Christmas Market in Brussels, Leuven is a smaller town with far fewer visitors. While more international tourists are discovering it each year, it still feels like a local event compared to the Christmas markets in Antwerp or Bruges.
Despite its size, Leuven Christmas offers plenty of variety – from stalls selling Christmas decorations and gifts to food stands serving traditional Belgian snacks, festive treats, and sweets.
Kids will love visiting Santa’s charming houses, where they can meet a real Santa Claus.
In Belgium, Santa Claus isn’t as big of a deal for kids as Sinterklaas. Sinterklaas delivers presents on December 6, so by Christmas, the excitement has usually faded — but Santa is still a welcome visitor.
Our kids now know that Santa brings gifts to children around the world, so they figure… why not in Belgium too? Just to be sure, we always stop by to say hello and make sure our names are on his list for Christmas.
Holiday Season in Leuven
Don’t limit your visit to Leuven in winter to just the Christmas market – this small town has plenty more to offer.
Be sure to walk up to Leuven’s stunning 15th-century Gothic town hall. Its festive decorations and Christmas lights transform the building into a true fairytale castle. It’s a must-see during the holiday season.
While you’re there, visit the monumental St. Peter’s Church and the Christmas stable just outside.
Don’t be surprised if the stable is locked at night. Leuven is a university town, and students sometimes rearrange the nativity scene or move Baby Jesus around, so the city takes precautions.
During our last visit, a small wooden house was set up on the town square featuring Le Petit Chef, the world’s smallest chef who brings your plate to life with projected cooking animations. It was impressive and definitely worth seeing!
This attraction might not be in Leuven every year, so check out the video below while you can.
If you’re interested, we recently spotted a similar display at the Chocolate Museum in Antwerp.
READ ALSO: Best Things to Do in Antwerp
When Is Leuven Christmas Market Open in 2025?
Leuven Christmas market is normally open for two weeks in December.
This winter, the market will be open from 9 to 21 December 2025. The market is open daily from noon until 11 PM (10 PM on Sundays and Mondays). On December 21, it closes at 8 PM.
READ ALSO: Best Christmas Markets in Belgium
Practical Information
- Location of the Christmas market: Monseigneur Ladeuzeplein and the adjacent Herbert Hooverplein.
- Leuven can be easily reached from Brussels by train (+- 30min). If you come by car, you can try to park at the underground parking garage at the Monseigneur Ladeuzeplein where the Christmas market is held. Alternatively, you can leave your car at the parking of the railway station.
READ ALSO: Belgium in Winter: What to Expect & Tips
Where to Stay in Leuven
While Leuven is an easy (half) day trip from Brussels, you may want to spend at least one night in town. Shopping and dining are great here too! Plus, it’s a student town with many great cafés, pubs, cocktail bars, etc.
If you decide to stay in Leuven, I recommend these highly-rated hotels:
- €€€+ Martin’s Klooster. A boutique 4* hotel inside the 16th-century former convent.
- €€ Park Inn by Radisson Leuven. A good mid-budget option for those who prefer modern comfort. Convenient location close to the railway station.
READ ALSO: Hidden Gems of Europe’s Christmas Markets
More tips & travel inspiration for visiting Belgium:
- Where to go: Belgium Itinerary
- Where to stay: Where to stay in Brussels & Where to stay in Antwerp
- Brussels: Top Things to Do in Brussels & Manneken-Pis Story
- Special events: Brussels Flower Carpet & Brussels Christmas Market
- Antwerp: Best Things to Do in Antwerp & Antwerp Hidden Gems & Antwerp with Kids
- Bruges: Best Things to Do in Bruges & Bruges Christmas Market
- WWI Sites: Ypres & WWI Battlefields in Belgium
- WWII Sites: Bastogne War Museum & Mardasson War Memorial
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We are moving to Leuven and will be arriving on 26th Novemeber. We are from South Africa,so I am so excited to experience a difference kind of Christmas. Would love to know if there are any restaurants that offer Christmas lunch or Dinner.
Hi Janine, welcome to Belgium! Although… we’re often dreaming about moving to South Africa… 🙂
I just published a post about all the best Christmas markets in Belgium – check it out – plenty inspiration to get into a true holiday spirit.
I’m not sure about restaurants, there are definitely some that are open on Christmas day and in the evening, but you’d have to research it and book in advance. They usually have set menus for special occasions like that, it can be quite festive.
I was here as a very small child, I’m inspired to go back and visit and going back during holidays would be a fantastic experience to share with my kids! thx!
Oh, really? Then you are one of very few foreigners that I know who visited Leuven, Byron. It’s a really nice place, a lively student town, and it’s easy to fall in love with the great atmosphere there. I’m sure you and your family would love it in any season.
Christmas is so different in the southern hemisphere Jurga! No beautiful Christmas markets and the buildings aren’t decorated the way they are in Europe! I hope to experience a European Christmas in the near future! I shouldn’t complain though, we get great weather and time to experience the beautiful outdoors during the holiday season 😀
Last year we travelled to Dubai for the holidays and it was so great to have nice warm weather and some sunlight in December! But yes, there is something magical about winter here in Europe. Nice to experience both I suppose. 🙂
Wow, it must have been amazing. Merry Christmas to you and your family.
xx finja
Thanks Finja. Have a great holiday season too!
Never been! So much history and architecture I love it
Belgium has so many beautiful towns, Arianne. I think we’re a bit spoiled and take it all for granted too often.
That santa is the real deal!
Looks amazing!! I miss Belgium, hoping to visit again soon!
This looks absolutely amazing! I want to revisit Belgium in better weather although I’ll need to return in December for this market as a friend is planning a move there!
You’ll have to be quick for Leuven – the market closes next week. The ones in Antwerp, Brussels and Bruges stay open longer. And what’s wrong with the Belgian weather? It’s not even raining 🙂
Never been in Leuven so far. It looks like an excellent place to visit on Christmas time. Christmas market looks lovely. I love a lighting of buildings. Thanks for sharing!
I’ve been to Belgium quite a few times but never been to Leuven. Although I won’t be able to explore this gorgeous Christmas market, I’d love to visit the city on a different occasion 🙂 thanks for sharing!
Definitely try to visit Leuven if you come back to Belgium, Kristine. You won’t be disappointed.
I feel Leuven is easily overlooked because of the bigger cities Brugges, Ghent, Antwerps and Brussel but this looks amazing! Thanks for introducing it to me!
You’re so right, Naomi! It’s definitely not the place big tour busses go to. I guess that’s the price to pay for being so close to other bigger and better known places. I don’t mind, actually, that’s what we like about Leuven – it’s a real live town, not like Bruges which is completely deserted at night when all the day tourists leave…
Yes, they’re right. 🙂
We just went there yesterday! 🙂 We’re actually from Hasselt, but we like the Christmas Market in Leuven better than the one in Hasselt. Winterland feels more like a fair than a market. We haven’t been yet this year, but we plan on having a look next Sunday. Can’t skip it. 😉
Never been to Winterland, although we do like Hasselt a lot. But everyone says Winterland is so busy that it’s not doable on a weekend and definitely difficult with the little kids. That’s why we picked Leuven this time – so much quieter. We might give it a try in a couple of years from now, when the chances of losing the boys are somewhat smaller. 🙂
Looks like a lovely Christmas market and Town to visit! I love le petit chef! I quite like the look of that dessert!!!
Lovely lights and beautiful photographs!
And I love the fact that they have to lock up the nativity scene at night – can’t have baby Jesus disappearing!
Students!!