Bruges
Bruges Christmas Market 2026: dates, the ice rink and where to stay
Two Christmas markets a few minutes apart, a medieval belfry above the stalls and canals lit up at night. Bruges is the closest Christmas market city to Britain that feels properly continental. Here are the 2026 dates, how to get there and where to stay.
Picolo Editorial
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In short: Bruges Christmas Market 2026
Dates: 20 November 2026 to 3 January 2027.
Where: two markets, on the Markt and on Simon Stevinplein, about five minutes' walk apart.
Opening hours: Sunday to Thursday 11am to 10pm, Friday and Saturday 11am to 11.30pm. On New Year's Eve the stalls stay open until 3am.
Ice rink: in King Albert I Park, from 20 November to 3 January.
Entry: free to the markets.
Our first choice: Check availability and prices at the Dukes' Palace
Bruges is small enough to walk everywhere, and in December the whole medieval centre is part of the experience. Come for two nights rather than a day trip: the city is at its best after dark, when the day visitors have gone home.
What the market is like
The main market fills the Markt, the big square under the 83-metre Belfry, with wooden stalls selling mulled wine, hot chocolate, waffles and Christmas decorations. The second market, on Simon Stevinplein, is smaller and a little calmer, about five minutes' walk away towards the Church of Our Lady.
For 2026 both markets have been redesigned in the style of Winter Glow, the city's winter light festival, so the streets between them are lit up too.
The ice rink has moved from the Markt to King Albert I Park, near the station. It is open from 10am to 10pm every day, with shorter hours over Christmas and New Year, and there is a winter bar overlooking the ice. Skating costs a small fee.
Getting there from the UK
By train: take the Eurostar from London St Pancras to Brussels, which takes about two hours, then change for a train to Bruges, about an hour more. From Bruges station it is about a 20-minute walk to the Markt, or a short bus ride.
By car: take Le Shuttle from Folkestone to Calais, then drive for about an hour and a quarter. Park in the car park by the station rather than trying to drive into the medieval centre.
With an extra day, Ghent is about 25 minutes away by train and has its own Christmas market around St Bavo's Cathedral.
Where to stay for the Bruges Christmas Market
Dukes' Palace
The Dukes' Palace is a luxury hotel in a former ducal palace, about five minutes' walk from the Markt. It has a spa, a restaurant and a bar, and guests rate it 9.6 out of 10 across more than 1,000 reviews on Hotels.com.
Check availability and prices at the Dukes' Palace
Relais & Châteaux Hotel Heritage
Hotel Heritage is about five minutes' walk from the Markt, with a spa, the Le Mystique restaurant, a bar and a gym. It is the most traditional of the three, and guests rate it 9.6 out of 10 across more than 500 reviews.
Check availability and prices at Hotel Heritage
Hotel Relais Bourgondisch Cruyce
Relais Bourgondisch Cruyce is a small boutique hotel beside one of the canals, about five minutes' walk from the Markt. It has a café, a bar and a terrace, and the highest guest rating of the three: 9.8 out of 10 across more than 700 reviews.
The lounge at Hotel Heritage, about five minutes' walk from the Markt
The terrace at Relais Bourgondisch Cruyce, a small hotel beside a canal
Our recommendation
The Dukes' Palace: a palace hotel five minutes from the Markt
The Dukes' Palace is a luxury hotel in a former ducal palace, about five minutes' walk from the Markt and the Christmas market. With a spa, a restaurant and a bar, it is a good base for a slow weekend: the market in the evening, a massage in the afternoon.
What Picolo would choose
What Picolo would choose: the Dukes' Palace for a palace hotel with a spa, Relais Bourgondisch Cruyce for the highest guest rating and a canal-side setting. For a classic, quieter stay, choose Hotel Heritage.
Why: the Dukes' Palace combines a short walk to the Markt with a spa and a rating of 9.6 from more than 1,000 guests.
The trade-off: Relais Bourgondisch Cruyce has a higher rating but is small and books up quickly, and it has no spa. If you want a spa, choose between the Dukes' Palace and Hotel Heritage.
Frequently asked questions
When is the Bruges Christmas Market in 2026?
The Christmas markets in Bruges run from 20 November 2026 to 3 January 2027. They are open from 11am to 10pm Sunday to Thursday and from 11am to 11.30pm on Friday and Saturday. On New Year's Eve the stalls stay open until 3am. The ice rink in King Albert I Park opens on the same dates.
Where is the Christmas market in Bruges?
There are two markets in the city centre: the main one on the Markt, under the Belfry, and a smaller one on Simon Stevinplein, about five minutes' walk away. In 2026 the ice rink is not on the Markt but in King Albert I Park, near the railway station.
Is Bruges good for a Christmas market day trip from London?
It is possible, but long: about three hours each way by Eurostar and train. Two nights work better. The city is at its most atmospheric after dark, when the markets and the canals are lit up and the day visitors have left. A second day gives you time for Ghent.
How do you get to Bruges from the UK?
Take the Eurostar from London St Pancras to Brussels, about two hours, and then a train to Bruges, about an hour more. By car, take Le Shuttle from Folkestone to Calais and drive for about an hour and a quarter. From Bruges station it is about a 20-minute walk to the Markt.
When should you book a hotel for the Bruges Christmas Market?
Book as soon as you have your dates. Bruges has few large hotels, and the small ones in the medieval centre fill up early for weekends in late November and December. Sunday to Thursday nights are easier to find. Choose a rate with free cancellation if your plans are not fixed.
Sources
The 2026 dates and opening hours for the Christmas markets and the ice rink come from Visit Bruges, the city's official tourist board. Hotel ratings and facilities come from Hotels.com. Last checked: 2 November 2026.
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Picolo Editorial