While some festive markets can feel overwhelming, Antwerp offers a different, more convivial experience. Travel writer Mary Novakovich found the city's central Grote Markt square to be the perfect Christmas market during a visit in December 2025, describing it as a large, friendly street festival with just the right level of liveliness.
A Feast for the Senses at Grote Markt
The heart of the festivities is the Grote Markt, where the historic guildhouses and Renaissance Town Hall are draped in fairy lights. The square hosts the largest collection of wooden chalets, most dedicated to food and drink. Visitors can comfortably enjoy a wide array of treats in a covered, festively lit eating area.
The culinary offerings are a global tour, from bratwurst baguettes and cheesy tartiflette to Peruvian empanadas and pulled-pork tacos. Sweet options include classic Belgian waffles, oliebollen (doughnuts), and the Austrian pancake dish kaiserschmarrn. Reflecting 2025 trends, Dubai chocolate waffles and churros are also popular.
To wash it down, there's mulled wine – with a €2 discount for reusing your cup – alongside Belgian beer, jenever, and the local herbal liqueur, elixir d’Anvers. For those not focused on food, stalls sell alpaca wool accessories, handmade jewellery, and gifts, all soundtracked by pop music from the giant Joe Christmas House DJ booth.
Beyond the Market: Festive Atmosphere and Culture
The festive spirit extends across the city. A walk towards the River Scheldt leads to Steenplein, home to a vivid pink Ferris wheel and an amusement arcade. The nearby Oude Koornmarkt street showcases Antwerp's cosmopolitan dining scene, with Ukrainian, Albanian, Balkan, and Peruvian restaurants among others.
At Groenplatz, a large dome shelters a bustling ice-skating rink and Den Après bar, where skaters glide to classic Christmas pop. A more sophisticated vibe awaits at Hendrik Conscienceplein, where the baroque St Charles Borromeo Church provides a stunning backdrop for Your Divine Xmas bar, offering fine wines and live jazz.
Antwerp's cultural scene provides a rich counterpoint to the market fun. During the Winter in Antwerp season, which runs until 4 January 2025, visitors can also enjoy major exhibitions. The Magritte exhibition at the KMSKA Royal Museum of Fine Arts is a highlight, showcasing the Belgian surrealist's work until 22 February.
The MoMu Fashion Museum continues to impress with its permanent display of avant-garde design and the poignant exhibition Girls – On Boredom, Rebellion and Being In-Between, open until 1 February. While the Rubenshuis Museum is under renovation until around 2030, a modern extension offers multimedia displays of the artist's life and work, and the gardens remain open.
For a unique experience, the Museum Plantin-Moretus, a UNESCO-listed printing museum, displays original 17th-century presses and typefaces in an exquisite townhouse setting.
Planning Your Antwerp Christmas Getaway
Antwerp is easily accessible from the UK. The journey takes approximately 2 hours and 20 minutes from the Le Shuttle terminal at Coquelles. Eurostar offers rail services from London to Antwerp via Brussels, and several airlines fly to Brussels from UK airports.
For accommodation, the elegantly decorated Hotel Rubens Grote Markt offers a central location, with double rooms starting from £123. To make the most of the cultural offerings, the Antwerp City Pass provides free admission to the city's top museums.
Between the glittering markets, world-class art, and irresistible food, Antwerp has perfected the recipe for a festive city break that caters to all senses.
