Antwerp Christmas Market 2026-2027: Dates & Location

Antwerp’s Christmas market, officially called Winter in Antwerpen, opens on Friday 4 December 2026 and closes on Sunday 3 January 2027. The City of Antwerp puts the market’s chalets on five squares: Grote Markt, Suikerrui, Groenplaats and Handschoenmarkt in the historic centre, plus Operaplein. Entry is free, and the city counts 1.5 million visitors at last year’s edition, which it says makes Winter in Antwerpen the largest Christmas market in Flanders. This guide covers the confirmed 2026-2027 dates, the city’s published daily hours, where each part of the market sits, what it costs and how to get there.

What is the Antwerp Christmas Market?

The Antwerp Christmas Market, branded Winter in Antwerpen by the city, is an annual holiday market held on five squares: Grote Markt, Suikerrui, Groenplaats and Handschoenmarkt in Antwerp’s historic centre, plus Operaplein. Stalls sell Christmas decorations, gifts, food and drink, with Belgian waffles, fries, sausages, gluhwein and hot chocolate among the most common items. The city supplies each stallholder with a heated wooden chalet with a serving hatch, running water and electricity, which is why the market keeps trading through wet Belgian Decembers. The City of Antwerp counts 1.5 million visitors at last year’s edition and calls it the largest Christmas market in Flanders.

The market’s rides and rinks sit outside that list of five squares, because the city publishes stall pitches rather than an attraction map. Recent editions have put a covered ice rink on Groenplaats, a Ferris wheel on Steenplein overlooking the Schelde, a small nostalgic carousel on Operaplein and the JOE X-mas House, a stage with live radio broadcasts, on Grote Markt. Vendor numbers vary by year; last season’s market ran with around 70 stalls, so the 2026-2027 count is left unstated until Winter in Antwerpen confirms it.

When does the Antwerp Christmas Market open?

The Antwerp Christmas Market opens on Friday 4 December 2026 and closes on Sunday 3 January 2027. The City of Antwerp has published the full daily schedule for the season: from Sunday to Thursday the market runs 12:00 to 22:00, with Operaplein closing an hour earlier at 21:00, and on Fridays and Saturdays it runs 12:00 to 00:00, with Operaplein closing at 23:00. Five dates break that pattern, listed below in the order they fall.

1. Opening day, Friday 4 December 2026. Every square opens at 14:00 rather than midday, then runs to 00:00, with Operaplein closing at 23:00.
2. Christmas Eve, Thursday 24 December 2026. Every square runs 12:00 to 18:00.
3. Christmas Day, Friday 25 December 2026. Every square runs 12:00 to 22:00, so the market keeps ordinary weekday hours instead of the later Friday close.
4. New Year’s Eve, Thursday 31 December 2026. Every square runs 12:00 to 18:00.
5. Closing day, Sunday 3 January 2027. Every square runs 12:00 to 17:00.

Friday 1 January 2027 is the market’s only closing day of the season, so plan a New Year’s Day visit around the city rather than the stalls. Antwerp sees the year out with a fireworks display on 31 December 2026, and the city hosts a public new-year drink on the final day, 3 January 2027, treating visitors to a bite and a drink as the market closes.

Where is the Antwerp Christmas Market taking place?

The Antwerp Christmas Market spans five squares and the streets connecting them, four in the historic centre plus Operaplein, all within a 10 to 15-minute walk of each other. Grote Markt, ringed by 16th-century guildhalls and the Brabo Fountain, sits at the centre of the route. Handschoenmarkt sits right in front of Antwerp Cathedral, between Grote Markt and Groenplaats. Groenplaats, a short walk south-west, stands beside a statue of Rubens and has held the covered ice rink in recent editions. Suikerrui runs west from Grote Markt towards the Schelde and Steenplein, where the Ferris wheel has stood next to the medieval Steen castle. Operaplein, the fifth square and the one furthest from the river, closes an hour earlier than the rest every night. Antwerp Centraal station is around a 20-minute walk or a short tram ride from Grote Markt.

Why should you visit the Antwerp Christmas Market?

Antwerp fits a full-scale Christmas market into one walkable historic centre and drew 1.5 million visitors to last year’s edition, which is why the city calls it the largest Christmas market in Flanders. The reasons to visit are listed below, in the order visitors mention them most.

1. Five connected squares. The market spreads across Grote Markt, Suikerrui, Groenplaats, Handschoenmarkt and Operaplein, giving each square its own character within one walkable route.
2. A Ferris wheel and covered ice rink. Recent editions have run a Ferris wheel at Steenplein and a covered rink on Groenplaats, two large-scale attractions that most Belgian Christmas markets don’t have.
3. Historic architecture as a backdrop. The 16th-century guildhalls of Grote Markt and the Gothic Cathedral of Our Lady frame the market on nearly every square.
4. Belgian food and drink. Waffles, fries, sausages, gluhwein and hot chocolate are on sale throughout the route, alongside newer gastronomic stalls added in recent editions.
5. Easy to combine with a wider trip. Antwerp sits on the main line between Brussels and the Netherlands, so the market fits easily alongside a wider trip through Belgium.

Is there an ice rink and Ferris wheel at the Antwerp Christmas Market?

Antwerp’s Christmas market has run both a covered ice rink on Groenplaats and a Ferris wheel on Steenplein in recent editions, though neither is confirmed for this season yet, because the city’s published 2026-2027 information covers stall pitches rather than rides. The Groenplaats rink sits under a light canopy beside the Rubens statue and serves both beginner and experienced skaters. The Steenplein Ferris wheel overlooks the Schelde and the illuminated city centre from beside the Steen castle. Both are paid extras rather than part of the market’s free entry, and the city had not published 2026-2027 prices or an attraction map when this guide was updated, so check visitantwerpen.be before you build an evening around either one.

What is Antwerp like at Christmas?

Antwerp swaps its everyday fashion-city energy for a slower winter pace once Winter in Antwerpen opens. Lights and decorations spread across all five squares, so the walk between Grote Markt and the river becomes part of the experience rather than just a route between stalls. Evenings draw the biggest crowds, when the stalls, the rides and the live-music stage are all running together, while a daytime visit gives more room to see the cathedral and the guildhalls without the evening queues. The City of Antwerp counts 1.5 million visitors at last year’s edition, so weekends close to Christmas and New Year are the busiest times to visit.

What is the cost for entering the Antwerp Christmas Market?

Entrance to the Antwerp Christmas Market is completely free and does not require tickets. Visitors can walk all five squares to browse the stalls, lights and street performances without paying an admission cost. Money changes hands only for what you choose to buy or do, such as:

• Food, drinks and gifts at the market stalls.
• Skating at the Groenplaats ice rink, if it returns this season.
• A ride on the Steenplein Ferris wheel, if it returns this season.
• A refundable deposit, around €2 per cup, that recent editions have charged on reusable drink cups at the food and drink stalls.

What food and drinks can you try at the Antwerp Christmas Market?

Belgian waffles and fries are the two items most visitors try first at the Antwerp Christmas Market. Stalls across Grote Markt, Groenplaats and Suikerrui sell sausages, gluhwein, hot chocolate and smoutebollen, a Belgian doughnut sold hot from the fryer. Recent editions have added dedicated gastronomic chalets alongside the traditional stalls, widening the food offering beyond the classic market snacks; some stalls at the food and drink corners have moved to reusable cups, so expect a small deposit back when you return one. Musicians, carolers and performers, including the live radio broadcasts staged on Grote Markt, keep the atmosphere going between stalls even on a cold or rainy evening. Antwerp’s chocolate shops, many open late during the market season, are worth a stop for gifts as well as a treat for yourself.

What are the attractions close to the Antwerp Christmas Market?

The attractions closest to the Antwerp Christmas Market are listed below.

• Antwerp Cathedral. The cathedral overlooks both Groenplaats and Handschoenmarkt and holds several Rubens paintings; opening hours vary, since it sometimes closes to visitors for prayer.
• Plantin-Moretus Museum. This historical printing museum, set in the former Plantin-Moretus printing house, sits a short walk from Grote Markt and is one of the more rewarding museums in Antwerp for anyone with an interest in books and printing history.
• The oldest house in Antwerp. A few minutes’ walk from Grote Markt, this house dates to 1485 and has survived several wars.
• Diamond Museum DIVA. DIVA sits on Suikerrui, between Grote Markt and Steenplein, and covers Antwerp’s diamond industry.

For a longer list, see our guide to things to do in Antwerp or our wider Antwerp guide.

What else is there to do in Antwerp besides the Christmas market?

Antwerp has enough beyond the market to fill a full weekend on its own. The activities below round out a Christmas market trip.

• Tour the Rubens House. The Rubens House museum shows where the painter lived and worked, and gives insight into the Flemish Baroque style he helped define.
• Walk the harbour and riverfront. Antwerp’s port is the second-largest in Europe after Rotterdam, and the riverfront near Steenplein makes an easy add-on to a market visit.
• Browse the fashion district. Antwerp is known for avant-garde fashion, with boutique shops filling the streets around Nationalestraat.
• Visit the MAS museum. The MAS, on the river north of the market squares, tells Antwerp’s history as a port city through art and artefacts.
• Sample Belgian beer and chocolate. Antwerp’s cafes and chocolate shops give a lower-key way to taste the country’s specialities away from the market crowds.

Can you visit the Antwerp Christmas Market with kids?

Yes, the Antwerp Christmas Market works well for a family visit. Recent editions have given children a rink to skate on at Groenplaats, a Ferris wheel on Steenplein and a nostalgic carousel on Operaplein, with hot chocolate or smoutebollen to warm up between stops. The market’s nativity scene at Handschoenmarkt gives younger visitors a simple, visual telling of the Christmas story, and the lights and music across all five squares keep the atmosphere festive well into the evening. Antwerp’s compact, walkable centre also means families can move between squares without needing local transport.

What should a traveller know before visiting Antwerp?

Antwerp mixes a rich history with a strong fashion and diamond trade, and Dutch is the official language, though English is widely spoken. The currency is the euro, and public transport, trams and buses in particular, covers the historic centre well, alongside walking between the market’s five squares. Antwerp’s winter weather is unpredictable, so pack layers and something waterproof rather than relying on a single coat. Antwerp sits inside a country worth visiting well beyond one market: Belgium fits three to five days easily by train between cities, and a look at some wider facts about Belgium explains why chocolate, beer and comic-strip characters show up throughout the market stalls. For a fuller city guide beyond the Christmas season, see our Antwerp guide.

How to get to the Antwerp Christmas Market

To reach the Antwerp Christmas Market by train, take a direct service to Antwerpen-Centraal, a roughly 20-minute walk or short tram ride from Grote Markt. Antwerpen-Centraal connects directly to Brussels in under an hour, and to Brussels Airport in around 45 minutes, making the market an easy day trip from the capital or a first stop after landing. Booking train tickets across Belgium in advance helps avoid sold-out departures on the market’s busiest weekends. Drivers should book parking before arriving, since the squares that host the market close to traffic for the season and central car parks fill up quickly on weekends; parking near Antwerp city centre is easiest to reserve ahead of time rather than on arrival.

Where to eat near the Antwerp Christmas Market

Antwerp has restaurants for every budget within walking distance of the market. The Jane, a Michelin-starred restaurant set in a renovated chapel, serves a modern European menu from chef Sergio Herman under a striking chandelier and stained-glass windows. Mojo is a seafood restaurant known for oysters, lobster, sole and cod, along with a bouillabaisse and fried shrimp croquettes that regularly draw praise from diners. SELSation is a family-run restaurant serving Belgian and French classics with a modern touch, built around seasonal, local produce. For a longer list, see our guide to restaurants in Antwerp.

Where to stay in Antwerp during the Christmas Market

Staying near the historic centre puts the Antwerp Christmas Market within walking distance of your hotel. Sapphire House Antwerp, part of the Autograph Collection, takes its design cues from the city’s diamond trade and adds a restaurant and spa in the city centre. Botanic Sanctuary Antwerp, part of The Leading Hotels of the World, pairs classic architecture with a full spa and fine dining. Maison Nationale City Flats & Suites offers apartment-style stays in the fashion district, useful for a longer visit. Anyone comparing options across the city can browse hotels in Antwerp or check current rates through Booking.com.

Looking for markets beyond Antwerp? Our guide to Christmas markets in Belgium covers every market we’ve reviewed across the country.

WonderfulWanderings Pro Tips

The 4 tips below come from the City of Antwerp’s own published schedule for the 2026-2027 season, and each one is a day or an hour that does not follow the pattern in the headline dates.

1. Do not plan a New Year’s Day visit around the stalls. Friday 1 January 2027 is the market’s only closing day of the whole season. Everything else runs, including Christmas Day, when the squares are open from 12:00 to 22:00.
2. Get there early on the two eves. Thursday 24 and Thursday 31 December both run 12:00 to 18:00 rather than into the evening, so a Christmas Eve or New Year’s Eve stroll through the chalets has to happen in daylight. The fireworks on 31 December come after the market has shut.
3. Leave Operaplein until last, or do it first. It closes an hour before the other four squares every single night, at 21:00 from Sunday to Thursday and 23:00 on Friday and Saturday, and it is also the square furthest from the river.
4. Watch the first and last days. Opening day, Friday 4 December, does not start until 14:00, and the final day, Sunday 3 January, runs only 12:00 to 17:00. Sunday is worth catching anyway, because the city stands visitors a bite and a drink as the market closes.

About the author. This guide is written and maintained by the Wonderful Wanderings editorial team. Wonderful Wanderings was founded in 2012 by Sofie Couwenbergh, and the team covers Belgium for independent travellers, including the hotels, trains and city guides worth booking for a winter trip. The team updates this page whenever Antwerp publishes new Winter in Antwerpen dates, prices or rules.