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FrançaisPack layers and one properly waterproof shell, and you have solved Belgian autumn. The single fact that decides everything else in the case is that wet days climb from 14 in September to 16 in October and 18 in November, on the Royal Meteorological Institute’s Uccle normals, while the average temperature falls from 15.2°C to 7.2°C across the same three months. That is a wide range for one suitcase, which is why layers beat any single thick garment.
I live in Belgium and pack for this weather every year. What follows is the list I actually work from, split by what goes on your body, what goes on your feet and what goes in the bag, with the thresholds that tell you which half of autumn you are packing for.
The rule: pack for two autumns, not one
Pack for two autumns rather than one, because Belgian autumn is really two different trips and the divide falls somewhere in the last week of October. Early autumn, from mid-September to about mid-October, still brings afternoons at 17°C to 20°C (63°F to 68°F) and needs a light jacket at most. Late autumn, from the end of October into December, sits closer to 8°C to 10°C (46°F to 50°F) and needs a real coat.
Two more things separate the halves. The clocks go back on the last Sunday in October, which drops sunset from around 7pm to around 5pm overnight, so the second half of autumn is also the dark half. And frost, when it comes, comes at night rather than during the day, and snow before the end of the year is rare and usually melts on contact.
Work out which half your dates fall in before you pack anything. For what the months themselves are like, see our guides to Belgium in September and Belgium in October.
Clothing: the layering list
Six clothing layers cover Belgian autumn, and you build the day out of them rather than choosing one outfit. They are listed below, from the skin outwards.
- A base layer. A thin top under a t-shirt is the cheapest warmth you can carry, and worth packing even for September if you feel the cold. For late autumn, make it merino wool.
- A t-shirt or three-quarter-sleeve top. The layer you will be down to indoors, because Belgian cafés, museums and trains are heated hard from October.
- A long-sleeved middle layer. A cardigan, a sweatshirt or a light jumper, and the one you will take on and off half a dozen times a day.
- A wool pullover, for November and December only. A merino or lambswool jumper replaces two thinner layers and packs smaller than both.
- Jeans, or tights or thin leggings under a skirt or dress. Denim is fine in Belgian autumn as long as your outer layer keeps the rain off it, because wet jeans stay wet all day.
- A scarf. The item that does the most work for its weight, since it closes the gap between coat and neck where the wind gets in.
Underneath, add a pair of merino wool socks alongside your normal socks for anything after mid-October. You do not need long underwear for a Belgian city trip at any point in autumn.
Outerwear: which jacket for which half
Your jacket is the one decision that depends entirely on your dates. For September and early October, a light rain jacket or a packable shell is enough, worn over the layers above. For late November and December, bring a proper insulated winter coat, because at 7.2°C average and 18 wet days a month a shell alone will not do it.
Whatever you bring, it has to be genuinely waterproof rather than shower-resistant. A K-way style packable is the Belgian classic for a reason: it folds into its own pocket, weighs almost nothing and lives in a day bag until it is needed, which in Belgium is often. A hood beats an umbrella in wind, so ideally you have both.
Shoes: two pairs, both able to take rain
Bring two pairs of shoes and make sure both can take a soaking. This is the item people get wrong most often, because a single wet pair ends the next day before it starts: a hotel radiator will not dry leather or a lined sneaker overnight.
A leather shoe or a decent sneaker covers early autumn and handles wet cobbles, which is what Bruges, Ghent and Brussels are paved with. Espadrilles and canvas will not. For late autumn, or if you get cold feet, bring proper boots or a lined sneaker instead of the second pair. You do not need waterproof hiking boots for a city trip, though you do for the Ardennes trails covered in our guide to hiking in Belgium.
What else goes in the bag
Five smaller items go in the bag for a Belgian autumn trip specifically, and they are listed below in the order I would pack them.
- A folding umbrella. Belgian rain arrives from a sky that looked fine 20 minutes earlier, and a compact windproof model that survives a gust is the one to bring. This compact windproof travel umbrella opens and closes at the push of a button, has a windproof frame and folds small enough for a day bag.
- A day bag. Not optional in a country where you will be carrying the jumper you took off at noon and the jacket you took off indoors.
- A hat or cap. Wind on the coast and across the Ardennes plateau makes 12°C feel several degrees colder, and a hat fixes more of that than another layer would.
- A travel hair dryer. Belgian mid-range hotels and self-catering flats are not reliable on this, and hair that goes out damp on a wet 10°C morning is a miserable start. A dual-voltage folding travel hair dryer with a folding handle takes almost no room.
- Cough syrup or lozenges. Autumn in a wet country with heated indoor spaces does what it does. It is easier to carry than to explain at a Belgian pharmacy.
Gloves belong in the bag only from about mid-November. Before that they are dead weight.
What to leave at home
Four things are worth leaving at home for a Belgian autumn trip, because people pack them and never use them and each one costs space. They are listed below.
- Shorts and summer dresses. A normal October gives 2.8 days at 20°C or above, and November is colder still. September is the only autumn month where they earn their place.
- A heavy winter parka in September or early October. With an average of 15.2°C in September, you will carry it rather than wear it. Bring the shell instead.
- Anything with a smooth sole. Belgian city centres are cobbled and wet cobbles are genuinely slippery.
- A full-size umbrella. It will not fit in a day bag, so it stays in the hotel on the day you need it.
The printable autumn packing checklist
The full autumn packing checklist is set out below in one block so you can copy it or print it.
| Category | Early autumn (mid-Sept to mid-Oct) | Late autumn (late Oct to Dec) |
|---|---|---|
| Base layer | Optional thin top | Merino base layer |
| Mid layers | T-shirt plus cardigan or light jumper | T-shirt, long sleeve, wool pullover |
| Legs | Jeans, or tights under a skirt | Jeans, thicker tights |
| Outer | Light rain jacket or packable shell | Insulated waterproof winter coat |
| Neck and head | Scarf | Scarf, hat, gloves from mid-November |
| Socks | Normal socks | Normal plus merino wool socks |
| Shoes | Leather shoes or sneakers, 2 pairs | Boots or lined sneakers, plus a second pair |
| Bag items | Folding umbrella, day bag | Folding umbrella, day bag |
| Extras | Travel hair dryer, cough lozenges | Travel hair dryer, cough lozenges |
Autumn packing FAQ
How cold does Belgium get in autumn?
Belgium averages 15.2°C in September, 11.3°C in October and 7.2°C in November on the Royal Meteorological Institute’s 1991-2020 normals for Uccle. Overnight lows fall from about 11°C to about 4.6°C across the same three months. Frost is a night-time event rather than a daytime one, and snow before the end of December is rare.
Do I need a winter coat in Belgium in October?
You do not need a winter coat for October in Belgium. A waterproof shell over a jumper handles a month averaging 11.3°C with a mean high of 14.9°C. From late November, when the average drops to 7.2°C and rain falls on 18 days, an insulated coat starts to earn its place.
Does it rain every day in Belgium in autumn?
Rain falls on 14 days in September, 16 in October and 18 in November on average, so roughly every other day sees some rain rather than every day. The RMI counts any day with 0.1 mm or more, so many of those are showers. Plan for a waterproof jacket you can carry, not for permanent rain.
What shoes should I wear in Belgium in autumn?
Wear leather shoes or a solid sneaker that can take a soaking, and bring a second pair. Belgian city centres are cobbled and wet cobbles are slippery, so anything with a smooth sole is a bad choice. Waterproof hiking boots are needed only if you plan to walk in the Ardennes.
Is there a dress code in Belgium?
Belgium has no dress code for visitors, and cities dress casually. The one thing worth knowing is that Belgians dress for the weather rather than the season, so you will see a raincoat on a mild day and nobody in shorts on a warm October afternoon. Practical beats formal almost everywhere except a few Brussels restaurants.
Don’t forget travel insurance
Travel insurance covers what a wet autumn trip cannot absorb, from a cancelled train to a stolen camera to a doctor’s visit for the cough you brought home. SafetyWing’s Nomad Insurance offers flexible plans you can sign up for after your trip has already started, which is the practical difference from most policies. For more on the country in general, start with our Belgium hub.
WonderfulWanderings Pro Tips
The 4 tips below come from packing for this weather every autumn and from the climate record rather than from any single year.
- Pick your half of autumn before you pick a jacket. Mid-September to mid-October is shell weather at around 15°C average. Late October to December is coat weather at around 7°C. Getting this one decision right fixes most of the packing list, and getting it wrong means either carrying a parka around Bruges or shivering through Brussels in a windbreaker.
- Two pairs of shoes, one waterproof jacket. The mistake I see visitors make is the reverse. A wet pair of shoes is out of action for a full day, and no hotel room dries them overnight, so the second pair buys you more than a second coat ever will.
- The clocks going back is the real turning point, not the temperature. On the last Sunday in October sunset moves from about 7pm to about 5pm, and every evening after that is dark. Pack something you would be happy walking home in after dark in the rain, because you will be.
- Buy the umbrella that folds, not the one that looks better. A full-length umbrella stays in the hotel and a compact one comes with you, which is the only difference that matters in a month with 16 wet days in it. Wind is the other factor: a windproof frame survives a Belgian squall that turns a cheap one inside out.
About the author. This guide is written and maintained by the Wonderful Wanderings editorial team. Wonderful Wanderings was founded in 2012 by Sofie Couwenbergh, a Belgian travel writer who packs for this weather every autumn, and the layering list on this page is the one she works from. The team covers Belgium for independent travellers, including the gear, jackets, travel insurance and city guides worth having, and takes the temperature and rainfall figures on this page from the Royal Meteorological Institute of Belgium’s own 1991-2020 climate normals rather than from any single year.
Very good list! You never know in Belgium and you better pack some layers than having cold. I need to remember to buy a coat for in Boston in December!
Thanks!
Oh brrrrrr, I’d love to go to Boston but not in winter! :D
I’m going Belgium this week and this really helped me! Thanks from England.
Yaay! Hope you have a good time over here :)
We are going to Belgium in September. I am thankful to know what to pack for our trip.
thank you!
Hope you have a great trip!
I am off to Belgium for motor racing end of August how hot will it be,
And also what are the sights to visit while there’re for 3 days.
Hey Terry, I suggest you look up the weather report before you start packing. Belgium has fickle weather :)
What places to visit depends a bit on where you’re staying and how much time you’ll have during those three days. I can’t give any specific tips without knowing more.
I need something soft but not thick because im allergic to fuzzy stuff. What would you recomend?
Thank you sooooo much. I..m leaving for Belgium on Monday, Sept 16th, and had no idea what to pack due to the weather. Your suggestions were very helpful. I too am cold most times, so I will be more prepared now, thanks to this information.
Happy to help, Ayo!
The weather is nice here at the moment but it can change so quickly. 4 days ago it was 15°C and raining. Yesterday it was 23°C with blue skies.
That’s Belgium for ya :-)
Most useful. Thanks Sophie.
You’re welcome!
Hi,
I’m going to Belgium around the end of January. Are theses clothes good for that time frame? My son lives in Amsterdam & he tells me the weather is different there also. Thank you so much for the info, it is very helpful.
Susan
Hey Susan,
January is the heart of winter in Belgium and so you’ll need proper winter clothes, although the winters do seem to get milder every year.
Make sure to bring a long, warm, waterproof jacket, warm shoes, and layers. I’m easily cold and tend to wear a baselayer, a long-sleeve shirt, and a warm pull-over.
It doesn’t snow very often but it does rain quite a bit.
The weather in Belgium in general is very similar to that in Amsterdam. Amsterdam just tends to be a bit chillier because of the wind as it’s by the water.
Hope that helps!
Traveling to Belgjim In November. What clothes do I bring? Thanksgiving week.
N