Every year, Brussels is organising a fantastic event for its residents and visitors which is known as Winter Wonder and Christmas Market. Several weeks filled with pure magic are the best time to enjoy Christmas with your family and friends. Learn more all the necessary details about Winter Wonder and Christmas Market in this article.
What is exactly Winter Wonder and Christmas Market?
If you are not a resident of Belgium or you have just moved to this country, you might not know what Winter Wonder and Christmas Market is. This is the time every child and adult are waiting!
Traditionally, the events starts before Christmas and ends after the New Year’s Eve. The best place for celebrating Christmas in the capital of Belgium is certainly the magnificent Grand-Place and the entire city centre.
The programme of the events might vary from year to year. In 2021, there is a variety of amazing attractions waiting for the visitors of Winter Wonder and Christmas Market.
Of course, just like in many other European cities, there will be a Christmas market. The Belgian Christmas market will be especially large with over two hundred chalets with Christmas-related goods and holiday street food waiting for visitors.
Certainly, a crucial attraction of the event is a huge and beautiful Christmas tree which will impress not only every child but also every adult. The Christmas tree is usually installed at the Grand-Place.
The city centre of Brussels will be filled with various fairground attractions such as merry-go-rounds and Ferris wheels. The Grand-Place will be hosting a fantastic sound and light show, while a skating ice rink will be installed at Place de Brouckère.
Other amazing attractions waiting for residents and visitors of Brussels of all ages are Winter Pop, Winter Wonders at the Bois de la Cambre as well as various screenings, cultural activities and video mappings.
What is new waiting for visitors at Winter Wonders this year?
If you have never heard about Winter Wonders, it is a part of the Europalia Festival and the European Year of Rail. This year, you will have a chance to participate in the variety of absolutely new activities all of which are dedicated to travelling and trains.
At Place de la Monnaie, you will be able to visit Après-ski village. Central Station will offer Digital experience titled Copenicus to its visitors. Anspach Gallery is preparing curious goods at its sustainable market called Creators Factory, while Boulevard Anspach is the place where you will be able to explore Fresco Discursive Mechanisms.
Place du Musée will show the Behind the Walls programme which is based on video mapping while the Galaxy Express audiovisual installation will wait for you in Carrefour de l’Europe.
When can you attend the activities of Winter Wonder and Christmas Market?
The opening of Winter Wonder and Christmas Market is planned for the 26th of November. Since this day, the attractions will be available to visitors starting from 12:00 up to 22:00. The exceptions are Friday 24 and 31 December. During these days, you will be able to enjoy the attractions for a shorter time as they will be closed at 18:00.
The last day of celebrations will be on the second of January.
What do you need to know about the health measures requirements?
All around the sites of Winter Wonder and Christmas Market a sanitising gel will be available. Wearing a mask is not required at all of the sites of Winter Wonder and Christmas Market, however, at Winter Wonders it is absolutely mandatory. You might come across some additional requirements stated in particularly busy places.
Note, the ice rink is the place where people of at least 16 years of age have to present Covid Safe Tickets.
Of course, social distance is highly recommended and it is especially necessary to keep it in the places earmarked for food consumption.