What is the best time to visit Belgium?

Best Time to Visit Belgium

The best time to travel to Belgium is during spring (March to May) and autumn (September to November).

Spring in Belgium

Spring in Belgium is a wonderful time to visit. The days become longer, the weather is pleasant and the countryside is in full bloom. During this season, travelers can expect temperatures ranging from 10°C to 20°C. The days are usually sunny, though occasional showers can be expected. Spring is the perfect time to explore the many attractions of Belgium, including the Grand Place in Brussels, the medieval town of Bruges and the picturesque Ardennes region. In addition, the country hosts a number of festivals during this season, such as the Brussels Flower Carpet and the Gentse Feesten.

Month-by-month guide for traveling in Belgium

Belgium in January

Weather

January in Belgium is usually cold and wet, with temperatures ranging from 0-8°C (32-46°F). Snow is not uncommon, particularly in the northern and eastern parts of the country.

Events

• The Brussels Winter Wonders Festival is a month-long event that takes place in December and January. It features a Christmas market, ice skating, and other activities.
• The International Film Festival of Flanders is a film festival held in Ghent every January. It showcases films from around the world.
• The Antwerp Marathon is an annual marathon race held in Antwerp in January. It attracts runners from all over the world.
• The Gentse Feesten is a ten-day festival held in Ghent every July. It features music, theatre, and other cultural activities.
• The Bruges Beer Festival is an annual beer festival held in Bruges in January. It features over 300 different beers from around the world.

Belgium in January

Weather

January in Belgium is usually cold and wet. The average temperature is around 3.7°C (38.7°F), with highs of 6°C (43°F) and lows of 0°C (32°F). Rainfall is common throughout the month, with an average of 63mm (2.5in). Snow is also a possibility, especially in the northern parts of the country.

Events

• The Belgian Beer Weekend is held in Brussels every year in January. This event celebrates Belgian beers and features tastings, food pairings, and other activities.
• The Flanders International Film Festival takes place in Ghent in January. This festival showcases the best of Belgian and international films.
• The Antwerp Marathon is held in January. This event attracts thousands of runners from all over the world.
• The Brussels Jazz Marathon is held in January. This event features over 200 jazz musicians performing in venues throughout the city.
• The Gentse Feesten is held in Ghent in late January. This festival features music, theatre, dance, and other cultural activities.

Belgium in March

Weather

March in Belgium is typically mild with temperatures ranging from 4-13°C (39-55°F). The days are getting longer and the sun is shining for around 8 hours a day. Rainfall is common, with an average of 10-12 days of rain during the month.

Events

• The Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival is held in March, showcasing the best in international genre cinema.
• The International Comics Festival of Angouleme is held in the French-speaking part of Belgium. It is the largest comics festival in Europe and attracts fans from all over the world.
• The Brussels Flower Carpet is held in the Grand Place in Brussels. This event features a stunning display of over 600,000 flowers arranged in intricate patterns.
• The Bruges Beer Festival is held in Bruges and features over 300 different beers from Belgium and around the world.
• The Antwerp 10 Miles is a popular running event in Antwerp that attracts thousands of runners from all over the world.

Belgium in April

Weather

April in Belgium is generally mild and wet. Temperatures range from an average low of 7°C (45°F) to an average high of 16°C (61°F). Rainfall is common throughout the month, with an average of 16 days of rain throughout April.

Events

• The International Jazz Festival of Liège takes place in April. This festival features performances from some of the world’s top jazz musicians and is held in the city of Liège.
• The Flemish National Day is celebrated on April 27th. This day celebrates the Flemish culture and language, and is marked by parades, music, and other festivities throughout the country.
• The Tour of Flanders is a cycling race that takes place in April. This race is one of the most important cycling events in Belgium, and attracts cyclists from all over the world.
• The Flower Carpet of Brussels is held in April in the Grand Place of Brussels. This event features a large carpet of flowers that is laid out in the square, and is a popular tourist attraction.
• The Ghent Festival of Lights is held in April in the city of Ghent. This event features light installations and performances from local artists, and is a great way to experience the city’s culture.

Belgium in May

Weather

In May, the weather in Belgium is usually mild and pleasant. The average temperature is around 17°C, with highs of around 21°C and lows of around 14°C. There is usually some rain during this month, with an average of about 8 days of rain throughout May.

Events

• The International Festival of Comics and Images in Brussels is an annual event that takes place in May. It is a celebration of comics, animation, and all things related to the world of comics.
• The Jazz Middelheim Festival is held in Antwerp in May. It is one of the most important jazz festivals in Europe, and features some of the best jazz musicians from around the world.
• The Tour of Flanders is a major cycling race that takes place in Belgium in May. It is one of the most important cycling races in the world and attracts thousands of spectators.
• The Bruges Beer Festival is held in May and is a celebration of Belgian beer. It features beer from some of the best breweries in the country and is a great way to sample some of Belgium’s finest beers.
• The International Kite Festival is held in Blankenberge in May. It is a celebration of kites of all shapes and sizes and attracts kite enthusiasts from all over the world.

Belgium in June

Weather

June is the beginning of summer in Belgium and the weather is generally mild. The average temperature is around 18°C (64°F) with an average high of 21°C (70°F). Rainfall is common, with an average of 10 days of rain in the month.

Events

• Fête de la Musique: Held on the 21st of June, this is an annual music festival celebrated in cities throughout Belgium.
• Brussels Summer Festival: This is a two-week long music and arts festival held in Brussels. It usually takes place in June.
• Brussels Jazz Marathon: This is an annual jazz festival held in Brussels in June. It features both local and international jazz artists.
• Belgian Pride: This is an annual LGBT pride parade held in Brussels in June.
• Gentse Feesten: This is a 10-day long festival held in Ghent in June. It features music, theater, and other cultural events.

Belgium in July

Weather

July in Belgium is typically warm and sunny, with temperatures averaging between 16-20°C (60-68°F). Rainfall is also common, with an average of 15-20 days of precipitation throughout the month.

Events

• The Fête de Wallonie is a large celebration of the culture and history of the Wallonia region of Belgium. It takes place on July 21st and includes a variety of music, dance, and other performances.
• The Tour de France passes through Belgium on July 6th. The race is a major event for cycling fans, and spectators can watch the race pass through the Belgian countryside.
• The Brussels Jazz Marathon is a three-day event that takes place in July. It features a variety of jazz performances from both local and international artists.
• The Bruges Beer Festival is a celebration of Belgian beer culture. It takes place in July and includes tastings, workshops, and other activities related to beer.
• The Gentse Feesten is a 10-day festival in Ghent that includes a variety of music, dance, and theater performances. It takes place in July and is a major cultural event in Belgium.

Belgium in August

Weather

August in Belgium is usually warm and sunny, with temperatures ranging from 18-25°C (65-77°F). It is the driest month of the year, with an average of only around 60mm of rainfall.

Events

• The Brussels Summer Festival is a month-long celebration of music, art, and culture, taking place in the city’s parks and squares.
• The Ghent Festival is a 10-day celebration of music, art, and culture in the city of Ghent.
• The Flanders International Film Festival is a 10-day celebration of cinema, taking place in the city of Ghent.
• The Bruges Beer Festival is a 5-day celebration of beer, with over 200 different beers available to sample.
• The Antwerp Pride is a week-long celebration of LGBT+ culture and rights, taking place in the city of Antwerp.

Belgium in September

Weather

September in Belgium is usually mild and pleasant, with temperatures ranging from 10-20°C (50-68°F). Rainfall is common, with an average of 12-13 days of rain during the month.

Events

• The Brussels Summer Festival is a month-long event in September, featuring music, theater, and dance performances from local and international artists.
• The Brussels Beer Challenge is an annual beer tasting event that takes place in September.
• The Brussels Jazz Marathon is an annual event held in September, featuring jazz music from local and international artists.
• The Antwerp Marathon is an annual running event held in September, with a course that takes runners through the city’s historic streets.
• The Bruges Beer Festival is an annual event held in September, featuring beer tastings, live music, and food from local restaurants.

Belgium in October

Weather

October in Belgium typically brings mild temperatures and some rain. The average high temperature is 13°C (55°F), and the average low temperature is 6°C (43°F). The average precipitation is about 80mm.

Events

• The Ghent Festival of Lights is held in October, with light shows, art installations, and live music.
• The Brussels Festival of Chocolate is held in October, with chocolate tastings, workshops, and demonstrations.
• The Bruges Beer Festival takes place in October, with beer tastings, food, and live music.
• The Brussels Jazz Marathon is held in October, with live jazz performances in various venues across the city.
• The Antwerp Marathon is held in October, with a marathon, half-marathon, and 10K race.

Belgium in November

Weather

November is the start of winter in Belgium, with temperatures ranging from an average high of 11°C (52°F) to an average low of 4°C (39°F). Rainfall is common throughout the month, with an average of 12 days of rain.

Events

• The Brussels Jazz Marathon is held in November, bringing a variety of jazz performances to the city.
• The Antwerp Marathon takes place in November and is one of the biggest running events in Belgium.
• The Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival is held in November, showcasing the best in horror, science fiction, and fantasy films.
• The Belgian Chocolate Festival is held in November in Brussels, celebrating the country’s renowned chocolate industry.
• The Christmas markets in Brussels, Bruges, and Antwerp open in November, offering Christmas decorations, food, and other holiday items.

Belgium in December

Weather

December in Belgium is generally cold and wet, with temperatures ranging from an average low of 2°C to an average high of 7°C. Snow is not uncommon, especially in the northern parts of the country.

Events

• Christmas markets are a popular event in Belgium during December, with markets taking place in cities such as Brussels, Antwerp, and Bruges.
• The Brussels Winter Wonders event takes place in the city of Brussels every December, with a variety of activities and attractions for visitors to enjoy.
• The Ghent Christmas Festival is a popular event in Ghent, with a variety of activities and attractions for visitors to enjoy.
• The annual New Year’s Eve fireworks display in Brussels is a popular event, with fireworks being launched from the Atomium and the Grand Place.
• The annual Christmas Parade in Brussels is a popular event, with a variety of floats, performers, and other attractions.