Arriving at Christmas in Bruges, you will see a transformed medieval and ancient city - at this time it turns into a beautiful, elegantly decorated, fabulous resting place.
Features of celebrating Christmas in Bruges
The Belgians love Christmas - they think about it long before the holiday, and the children write letters to Saint Nicholas, asking him to bring them the desired gifts in exchange for a promise to obey their parents and not be naughty. From the first days of December, Saint Nicholas appears everywhere with Black Peter (the Moor servant), who holds in his hands a bag of gifts and a rod (for naughty children). According to legend, on December 4, he observes how the children behave, and on the 6th he returns to give toys and sweets to the obedient, and a handful of twigs to the disobedient.
Not a single house is complete without the decoration of the "red corner" - it is decorated with figures of the Magi, a baby, the Virgin Mary and Joseph. As for the street festivities, those who wish can attend the Christmas performances, in which actors in medieval costumes participate.
The Christmas feast is not complete without the consumption of pork dishes and ceremonial cookies (“Christmas wreath”). And after the feast, the Belgians with the whole family, including their grandparents, go ice skating.
Entertainment and celebrations in Bruges
In winter, Bruges invites everyone to the Ice Sculpture Festival (the event takes place in a huge heat-insulated tent, in which the temperature is maintained at -5˚C, and tickets can be purchased at the entrance): they can look at the compositions created by sculptures using ice and snow blocks. Children will have magical characters and ice slides, and adults will have an “ice bar” where everything is made of ice, including a bar counter and glasses.
During your winter holidays, do not miss the opportunity to give yourself an unforgettable experience - go for a walk along the canals (you can not only admire the local beauty, but also hear interesting stories about Bruges). In addition, you can admire the city on a sightseeing tour on a horse-drawn carriage.
Want to see the whole city from above? Climb the Belfort Tower after overcoming 366 steps.
Christmas markets and markets in Bruges
During the Christmas holidays, the Belgian city turns into one continuous fair - in all city squares you can see trade pavilions and tents (here they sell mulled wine, hot pancakes, donuts, Belgian chocolate, jewelry, leather goods, lace, Christmas decorations, fir wreaths, teddy bears), hear live music, watch the performances of stuntmen, musicians, street performers.
In the pre-Christmas time, you should definitely look at the Market Square - here not only the Christmas market unfolds, where the products of local artisans are sold, but also there is an opportunity to go on a skating rink and take part in folk festivities.
