Season guide · Antwerp · Belgium
Antwerp in winter
December–February: weather, crowds, prices and the best things to do this time of year.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Jozef Linnig, CC0
Quick answer
Christmas market and lights in December, then cold, damp, quiet weeks with low prices. Expect highs up to 7°C (45°F) and lows around 1°C (34°F), with about 35 rainy days across December–February.
Key facts
- Months
- December–February
- Temperatures
- 1°C (34°F) to 7°C (45°F)
- Rainy days in the season
- About 35
- Crowds
- Quiet
- Hotel prices
- Low
Weather in winter
| Month | High | Low | Rainy days | Daylight | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6°C (43°F) | 1°C (34°F) | 12 | 8.4 h | 2/5 |
| February | 7°C (45°F) | 1°C (34°F) | 10 | 9.9 h | 2/5 |
| December | 7°C (45°F) | 2°C (36°F) | 13 | 7.9 h | 3/5 |
Compared with the rest of the year: average highs of 7°C (45°F) against a yearly 15°C (59°F), and 35 of the year's roughly 126 rainy days fall in these 3 months. Crowds rate 2/5 and hotel prices 2/5 on average.
What's on in winter
Recurring events; dates move from year to year, so confirm with the organiser.
- January: Winter sales in shops (usually from early January)
- December: Christmas market on the Groenplaats and Grote Markt (usually December to early January)
Good choices for winter
Museum · Oude Stad
Vleeshuis
Look at the building's banded façade from Vleeshouwersstraat for the best angle.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Architecture
- Rainy day
Museum · Oude Stad
Museum Mayer van den Bergh
A collector's house museum near the Meir displaying medieval and Renaissance art, including Pieter Bruegel the Elder's Dulle Griet (Mad Meg), in intimate period rooms.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Art
- Rainy day
- Off the beaten path
- History
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Religious site · Oude Stad
Cathedral of Our Lady
Stand in front of the two Rubens triptychs in the transepts, then step outside to the Handschoenmarkt for the best view of the spire.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- Art
- History
- Architecture
- Rainy day
Museum · Oude Stad
Museum Plantin-Moretus
The home and printing business of Christophe Plantin and his Moretus descendants, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, keeps its 16th-century workshops, two of the oldest surviving printing presses, original typefaces and a library of rare books, around a courtyard garden.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Art
- Rainy day
- Off the beaten path
Museum · Eilandje
MAS (Museum aan de Stroom)
Even if you skip the galleries, ride the free escalators to the rooftop at sunset.
- Time needed
- 1–2.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Views
- Free
- Kids
- Rainy day
- Architecture
Day trips in winter
- Mechelen (About 15–20 minutes by train) — Mechelen's St.
- Lier (About 15 minutes by train) — A small town with a beguinage, the Gothic St.
What to pack
- A warm coat, hat, gloves and thermal layers
- Shoes with good grip for icy pavements
- A compact umbrella and waterproof shoes — rain is frequent
- Comfortable walking shoes
Other times of year
Questions travellers ask
+Is winter a good time to visit Antwerp?
It is a trade-off: Christmas market and lights in December, then cold, damp, quiet weeks with low prices. The best months overall are May–September.
+What is the weather like in Antwerp in winter?
Highs of up to 7°C (45°F) and lows around 1°C (34°F), with about 35 rainy days over the season.