Christmas in Belgium
December 8 - 15, 2024 | $3,499
What's included in the tour:
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Accommodations for 8 nights at 3-4 Star hotels*.
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All transportation during the tour: train tickets between cities (1st Class when available), transportation to and from venues (breweries, museums etc.) and tram passes.
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All event (brewery, museum, etc.) entry fees.
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Breakfast daily.
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Group lunches (6).
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Group dinners (5).
*Accommodations based on double occupancy.
Tour cost: $3499.00 USD
Single Supplement: $1050.00 USD
**Payment Plans Available
Late in November, cities in Europe magically transform into Christmas wonderlands with festive decorations. Markets appear in town squares and the air is filled with holiday joy and holiday spirit.
Belgium offers perhaps one of the broadest ranges of beer styles of any country. We will travel to 5 cities in Belgium sampling various beers, touring breweries and visiting Christmas Markets, both large and small. During our tour, we will visit Markets in Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp all while immersing ourselves in the local culture. We will also take a day trip to Cologne to drink Kolsch and experience several of the Christmas Markets there. We will end our trip with a beer festival in Essen, Belgium.
Day 1 Sunday, December 8, 2024
We will meet at our host hotel mid-morning for a private tour of the city. Brussels is an old-world city full of history and interesting architecture. After our tour, we will visit our first Christmas Market located in the shadow of the Bourse de Bruxelles or Brussels Stock Exchange. From here, it is a short walk to Poechenellekelder across from the Manikin Pis, for lunch. "Poechenelle" is Brussels slang for a "little marionette puppet" and you understand the restaurant name once inside. After lunch, we will travel to Brasserie de la Senne for a tour and tasting of their beer. We return to the hotel for free time before meeting in the lobby to go to dinner at the famous Chez Leon. (L, D)
Day 2 Monday, December 9, 2024
Today we take a day trip to Bruges, a beautiful, medieval city about an hour from Brussels. Our first stop is the Church of our Lady, home of Michelangelo’s Mother and Child sculpture. This statue has an interesting history including being taken from the church during WW II, as depicted in the movie, Monuments Men. Next, we will visit Brouwerij de Halve Maan, a unique brewery located in the center of town. This is a modern brewery with a nice tasting room and an interesting expansion story. We will have lunch at the brewery before meeting with our guide for a tour of the city and its prominent sites. After the tour, we will visit the Christmas Market located in the Grote Markt. From here it's off to La Trappe, an unusual “cellar bar” offering a wide variety of world beers including Trappist beers. We will meet for dinner at 19:00 at a local restaurant before returning to Brussels. (B, L, D)
Day 3 Tuesday, December 10, 2024
We start our day with a private tour of TrainWorld, a unique museum cataloging the rail history of Belgium. From here, it’s off to lunch at a local bistro before visiting the famous Brasserie Cantillon where we will enjoy a private tour and tasting. Afterward, we will visit another Christmas Market in the St. Catharine area. We have dinner together in the area and, time permitting, visit Brussels Beer Project before returning to our hotel for the night. (B, L, D)
Day 4 Wednesday, December 11, 2024
We board an early train for the trip to Cologne. This is our longest train ride at 2 hours, and we will have the chance to relax and enjoy the scenery. There are 7 distinct Christmas Markets in Cologne in 2023. We will visit at least 3 on our tour. Our first stop is lunch at Brauhaus FRÜH am Dom. Afterward, we will start with the Weihnachtsmarkt, the market next to the Cologne Cathedral. This is the largest and most diverse. We can also visit the Cathedral, one of the few structures in Cologne that remained after WWII. The next two markets are at the Heumarkt and Old Market squares. These two squares are connected and surrounded by tap houses for many of the breweries in Cologne. The afternoon will be spent drinking Kölsch and exploring the markets before returning to Brussels. Dinner tonight is on our own. (B, L)
Day 5 Thursday, December 12, 2024
Today we visit the city of Ghent. The train ride is approximately 30 minutes and our first stop will be Saint Bavo Church home of the famous Ghent Altarpiece. We will explore the church before walking to the Christmas market and then spend time shopping in the stalls of the market before heading to lunch and a tour/tasting at Artevelde Brewery. After lunch, we will visit another brewery which brews Gruit beer, a unique style of beer that uses spices rather than hops in the brewing process. We will learn about this beer through a private tour and have the chance to taste their product. From here we return to the Christmas Market by way of the Trollekelder, a wonderful bar with a huge assortment of beers. We dine tonight back in Brussels at Le Marmiton, a wonderful restaurant in the Galleries. (B, L, D)
Day 6 Friday, December 13, 2024
Today we visit the city of Antwerp, the diamond capital of the world. We begin our visit with a trip to DIVA, the diamond museum of Antwerp. From here, it’s a short walk to the Christmas Market where we will explore the stalls of the different vendors. We will dine at a local bistro for lunch before traveling to De Konick, the largest brewery in Antwerp. Here we will enjoy a tour and tasting before returning to the Christmas Market one last time before our trip back to Brussels. Dinner is on our own back in Brussels. (B, L)
Day 7 Saturday, December 14, 2024
Today we will travel to Essen, Belgium for the O.B.E.R. beer festival. This is a winter event featuring about 200 winter and Christmas beers. As in most Belgian festivals, many of the beers will be available for purchase to go. We will return to Brussels for our final dinner together. (B, D)
Day 8 Sunday, December 15, 2024
Today we rise and say our goodbyes before returning home or to our next adventure. (B)
Mobility Notice
This tour involves substantial walking through breweries, museums and the cities we visit. In addition, climbing of stairs, navigating entryways, etc. is required. Many venues visited on this tour would not be considered ADA compliant. If you have concerns regarding these issues, please contact our staff as this might not be the best tour choice for you.