
Festive breaks to Belgium
CREATE YOUR OWN FESTIVE BREAK TO BELGIUM
The Christmas Market season in Belgium has some of the most beautiful markets to get you into the holiday spirit. Home to a number of beautiful cities with cobbled streets, town squares and stunning architecture, they exude a fantastic atmosphere and offer great shopping opportunities. The markets offer stalls bursting with traditional crafts, unusual gifts and local treats, ideal for last-minute shopping sprees!
Head to Belgium on any of our routes from the UK to Europe and you'll find easy access to the country via the continent's excellent motorway network.
Daily Crossings
Travel with your vehicle
Great shopping opportunities
Tailor your trip
Dover
Dunkirk
Week 39
All times shown are in local time.
Please note that timetables may change subject to weather conditions.

Create your own Christmas package
With our create your own Christmas breaks, you can book your ferry crossing with us, choosing from four routes from the UK to Europe. Browse our Christmas market travel guides, tailoring your trip to you, before booking your accommodation through Booking.com for the best deals across 1000s hotels on the continent.
Driving distance from DFDS ports (miles)
- | Amsterdan (IJmuiden) | Dunkirk | Calais |
---|---|---|---|
Bruges | 161 | 47 | 72 |
Brussels | 139 | 97 | 122 |
Ypres | 193 | 33 | 58 |
Antwerp | C113 | 103 | 126 |
Bruges and Brussels
BRUGES
Take your car to Bruges and experience a Christmas market straight out of any food-lover's dream, famous for its selection of confectionery, waffles, hot chocolate and marzipan. The picturesque city centre of Bruges is like something out of a fairytale, with beautiful cobbled streets and market squares just waiting to be discovered, sure to give you a magical Christmas break.
__BRUSSELS __
Brussels is home to Europe's "most original Christmas Market" with a Ferris wheel, ice skating rink as well as a sound and light show to entertain Christmas shoppers as they peruse the beautiful stalls. Fittingly, given Brussels' position as home of the EU, vendors travel from all over Europe to set up stalls at this brilliant Christmas market.
Travel Guides
Christmas Markets

Ypres & Antwerp
Ypres Christmas market is just a short drive away from our port in Dunkirk. Located in the city's beautiful Grote Markt, stalls are decorated as mini Swiss chalets, with an ice rink, fairground attractions, carolling and performances. The whole city is also illuminated. Antwerp's Grote Markt is packed with stalls adorned with lights and decorations. There is also a Christmas Village and an ice rink.

Behind Every Journey
We are proud to have been nominated as Europe’s Leading Ferry Operator 2023 by the World Travel Awards.
This year, we’re taking a moment to celebrate and recognise the reasons why we continue to get nominated – and win this award – year after year...the amazing people behind every journey.