Things to Do in Belgium in March
March weather, activities, events & insider tips
March Weather in Belgium
Is March Right for You?
Advantages
- Significantly fewer tourists than summer months - you'll actually have breathing room at the Atomium and can photograph the Grand Place without dodging selfie sticks. Hotel prices drop 30-40% compared to peak season, and popular restaurants have same-day availability.
- This is prime chocolate and beer season - breweries release their spring seasonal beers in March, and chocolate shops showcase Easter collections starting mid-month. The cooler weather means you can actually walk around with pralines without them melting in your bag.
- Museum weather is perfect weather - March's drizzly days make it ideal for exploring Belgium's world-class museums without feeling like you're missing sunshine. The Royal Museums of Fine Arts, Magritte Museum, and Ghent's MSK are never crowded on rainy Tuesday mornings.
- Spring starts emerging late March - by the final week, you might catch early blooms at Keukenhof just across the border, and Brussels' parks start showing green. The light changes from winter grey to something softer, which photographers particularly appreciate for capturing medieval architecture.
Considerations
- The weather is genuinely unpredictable and often dreary - you'll face overcast skies most days, with that fine Belgian drizzle that somehow gets you wetter than actual rain. Expect to spend 60-70% of daylight hours under grey skies, and the 82% humidity makes 5°C (41°F) feel colder than it sounds.
- Daylight is still limited in early March - sunrise around 7:15am, sunset around 6:30pm at month's start, though you gain nearly an hour by month's end. This compressed daylight means less time for outdoor sightseeing, and that flat Belgian landscape under grey skies can feel particularly bleak.
- Some coastal and outdoor attractions operate on reduced schedules - beach towns like Knokke and De Panne are quiet with limited restaurant hours, and canal boat tours in Bruges run less frequently. If your trip centers on outdoor activities or coastal experiences, March isn't ideal timing.
Best Activities in March
Belgian Beer Brewery Tours and Tasting Sessions
March is actually perfect for brewery visits - the cool weather makes the warm, malty interiors of breweries particularly inviting, and many release spring seasonal beers this month. Trappist breweries like those near Chimay and Orval are atmospheric in misty weather, and the smaller craft breweries in Brussels' Molenbeek district offer intimate tastings without summer crowds. The combination of lower tourist numbers and pre-Easter production ramps means brewers have more time to chat. Tours typically last 2-3 hours including tastings.
Chocolate Workshop Experiences and Praline Making Classes
The cool March temperatures are ideal for chocolate work - you won't battle melting issues like in summer, and chocolatiers prepare their Easter collections throughout March, making workshops particularly creative. Brussels, Bruges, and Antwerp all offer hands-on praline-making sessions where you'll learn tempering techniques and create your own filled chocolates. The 8°C (46°F) average means you can comfortably walk between chocolate shops without your purchases turning to mush. Classes run 2-3 hours.
Art Museum Deep Dives in Brussels and Antwerp
March's grey, drizzly weather makes it perfect museum season without the guilt of missing sunshine. The Royal Museums of Fine Arts, Magritte Museum, and Antwerp's KMSKA are never crowded on weekday mornings, and you can spend 3-4 hours immersed in Flemish Masters or surrealism without fighting crowds. The soft, diffused March light through museum windows is actually ideal for viewing paintings. Late March sometimes coincides with Art Brussels, one of Europe's important contemporary art fairs.
Medieval City Walking Tours in Ghent and Bruges
The moody March weather actually enhances medieval architecture - mist rising off Ghent's canals and grey skies over Bruges' cobblestones create atmospheric conditions that summer sunshine can't match. With fewer tourists, you can appreciate the Gravensteen castle and Belfry of Bruges without queuing. The cool temperatures make 2-3 hour walking tours comfortable if you dress properly. Early March mornings sometimes bring frost that makes the medieval streets particularly photogenic.
Belgian Food Market Tours and Cooking Classes
March brings the tail end of winter vegetables like Belgian endive, Brussels sprouts (yes, actually from here), and root vegetables that feature in traditional Flemish cooking. Food markets in Brussels (Place Sainte-Catherine weekend market) and Antwerp are less crowded than summer, and vendors have more time to explain ingredients. Cooking classes focusing on carbonnade flamande, waterzooi, or stoofvlees make perfect sense in cool weather - these are hearty dishes meant for March temperatures. Classes typically run 3-4 hours including market visits.
Ardennes Forest Hiking and Castle Exploration
The Ardennes region in southern Belgium is actually quite beautiful in March - the forests are still bare, making it easier to spot wildlife, and the numerous medieval castles like Bouillon and La Roche-en-Ardenne are atmospheric in misty conditions. Rivers run high from winter snowmelt, creating dramatic scenery. The cool weather (typically 4-8°C or 39-46°F) is ideal for hiking without overheating, though trails can be muddy. This is low season for the region, meaning quiet trails and good accommodation rates. Day trips from Brussels take 90-120 minutes by car.
March Events & Festivals
Carnival of Binche (UNESCO Heritage Event)
This is one of Belgium's most important cultural events and happens specifically on Shrove Tuesday (early March, exact date varies by year - in 2026 it falls on February 17, just before March). If you're visiting early March, you might catch aftermath celebrations or museum exhibitions about Carnival. The Gilles in their elaborate costumes throwing oranges is genuinely unique to Belgium. Even if you miss the main event, the International Carnival and Mask Museum in Binche is worth visiting year-round.
Brussels Chocolate Week
Typically held in late February through early March, this city-wide celebration features chocolate workshops, tastings, and special events at chocolatiers across Brussels. Many participating shops offer special praline collections and demonstrations. It's a decent reason to plan a Brussels visit for early March if you're serious about chocolate. Check current year dates as timing varies slightly.