The Flemish Region is the Dutch-speaking northern part of Belgium, home to Bruges, Ghent, Antwerp, Leuven, Mechelen, Hasselt, Ypres and the North Sea coast.
The Flemish Region has a temperate maritime climate with mild winters, cool to warm summers and rain spread through the year (roughly 750-850 mm annually). The coast is cooler in summer and windier; inland Limburg and the Kempen are slightly warmer in summer and colder in winter. Weather changes quickly, so layers and a light rain jacket are useful all year.
Best time to visit
Best: Year-round
Avoid: None
Month-by-month weather
Typical conditions throughout the year.
January
3°C/37°F
Cold, grey and damp; short days but quiet museums and few crowds. Snow is occasional.
February
4°C/39°F
Still cold with frost and mist; Carnival season starts in some towns. Lowest hotel prices outside holidays.
March
7°C/45°F
Early spring; first daffodils and longer days, but showers and cold spells continue.
April
10°C/50°F
Spring bloom; Easter crowds in Bruges and Ghent, changeable weather with sunny spells and showers.
May
14°C/57°F
Mild and green with long evenings; ideal for cycling, gardens and terrace dining.
June
17°C/63°F
Long days and warm weather; beaches open and festivals begin, with occasional thunderstorms.
July
19°C/66°F
Warmest period with festivals (Gentse Feesten, Tomorrowland, Rock Werchter) and peak coast crowds.
August
19°C/66°F
Summer peak; heat waves possible inland, busiest coast and highest prices.
September
16°C/61°F
Often settled and pleasant; Open Monuments Day events, harvest and fewer crowds.
October
12°C/54°F
Autumn colour and fog; wetter, shorter days, ideal for museums and beer cafes.
November
7°C/45°F
Wet, cold and dark early; Christmas markets start in late November.
December
4°C/39°F
Cold and festive; Christmas markets, lights and winter sales, occasional snow.
The seasons
What to expect in each part of the year.
Spring
Months: Mar-May
Cool to mild (8-17°C) with blossom, long evenings and showers; flower and bulb fields and Easter crowds in Bruges.
Summer
Months: Jun-Aug
Warm (20-25°C) with the occasional heat wave above 30°C; longest days, festivals and busiest coast.
Fall
Months: Sep-Nov
September is often settled and mild; October-November turn cooler, foggy and wetter with autumn colour.
Winter
Months: Dec-Feb
Cold and damp (1-7°C) with occasional frost and rare snow; Christmas markets and lights in December.
Crowds & peak times
When to expect tourists and when to avoid them.
- High Season
- Jul-Aug on the coast and in Bruges, plus Easter, Ascension and Christmas market weekends in Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp.
- Shoulder Season
- Apr-Jun and Sep-Oct (comfortable weather and fewer tourists).
- Low Season
- Nov-Mar excluding Christmas (quiet, cooler, lowest prices).
Major events & festivals
Time your visit around what matters.
Carnival of Aalst
Satirical parade and street party in Aalst on the Sunday-Tuesday before Lent.
Procession of the Holy Blood, Bruges
A historic religious procession through Bruges.
Rock Werchter
Major pop and rock festival near Leuven.
Gentse Feesten
Ten days of free concerts and street entertainment across Ghent.
Tomorrowland
Electronic dance music festival in Boom near Antwerp.
Pukkelpop
Alternative music festival in Hasselt (Kiewit).
Christmas markets and light festivals
Winter markets and illuminations in Bruges, Ghent, Antwerp, Leuven and Mechelen.