As far north as Brussels, night falls early during this time of year—which means we have the good fortune to be able to catch the Christmas market light up for the evening. Our driver will drop you right off at the city center, where your Cruise Manager will walk you to the market to explore on your own. The largest in Belgium, Brussels’ market has over 200 stalls. Perhaps you’d like to enjoy the city’s most famous sweet holiday-style, with a delicious cup of hot chocolate from one of the market’s many vendors.

Take in the top sights of Brussels on an engaging walking tour with a local guide, during which you’ll see La Grand-Place and enter the old stock exchange. Here you’ll find the Belgian Beer Museum, where you’ll learn all about one of the country’s most iconic products. This museum isn’t just educational though, it’s also interactive. You’ll sample as you go, getting to know a variety of different Belgian beer varieties to see which suits your tastes best.

On our way into the city center, we'll take you on a panoramic tour of the major sightseeing spots in Brussels, such as the Royal Residence, Chinese Pavilion, and Japanese Pagoda. From there, we'll set out on foot to see the city up close—and taste some iconic Belgian chocolates along the way!

Since cars are completely banned in Ghent’s historic center, it’s a particularly pedestrian-friendly area. Stroll with your guide from the Church of Saint James, with its two Romanesque towers, to the Friday Market square, which, as its name suggests, was the site of a huge market every Friday in the Middle Ages. You’ll pass the magnificent 15th-century Great Butchers’ Hall and the elegant medieval trading houses that line Graslei and Korenlei streets. Your last stop is the Belfort, the great bell tower that rises above the Old Town.

You’ll have time to explore Ghent’s winter festival, complete with well over a hundred Christmas market stalls following your tour. Breathe in the wintry smell of pine that distinguishes this town’s holiday festivities.

Walk through the UNESCO-designated city center of Bruges with a local guide to see why this lovely city is a popular favorite of visitors to Belgium. The town grew up around a fort built by the first Count of Flanders to defend against Viking invaders. By the 14th century, Bruges had become the center of the international cloth trade. Merchants and traders worldwide came to Bruges for Flemish cloth, and the town’s bounty of beautiful churches and mansions testify to its prosperity. It's even more wonderful in the wintertime, when the crowds of tourists have dwindled and locals decorate the city in festive fashion. Christmas trees, twinkling lights and the sweet scent of holiday treats fill the streets.

Your guide will bring the tour to a close at the wonderful Christmas market of Bruges, which you’ll have some free time to explore before returning to the ship.

Make your way around Hasselt with a local guide who knows all the best spots in town. As you go, admire the city's plentiful green spaces, keep your eyes peeled for masterful works of street art, and discover shopping areas filled with major brands and eclectic boutiques alike.

Visit the oldest Christmas Market in Belgium, an honored tradition in the French-speaking town of Liège. Approximately 200 wooden chalets invite visitors to shop their wares, sit down for a drink, or savor delicious treats.

Here’s your chance to experience something utterly unique: the underground Christmas market of Valkenburg. Cozy stalls and twinkling lights line the stone walls of this enchanting cave, where you can shop for classic holiday gifts and treats while escaping the weather. And if you venture outside, you’ll find even more Christmas spirit spreading out from the cave across the entire festively-decked town.

Meander through the historic city center of Maastricht with your local guide and take in all of the city’s prettiest sites. During your walk, you’ll discover the picturesque streets of the Stokstraat Quarter and various charming promenades across the old and new city centers. You’ll take a peek into City Hall to see the wall tapestries, stucco, ceiling paintings, and mantelpieces inside. As you go, you’ll hear the fascinating stories and amusing anecdotes of Maastricht history, its progression from Roman settlement to early industrial powerhouse, and the Mestreechter Geis (or “the Spirit of Maastricht”, which is what they call their local way of life). Brimming with charm any time of year, Maastricht is perhaps at its most special in the weeks leading up to Christmas, when a light dusting of snow settles in between the cobblestones and the “Magical Maastricht” Christmas Market—amongst the largest in the Netherlands—is in full swing.

Discover the magic of Antwerp dressed in its holiday best on this guided walking tour through the heart of the city. Stroll past festive shop windows and beautifully decorated historic squares—the Grote Markt (or “Grand Place”) is particularly attractive with its grand city hall, Christmas tree, and cozy market stalls. Along the way, your guide will share stories of Antwerp’s rich history, holiday traditions, and hidden gems that make the season truly special in this charming Belgian city.

Walk through the twinkling streets of Antwerp to arrive at a beautiful city-palace on the Meir shopping street. First built in the 18th century, this residence was owned by Napoleon, Leopold II, and the Belgian Royal family, each leaving their marks on the building's stunning interiors. Enter to discover a Rococo masterpiece—a particularly arresting setting for a private concert that has been arranged exclusively for Uniworld guests.

Once named the World Book Capital by UNESCO, Antwerp has a dedicated relationship with literature. The Nottebohm Room of the Hendrik Conscience Heritage Library illustrates this well. Walk in to see two open stories of wooden bookshelves, filled to the brim with leather bound volumes. A wrought metal balustrade bisects the two, giving librarians access to the incredible collection of rare items inside. Some particularly exciting members of this collection are accessible to you on the ground floor, including an iconic pair of globes by Dutch cartographer Willem Blaeu.

In the center of Antwerp, you’ll find a whole museum dedicated just to Belgian chocolate. Walk inside to discover the love story that is Belgium’s relationship with the sweet treat, follow the path of the cocoa bean from the farms of Ecuador to the world’s largest cocoa storage port in Antwerp, and of course, you’ll sample a variety chocolates during your time here.

Though Amsterdam is the capital of the Netherlands, The Hague is the seat of the country’s government and a fantastic place to visit in its own right. A favorite local highlight of ours, and your destination on this tour, is the Mauritshuis. This museum houses a significant collection of Dutch Golden Age masterpieces—an array of stunning still lifes and portraits, including Vermeer’s famous Girl with a Pearl Earring. Besides its remarkable collection, what makes this museum so special is its setting. The Mauritshuis itself was once a city palace, allowing the works of art inside to be presented in the manner they were originally intended, hanging on the walls of stately houses.

Delft is noteworthy for several reasons: it's the birthplace of world-renowned painter Johannes Vermeer, home to the famous blue Delft pottery, and burial place of Dutch royalty. Explore picturesque Old Delft, with its tiny foot-bridges arching over peaceful, water-lily-filled canals, and visit Royal Delft to see the blue-and-white porcelain being made.

Today, you’ll have the opportunity to try a classic New Year's treat: oliebollen. Sold at street food stands and bakeries throughout the country during the Christmas and New Year’s season, these delectable treats are a local variety of donuts. Sweet dough, sometimes stuffed with raisins or currants, is deep fried and topped with powdered sugar. It’s the perfect treat to warm you up on a cool, winter day. During your tour, your guide will make a stop at a local bakery to purchase oliebollen for the group.

Start your day with a visit to Westergasfabriek, a 19^th-century gas factory that has long since been abandoned, reclaimed, and transformed into a thriving cultural space. Many festivals and galleries are hosted here, including the stunning Fabrique des Lumières. The “Factory of Lights,” as it translates, is an immersive digital art experience. A complex system of projectors covers every surface of the factory’s interior with larger-than-life displays of art.

In Amsterdam Noord, you’ll find the NDSM Wharf, a lively area known for its popular bars, restaurants, and artsy atmosphere. Street art proliferates here, where it is not only tolerated but a valued contributor to the culture. That makes the NDSM Wharf the perfect place for STRAAT, a unique Amsterdam museum dedicated to street art, built into a former NDSM wharf warehouse. Works by over 170 different street artists are displayed here, all created on site for a larger-than-life scale and ultra-immersive experience.

It’s called the “Venice of the North” for a reason: Canals crisscross the heart of the old city, and bridges link some 90 islands. As the principal city in a newly independent Holland, Amsterdam was a boom town in the early 17th century, rapidly outgrowing its medieval walls. The city’s fathers responded by demolishing most of the old city and building an entirely new one, creating Europe’s first planned city. That “new” district is now 400 years old, and as you glide along the main canals, you’ll pass stately merchants’ houses built centuries ago (some of them are now house museums you can visit on your own). But the canals are not merely scenic; they are essential thoroughfares—people take water buses to work and live in houseboats along the banks—so a canal cruise also gives you a look at the busy modern city.