Belgium In September: Why It’s The Best Time To Visit

September (and fall in general) is all around a pretty solid month to travel around Europe, and Belgium in September is no exception.

September is hands down one of my favourite times to visit Belgium and more importantly, Brussels.

September brings fewer tourists, more moderate weather, and THE BEST festivals of the year!

Psst! This blog post contains affiliate links in it which sends me a bit of extra money if you use them… at no extra cost to you!

September Belgium Weather Is Unbeatable

The temperature in Belgium in September definitely starts to cool off. 

Brussels has very mild weather to begin where highs in the summer average 23°C (47°F). It mildly cools down to an average of 12°C-20°C (54°F-68°F) in September. 

But! That doesn’t mean you can’t be surprised with the odd day above 25°C (77°F). In fact, I had quite a few of those surprising hot days throughout the month!

So if there’s one downside to travelling to Belgium in September, it’s that although the weather is milder, it’s also less predictable (making it harder to pack for!).  

On top of that, the weather can change drastically throughout the day. I had some mornings where it started out at 7°C (45°F) but then went all the way up to 27°C (81°F) in the afternoon. Come on, how do you dress for weather like that!?

P.S. Unpredictable Belgium weather can make packing a tad more complicated, use my digital packing lists as a guide!

What Should You Pack For Brussels In September?

So how do you pack for weather that’s so unpredictable? 

It’s important to pack a variety of options for both hotter and colder weather.

So I packed two jackets: a thinner windbreaker bomber jacket and a thicker sherpa lined jean jacket. 

I quickly realized that the answer to dressing for the Belgian weather was also to always wear layers.

So I packed a pear of leggings that I could wear underneath dresses in the morning but could be easily removed later in the day as it warmed up.

Thinner sweaters are a must as well, that could be worn on their own or underneath your jacket!

And along with packing pants, I also brought a pair of shorts just in case we had one of those hot streaks (which we did). 

Travelling to Belgium in September, you’ll also never want to forget your umbrella. We noticed the weather forecast couldn’t really be trusted. Many times the forecast had 0% chance of rain… while it was raining…

The moral of the story, never leave for the day without an umbrella.

Thankfully, Belgium (and Brussels specifically) works for any weather that comes at it. It has so many indoor attractions (museums GALORE!) to explore that you’re never fully dependent on good weather at all.

Fewer Tourists In Belgium In September But Never Empty

As with the rest of Europe, Belgium sees less tourism in September, but it never feels dead (unlike travelling to the South of France in the fall). 

When you visit some countries in the fall, you want to stick to visiting the main cities. But you don’t have to do that in Belgium. The bars and restaurants remain lively, even in the smaller Belgian towns.

And you have Universities to thank for that! Most of the smaller towns in Belgium are university towns, so instead of dying down in September, the city actually livens up with all the students returning to school.

This is at least the case for smaller cities like Ghent, Leuven, and Namur that might be at risk for feeling empty and dead during low season. 

Belgium In September Is Festival Season (Especially In Brussels!)

And finally, the real reason why September is the best time to visit Belgium: the unlimited festivals.

It seems like every weekend throughout September in Brussels is a different (and usually free) festival to enjoy.

I swear, from beer to comic books, there’s no shortage of festivals in Brussels in September.

See what’s happening in Brussels when you’re visiting, but here are a few of my favourites below!

Belgian Beer Weekend

The beginning of the month in Brussels is the Belgian Beer Weekend.

As you may know, Belgium = beer. There really isn’t a more iconic festival to attend than the Belgian Beer Weekend in Brussels.

Imagine, all the Belgian beer your heart desires in one convenient location. It’s a bit hectic, but it’s worth it!

See when the festival is happening this year.

If you missed the Belgian Beer Weekend you might be able to hit up Bxl Beer Fest, at the end of September. They feature both Belgian and international brews.

P.S. Be prepared for tasting all the beers with the ultimate beer lovers bundle on Etsy. It’s digital so you can easily bring it with you and rate, and remember all the beers your going to try throughout the weekend…

BD Comic Strip Festival & Balloon’s Day Parade

Aside from beer, Belgium also loves comic books.

In fact, the creators of two world-famous comics came from Belgium: Tin Tin and The Smurfs.

This festival is a huge (and completely free) weekend centred around everything comic-related.

It’s perfect for families, comic book lovers, or anyone interested in delving more into Belgian culture.

You can meet authors, get a signed copy of comic books, and peruse more comic books than you can imagine!

But the best part of this festival is hands down the balloons day parade where giant comic book characters balloons are paraded around the city!

See when this years festival is taking place, and check out the my guide to the Brussels Comic Book Walk.

Read The Most Popular Belgian Comics

Brussels Nocturnes (No Longer In September)

This was one of my favourite Brussels festivals because it lasts a few months… It started halfway through September and continued until December.

Update: In 2024, Brussels Nocturne took place from April to May.

But the idea was the same. Every Thursday night, select museums stay open late and sell tickets at half price.

The museums change every week (and every year) so you can always visit a new one. Just a heads up though, the museums are usually packed! You might have to register in advance for a tour to be able to visit. 

But why I really love this festival is that it gives you something to do on a random Thursday night!

Find the dates and schedule for Brussels Nocturnes.

Other Notable Festivals In Brussels In The Fall

As if you thought three festivals in one month was already a lot, there’s way more!

For design lovers the entire month is the Brussels Design Market (now moved to November 2024).

For foodies, there’s Eat! BRUSSELS, drink! BORDEAUX and Brussels Cocktail Week! 

For art lovers, check out Artonov Festival or FAME Festival.

Brussels also takes part in Car-Free Sunday where they close off the city to cars and encourage you to bike everywhere instead! Just make sure you don’t arrive to Brussels on this day… it might be a bit hard to make your way into the city!

Wallonia’s Festival (in Namur)

Brussels isn’t the only city with festivals in September. An hour away from Brussels is Namur (it’s a really easy day trip).

Namur is part of the Wallonia region and every year hosts the Les Fêtes de Wallonie. Wallonia’s Festival celebrates Wallonia’s independence day on September 27.

Where To Stay In Belgium In September?

I stayed in an Airbnb while in Brussels Belgium, but here are some hotels I found in popular cities in Belgium.

Cozy up in Brussels in the fall at the quaint Art de Séjour Bed & Breakfast. You’ll get a delicious homemade breakfast included with your stay every morning. Or see more accommodation options in Brussels.

Visit Dinant in the fall for the gorgeous view but with autumn colours and stay at the budget-friendly apartment, Autrefois chez Lina. It’s a vacation home just outside the tourist area of Dinant so it offers more of a quieter and relaxing stay. Or see more accommodation options in Dinant.

Or why not go on a romantic fall getaway to Bruge Belgium while you’re visiting. We stayed at B&B Huyze Weyne and would highly recommend it. It was centrally located and the owner was very helpful and friendly. She gave us tips for what to see and suggestions for restaurants. Or see more accommodation options Brugge Belgium.

More Belgium Guides To Read

So are you ready to book your next trip to Belgium in September!? If you need some more guides for your trip, read all about Belgium. 

I also have individual guides for Brussels (along with some hidden gems in the city) and Bruges.

• The Complete Guide to Belgium
•  The Perfect Belgian Souvenir
• The Ultimate Guide To Belgian Beer

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Last update on 2024-10-31 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API