Brussels Christmas celebrations to include 21-metre Belgian tree

The Grand-Place in Brussels will welcome its biggest-ever Christmas tree this winter - and the Christmas market will be redesigned to take in a larger part of the newly pedestrianised city centre.

This year's tree will come from Belgium and is 21 metres tall - following last year's 18-metre gift from Latvia.

More than 1.5 million people are expected at the 15th edition of Plaisirs d'Hiver, which runs from 27 November to 3 January.

There will be 2.5km of Christmas stalls selling presents and food, including huts along the pedestrian zone on Boulevard Anspach from the Bourse to De Brouckère. The pedestrian street will be specially illuminated for the event.

The ice rink will move back to the Place de la Monnaie, and after honouring Quebec last year, the 2015 edition of Plaisirs d'Hiver will feature a mini-village dedicated to Tunisia - with local food, gifts and music.

Photo: Guillaume Richer/Flickr. Licensed under Creative Commons