Magical European Christmas Markets For 2024
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4 months ago
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Cinnamon spice wafting through the air, twinkling lights, the hum of carols… There’s no place more festive than a Christmas market. The yuletide tradition goes back to medieval Germany, but over the past 20 years, more and more Christmas markets have popped up across Europe.
As summer fades and autumn takes its place, now is the perfect time to start thinking about which festive affairs you’d like to travel to, perhaps on a weekend break (if you can tear yourself away from the mulled wine after so short a while). Here’s our pick of the most enchanting Christmas markets, from the real-life inspiration of Disneyland to snow-covered Salzburg.
C&TH Responsible Tourism Guide
Best Christmas Markets In Europe 2024
Gdansk, Poland
According to The Bucket List Company, Poland tops the list for the best Christmas markets in the world – known for being relatively low cost and for selling traditional ornaments and delicious food across Krakow, Wrocław and Warsaw. Our pick of the bunch? Gdansk – which is also one of the most romantic Christmas markets in Europe. Stroll through the fairytale streets of the historical town centre, with its unique scenery and colourful architecture mirroring a gingerbread city.
Dates: 22 November–23 December 2024
How To Get There: Fly directly to Gdansk from Edinburgh, Leeds Bradford, Liverpool, London Luton and London Stansted airports.
Spandau Christmas Market, Berlin – Germany
In true German style, Berlin is brimming with Christmas markets come the festive season, but the biggest is Spandau, featuring concerts, more than 250 stalls (up to 400 at the weekend), and buckets of medieval flair. Backdropped by picturesque Altstadt of Spandau, all of this festive cheer is spliced with cobblestone streets, historic buildings and the pretty St Nikolai Church. All the while, tuck into festive German treats: find bratwurst, kartoffelpuffer and roasted nuts around every corner, along with glühwein (mulled wine) galore. Elsewhere in Berlin, pay a visit to WeihnachtsZauber at Gendarmenmarkt for artisan crafts, Winter World for a more modern affair with ice rinks and curling lanes, and Charlottenburg Palace for a romantic backdrop. visitberlin.de
Dates: 25 November–22 December 2024.
How To Get There: Take the Eurostar to Brussels, a high speed train to Cologne or Frankfurt and then another train to Berlin. Or fly direct from Birmingham, Bristol, East Midlands, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds-Bradford, Liverpool, Manchester or any London airport.
Old Town Square Christmas Market, Prague – Czech Republic
Hometown of Good King Wenceslas and capital of the Czech Republic, Prague comes alive at Christmas. Festive markets spring up across the city, but you can find the most popular at Old Town Square, which has a daily carol concert, stalls selling traditional Czech crafts, a pretty nativity scene and huge Christmas tree. A visit to Prague is not complete without trying some Czech delicacies, and everything from Pražská Šunka (Prague ham) to trdelnik (a Slovakian dish of spiralled dough coated in sugar and cinnamon) can be found in the market. Over in the new town, swing by the famed Wenceslas Square for another market brimming with classics from roasted chestnuts to mulled wine, gingerbread biscuits to special Czech Christmas cookies. pragueexperience.com
Dates: 30 November 2024–6 January 2025.
How To Get There: Fly directly to Prague from Gatwick, Heathrow, Luton, Stansted, Belfast, Birmingham, Bristol, East Midlands, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds Bradford, Manchester, or Newcastle airport.
Vörösmarty Square Christmas Market, Budapest – Hungary
One of Budapest’s most iconic squares gets a festive makeover every December, with more than 100 traditional stalls selling a range of wares from handmade crafts to ornaments to local produce. As you browse, tuck into traditional dishes, from goulash to lángos, chimney cake to roasted chestnuts to traditional Hungarian bejgli. Vörösmarty Square is known for its beautiful setting, with festive lights galore draped across the square. Elsewhere in the city, enjoy another market at St Stephen’s Basilica, featuring an ice skating rink and plenty of stalls to boot.
Dates: 17 November–31 December 2024.
How To Get There: Birmingham, Edinburgh, Heathrow, Gatwick, Luton, Manchester and Stansted airports all fly direct to Budapest.
Christkindlesmarkt, Nuremberg – Germany
Most of the Christmas markets in London are modelled on Germany’s – so why not get a glimpse of the real deal? There are hundreds of festive markets across the country, but Nuremberg houses one of the most traditional, Christkindlesmarkt, which dates all the way back to 1628. Traders must go through a rigorous approval process, with all mass-produced goods strictly forbidden, meaning everything on sale is handcrafted. Around every corner you’ll find delicious food and drink, with the aromas of Nuremberg gingerbread, Rostbratwurst (spicy German sausages) and mulled wine floating through the air. christkindlesmarkt.de
Dates: 29 November–24 December 2024
How To Get There: Fly directly to Nuremberg from Heathrow or Stansted airport, or fly into Munich and take the train to Nuremberg.
Bruges Christmas Market – Belgium
Backdropped by Bruges magnificent medieval architecture, Bruges Christmas Markets are an enchanting sight to behold. Spread across the Market Square and Simon Sevin Square, expect a bounty of stalls (around 50–100) and activities amidst the city’s winding canals, with floating wafts of music and delicious scents washing over it all. Smaller than other markets on this list, expect a cosy atmosphere, with twinkling lights adding to the fairytale setting. In Belgium, it would be crime not to tuck into waffles and travel home with a suitcase fit to burst with chocolate. It’s only right.
Dates: 22 November 2024–5 January 2025.
How To Get There: Catch the Eurostar from London to Brussels and another train to Bruges.
Christkindlmarkt at Rathausplatz, Vienna – Austria
Come the festive season, Austria’s capital is absolutely overtaken with Christmas cheer. Following the countless markets nestled across the city is a great way to tick off some tourism sights, too. The most dramatic of the bunch has to be Christkindlmarkt at Rathausplatz: around 150 stalls perched at the base of the beautifully illuminated City Hall. Find traditional crafts, gifts and seasonal foods, an ice skating rink, rides, and a huge Christmas tree at the centre of it all, and tuck into festive sweet treats all the while. Vienna is famous for its Glühwein and hot fruit Punsch; purchase a festive mug, order your winter warmer of choice, and return it later for your deposit back (or keep it for a cute, low-cost souvenir). On a long weekend, make sure you also make the short trip out of town to Schönbrunn Palace Christmas Market – a smaller market, but with a beautiful backdrop of the baroque summer palace, easily reached by metro.
Dates: 11 November–26 December 2024.
How To Get There: Birmingham, Bristol, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Manchester and all London airports fly direct to Vienna.
Kölner Weihnachtsmarkt, Cologne – Germany
Christmas markets don’t get more classical than this. Kölner Weihnachtsmarkt is one of the world’s largest and most famous Christmas markets, drawing millions of visitors to the German city every year. Split across multiple locations, there’s plenty to explore, from 150 arts and crafts stalls at the base of the towering gothic cathedral to the folklore-themed market by the Town Hall famed for its puppet theatre entertainment, perfect for families. Angel’s Market is perhaps the most romantic of the bunch, and also the city’s oldest, while Harbor Christmas Market beside the Rhine has a unique nautical theme. koelnerweihnachtsmarkt.com
Dates: 18 November 2024–5 January 2025.
How To Get There: Take the Eurostar to Brussels and then another train to Cologne. Or Birmingham, Edinburgh, Heathrow, Manchester and Stansted airports all fly direct to Cologne.
Tivoli Gardens, Copenhagen – Denmark
Experience the magic of a Nordic Christmas at Copenhagen’s scandi-chic Tivoli Gardens, a historic amusement park which transforms into a winter wonderland during the festive season. With over 500,000 twinkling lights, Scandinavian-style wooden huts and snow-covered trees, it’s no surprise this fairytale setting attracts more than a million visitors every year. The Trainsbury Station theme, which debuted in 2017, has been expanded with two steam engines and an old station building where you can sample aebleskiver (apple dumplings) and glögg (mulled wine). Fun fact: this was the real-life inspiration for Disneyland! tivoli.dk
Dates: 15 November 2024–5 January 2024, excluding Christmas eve.
How To Get There: Take the Eurostar from London to Brussels and another train from Brussels to Copenhagen. Or fly directly to Copenhagen from Gatwick, Stansted, Heathrow, Bristol, Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool, Newcastle, or Edinburgh airport.
www.christkindlmarkt.co.at
Salzburg Christmas Market – Austria
With snow often turning the city into an atmospheric winter wonderland, the romantic Salzburg comes alive at Christmas time. There is a snowstorm of festive markets, with the city centre market – the largest and oldest – mentioned in history as early as the 15th century. It is held in Cathedral Square, with the beautiful Northern Alps as a backdrop and over 95 stalls selling everything from candles to crafts to jewellery. austria.info
Dates: 21 November 2024–1 January 2025.
How To Get There: Fly directly to Salzburg from London City, Heathrow, Gatwick, Luton, Stansted, Belfast, Bristol, Birmingham, East Midlands, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds Bradford, Newcastle or Southampton airport.
Tuomann Markkinat, Helsinki – Finland
The home of Santa Claus, Finland is one of the most festive countries in the world. If you can’t make it all the way to Lapland, there are plenty of seasonal delights in the capital city of Helsinki, including the stylish Christmas Market in Senate Square. Around 130 vendors set up camp in wooden huts along Gift Alley, selling handmade Finnish products such as himmeli ornaments (geometric mobiles made of straw), pine and birch tar candles, carved wooden kuksa mugs and contemporary jewellery. Visitors can enjoy the traditional Finnish Christmas drink Glögi (a mixture of spiced wine, almonds, raisins, and sometimes a splash of vodka) alongside traditional Finnish pastries with plum jam and gingerbread. tuomaanmarkkinat.fi
Dates: 29 November–22 December 2024
How To Get There: Fly directly to Helsinki from Gatwick, Heathrow, Stansted, Manchester, or Edinburgh airport.
Skansen Christmas Market, Stockholm – Sweden
Take a ferry across to the island of Djurgarden from Stockholm and you’ll find Skansen, an open-air museum which doubles as a festive market in the weekends leading up to Christmas. This one’s about as traditional as it gets: think Swedish handicrafts, sausages, spices, candles and smoked turkey, plus craft demonstrations and workshops. Skansen is also home to a small zoo, so you can combine your Christmas shopping with some reindeer spotting! skansen.se
Dates: Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from 25 November–18 December 2024.
How To Get There: Fly directly to Stockholm from Gatwick, Heathrow, Stansted, Birmingham, Edinburgh, Liverpool, or Manchester airport.
Noel au Jardin, Geneva – Switzerland
You can find unique gifts nestled in amongst many (many) cheese and chocolate winter foodie treats in Geneva’s Christmas market offering at the Parc des Bastions, right in the heart of the city. Visit during the second weekend in December and check out L’Escalade Festival celebrations, with festivities throughout the old town and spilling over into this beautifully decorated Christmas hub. noel-au-jardin.ch
Dates: 21 November–24 December 2024.
How To Get There: Fly directly to Geneva from London City, Gatwick, Heathrow, Luton, Stansted, Aberdeen, Belfast, Birmingham, Bournemouth, Bristol, Edinburgh, East Midlands, Glasgow, Leeds Bradford, Liverpool, Newcastle, Manchester, or Southampton airport.
