Our favourite European Christmas markets, ranked and rated
Whisper it – Christmas is approaching. The nights are getting longer, the temperature is falling and the question of gift-giving has reared its head. And while some might pursue a winter sun getaway in response, others might want to lean fully into the festive feeling. This means a Christmas market, eminently popular across Europe.
But how to pick which one to visit? We have taken some of the most light-filled, trinket-stuffed, downright jolly spots across the continent and measured them – not too seriously – against our Christmas criteria. These categories include the ability to explore the city’s culture through the markets, the opportunity to buy artisanal goods, the weather (snowy, but not too cold), seasonally-appropriate activities and, of course, delicious food and drink. Below are the results, allowing you to plan the perfect Christmas market trip this winter.
Best for artisanal goods
Helsinki tops our list, what with its beautiful squares and delightfully-designed decorations. It might be overshadowed in the popular imagination by markets in Germany and Austria, but this Finnish edition has all the wintery wonder you need.
Think twinkling lights, cosy communal areas and even a vintage carousel, plus, most importantly, artisanal goods. In addition to the main market, visitors can pop into areas specifically showcasing high-quality Scandinavian design, so expect knitwear, ceramics, prints and homewares galore. Those Christmas gifts will be totally unique – and you’ll have had a fantastic time finding them.
How to do it
The refined Scandic Grand Marina Hotel (00358 9166 61) offers rooms from £141 per night. Finnair (0330 8081188) flights from London to Helsinki start at £174 return.
Best for culture
Vienna is beautiful throughout the year, but it tops our ranking for culture at Christmas, when the Schönbrunn Palace and Rathaus town hall become, very briefly, a proxy Santa’s grotto.
There are plenty of things to do beyond the (many) markets. This is a great place for music-lovers – choral events are held across the city, while the Kursalon, a concert hall, hosts traditional balls, complete with four-course dinners. The weather will likely be pleasingly chilly, meaning that visitors should wrap up warm and fully embrace the snowy city.
How to do it
British Airways (0344 493 0747) offers two-night packages to Vienna, including a hotel and flights, starting at £184 per person.
Best for weather
Tallinn is typically overlooked as a Christmas market destination, but this means that its walled city limits are, thankfully, not as crowded as some of its European rivals. Temperatures are usually in the minus numbers, so it’s happily frosty (and often snowing).
As for culture, the city looks as if it’s out of a storybook, making it particularly appropriate for the season. The grand Christmas tree, in the centre of the Town Hall Square, has been a fixture of December celebrations for nearly 600 years, making it one of the first examples of the tradition on the continent.
How to do it
Nights at the Schlössle Hotel (00 372 699 7700) start at £141, while return Wizz Air (0905 707 0000) flights from London start at £68 per person.
Best for treats
In Munich, it’s all about the food and drink. From the main market in Marienplatz Square, pick up gingerbread and gluhwein (German mulled wine), and then get stuck into hearty bratwurst with mustard and sauerkraut, or cheese spätzle with fried onions.
A popular option among the locals is schmankerl – which translates as “treat” or “tidbit”, and is essentially a flatbread doused in cheese and bacon bits. It’s an indulgent, tasty lunch, ideal as protection against the cold. With all the activities to get to (like carol singing and Christmas card making), you’re going to need the sustenance to see as much as possible.
How to do it
Trailfinders (02070846500) offer a three-night bed-and-breakfast stay at Munich’s Christmas markets. Prices start at £309 per person, excluding flights.
Best for atmosphere
Brussels is unfairly maligned as a “boring” place to visit. With its world-class art and buzzing new bars, it’s turning into a top destination in Europe – especially during the winter. The city is particularly good for its light shows, illuminating already-beautiful sights, like the Grand Palace, throughout the evening.
If you’re travelling with little ones, check out the “monster” by the ferris wheel and the delightful carousel. And guests of all ages would be remiss to ignore the Belgian chocolate stalls: be sure to bring home plenty of praline delights.
How to do it
The Art Nouveau Maison Flagey (00 32 496 24 28 23) is a charming place to stay. Prices start at £146 per night. Ryanair (0113 868 4151) flights from Manchester to Brussels start at £119 return.
Best for families
Salzburg is one for the family. Specifically, it’s a Christmas market that aims to spook the bolder members of your party, by running a Krampus-heavy affair. This mythical creature stalks the stalls and squares, thrilling smaller visitors and, quietly, keeping everyone’s behaviour in check.
Aside from the folkloric character, expect plenty of live music and punters with glasses full to the brim with gluhwein. The markets are a great gateway for seeing the city’s culture, too, with the out-of-town fortress providing a particularly charming setting for a day out.
How to do it
The Romantik Hotel Gmachl (00 43 662 480 212) has a panoramic spa, offering views of the city and the Alps beyond. A night’s stay starts at £197. Wizz Air (0905 707 0000) flights from London start at £36 return.
Best for sun
A rare sojourn into warmer climes, Malaga combines winter sun and festive celebrations. Some might want a chillier temperature, but the Spanish city’s offering is supplemented by activities for children, live music and plenty of things to eat. In fact, a Gastronomic Fair runs simultaneously, meaning that hungry visitors can pick up local wines, charcuterie, olive oil, pastries and cheeses alongside traditional Christmas sweets.
And if you stick around in the city for longer, a city-wide parade for the Epiphany takes place, in which the three wise men visit key historic sites on horseback. It’s not necessarily the snug, gluhwein-swigging Christmas market that you might imagine, but it’s spectacular nonetheless.
How to do it
Hotel Boutique Teatro Romano (00 34 951 20 44 38) is situated in the centre of the city, charging from £91 per night. Flights with Jet2 (0203 059 8336) start at £71 return, from airports across the UK.
Best for history
The Christmas markets are a good excuse to explore the historic centre of Wrocław. Visitors will find themselves among merchant’s warehouses and in the medieval market square, or wandering through the charming, pastel coloured streets of the city.
Check out the “Hansel and Gretel” houses, in front of which you’ll find adorable bronze statues of gnomes. These tiny characters are dotted across the city, so families should hunt down as many as possible. At the stalls, there are some traditional Polish handicrafts in addition to the usual souvenirs, which make fantastic (albeit last minute) Christmas gifts. As for the food? It’s all about keeping warm, so expect hearty pierogies, grilled sausages and the ubiquitous mulled wine.
How to do it
The grand Platinum Palace Hotel (00 48 71 327 06 00) offers stays from £84 a night. Flights from London to Wrocław start at £43 return with Ryanair (0113 868 4151).
Best for views
Prague’s Christmas market is a particularly popular option – for some, it might be getting slightly too busy. With a bit of forward-planning, however, the Czech offering is still one of the world’s best, especially when the old town is dusted in snow. It pays, for example, to climb the Old Town Hall Tower in the centre of the city, for a bird’s eye view of the twinkling lights and bustling stalls.
In Wenceslas Square, food stalls are open until midnight, meaning that you can try a traditional klobása (or pork sausage) as a late-night snack. And to escape the crowds, head to Jiriho z Podebrad Square, where the all-year market is transformed into a festive alternative, selling handmade goods and mead to local people.
How to do it
Jet2holidays (0333 014 0236) offers a three-night package, including return flights, a 22kg baggage allowance and board, from £570 per person.
Best for activities
The risk, with Edinburgh, is that instead of magical, transformative snowfall, the weather is rather drizzly. Luckily, the city’s dark, brooding cobbles and Gothic architecture looks fantastic, even if it is overcast. Edinburgh is, of course, a city that rises to the challenge of events, and Christmas is no different.
Expect to wind your way through the city, from the Walter Scott Monument to George Street, taking in the novelty decorations. There are plenty of rides, too, often with height restrictions, so older thrillseekers in your family should be catered for. And there’s a covered ice-skating rink, so if it does pour with rain, there’s plenty of fun indoors, too.
How to do it
Nights at the mahogany-pannelled 23 Mayfield (01316 675806) start at £199.
