The Christmas season is officially upon us and it’s time to get into the Christmas spirit.
What better way to get into that festive feeling, than organising a short break to one of Europe’s best Christmas markets?
Here’s a list of our top ten favourites to get you started including the dates they start.
Cologne, Germany: 21 November – 23 December
Germany is the King of Christmas markets and its jewel in the crown is Cologne, which plays host to eight different Christmas markets, fulfilling winter wonderland fantasies. The four most famous markets attract up to two million visitors each year. The Cologne Cathedral Christmas Market is the perhaps the most impressive in the city, set to the backdrop of the majestic city cathedral, it features over 160 wooden pavilions decorated in delicate twinkly lights. The Alter Markt Christmas Market is Cologne’s most romantic market set against narrow-gabled houses and half timbered stalls. Children will especially love this market with a classic merry-go-round, puppet theatre and Santa’s grotto.
Budapest Hungary: November – 30 December
You’ll be lured in by the scent of the Budapest Christmas Market, before you even see it, as smells of cinnamon, mulled wine, honey cookies and pine pull you in. This very traditional Christmas market is held in the town square and consists of wooden cottages selling an array of handmade crafts and treats. The traditional Christmas folk music puts you in the Christmas spirit while you shop. There are also folkloric displays, Christmas tree decorating competitions, a Nativity Scene and a huge advent calendar that is opened at 5pm each day.
Vienna, Austria: 19 November – 26 December
Enjoy the flavours of roasted chestnuts, candied fruits, cotton candy and Christmas punch as you wander around Vienna Christmas markets, nostalgic, romantic and elegant affairs. Here you can also indulge in a Christmas land, located in Rathauspark, filled with festively adorned, trees, pony rides, a Christmas train ride and artistic fairytale scenes.
Prague, Czech Republic: 26 November – 8 January
Prague Christmas markets are festive feasts for the eyes. The two main markets are held in the Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square and consist of brightly decorated wooden huts selling an array of traditional Czech handicrafts, such as Bohemian crystal, wooden toys, handmade jewellery, scented candles, Christmas tree ornaments and traditional puppets. Fill your tummies with a range of Czech delights, from pastries to sausages, corn and mulled wine. Children will love the live Nativity scene where they can stroke live sheep, goats and donkeys and the range of entertainment on offer including traditional folk displays, carol singing and Christmas craft workshops.
Berlin, Germany: 22 November – 31 December
Halfway through our list and we seem to have arrived in Germany again, this time to its capital, Berlin. Berlin has a whopping sixty different Christmas markets to explore, full of magic and charm. The most famous is the Charlottenburg Castle Christmas Market filled with festively decorated cabins and exclusive glass pagodas. 150 vendors from all over Germany come here to sell their exquisitely made crafts. While the most atmospheric of the Berlin Christmas markets is perhaps the Gendarmenmarkt Christmas Market filled with acrobats, jugglers, choir singers, dance groups and artists.
Copenhagen, Denmark: 11 November – 29 December
Europe’s oldest and most traditional amusement park, Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen plays host to the city’s annual Christmas Market, where hundreds of pine trees are decorated with millions of tiny white lights. This year’s theme is a Russian Christmas, complete with replicas of famous Russian buildings and twirling Russian dancing. Nibble on pickled herring, hot apple dumplings and pancakes with sugar or jam and don’t forget to have a cup of Danish Glögg (hot spiced wine) in your hand. Stalls are filled with local as well as Russian arts and crafts and activities include ice-skating, a visit to see Father Frost and pony rides.
Tallinn, Estonia: 26 November – 8 January 2012
Estonia’s medieval capital looks particularly festive carpeted in snow and hung with glittering lights and decorations. Its Christmas market is one of the newest in Europe; however it still has a very traditional atmosphere. Enjoy atmospheric folkloric Christmas music as you peruse the stalls, filled with elaborate quilts, wooden bowls, homemade candles and wreaths, sea-grass animals, glassware and felt slippers. Feast on traditional treats such as gingerbread, marzipan, hot nuts, sauerkraut, blood sausages and hot-soups, while filling your mug from wooden barrels of mulled wine.
Gothenburg, Sweden: 18 November – 23 December
Apart from the Christmas market at Tivoli Gardens in Denmark, Liseberg Christmas village in Gothenburg is one of the best in Scandinavia. Liseberg is the city’s amusement park and every year it is turned into a Christmas village market. This year it will be covered in five million sparkling Christmas lights and usually contains an ice bar, Christmas installations and ice skating. Adults can enjoy traditional Swedish Glögg (spiced wine with nuts and raisins) and kids will love the rides and meeting Father Christmas.
Brussels, Belgium: 25 November – 1 January
Brussels Winter Wonderland comes complete with a giant ice-skating rink, and one for the little ones too, a big Ferris Wheel, ice sculptures and cultural performances. Twinkly fairy lights decorate gingerbread style huts with festive snow covered roofs. The market sells a variety of handcrafted Christmas products and decorations.
Krakow, Poland: 27 November – 27 December
Krakow’s idyllic Christmas market is set against its atmospheric Old Town’s majestic architecture and what makes it even more magical is that it’s usually covered in snow too! Here you’ll find a range of stalls selling handcrafted jewellery, Christmas tree decorations, hearty stews and mugs of mulled wine. Enjoy performances from traditional folk dancers and Christmas carol singers as you shop.
If you like the idea of exploring this region, view our Europe gap year travel guide.