Germany48-hour guide
Rothenburg Christmas Market 2026: The Reiterlesmarkt Guide
Sixty-one stalls between the town hall and St James's Church in Germany's best-preserved medieval town, with a horseback opening, Advent windows and verified 2026 hours.
Where to go this weekend
Three trips worth taking, picked every Friday, plus a 48-hour plan for every city worth the journey.
Next weekend in Europe
6–8 November
From 6 Nov
Vienna
Schönbrunn Christmas market opens, the first of Vienna's markets, in front of the palace.
6–15 Nov
Golegã
Feira Nacional do Cavalo: Portugal's big St Martin's horse fair, a day trip from Lisbon.
Full write-up on FridayPast weekends
What kind of weekend?
- Christmas marketsMulled wine, carols and lights in the old town62 weekends
- Winter sunBlue skies when home is grey14 weekends
- Food and drinkCities worth the trip for the table alone70 weekends
- By trainWeekends you can reach without flying22 weekends
- Romantic weekendsCandlelight, views and long dinners25 weekends
- Beaches and coastSand, sea air and harbour lunches18 weekends
- Castles and historyFortresses, ruins and Roman stones23 weekends
- Wine weekendsVineyards, cellars and the regions behind the bottle19 weekends
48 hours in…
Germany48-hour guide
Heidelberg Christmas Market 2026: Old Town Squares and a Castle Rink
Stalls strung along the Hauptstraße from Bismarckplatz to the Kornmarkt, an ice rink below the castle and roasted almonds in the air, with verified 2026 dates.
United Kingdom48-hour guide
Edinburgh Weekend Guide: 48 Hours of Castle, Crags and Closes
Two days in Scotland's capital: a castle on a volcanic rock, a medieval high street, a hill walk in the city and dinner by the water in Leith.
Germany48-hour guide
Stuttgart Christmas Market 2026: Decorated Roofs and Esslingen
Around 300 stalls with lovingly decorated roofs from the Neues Schloss to the Marktplatz, concerts in the Old Castle courtyard and a medieval market in Esslingen, with a two-day plan.
Germany48-hour guide
Leipzig Christmas Market 2026: Seven Squares and a Weekend Plan
More than 300 stalls across seven areas of Leipzig's old town, from the Markt and the Old Town Hall to a Finnish village and a medieval market, with a two-day plan.
Italy48-hour guide
Trento and Bolzano Christmas Markets 2026: Two Cities by Train
Trento's stalls under the castle walls, Bolzano's Christkindlmarkt on Piazza Walther and a short train ride between them, with verified 2026 dates and a two-day plan.
Travel news
Closures, new rules and openings that change a weekend plan.
- Rail works around Switzerland in November 2026: Munich, Paris, Milan and Vienna trains
- Berlin Airport’s winter timetable: Edinburgh, Milan and Lapland routes
- France rail strike on 5 November: TGV, TER and RER at risk
- Italy strikes 20–22 November: general strike, trains and flights
- Spain train strikes: Renfe on 29 October, Ouigo into December
- Halloween weekend 2026: six European trips worth booking
Christmas markets 2026
In the order they open.
Bristol Christmas Market
Where to next?
New reels every weekday: 48-hour routes, food worth the trip and what’s on this weekend.