Best Christmas Markets in Europe!
The most beautiful Christmas markets in France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Belgium, Netherlands, Hungary,… are waiting for you.
Beautiful Christmas lights, a gigantic Christmas tree, local and tasty food, mulled wine and gingerbread, a beautiful ice rink, original and handmade Christmas gifts, Christmas concerts, here are the ingredients for your next Christmas holiday, in family, with friends, alone or with your loved one.
Want to make the most of your holidays? Discover the most beautiful Christmas markets in Europe, the most beautiful Christmas lights but also the most beautiful Christmas trees and the sunniest Christmas destinations in Europe:
Budapest, Hungary
Christmas spirit sparkles in front of Budapest’s grandest cathedral during the 8th annual Advent Feast at the Basilica, an open-air festive-season market welcoming everyone with delightful gift items, delicious Hungarian and international food such as the all-time favorite ‘flódni,’ the Hungaricum chimney cake, mouth-watering burgers and a range of fish dishes.
Free attractions are also available for all ages: Including ice-skating for children in a central rink that surrounds a towering Christmas tree.
From November 22 through January 1, discover this enchanted city-center Christmas celebration rich with Central European holiday traditions. It also features modern elements such as flash mobs, a wide range of the best Hungarian contemporary hand-craft products, and the monumental light show that with 3D glasses will give a new dimension to the façade of St. Stephen’s Basilica, which will serve as the screen several times every evening.
For a complete guide to best things to do in Budapest , visit here.
Vienna, Austria
From mid-November to Christmas, Vienna’s prettiest squares transform into magical Christmas markets. The aroma of Christmas bakery items and hot punch creates a pre-Christmas atmosphere.
One of the most well-known Christmas Markets is the traditional “Vienna Magic of Advent”, which turns the City Hall Square into a shining fairytale land. Christmas gifts, tree decorations, sweets and warming drinks are awaiting you as well as a carousel and craft fun Christmas Workshops for kids. The trees of the surrounding City Hall park are festively decorated and radiate in a sea of lights. A Viennese experience, you’ll definitely don’t want to miss!
Another hot spot before Christmas is the cultural and Christmas market in front of Schönbrunn Palace. It offers sheer romance in front of an imperial backdrop, and is converted into a New Year’s market after Christmas. The atmospheric market offers traditional handicrafts, hand-made Christmas decorations, Christmas concerts and an extensive children’s program, including Christmas workshop.
For a complete guide to best things to do in Vienna, visit here.
Gdansk, Poland
Lucky the Talking Moose, Angel Mill, Carousel with Horses, Advent Gate, elf parades, objects with soul and Christmas delicacies. Situated in the historical centre of Gdańsk, the Christmas Fair is like a fairy tale. It captivates both visitors and locals who are the most happy to spend their winter time here.
The remarkable ambience of the Gdańsk Christmas Fair is mostly created by the unique and mood-setting scenery. Here you will find streets marked out only for this special time of year: Chocolate, Cinnamon, Angel or Christmas Eve Street. There is Lucky the Moose, who hums and speaks. High above, the Three Wise Men, angels and saints look at you from Angel Mill. There are elves, the Snow Queen with her retinue and singing carollers. You can take a spin on a fabulous fairy-tale carousel or find a moment of solace at the Holy Family Shrine. Couples in love have their own gleaming corner under the mistletoe.
The Square of Good Wishes is the heart of the Christmas Fair, surrounded by brightly lit, Christmas-decorated wooden cottages filled with delicacies from various corners of the world. There is plenty to choose from: Alsatian pancakes, Hungarian kürtősh, Greek bougatsa, Crimean chebureki, Spanish churros, Austrian cheese, Lithuanian sausage, Turkish halva, Polish pierogi and traditional Gdańsk wafers. To warm you up, there is hot chocolate, mulled beer with honey and ginger, cider with a touch of rum. And, of course, aromatic mulled wine served in collector’s mugs—each year in a different design and color.
Brussels, Belgium
Winter Wonders is your favourite Christmas market in Belgium followed by Ghent, Antwerpen, Bruges and Liege. With its 2.5 million visitors, Winter Wonders is the unmissable end-of-year event in Brussels which, for the occasion, dons its festive costume and pulls out all the stops on the menu.
The great classics are all awaiting you: magnificent sound and light at the Grand-Place, the majestic tree, the life-sized manger, the skating rink, the magical lights, the various exhibitions which dot the event…and the Christmas markets, bursting with treasures, which will delight the eyes of the curious and the tastebuds of gourmets.
Montbeliard, France
Montbeliard is the most beautiful Christmas market in France. World famous for the beauty of its illuminations, this Christmas market is traditional and authentic. Located in Franche-Comté (Eastern France), the town of Montbeliard – well known for its hospitality- turns into a pure enchantment a few weeks before Christmas.
During the time of Advent, Montbéliard revives the tradition of Württemberg and organizes a Christmas market like no other with 170 lovely stalls full of authentic and high quality items. Taking a stroll down the illuminated streets, the visitors may taste the delicious gastronomic products from Montbéliard and France, marvel at the variety of art and crafts, dance to the music and the sound of choral songs… and for the 2019 edition, our guest of honour will be the Savoy.
The event is more than a traditional Christmas market and Montbéliard is paying attention to every detail to make sure the Christmas Lights offer all their wonders to the 500,000 visitors.
Basel, Switzerland
Basel has a deep-rooted tradition as Switzerland’s most beautiful and largest Christmas city, and is well worth a visit every year. Not only the well-preserved Old Town is radiant in the warm Christmas light, but the shops and the facades of many buildings glitter with a golden glow. Roughly a hundred tall pine trees border the streets and stand like brightly lit sentinels pointing the way for the visitor. Particularly recommended is the Christmas market, which is being held not only on Barfüsserplatz, but also on Münsterplatz – one of the most beautiful squares in Basel.
The Basel Christmas Market can be found on Barfüsserplatz and Münsterplatz, right in the centre of the city and at the heart of the festively decorated Old Town. A magnificent Christmas tree stands on the Münsterplatz, with ornaments by the well-known decorator Johann Wanner.
Over 160 traders and artisans offer their goods for sale in small, rustic wooden chalets. Anyone still looking for gift ideas can seek inspiration in the wide selection and enchanting ambience. Culinary delights also abound with waffles, glühwein, genuine Basel Läckerli (a kind of gingerbread), delicious Swiss raclette or the popular grilled sausages.
BONUS – Metz, France
Get into the spirit of the festive season and enjoy the warmest of welcomes as you visit the Christmas markets on the city’s six main squares. Find hand-crafted gifts in the Christmas pyramid and taste the finest gingerbread around.
Take a turn around the open-air ice-rink, then warm up cold hands around a mulled wine or hot chocolate.
Let the illuminations chase away the dark winter days, and enjoy traditional treats like the merry-go-round, a walk through the magical “Sentiers des lanternes” or take the chance to stock up on gastronomic Christmas essentials at the city market hall.
Next to the Cathedral, the big wheel adds to the leisure activities for young and old alike. The boutiques and shops are also open on the 4 Sundays before Christmas, so you can enjoy the sights, smells and tastes right up to the last minute on city breaks.