Best Christmas Markets in Europe
I don’t know what it is, but I have always loved the Christmas season. As I child, I not so patiently waited for Thanksgiving to pass so I could spend hours helping my mom trim the tree and all of the halls with festive bobbles and garland.
This adoration for the season has only grown stronger over the years, and now living in Europe, it feels like I’m living in Christmas central. These are my people, folks. The holiday season in Europe is like nothing I’ve ever experienced before: cobblestone streets sparkle with the warm glow of twinkling lights, the air is filled with the scent of roasting chestnuts and spiced mulled wine, and friends old and new find themselves spending night after night in each others’ company at the markets.
Europe boasts thousands of Christmas markets, and I've had the privilege of exploring many over the past couple of years. In this blog post, I'm excited to share with you my absolute favorites. From the medieval charm of Esslingen to the historical Dresden market to the delicious treats in Basel, these markets may just bring back that childhood wonder of Christmas magic. And once you decide which markets fit your itinerary the best, make sure you check out my 10 must-know tips for the best experience. So on Dasher, on Dancer to a winter wonderland!
My Favorite Markets
When I say these are my favorites, I mean they are my go-to recommendations to everyone who visits during the holiday season and they’re the markets that I’ve been to multiple times because I loved them so much. In the end, it was really hard to narrow this list down, so further on I have possible itineraries that group markets together that are in similar locations and are easy to reach without having to book another flight or drive a car.
1. Strasbourg, France
To be honest, I’m a little obsessed with this whole little region in France that I had never heard of until we moved to Germany. When I close my eyes and think of Europe, it’s Alsace, and it’s even more beautiful during the Christmas season.
Strasbourg calls itself the Capitale de Noël, or the Capital of Christmas, and I feel like they have fully earned this title. Out of all of the markets I have visited, Strasbourg has the biggest, fullest, best tree out of all of them, hands-down. The market itself is in a few different areas that you can easily walk between. The tree is located in Place Kléber which has a ton of food vendors along with a few non-food vendors. The rest of the market surrounds Cathédrale Notre-Dame-de-Strasbourg, which is known for its tradition-breaking single spire. If you visit the market, you should set aside some time to tour the cathedral as well (entrance is free unless you want to climb to the top).
What else I love about this market is that every single shop is decorated so it looks like a gingerbread town come to life. Lights are strung across every alleyway as the smell of roasting, sugared almonds fills the air. The whole time you’re walking around you’re just waiting for someone to yell, “Cut!” and reset for the next scene of this Hallmark movie starring you. It literally doesn’t even feel like real life.
Check here for this year’s dates and times!
2. Cologne, Germany
I’ll admit that the French markets are my favorite in all of Europe, but Cologne is definitely my top pick for Germany (and a very close second to Strasbourg). The Cologne market is gigantic, but it doesn’t necessarily feel that way because of how spread out it is.
The reason Cologne is one of my favorites is because each area has its own theme, so it essentially feels like you get to go to six different markets without leaving the city! Near the cathedral (Kölner Dom) is the traditional market. This is where the gigantic tree is located, complete with a live choir! Much like with Strasbourg, if you visit this market, you need to set aside some time to go into the Dom, which is the largest Gothic church in northern Europe. Just like its sister to the West, the Dom is completely free to visit.
In Altstadt (Old Town), is the Alter Market, which almost everyone knows as the Gnome Market. The Gnome Market is Cologne’s version of a medieval market. If you’re looking to ice skate, you can rent skates in the Alter Market.
If you keep walking, you’ll eventually end up in Neumarkt which is where the popular Angel Market is located. This one definitely has more a romantic vibe as there are thousands of white lights strung along the trees, so you must visit this one once the sun has set.
The last Cologne market we always make time for is Nikolausdorf in Rudolfplatz. I would say this one is much more of a modern Christmas vibe and even has a reindeer head mounted to the wall of the entrance that serenades you with Christmas carols and seasons greetings. Mark especially loves this market because you’re able to get Glühwein by the pitcher, so it’s great for groups.
The last thing I love about the Cologne markets are the cups. Each market has it’s own design and they’re some of my favorites. If you go online, you’ll see people trying to trade Angel Market cups all the time since they have a new design every year.
Check here for this year’s dates and times!
3. Esslingen, Germany
Gah! This is why I love living in Stuttgart because I’m so close to this fabulous little market. Esslingen has some of the oldest half-timbered houses in Germany (built between 1328 and 1331), so it’s a cute city to begin with and then the Christmas market is just a cherry on top.
What I love about Esslingen is the medieval market! Not every city does a medieval market, and Esslingen has one of the best in Europe. The medieval markets are almost like a Renaissance Festival, but with a Christmas flair. The Glühwein is served in giant terracotta chalices and there are all sorts of entertainment, like Olde Time magic shows and live folk music.
If Renaissance festivals aren’t really your vibe, that’s cool too, because Esslingen also has a traditional Christmas market and it’s in the same area as the medieval market. This is one of our favorite markets to meet up with all of our friends after work since it’s only a 30 minute train ride for most of us.
Check here for this year’s dates and times!
4. Dresden, Germany
If you’re looking for the OG Christmas market, Dresden is it. The Striezelmarkt is thought to be the original Christmas market of Europe, dating all the way back to 1434. Not only is the market filled with twinkling white lights, it also has the largest Erzgebirge step pyramid (those wooden windmill looking structures you associate with German Christmas) in the world, as verified by the Guinness Book of World Records in 1999.
When we visited the Dresden Christmas market, it was before we had moved to Germany and didn’t quite fully understand the Christmas market hype yet. We weren’t yet familiar with the food offerings and our German was nearly non-existent. Now having lived here for a couple of years, I look back on our Dresden nights as some of the best.
Check here for this year’s dates and times!
5. Basel, Switzerland
I think most people only think of Zurich when they hear Switzerland, but Basel has one of the largest Christmas markets in the country, spread between two different locations in the city. We usually end up taking a day trip to this market, so I’ve never seen it with all of the lights.
I’m pretty sure this is one of Mark’s favorite markets and it’s purely because the food is out of this world. If you know anything about Switzerland, you know that they are famous for their cheese, and you better believe that cheese fondue is on almost every menu. Our absolute favorite treat at this market is the fondue-dog, where they take a French loaf, pierce a hole in the center, and fill it with melted Alpine cheese. It is messy as hell but so so good. Mark also enjoys getting the meat on a stick at this market.
The final reason I love the Basel Christmas market is that their non-food vendors are more unique than many of the other markets we’ve visited. After a while, you’ll notice that the trinkets and crafts available at the markets tend to overlap, but it seems like Basel has gone out of the way to get unique, local vendors. The prices may be a littler higher, but you’re going home with something handmade and truly unique.
Check here for this year’s dates and times!
6. Munich, Germany
I honestly don’t know if you can make a Christmas market list and leave off Munich. There’s something about the Munich market that just feels so classically Christmas with the Glockenspiel overseeing everything. The main market is in Marienplatz, but there is also a small medieval market in the nearby Wittelsbacher Platz. Just like in Cologne, Munich has the cutest cups. Last year, I picked up a little penguin, but they also had a Santa that I may or may not be eyeing for this coming season.
If you’re into the spookier side of Christmas, Munich is also where the famous Krampus Run (Krampuslauf) takes place, usually the weekend after December 5. And if you don’t know what Krampus is, it is the devil counterpart of St. Nicklaus. While St. Nicklaus leaves treats in the shoes of good children, Krampus kidnaps naughty children and takes them away to his lair to eat them (side note: German nursery stories and folklore are utterly terrifying). Just be warned, if you’re going to Krampus Run, they will absolutely chase you and possibly hit you with a birch rod. It’s a little difficult to find and confirm information on Krampus, so the link below is only for the general Christmas market.
Check here for this year’s dates and times!
Possible Itineraries
While the markets above are my absolute favorites and ones that I try to get to every year, they are pretty spread out if you look at a map. The only reason we can go to so many is because we’re here for the whole season and our visits are spread out over the course of 6 weeks. If you are traveling to Europe for the markets, here are some itineraries you could use to make the most of your time here while also getting to experience the top markets.
flying into munich or prague
If you fly into either Prague or Munich, you could spend a couple of days in either location and then take the train (5 hours and 35 minutes) to the other city. Personally, I would start with Prague and then move hotels to Munich because from Munich there are more options for additional markets. You could take an hour train to and from Nuremberg and an hour and 25 minute train to Regensburg. Another possible option from Munich is an hour and 52 minute train to Salzburg, Austria or an hour and 44 minute train to Innsbruck, Austria.
If you wanted to travel north instead, you could take a 2 hour and 18 minute train to Dresden and from there take a 2 hour train up to Berlin, which has a plethora of markets. From Berlin, Hamburg is only an hour and 45 minutes away by train, so you could add that on as well if you were looking for more of a traveling Christmas instead of having a central base city. And honestly if you’re in Hamburg, you should make your way to Lübeck and Lüneburg, two of the coolest little villages in Germany.
flying into frankfurt
If you’re coming from the States, Frankfurt is probably your cheapest option. Since you’re already there, you should take a quick city train from the airport to Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof (17 minutes one-way) and check out their Christmas market. Flying into Frankfurt gives you so many options. You can head south, with stops in Heidelberg, Ludwigsburg, Stuttgart and Esslingen. If you’re dead-set on anything mentioned above, Frankfurt is a 3 hour and 13 minute train to Munich, 3 hours and 54 minutes to Berlin or 4 hours and 14 minutes to Zurich, Switzerland. Frankfurt to Cologne is also only an hour and half on the train. Whatever you do, I wouldn’t choose to base in Frankfurt since there really isn’t that much to do there.
flying into paris
Paris at Christmastime is a dream. There are many markets throughout Paris, but the main one is near the Louvre. From Paris, you could take a 2 hour and 38 minute train to Luxembourg and stop at Metz on the way. From Luxembourg, you could take a 40 minute train to Trier, one of the oldest cities in Germany. Paris to Strasbourg is an hour and 45 minute train and you could take a 30 minute city train from Strasbourg to Colmar.
As you can see, I love Christmastime. Living here during the holidays is something I truly cherish, and I hope that this makes planning your holidays just a little bit easier so you can relax and stay in the holiday spirit. Once you’ve decided which markets you want to visit, make sure to check out my 10 must-know tips to make sure you have the best time. Did I miss one of your favorites? Let me know in the comments!
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