Best Christmas Markets in Europe | Top 10
Wondering which are the best Christmas markets in Europe from where you can buy impressive gifts? Luckily, Ealuxe knows!
Winter in Europe is one of the best times to visit large cities adorned with all kinds of ornaments, huge Christmas trees and, of course, to visit the best Christmas markets.
Large and small, they promise food, drinks, music, fun times and more. But best of all, each reflects the culture of the region.
Without no further talking, let’s find out which are Europe’s best Christmas markets!
10Stockholm, Sweden
Making plans to spend Christmas in Stockholm?
Make sure you’ll visit their best Christmas markets: Royal Mews, Sigtuna, Old Town, Skansen and Pink Christmas to name few.
The first Christmas market on Stortorget square, in Old Stockholm, was held 500 years ago, but the modern event dates back a century.
The Christmas market can be found in front of the Nobel Museum, close to the Royal Palace.
Filled with crafts made only in Sweden, such as pottery, glass and jewelry, the cheerful stalls offer cool stuff and for surprisingly affordable prices.
Your daughter and niece will love the tombola, while the grown-ups can enjoy some mulled wine and ginger biscuits.
Don’t forget to bring home a taste of Sweden. Buy as many vacuum-packed sausages as you can and ‘saffransbullar‘, which is basically a saffron bun.
Make sure you get there until December 23.
9Amsterdam, Netherlands
We move to Amsterdam, a city that was featured in many of our articles. You already know which are the best luxury restaurants here, and you also know where to party after you finished your diner.
There’s no secret that Amsterdam is one of the world’s most popular tourist destinations. And a Christmas market that is one of the best in Europe, also doesn’t come as a surprise.
Whether you’re seeking shopping inspiration, just a walk under the sparkling lights or ice-skating fun, this city is a must during Christmas.
And one of the largest Christmas market events in the Netherlands is Christmas at Castle Keukenhof, held from 12 to 14 December.
Also on December 14, almost an institution in Amsterdam, the Sunday Market gets festive with the Funky Xmas Market. What these 2 combined mean?
Fashionistas, pack your bags for Amsterdam! The Sunday Market is an art, fashion and design market at Westergasfabriek where designers sell their merchandise directly to the public.
Apart from these, everything is just ice rinks and food stalls all over, where people enjoy oliebollen (a warm doughnut-style fruit bun).
8Cologne, Germany
Cologne is the 4th largest city in Germany, and the largest city both in the German Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area.
Every year, the city centre of Cologne brings the spirit of the season out in everyone.
When the Christmas markets open their gates on the last Monday, before Advent, millions of tourists rush to grab a bite from the goods on sale.
Advent is the time for Christmas markets, and Cologne is no exception.
Starting from 24th November and ending on 23rd December, the Christmas markets in Cologne delight their visitors with Christmas music, art, toys and impressive crafts.
At the Heimat der Heinzel tourists will find a spectacular skating rink and, for a more idyllic setting, you should visit the Christmas market in the Stadgarten, where unusual crafts are sold.
Also, between Rudolfplatz and Schaafenstraße is the gay-lesbian Christmas Avenue market, while the Harbour Christmas Market, next to the Chocolate Museum, provides a maritime ambiance.
7Salzburg, Austria
On #7 we have Salzburg’s Christmas market, or Christkindlmarkt.
Located at Residenzplatz, the Christmas market offers usual stalls of gifts, food and locally made knitwear and baked apples, from November 20th to December 26th.
With its traditional flair, the Christmas market is one of the best settings to get you in the mood for Christmas.
Enjoy a cup of mulled wine while listening to performances by traditional Salzburg choirs and children’s groups from Salzburg schools which, by the way, are a magnet for visitors.
Over the last few years, the Christmas market on Mirabell Square has become a centre of attraction for visitors of all ages. And it is easily accessed opposite the bus stop and car park.
If you love gingerbread, punch or roasted chestnuts, at Advent Market St. Leonhard you need to be, located next to St. Leonhard Pilgrimage Church.
6Nuremberg, Germany
Every year Germany’s most popular Christmas market in Nuremberg open its stalls for tourists from all over the globe.
Located right in the middle of the city, the world-famous Nuremberg Christkindlesmarkt opens from November 28th to December 24th.
Imagine the smell of mulled wine, rum punch, roasted almonds and Nuremberg bratwurst fill the air.
Stagecoach tours sound good? Heinz Lehneis is proud to be the coachman of the Christmas stagecoach.
It’s funny though. These journeys in a post coach were once a luxury that only the rich could afford.
5Brussels, Belgium
Two words: Winter wonders! From November 28th until 4th January, Brussels Winter Wonders Market will delight both locals and visitors once more.
Over a period of 5 weeks, the stalls will be remaining open all weekend, so you have plenty of time to buy some Christmas gifts.
The Belgian capital’s Winter Wonders Christmas markets are the place to stock up.
It’s all there: cheese, meat, chocolate, beer, patisseries, wines, everything you seek.
And that Ferris wheel sure winks at you or you could just watch the magical illumination of the Grand Place. Either way, it’s a win-win.
Between flavors and smells, songs and lights, the 14th edition of the event (2014) will make sure you won’t regret that you have chosen Brussels as this year’s Christmas destination.
4Prague, Czech Republic
The capital and the largest city of the Czech Republic ranks #4.
The beautiful city was featured in several of our articles, such as Best Cities for Beer Lovers, Best Zoos in Europe and 10 Cities for Sinfully Pleasurable Getaways.
From 29th November until 6th January, a winter wonderland awaits for you to soak up the festive ambiance. The Prague Christmas markets are open daily at the Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square.
Czech carols can be heard around the market, while tourists are treated with honey liquor and grog.
The markets’ stalls sell wooden toys, as well as Bohemian crystal, classic Czech marionettes, handmade jewelry, and a wide variety of goodies, like honeyed gingerbread, vanocvka (a braided pastry with raisins), vosi hnizda ( in translation ‘wasp nests’; which are delicious nutty cookies) and svarene vino (sweet mulled wine).
The city looks especially romantic during the time of Advent and Christmas and visitors can enjoy open air performances, maintaining Prague’s rich advent tradition.
3Vienna, Austria
Vienna’s venerable Christkindlmarkt on Rathausplatz opens its gates in mid-November, welcoming over 3 million visitors each year.
And the Christmas markets in Vienna truly are an age-old tradition. Just look for the Advent season concerts, where choirs from around the world perform Christmas music in the Rathaus every weekend from late November to December 24.
Beeswax candles, wooden toys, glass ornaments, cream-filled pastries, candied fruits, roasted chestnuts and Weihnachtspunsch (a spiced ‘Christmas punch’ of wine, brandy or Schnapps sweetened with warm fruit juices), these are some of the many goodies, waiting to be sold.
Between the Museum of Fine Arts and the Natural History Museum, Christmas village on Maria-Theresien-Platz, consisting of 70 stalls, offers traditional handicrafts, as well as original gift ideas.
Kids will appreciate the Christmas market on Karlsplatz, while the cultural and Christmas market in front of Schönbrunn Palace offers romance in front of an imperial backdrop.
2Manchester, U.K.
Manchester’s famous Christmas markets, brought by Manchester City Council, return for the 16th year and this year they come boasting new sites!
The Manchester Christmas Market is well known as being the biggest and the best one in the United Kingdom.
From 14 November until 21 December, an array of over 300 stalls is waiting for you with mouth-watering delicacies from all over Europe.
Also, here you’ll find something for every member of your family; handcrafted leather bags jewelry for your mother and sister and top quality bonsai trees for that member who’s obsessed with flowers.
What Ealuxe loves, and you will too, is that with all returnable mugs and glasses as part of an environmentally friendly deposit scheme, your Christmas at Manchester will be greener than ever.
1Strasbourg, France
Our journey ends in Strasbourg, the capital and principal city of the Alsace region in eastern France.
Located close to the border with Germany, Strasbourg is the city where the very first edition of the oldest Christmas market in Europe took place (1570), then called ‘Christkindelsmärik’ (meaning market of the Infant Jesus).
Since then, the city continued the tradition of an authentic Alsatian Christmas and Strasbourg became the ‘Capital of Christmas’.
From 28th November to 31st December, the Strasbourg Christmas market offers multiple different half-timbered houses from where you can buy some special biscuits called ‘bredele’.
These treats come in all shapes and flavors (orange, hazelnut, cinnamon, walnut, praline, coconut).
These are the Best Christmas Markets in Europe!
Cover Image from: blogs.guoman.com
We hope you enjoyed our article and we will like to know your opinion about this top 10 list, so make sure you leave it in the comment section below.
For more interesting articles check out 10 Best Christmas-themed Drinks, Best Christmas Hotels in the United States | Top 10 and Christmas-themed cookie ideas.
Stay tuned for more to come and Ho! Ho! Ho!
