Best Christmas Markets in Europe

Prepare your winter trip with our guide to the Best Christmas Markets in Europe. Germany, France, and Vienna are renowned for their Christmas markets. If you’re planning to visit any of these destinations this year, keep reading for some great ideas.

As the holiday season approaches, cities across Europe transform into winter wonderlands filled with festive lights, delicious treats, and unique gifts. 

The end of fall leading to Christmas is one of our favorite times to visit Europe. The vibrant colors, festive sounds, and crowds are exciting and energizing.

Then there are Christmas Markets!

From the charming stalls in Germany to the magical displays in France and the festive atmosphere in Vienna, these markets capture the true spirit of Christmas.

Whether you’re searching for handmade crafts, enjoying local Christmas foods, or simply soaking in the holiday cheer, there’s something for everyone.

You can plan to visit one city or several, depending on how much time you have. Either way, take your time to enjoy the unique ambiance each city and market offers.

Vienna

Vienna is a spectacular city! On any given day you can enjoy a concert at the Vienna State Opera, visit any of the multiple museums, and admire its majestic medieval cathedral.

So it is no surprise that they have some of the most impressive and beautiful Christmas Markets in Europe.

The best way to enjoy the city and the Christmas Markets is to stay in the Center of Town. This allows you to walk or take the tram to reach the Christmas Markets.

The first Christmas market we visited was just steps away from our hotel: Christmas Village on Maria-Theresien-Platz.

This market is nestled between the Kunsthistoriches Museum of Art and the National History Museum.

This market offers a great selection of local Christmas food and arts and crafts stalls. When we visited, the museum buildings were beautifully illuminated.

The next market on our journey was the Christmas Village at Belvedere Palace. This Christmas market is one of the largest ones we have visited.

The market is set up in the park in front of Belvedere Palace. There are many food and gift stalls although there are fewer handcrafted products than in Maria-Theresein Square.

Nevertheless, there were many things to do for families and kids; it even had an ice rink which is always fun.

Last but not least in the Viennese markets is the Stephansplatz Christmas Market. This Christmas market is right in the grounds outside of St. Stephen Cathedral in the middle of the old town.

This market is smaller with around 40 stalls of food, art, and crafts. But it is very traditional and with the cathedral as a backdrop one of the most impressive.

Given this market is in the center of town there are many shops, restaurants, and cafes surrounding the market just in case you need something stronger than traditional sausage and warm wine.

Munich

Another city well known for its Christmas Markets is Munich, the capital of Bavaria.

In Munich, we stayed in the city center for easy access to the markets. Exploring the city by foot or tram is the best way to get around.

Although there are many Christmas Markets scattered throughout the city three that caught our attention were Marienplatz Christmas Market, Residnez Christmas Village, and Odeonplatz Christmas Village.

As the name implies, Marienplatz Christmas Market is found in Marienplatz Square, the city center of Munich. This market gets very busy with both tourists and locals and some nights there are live events.

The night we visited a choir was singing on the balcony of the New Town Hall.

If you are looking for a piece for your nativity set or just collect nativity sets then just a few steps from Marienplatz you’ll find a small, ten-stall market, the Kripperlmarkt, that caters to just that.

If you’re looking to get out of the cold, sort of, then visit the Residenz Christmas Village. This Christmas market is found inside the courtyard of the royal palace known as Residenz.

This former royal palace is the largest city palace in Germany. Its Christmas theme is Hansel and Gretel and it has some of the best crafts offerings we’ve seen.

Although it’s not a traditional Christmas market, Eiszauber at Karlsplatz-Stachus offers the largest mobile ice arena in Bavaria.

If you enjoy ice skating or just watching others skate, this is a must-see. With plenty of nearby places to eat, drink, and watch the skaters, it’s an activity well worth checking out

Cologne

Several cities in northern Germany captivate with their great Christmas markets, but Cologne’s Christmas Market scene stands out.

The Christmas Markets in Cologne are themed which makes each of them unique and worth a visit. The attention to detail of the decorations in these markets is like nothing we’ve seen at any other Christmas Market.

We arrived in Cologne by train from Dusseldorf. Across the street from the train station is the extraordinary Cologne Cathedral. Walk around the front of the cathedral and you will come straight to the Cologne Cathedral Christmas Market.

The Cologne Cathedral Christmas Market is a traditional Christmas market with art, crafts, and plenty of food and beverage stalls. The ambience is fun and energizing and the cathedral creates an imposing backdrop for the market.

If you don’t want to exert yourself getting from one market to the other or if you just want to fit a lot into one day then an alternative to walking is to use The Christmas Market Express.

The Christmas Express is a train on wheels that will take you from one Christmas market to the other throughout the city for a reasonable fee. As of this writing the Hop-on Hop-off option was €15 euro per adult and €4 euro for a single trip (one-way). For current costs for Wolters bimmelbahnen visit their website.

If you don’t mind walking, make your way from the Cathedral Christmas Market to the Heimart der Heinzel, the house elves’ Christmas Market.

This is such a beautiful place. There are house elves and tree sculptures with house elves everywhere.

The stalls in this market are mainly crafts and all kinds of food, including some seriously good grilled skewers.

But if you’re starting to crave something more than looking at market stalls then you can enjoy ice skating or try your hand at curling.

The last market we visited and highly recommend is the Angel’s Christmas Market.

The theme here is, of course, angels, and you’ll find angel-themed crafts and merchandise everywhere. The lighting and ambiance in this market are simply ethereal.

They even have hostesses dressed as angels at information booths at each entrance to the plaza where this market is set up.

Alsace

The Alsace is a region in the northeast of France that has always had a close relationship with Germany. Therefore, it is not surprising to find some of the most wonderful Christmas Markets in this region.

The two towns that stand out in the Alsace are Colmar with La Magie de Noel and the Magic of Christmas.

In the newer part of town, the main square is set up with an ice rink, rides for the little ones, and many food stalls. A great place to stop for a warm crepe, mmmm!

Once you enter the Old Town the streets are decorated everywhere for Christmas and you will find stalls throughout the different streets selling everything from trinkets, to crafts and of course a variety of food.

The other town in this region famous for Christmas is Strasbourg, aptly called the Capital de Noel.

There are several markets sprawled throughout the old city but the main ones are at Place Broglie. The other is at Place de la Cathedrale (or by the main cathedral).

These markets are full of things to eat, buy, and enjoy. There are plenty of other activities too. The place is packed with people and tourists, so be prepared.

London

Although London isn’t particularly known for its’ Christmas Markets it does have some nice ones.

We found the one in Trafalgar Square to have a good offering of Christmas food, sweets, and Christmas ornaments. It is also worth the visit as it typically has the tallest Christmas tree in London.

Technically I wouldn’t call this a Christmas Market in the traditional sense but Covent Garden Market is worth a visit during Christmas.

The decorations, food stalls, and pop-ups that are available during the Christmas season are beautiful.

But if you want a charming, small-town vibe with your Christmas Market experience, hop on the tube and get yourself to Kingston Upon Thames.

This is still London but it feels like a world away. In Kingston Upon Thames, you’ll find stalls lined around the walking section of the village and a large tent with many artisans nearby.

Christmas Markets are filled with beauty and joy, making them some of the most delightful places to visit.

Discover the magic of Europe’s best Christmas markets, where you can enjoy festive lights, delicious treats, and unique gifts. Explore the charming stalls and holiday cheer in cities like Germany, France, and Vienna.

We hope this guide to the best Christmas Markets in Europe will inspire you and help plan your visit to one or several of these charming markets.