Tempted by a festive visit to one of the continent’s revered Christmas markets? Let Alice Bzowska be your guide to five of the best.
Originating in Germany in the late middle ages, the ‘Christkindlmarkt’ has grown in popularity over the centuries and has spread further afield to the places that take Christmas seriously. Festive spirits soar with carol singers providing a jovial backdrop among the gingerbread-house huts, decorated in fairy lights and tinsel and dotted with snow.
These stalls sell anything from handmade arts and crafts and children’s toys to steaming mugs of mulled wine, mince pies and roasted chestnuts, and weaving your way through the towering ornamented trees and fellow market shoppers is a wonderful way to lap up the festive atmosphere in one of the most traditional settings possible.
Consider combining this relaxed, hassle-free shopping experience in a fun and festive atmosphere with a short break to one of the best Christmas markets in Europe. With hundreds opening in the coming days and weeks it may appear a tough task to pick the best of the bunch, but being a big lover of all things festive, here is my selection of the top five in Europe:
1. Cologne
With a total of four Christmas markets in the city centre, each with its own special character, it’s no wonder Cologne is one of the most popular cities for Christmas markets in Europe. The most extravagant of these is Weihnachtsmarkt am Kolner Dom, with its 100-plus stands set around a soaring Christmas tree in the middle of the cobbled square in front of Germany’s most visited structure: the imposing Gothic Cologne cathedral. It can get busy so for a smaller and more old-fashioned market, try the Alter Markt with its carousel, Santa’s grotto and stalls selling tasty gingerbread and intricate wooden toys.
> Explore Cologne this Christmas with our range of travel guides and maps
2. Krakow
The Krakow Christmas market comes alive on Rynek Glówny Square in the Old Town, and with snow swirling down and traditional horse and carts trotting by it provides one of the prettiest and postcard-perfect settings. The market features some unusual forms of entertainment such as the szopka – brightly coloured theatres – showing Nativity puppet plays and traditional folk dances in the square. Wooden stalls sell regional delicacies, tasty chocolates and Polish cut glass with the nostalgic sounds of classic carols buzzing lightly in the background.
> Discover Krakow this Christmas with our range of travel guides and maps
3. Vienna
One of the oldest Christmas markets is one of the most popular today, as the Austrian capital turns into a fairytale-like village come mid November, with rows and rows of log-made boutiques peppering the market squares of the city, selling anything from scented candles to delicious hot punch. The main market of the city is Christkindlmarkt in front of the City Hall of Vienna and features spectacular trees with themed lights – the Herzerlbaum or ‘tree with hearts’ is a favourite.
> Be inspired by our collection of Vienna maps and travel guides
4. Prague
The incredibly beautiful Wenceslas Square provides a medieval backdrop to the capital of the Czech Republic’s Vanocni trhy – Christmas markets – where craftsmen demonstrate how to make their traditional handicrafts such as straw decorations and carved puppets. The Old Town Square is also host to a charming market on the cobbled plaza with colourful, tinsel-adorned huts selling stocking-fillers and tasty treats while folk singers work the crowds into even more of a festive spirit than they were already in.
> Explore Prague this Christmas with our range of travel guides and maps
5. Copenhagen
The Danish capital city – the Merchant’s Harbour – plays host to two Christmas markets. The Nyhavn Quay with its brightly-coloured buildings and historic ships moored in the harbour sees little boutiques popping up in the festive season, but the largest and most popular is set in Europe’s second-oldest amusement park – Tivoli Gardens. Taking things up a notch, the market at Tivoli features hundreds of Christmas trees, 60 stalls selling warm apple doughnuts and Copenhagen porcelain, and the lake is even transformed into an ice rink.
> Discover’s Copenhagen’s festive side with our collection of maps and travel guides