Best Christmas Markets in Europe (2026 Guide)
We've lived in Europe for almost a decade now, first in Italy, then the Netherlands, and Christmas markets have become one of our favorite parts of the season every single year. We've walked the stalls in Germany, Austria, France, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands, Denmark and the Czech Republic and collected way too many souvenir mugs. We've also formed some pretty strong opinions about which markets are worth planning a trip around and which are better added to a trip you're already taking.
So this guide is based heavily on the markets we've actually visited. We've marked which markets we've personally visited and which ones are still on our list (we're honest about that split, more on it below), and we've tried to skip the generic โwooden stalls and mulled wineโ description you can get anywhere in favor of what we'd actually tell a friend.
Disclosure: Some of the links in this guide are affiliate links. If you book a hotel or tour through them, we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. We only recommend places and experiences we genuinely believe will help you plan a better trip. Thank you for supporting thegetAwayZ. Read our full Affiliate Disclosure.
Quick Picks
If you only read one section, read this one.
Best overall: Vienna. We loved it enough that we seriously talked about moving there.
Best traditional market: Nuremberg. Red-and-white striped stalls, Lebkuchen, bratwurst and the Christkind opening ceremony. It's pretty much what most people picture when they think of a German Christmas market.
Best for first-time visitors: Cologne. There are six markets spread around the city, so you get several different Christmas market experiences in one trip. The Cathedral Market is also one of the most impressive settings on this list.
Best for families: Copenhagen's Tivoli Gardens. It's a working amusement park wrapped around a Christmas market, which is a different kind of magic than a town square full of stalls.
Best unusual market: Valkenburg. Two of the markets are inside limestone caves. We planned an entire weekend around Valkenburg just to see them and would absolutely do it again.
Best Italian market: Trento. It has the Alpine setting you want at Christmas, good regional food and a much bigger market than most people expect to find in Italy.
Best for a road trip: Strasbourg and Colmar. They're only about 45 minutes apart, so if you're going all the way to Alsace for Christmas, I'd do both.
Best value: Prague. It's a major Christmas market city but still noticeably cheaper than Vienna or Salzburg.
Best smaller market: Montepulciano. Small enough to see in an afternoon, and one we'd happily go back to every Christmas.
Best combination weekend: Vienna and Salzburg. They're about 2.5 hours apart by train and the markets feel completely different from each other.
Christmas Market Calendar at a Glance
Dates marked “estimated” or “not yet announced” haven't been confirmed by the market organizers as of this writing. Always check the official market or tourism site before booking travel.
| Market | Country | 2026 Dates | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Valkenburg | Netherlands | November 13 โ December 30 (some sources list January 3) | Visited |
| Vienna | Austria | November 13 โ December 26 | Visited |
| Cologne | Germany | November 16 โ December 23 | Visited |
| Salzburg | Austria | November 22 โ December 26 | Visited |
| Bruges | Belgium | November 20 โ January 3 | Visited |
| Trento | Italy | November 20 โ January 6 | Visited |
| Budapest | Hungary | Mid-November โ January 1 (estimated) | On our list |
| Copenhagen (Tivoli) | Denmark | Mid-November โ early January (estimated) | Visited |
| Montepulciano | Italy | Not yet announced (2025 ran Nov 22 โ Jan 6) | Visited |
| Colmar | France | November 23 โ December 29 | Visited |
| Dresden | Germany | November 25 โ December 24 | Going this year |
| Basel | Switzerland | November 26 โ December 23 | On our list |
| Strasbourg | France | Not yet officially confirmed (expect late Nov โ Dec 24) | Visited |
| Nuremberg | Germany | November 27 โ December 24 | Visited |
| Krakรณw | Poland | Late November โ January 1 (estimated) | Going this year |
| Riga | Latvia | November 28 โ January 4 | On our list |
| Prague | Czech Republic | November 28 โ January 6 | Visited |
| Ghent | Belgium | December 3 โ January 3 | Visited |
| Tallinn | Estonia | November 20 โ January 6 | On our list |
Suggested Christmas Market Itineraries
Long weekend: Strasbourg and Colmar. Forty-five minutes apart by train. We spent Christmas here and it's still one of our favorite trips of the season.
Alsace and Switzerland (4-5 days): Basel, Strasbourg and Colmar. Add Basel to the trip above for a longer route through the region where France, Germany and Switzerland meet.
5 days: Vienna and Salzburg. Connected by a roughly 2.5-hour train. Spend a few days in Vienna, then head to Salzburg for a much smaller market surrounded by the old town, cathedral and mountains.
One week: Prague, Vienna and Budapest. Prague, Vienna and Budapest are all easy to combine by train. Vienna will likely be the most expensive stop, with Prague and Budapest balancing the budget.
Germany road trip (6-7 days): Cologne, Nuremberg and Dresden. Germany's biggest and most traditional markets, though you'll want a car or patience with connecting trains since they're not in a straight line. Our full Christmas Markets in Germany guide covers more stops if you want to extend it.
Baltic markets (4-5 days): Tallinn and Riga. Tallinn and Riga both have smaller markets than the big German and Austrian cities, but they're also less expensive and generally less crowded.
Belgium and the Netherlands (4-5 days): Ghent, Bruges and Valkenburg. Ghent and Bruges are under an hour apart. Valkenburg is further out, closer to the German border, but its cave markets are different enough from anything else on this list to justify the extra driving.
Worth building a trip around: Copenhagen, Krakรณw and Trento canon their own easily fill a long weekend. Montepulciano works best as part of a winter trip through Tuscany.
Markets We've Personally Visited
These are the thirteen markets weโve actually visited ourselves.
Vienna, Austria
We loved Vienna at Christmas enough that we seriously talked about moving there.
2026 Dates: November 13 to December 26
We arrived in Vienna the day after Christmas, and the markets were still going full bore. What struck us first wasn't one particular market. It was how much of Vienna seemed to be part of Christmas. There was music on every corner, pop-up stalls with glรผhwein and kinderpunsch everywhere, even chandeliers hanging over the street. Vienna is genuinely more elegant than most other Christmas market cities, and it shows in details like that.
The Rathausplatz market, in front of the Gothic city hall, is the big one. It's where we got ice cream cones full of soft-serve dipped in chocolate, and where the New Year's countdown and fireworks happen right across from the opera house. It's also where we bought our very first Christmas market mugs, behind St. Stephen's Cathedral, without realizing at the time that we'd started a tradition we still keep going. We also walked past the smaller Spittelberg market on the way back to our hotel and looked in without going in, and visited the one in front of Schรถnbrunn Palace the day before, which was fine but not a must.
Beyond the markets, don't skip the Haus der Musik. It's an interactive music museum with a staircase that plays piano notes as you climb it and a screen where you “conduct” a virtual orchestra that judges you if you fall out of time. It sounds gimmicky, it isn't. We'd go back in a heartbeat. And get the sachertorte at Cafรฉ Sacher, dense, apricot center, chocolate ganache on top. There's always a line, and it's worth it.
Good to know:
- Public transportation is excellent, you won't need a car in the city.
- The Rathausplatz market is genuinely huge, plan for crowds if you're there on New Year's Eve.
- Vienna's Christmas market food is heavy on sausages, schnitzel and other filling cold-weather food., so if that's not your thing, the coffee and cake scene more than makes up for it.
- Where to Stay in Vienna โ
Read more: our full Christmas Markets in Austria and Vienna destination guide.
Pair it with: Salzburg, about 2.5 hours away by train.
Cologne, Germany
Lisa's favorite Christmas market city, and once you ride the little train between the markets, you'll understand why.
2026 Dates: November 16 to December 23 for the main Cathedral Market. Cologne runs six markets total with slightly different schedules.
Cologne is different from most of the other cities on this list because it doesn't revolve around one main market. Instead of one big market, there are five or six spread around the city, each with its own theme, and a little train that runs between them so you don't have to think too hard about logistics. Every market has its own mug design too. We collect them, so Cologne is dangerous for us.
The market right at the foot of the cathedral is the obvious one to start with, but our favorite food find was near there: bratwurst paired with an individual cup of cheese fondue for dipping bread. Simple, and exactly the kind of thing you don't think to order until you see someone else eating it.
Good to know:
- Cologne's main train station sits almost next to the Cathedral Market, so it works even as a day trip.
- Try Reibekuchen (potato pancakes with applesauce), a Cologne specialty.
- If you only have time for one or two markets, the Cathedral Market and the Old Town market at Alter Markt give you the most different experiences for the least effort.
- Where to Stay in Cologne โ
Read more: our full Cologne Christmas Market guide and Christmas Markets in Germany.
Pair it with: Nuremberg and Dresden for a German Christmas market road trip.
Ghent, Belgium
Weโve been twice and would happily go back again.
2026 Dates: December 3 to January 3
Ghent isn't one of the Christmas market cities you hear about constantly, but we've been twice and would go back again. We've stayed at the NH hotel right in the center once, and in an Airbnb about a 10-minute tram ride out another time. Both times we ended up doing basically the same thing: walking through the markets in the historic center, seeing Gravensteen lit up at night, stopping for the rides and eating our way through the food stalls.
Good to know:
- The market spreads through several parts of the historic center rather than sitting in one square, so budget time to see all of it.
- Ghent gets less tourist traffic than Bruges, which we think works in its favor.
- If you're staying outside the center, the tram system makes it an easy commute in.
- Search hotels in Ghent โ
Read more: our full Ghent guide.
Pair it with: Bruges, under an hour away.
Valkenburg, Netherlands
The market is in a cave. That's really the whole pitch.
2026 Dates: November 13 to December 30 (some sources list dates through January 3, worth confirming closer to your trip)
We were living in Rotterdam when we first read about Valkenburg's Christmas markets built into actual limestone caves, and we planned a whole weekend around it. We stayed in a cute A-frame cabin just over the border in Belgium, about a 15-minute drive away, and went into two of the caves. The markets inside were far more extensive than we expected, stall after stall carved into the underground space. The town above ground is decorated too, so you still get a regular Christmas market experience along with the caves.
Good to know:
- There are two separate cave markets in town (Gemeentegrot and Fluweelengrot), each worth visiting if you have time for both.
- Book cave market tickets online in advance, weekend time slots fill up fast.
- The town itself, above ground, is decorated well and easy to combine with the cave visit in a single day.
- Search hotels in Valkenburg โ
Pair it with: Ghent and Bruges for a Benelux Christmas market trip, or Cologne, which isn't far across the German border.
Montepulciano, Italy
A small Christmas market with one of our favorite memories from living in Italy.
2026 Dates: Not yet announced for this season. Last year's market ran November 22 to January 6.
Montepulciano's Christmas market spreads through the Fortezza and into town, so Christmas doesn't feel confined to one square. One year we brought Dylan, who happily wrote a letter to Santa inside the fortress while we shopped the market stalls with hot chocolate in hand. With the lights and old stone buildings, it felt more like a Christmas village than a single market.
Good to know:
- It's small enough to see in an afternoon, which makes it easy to pair with wine tasting on the town's main street.
- December is also a good excuse to try Vino Nobile warm from a market stall instead of a wine bar.
- If you're in Tuscany over the holidays, this is worth building a day around even if you're based elsewhere.
- Our Montepulciano guide has a full Where to Stay section with specific picks.
Pair it with: the rest of our Montepulciano guide for where to eat and what else to do.
Trento, Italy
One of our favorite Christmas markets in Italy.
2026 Dates: November 20 to January 6
Trento sits in the Italian Alps, and its Christmas market has a real Tyrolean-Italian mix you don't get further south. We watched a nativity play here, and at Santa's workshop, set up as a hut in the market. A local artisan carved Dylan a working whistle out of a piece of wood while we watched.
Good to know:
- Piazza Fiera is the main market, with a smaller, more intimate second market at Piazza Cesare Battisti.
- Try canederli (bread dumplings) and apple strudel. Trentoโs Austrian influence means both are especially good here.
- Trento snows more reliably than most Italian Christmas market towns, which only adds to the atmosphere.
- Search hotels in Trento โ
Pair it with: a broader Dolomites or South Tyrol winter trip.
Strasbourg, France
Franceโs oldest Christmas market, and where we spent Christmas one year.
2026 Dates: Not yet officially confirmed (expect late Nov โ Dec 24)
Strasbourg's Christkindelsmรคrik has been running since 1570, and the whole UNESCO-listed old town turns into eleven separate markets for the season. We spent Christmas here and completely understood why Strasbourg calls itself the Capital of Christmas.
Good to know:
- Place de la Cathรฉdrale is the busiest market, go earlier in the day if you want to avoid the thickest crowds.
- Try the bredele cookies, a traditional Alsatian Christmas treat.
- Book accommodations early. Strasbourg is one of the most visited Christmas market cities in Europe.
- Search hotels in Strasbourg โ
Read more: our full Strasbourg Christmas Market guide and Christmas Markets in France.
Pair it with: Colmar, 45 minutes away by train.
Colmar, France
We paired Colmar with Strasbourg, and I wouldnโt make a Christmas trip to Alsace without doing both.
2026 Dates: November 23 to December 29
We paired Colmar with Strasbourg on the same Christmas trip and they work really well together. Colmar spreads its market across six locations rather than one central square, including a stretch along the canal in Petite Venise that's especially pretty lit up at night. The half-timbered buildings do a lot of the work here even before a single market stall goes up.
Good to know:
- Colmar is small enough to see in a day, but the six market locations are worth two days if you don't want to rush.
- The market at Place des Dominicains tends to have the densest concentration of stalls.
- Book early. Colmar is small and hotel rooms sell out well before December weekends.
- Search hotels in Colmar โ
Read more: our full Colmar Christmas Market guide and Christmas Markets in France.
Pair it with: Strasbourg or Basel for a longer Alsace and Switzerland trip.
Bruges, Belgium
The prettiest town on this list, especially when it snows.
2026 Dates: November 20 to January 3
We've been to Bruges several times, but our favorite Christmas visit was the one when it started snowing while we were on a canal boat. Huge snowflakes started coming down while we were on the canal, and it is still one of my favorite memories of Bruges. Our one real knock against Bruges: no pretzels at the market stalls, which matters more than it should when you've gotten used to them everywhere else.
Good to know:
- The market centers on Markt square, with a smaller second market at Simon Stevinplein.
- Bruges gets busy on weekends, arrive earlier in the day if you want it quieter.
- Combine it with a canal boat tour, even in winter, especially if it's snowing.
- Search hotels in Bruges โ
Pair it with: Ghent, under an hour away.
Nuremberg, Germany
The market every other German Christmas market gets compared to.
2026 Dates: November 27 to December 24
Nuremberg's Christkindlesmarkt is the one that comes to mind when most people picture a German Christmas market, red-and-white striped stalls, the Christkind opening the season from the Frauenkirche balcony, Lebkuchen and Rostbratwurst everywhere you look. We've been to the Nuremberg market ourselves, and it really does look like the traditional German Christmas market most people have in mind.
Good to know:
- Try the Rostbratwรผrste sold “Drei im Weckla,” three sausages in a roll, a Nuremberg specialty.
- The opening ceremony happens the Friday before the first Advent Sunday, arrive early if you want to see it.
- Nuremberg's old town is compact and walkable, easy to pair with the castle and medieval walls.
- Search hotels in Nuremberg โ
Read more: Nuremberg is featured in our Christmas Markets in Germany roundup.
Pair it with: Cologne and Dresden for a German road trip.
Salzburg, Austria
Much smaller than Vienna, with the fortress above it and mountains all around.
2026 Dates: November 22 to December 26
Salzburg's Christkindlmarkt sits in the old town in front of the cathedral, with Hohensalzburg Fortress lit up on the hill above. It's much smaller than Vienna's markets and easy to see in a couple of hours without feeling rushed.
Good to know:
- Entry is free and the market is compact, easy to combine with a half-day of sightseeing.
- Salzburg connects easily to Vienna (about 2.5 hours by train) or Munich (about 1.5 hours).
- Weekends bring day-trippers from both cities, weekdays are noticeably calmer.
- Where to Stay in Salzburg โ
Read more: Salzburg is featured in our Christmas Markets in Austria roundup.
Pair it with: Vienna, or continue into Bavaria for Nuremberg.
Prague, Czech Republic
Still one of the best-value big Christmas markets we've visited.
2026 Dates: November 28 to January 6
We arrived in Prague on December 26 one year and the markets were all still going. Old Town Square is the heart of it, and it's easy to imagine what the square must have felt like as a meeting place long before it became a tourist stop. The astronomical clock draws a crowd every hour, and the Gothic architecture around the square looked completely different from the Christmas markets we'd seen in Germany and Austria.
Beyond the market itself, Prague is worth building extra days around. The old town car tour is something we do on every visit. Charles Bridge is a given, and if you cross it and veer left instead of following the main crowd, you'll find the Lennon Wall and a quieter neighborhood with parks. The food is good and inexpensive, we've never had a bad meal there, including some of the best pizza we've found outside of Italy.
Good to know:
- Prague is significantly cheaper than Vienna or Salzburg for a similar market experience.
- Try the trdelnรญk (a rolled, sugar-coated pastry) and svaลรกk (Czech mulled wine).
- The market runs through early January, making Prague a solid choice if you're traveling later in the season than most other markets allow.
- Where to Stay in Prague โ
Read more: our full Prague guide.
Pair it with: Vienna and Budapest for a full Central European route.
Copenhagen (Tivoli), Denmark
A Christmas market wrapped around a working amusement park.
2026 Dates: Official 2026 dates hadn't been announced as of this writing. Based on the 2025 season (mid-November to early January), expect a similar window.
Tivoli is one of our favorite places in Copenhagen any time of year, but Christmas makes it even better. The entire park is decorated, there are hot wine stalls everywhere and the rides are still running. We usually have dinner at Tivoli Food Hall first, then grab a hot wine and head back into the park for the rides.
Good to know:
- Unlike most markets on this list, Tivoli requires an entry ticket. Buy online in advance for weekend visits.
- Go in the evening for the full lighting effect.
- Copenhagen also has smaller, more traditional street markets around Nyhavn if you want that experience in addition to Tivoli.
- Where to Stay in Copenhagen โ
Read more: our Copenhagen travel guide, where to eat in Copenhagen and fall in Copenhagen.
Pair it with: the rest of Copenhagen, including Nyhavn's harbor.
Markets Still on Our List
We haven't been to these yet. We're going to Dresden and Krakรณw this Christmas season, so we'll update both sections with our own photos, tips and opinions after the trips. We haven't visited Budapest, Tallinn, Riga or Basel yet, so those sections are based on research rather than our own experience.
Dresden, Germany
Going this year, so this section will get a real firsthand update after our trip.
2026 Dates: November 25 to December 24
Dresden's Striezelmarkt dates back to 1434, making it one of the oldest documented Christmas markets in the world, and it takes its name from Striezel, an old term for the city's famous stollen. The city holds a Stollenfest in early December where a giant stollen is paraded through the market before being cut and shared. We're hoping to time our trip for the Stollenfest, so we'll update this after we've actually been.
Search hotels in Dresden โ ยท Dresden is featured in our Christmas Markets in Germany roundup.
Krakรณw, Poland
Also going this year, we'll add our own detail once we've been.
2026 Dates: Late November to January 1 (estimated)
Krakรณw's market fills Rynek Gลรณwny, one of the largest medieval squares in Europe, beneath the towers of St. Mary's Basilica. Poland is significantly cheaper than Western Europe, and the market's food, oscypek (grilled smoked cheese), pierogi, kieลbasa, is priced accordingly.
Budapest, Hungary
2026 Dates: Not yet officially announced, expect mid-November through January 1 based on recent years.
Budapest's market on Vรถrรถsmarty Square has run since 1998 and requires vendors to sell handmade Hungarian products rather than imports, which sets it apart from markets that lean more commercial. A second market at St. Stephen's Basilica adds a nightly light show projected onto the church facade.
Search hotels in Budapest โ ยท See also our Fall in Budapest guide.
Tallinn, Estonia
2026 Dates: November 20 to January 6
Tallinn's medieval Old Town has held a Christmas tree in Town Hall Square since 1441, considered the first documented Christmas tree in Europe. The market itself is smaller than the big Western European ones, but the setting inside one of Europe's best-preserved medieval centers more than makes up for it.
Riga, Latvia
2026 Dates: November 28 to January 4
Riga's market fills Dome Square in the city's UNESCO-listed old town and is generally considered the largest and best-organized Christmas market in the Baltics, with a strong emphasis on handmade local crafts.
Basel, Switzerland
2026 Dates: November 26 to December 23
Basel's market spreads across two squares, Barfรผsserplatz and Mรผnsterplatz, with around 150 stalls combined. It's considered one of the largest and prettiest Christmas markets in Switzerland, and its location near the France-Germany-Switzerland border makes it an easy add to an Alsace trip.
Know Before You Go
Book accommodations early. The most popular markets on this list, Strasbourg, Nuremberg, Vienna and Prague especially, sell out hotel rooms months in advance for December weekends.
Pack for real cold. Most of these markets run from November through December or January, and temperatures across Central and Northern Europe regularly drop below freezing.
Understand the mug deposit. Most German, Austrian and Swiss markets charge a small deposit (Pfand) for the mug your mulled wine comes in. Return it for your deposit back, or keep it. We keep almost all of ours at this point. Our mug collection is getting ridiculous.
Carry some cash. Card payments are more common than they used to be, but smaller stalls, especially in Eastern Europe and the Baltics, may still prefer cash.
Confirm exact dates before booking. Several markets in this guide, especially Copenhagen, Budapest and Montepulciano, hadn't confirmed 2026 dates as of this writing.
Go on weekdays if you can. Weekend evenings, especially the two or three weekends before Christmas, are when every market on this list is at its most crowded.
Frequently Asked Questions About Christmas Markets in Europe
What are the best Christmas markets in Europe?
Based on the markets we've visited ourselves, Vienna is our overall favorite. Nuremberg is best for tradition, Cologne gives you the most variety, Strasbourg is hard to beat for the full Christmas setting and Valkenburg is the most unusual because of its cave markets.
When do Christmas markets open in Europe?
Most markets open in mid to late November and run through December 23 to 26. Several, including Vienna, Salzburg, Prague, Tallinn and Riga, stay open into early January.
Are Christmas markets free to enter?
Yes, nearly all of the markets on this list are free to walk through. The exception is Copenhagen's Tivoli Gardens, which requires an entry ticket since it's an amusement park as much as a market.
What is the oldest Christmas market in Europe?
Dresden's Striezelmarkt, documented since 1434, is often cited as one of the oldest still running. Strasbourg's market, dating to 1570, is the oldest in France.
Is Valkenburg's cave market really worth a special trip?
Yes. We planned an entire weekend around the cave markets and weโd do it again. And are this December.
Can I combine several Christmas markets into one trip?
Yes, and it's one of the best ways to experience them. See the itineraries above for the combinations we think work best.
What should I pack for a Christmas market trip?
Warm layers, a real winter coat, waterproof boots and gloves. It will be colder than you expect, even with hot food and a mug of mulled wine in hand.
Continue Planning Your European Christmas Trip
Individual market guides:
- Cologne Christmas Market Guide – cathedral backdrop and festive neighborhoods
- Strasbourg Christmas Market Guide – the Capital of Christmas up close
- Colmar Christmas Market Guide – six markets across a fairy-tale town
Country and regional roundups:
Browse all our hotel guides on Where to Stay in Europe, or see all our country guides on our Destinations page, including Austria, Germany, France, Belgium, Netherlands, Czech Republic, Denmark, Italy and Switzerland.
Nineteen markets is a lot, but you don't need to see all of them. Pick a region such as Alsace, the Baltics, Benelux or Central Europe and build a trip around that. We're going to Dresden and Krakรณw this season, so we'll add our own photos and notes afterward. We'll keep updating the rest as we visit more of the markets still on our list.
