Christmas Carols filling the cold, night air; copious amounts of hot chocolate; one or two glasses of mulled wine; and sleigh loads of seasonal cheer... is there anything that gets us more into the festive spirit than a Christmas Market?
With Christmas trees erected and magic winter wonderlands in full throe, city centres in Europe and other famous metropolises around the world are the perfect destination for some Yuletide merriment this month. The question is... Where to go?
We have done research and narrowed it down to seven amazing Christmas Markets that you must visit in 2023.
COLOGNE, Germany
Christmas in Cologne goes together like mulled wine and a mince pie. The city is synonymous with festive markets, thanks to its cornucopia of Christmas stalls. One of the biggest sits bang in the city centre, underneath Cologne Cathedral. Markt der Engel truly is a winter wonderland with more than 150 log stalls and trees aglow with twinkling lights; the market is visited by more than four million in search of festive cheer each year. But if that is too crowded, check out Heumarkt for something more traditional. The area is packed with several brewery cafes or ‘barfes’ if you may, where you can sample the favoured Kölsch. You can also get your picture taken with the statue of Prussian King Fredrick William III. And don’t forget to have a skate on the seasonal ice-skating rink at the centre of the market.
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Dates: November 23 to December 23, 2023
STRASBOURG, France
Nowhere in France does Yuletide like its Capital of Christmas, Strasbourg. The city fully embraces the festive season with streets decorated in seasonal cheer, carols echoing from churches and the smell of cinnamon and spices wafting through the air. And that’s before we enter the market. Dating back to 1570, Strasbourg’s Christmas market is one of the oldest in Europe and holds the honour of having the continent’s tallest decorated Christmas tree as its centrepiece. More than 300 chalets serve up original gifts, mulled wine and the city’s famous festive biscuit, bredle. Known as Christkindelsmärik thanks to Strasbourg’s German heritage, the market prides itself on highlighting small producers of Alsace and you can enjoy some incredible cheeses, sausages and kugelhopf, a raised bread packed with almonds and raisins.
Dates: November 24 – December 24, 2023
SALZBURG, Austria
The hills are alive to the sound of Christmas Carols at Salzburg’s Christkindlmarkt. Music plays a huge role in this Christmas market’s experience with a superb events programme in place for revellers. This year sees a choir perform every Tuesday from 6pm to 8pm, traditional wind music played every Wednesday at 6pm and Thursday and Saturday at 6.30pm, and the visit of Christ’s Child every Sunday at 4pm. The market’s current form has existed since 1974 (with first references dating back to the late 15th century) and offers guests countless Austrian treats and hot punches in the city’s Cathedral Square.
Dates: November 23 to January 1, 2024
PRAGUE, Czechia
We continue our journey east and to the Czech capital of Prague. A romantic setting, especially when it is covered in a blanket of snow, the city is home to five Christmas markets. The design of the markets is inspired by the traditional colours of Christmas and snowy, countryside scenes with the annual theme for this year being Cinderella (Popelka). A Czech tradition is to watch the film during the festive season with references to the princess throughout the markets’ decorations.
Wenceslas Square is the most popular market, shadowed by the twin spires of Our Lady Before Tyn on one side and the Astronomical Clock on the other. Have a sip of grog, the city’s version of mulled wine before getting stuck into a Christmas fish soup (rybí polévka) that is brewed in big cauldrons and trdelník spit cake. And for those who love sustainability, you will be delighted to hear that all plates, cutlery, cups and straws are biodegradable and where possible, all ingredients are sourced locally.
Dates: December 2 to January 6, 2024
TALLINN, Estonia
The Estonian capital holds several titles that will have other markets looking on with a slight bit of ‘grinchery’. It was voted as the best Christmas Market in Europe in 2019 and lays claim to being the place that first displayed the Christmas tree back in 1441 (although Riga may have something to say about that). Not as grand as many of the other Christmas markets in Europe, what it lacks in size, it makes up for in spirit and sheer magic. Couples can cosy up in a horse-drawn carriage that circles the market with Jõuluvana (Santa) giving out little gifts from his own stall. For food, get adventurous by tucking into Estonian festive bites of black pudding and sour cabbage. Weekends see live performances by dance troupes and musicians, and should you need a break, go for a stroll to the Old Town and showcase your ice-skating skills in the outside rink.
Dates: December 1 to January 7, 2024
GOTHENBURG, Sweden
We head north for our next stop of Christmas markets and Sweden’s second city, Gothenburg. Now, unlike the other locations on the list, you have to pay to enjoy the festive feeling, however, this is no ordinary market - it takes place in Sweden’s most popular amusement park, Liseberg. Split into seven different sections - Animals from Noah’s Ark, Christmas with the Rabbits, Lapland, a Medieval Village Old-Fashioned Christmas, Sparkling Christmas, and Traditional Christmas Market - the market is the largest in all of Scandinavia. The main attraction is certainly all the rides which can give you an extra thrill as you travel through the freezing air, but back on terra firma grab a hot drink and thaw out next to one of the fire pits dotted throughout the park. And if you want a bird’s eye view of the market, book yourself a table at Heaven 23 at Gothia Towers across the street.
Dates: November 18 to January 7, 2024
DRESDEN – Germany
Our trip concludes where it all began in the 15th century. Dresden’s Striezelmarkt is considered to be the world’s oldest Christmas market dating back to 1434. Beginning as a one-day event, the market has expanded to eight other locations throughout the city but the most popular is in the city centre. Named after the stollen cake, each Advent weekend is dedicated to one of the traditions of the area including mining, woodworking and pottery. Check-out the world’s largest 14.61 metre-high Erzebirge step pyramid, what is probably the world’s largest walk-in candle arch and the Gingerbread Festival on December 10.
Dates: November 29 to December 24
