5 Amazing European Christmas Markets

This post on 5 Amazing European Christmas Markets has been updated for 2023.

We have been visiting European Christmas Markets together for the past 13 years and have now been to 10 different Cities exploring what they have offer during the festive period.

Below are what we consider to be our Top 5 European Christmas Markets that we have visited but please do visit our Youtube channel for our Christmas Markets mini series (filmed Pre Covid-19) which covers all the markets we’ve visited.

Vienna, Austria

First on our list of 5 Amazing European Christmas Markets is Vienna in Austria. It was our first Christmas Market, and it still remains our favourite Christmas Market!

Dates 

November 10 – December 26, 2023
Daily 10.00 am – 10.00 pm
December 24, 10.00 am – 6.30 pm

Location 

Various locations throughout the City. Rathauspark in front of Vienna City Hall is the biggest and best known (and not to be missed).

The location in itself is stunning, the Vienna City Hall shines brightly over the Christmas Market and the stalls brim with festive trinkets, Austrian treats and warming drinks. We went at the end of November and the temperature was perfect, cold enough to feel festive but not so cold that you felt like your toes would fall off.

Other locations include Schonbrunn Palace, Stephansplatz, Am Hof and Maria-Theresien-Platz. For a complete list (as there are a lot!) click here

What else is there to do at Christmas time in Vienna?

Ice Skating outdoors at Christmas time in Vienna sounds sort of perfect doesn’t it? You can fulfil your dream here at Eislaufverein.

Christmas lights twinkle all over the main roads of Vienna at Christmas time, they are elegant rather than tacky (a theme that runs through Vienna at any time of year to be honest!) and add a festive sparkle to any shopping you may be doing.

For more information check out our full travel guide on Vienna’s Christmas Markets (Pre Covid-19) on our Youtube Channel here.

Copenhagen, Denmark

You can’t go far wrong with stunning Copenhagen, the Capital of Denmark, and its incredibly beautiful Christmas Markets.

Opening dates

Starting from 8th December 2023 (dates vary depending on each Christmas Market so check this website in advance).

Location

There are Christmas Markets all over Copenhagen. I’ll detail a few of the main ones below:

H.C. Andersen Market Nytorv Square.

Julemarked on Højbro Plads, in the centre of the Old Town, this is a beautiful and popular Christmas Market in Copenhagen.

Julemarked Kongens Nytorv, this is one of the largest markets in Copenhagen.

Nyhavn is home to a Christmas Market and is a popular spot for the iconic harbour side photo.

Tivoli Gardens Amusement Park, in 2021 it will be open from 19 November to 2 January 2022. You have to pay entry but it is spectacular and not to be missed.

For full details on all the Christmas Markets in the City, click here.

We absolutely adored Copenhagen and visited at the end of November. It was bitterly cold (and I mean bitterly cold) so wrap up warm, without proper clothing you are unlikely to be able to spend much time outdoors. Also prepare for the expense, Taxi’s are extortionate.

It was also where Dave discovered Tuborg Christmas Special – the delicious festive beer (known as Julebryg) that is released every year on the first Friday in November and is a best seller across Denmark!

For more details on this beautiful Christmas Market, check out our full travel guide (Pre Covid-19) at our youtube channel here.

What else is there to do at Christmas time in Copenhagen?

The ice rink at Frederiksberg Runddel is by the entrance to Frederiksberg Garden and completely free to enter. Ice Skates can be hired for a fee. The ice rink is expected to open on the last Saturday of November. It will usually close on the last Sunday of February, all depending on the weather.

Bruges, Belgium

Bruges is very well known for its Christmas Markets, especially for people from the South East of the UK as it’s so accessible via Eurotunnel or Ferry and completely gorgeous.

Opening Dates

24.11.2023 – 07.01.2024

• Sunday to Thursday from 10.00 a.m. to 10 p.m.,
• Friday & Saturday from 10.30 a.m. to 11.00 p.m.
• Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve: open until 5 p.m.
• Christmas Day and New Year’s Day: open with limited offerings and limited opening hours.

Location

There are two Christmas Markets in Bruges, the main one is in the Market Square which is the centre of the City and the second is the Christmas village at Simon Stevinplein. Both of these are walking distance to each other.

Our trip to the Christmas Markets in Belgium was our first trip with our daughter, aged 10 weeks. We found it very easy to get around and very pushchair friendly. We actually stayed in Ghent (which also has great Christmas Markets) and drove to see Bruges and Antwerp while we were there.

Our trip to Belgium was in the few days before Christmas and it was beautifully festive and the temperature was ideal. For the full blog post on this trip click here.

For more details on this beautiful Christmas Market, check out our full travel guide (pre Covid-19) at our youtube channel here.

What else is there to do in Bruge at Christmas?

Light and Experience Trail

An innovative light and experience trail will introduce visitors to the city’s spectacularly illuminated monuments and sights. The trail will start at the ice skating rink at Minnewater and continue via Wijngaardplein, Groeninge, Arentshof, Dijver, Rozenhoedkaai, Vismarkt, Koningin Astridpark, Jürg Conzett brug, Vesten, Gentpoort and Watertoren before einding at Minnewaterpark.

Ice Skating and Bar at Minnewater

Skating is possible from 11 a.m. until 9 p.m. (10 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, 5 p.m. on Christmas eve and New Year’s eve). Note that an alternative schedule is in place on Christmas day and New Years Day, which is 2 p.m. until 8 p.m. Tickets cost around €8 per person (free for toddlers until the age of 3).

The bar usually closes an hour later than the rink. Note that it only opens at 2 p.m. from 26 November until 26 December. From that date onwards, it will open as early as 11 a.m.

Horse and Cart Ride

Snuggle up under a blanket during a horse-drawn carriage ride. Admiring the beautifully decorated shops, houses and historic buildings from a comfortable position is one of the essential things to do in Bruges at Christmas.

Belfry Tower

Climb the 366 steps to the top of the Belfry of Bruges to enjoy the best possible view over the Christmas village at the Markt. 

Basel, Switerland

A few years ago we did a touring holiday in Switzerland on the Train, going to Basel, Bern and Geneva. We stayed in beautiful Basel for 3 days exploring the town and its lovely Christmas Markets.

Opening Dates

23 November to 23 December 2023

Location

Barfüsserplatz  and Münsterplatz. These are considered to be one of the prettiest and largest in Switzerland.

Switzerland is one of our favourite Countries in Europe and it is unfailingly stunning. It was lovely to explore the Christmas Markets .To this date we had one of the best hot chocolates in our memory at the markets in Basel – basically just melted chocolate in a mug, yum!

For more on the Christmas Markets in Basel, Switzerland check out our travel guide (Pre Covid-19) on our you tube channel here.

What else is there to do in Basal at Christmas time?

Enjoy the view of the sea of lights from Basel Cathedral (Münster)

Every year during the Advent period, the stairwell of St. Martin’s tower is also illuminated in the evening between 4 and 6 pm from Monday to Friday. From 2 to 20 December 2021, the tower will be offering a unique view across the Christmas lights in the Old Town. Admission: CHF 5.00 per person. Last entry: 5.30 pm.

Prague, Czech Republic

Last on our list of 5 Amazing European Christmas Markets is Prague. We knew very little about Prague before we visited and were really pleasantly surprised at just how pretty it is. This was made even more so by the gorgeous Christmas Markets dotted all around the City.

Opening Dates

This year, the Prague Christmas Markets will be open every day from 20th November to 24th December 2023 10:00-20:00, including on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.

Locations

There are also smaller markets at Republic Square, at Havel’s Market, on Kampa Island, and on the square in front of St. George’s Basilica at Prague Castle. There is an additional Market at Prague Castle that opens on 25th November.

The main markets are held at the Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square (5 minutes walk from each other).

We loved the Markets in Prague and as it wasn’t too cold, we could enjoy strolling around looking for little decorative trinkets and gifts for people back home. We enjoyed sampling the local food. Lots of the Restaurants had tables outdoors under heated canopies where you could people watch to your hearts content.

What else is there to do at Christmas time in Prague?

Other attractions at the markets include an animals stable at the Old Town Square, where children can stroke sheep, goats and a donkey.

School choirs and folk groups dressed in traditional costume perform in the late afternoon on a stage at the Old Town Square, with children travelling from all over the Country.

For more on these lovely Christmas Markets check out our travel guide (Pre Covid-19) on our youtube channel here.

Thanks for reading our guide to 5 Amazing European Christmas Markets! If you’d like some tips on a great Christmas market in the UK check out this post on Haddon Hall. For more information on those and also Bern, Hamburg, Antwerp, Ghent and Berlin, please check out our Christmas Market Mini Series on our youtube channel below (created Pre Covid-19) – Enjoy!