The 17 best Christmas markets to visit in Europe this winter

Good for: all kinds of shopping 

Vilnius is postcard-pretty all year round but the Lithuanian capital transforms into something truly special during the Christmas season. As one of Europe’s lesser-known winter city breaks, the markets here aren't as packed with tourists, so you can wander along all the quaint wooden handicraft stalls lining the cobbled town square at your own pace, with some mulled wine to hand.

Locations vary. Nov 29-Dec 29.

Good for: scotch! (obvs)

Edinburgh is one of those cities that feels a little bit Christmassy all year round (at least to us tourists). But once the weather turns and the Christmas lights come out, this city is one big winter Wonderland, with an epic Christmas market stretching all the way from East Princes Street Gardens down to the Royal Mile. There’s eggnog, mulled wine, fairground rides and the likes, and this year will see a new illuminated trail in the East Princes Street Gardens, as well as a number of brand-new markets around the city to extend the fun.

Princes St, Edinburgh EH2 2HG. Nov 15-Jan 4.

Best for: over-the-top festivities

Bigger doesn’t always mean better, but when it comes to Christmas, often more is more. And that’s exactly what you get with Vienna during the festive season, particularly if you head to the ‘Christmas World’, nestled in under the grand gaze of the Austrian Capital’s twinkling city hall. There are more than 100 top quality stalls dotted around here during December, with plenty of Christmassy festivities to get stuck into.

Rathausplatz, 1010, Wien. Nov 16-Dec 26.

Good for: a huge tree

Photograph the gabled buildings of Town Hall Square while you can. After the sun goes down and the lights blink on at Tallinn’s market at 3 pm, it’s all about the massive Nordic tree, a feature since 1441 – years before any other European nation began putting them up. Between hot wine, Baltic cheese and the traditional black pudding with sauerkraut, you can pay a visit to Santa positioned fireside in his plush grotto. Bonus twofer: hop the No 19 ferry at the port, and you could be at Helsinki’s Christmas market in Senate Square within two hours.

Raekoja Plats, 10146 Tallinn. Nov 22-Dec 27.  

Good for: snacks

The wooden kiosks go up at Münsterplatz, a cobbled town square facing the baroque cathedral where ninth-century King Charlemagne is buried. This market is one of the nearest European ones to London – accessible in less than four hours by train from St Pancras – and it specialises in a distinctive anise-flavoured gingerbread called printen. Vendors also dish up mulled-wine-flavoured candy and a crisp-edged potato fritter called kartoffelpuffer that gives a latke a run for its money.

Münsterplatz, 52062 Aachen. Nov 22-Dec 23. 

Good for: tipples

The ornate spire of Nuremberg’s Schöner fountain overlooks this market square fragrant with gingerbread (and bratwurst, the city’s most famous culinary export). Families pitch up to pose for photos with golden-haired ‘angels’ who work the crowds. After hours, the grown-ups prop up the bar with take-home mugs of glühwein and the local smoked beer.

Hauptmarkt, 90403 Nuremberg. Nov 29-Dec 24. 

Good for: a funfair

For six weeks, Copenhagen’s most fashionable fairground becomes a carnival with Hans Christian Andersen-themed funfair rides and nightly tree-lighting ceremonies. Get your glögg from candlelit wine bar Nimb and your traditional apple-filled æbleskiver doughnuts from the Waffle Bakery. If Copenhagen’s cabbage-stuffed pork sandwiches aren’t your thing, a new gourmet food hall offers burgers, pizza, tacos and Chinese street food.

Vesterbrogade 3, Copenhagen. 17 Nov-31 Dec. 

Good for: sunshine

Jesus wouldn’t have wanted you to freeze your whatsits off in his name. In Andalusia, where temperatures hover in the mid-teens winter-long, you can skate around an ‘ice rink’ beneath palm trees dusted with fake snow or ride a camel down Avenida de la Constitución to view the famously elaborate nativity scenes. Locals make the pilgrimage at the beginning of the market to see musicians serenade the Virgin Mary at the cathedral, with the Moorish Giralda tower in the background.

Plaza Nueva, 41001 Seville. Nov 29-Dec 23. 

Good for: choice

Colmar’s sixteenth-century half-timbered streets already deliver a fairytale vibe. But with six Christmas markets taking over virtually the entire town, it’s like a nativity scene has come to life. Artisan huts strung with lights and stocked with Alsatian crafts cluster around the Gothic Dominican church, the medieval Maison Pfister and Colmar’s own Little Venice canal district. Don’t miss spiced vin chaud at the market in Place Jeanne d’Arc.

Various locations, Colmar. Nov 26-Dec 29. 

Good for: shops

When the steam from a dozen kielbasa grills dissipates, get a good look at the medieval city walls, the ombré-effect brick tower and the enormous Renaissance bulk of the Cloth Hall. Amid Krakow’s treasures, sellers at the market put out kitsch displays of glass baubles, ceramic figurines, furry hats and a thousand flashing gadgets. All the while, white horses and their carriages stand by to whisk you around town.

Rynec Glowny, Krakow. November 29-Jan 1. 

Good for: boozy drinks  

Crowned by a giant advent wreath, this market is one of the best in German-speaking Switzerland. Drawing thousands of locals every year thanks to its friendly atmosphere, the market itself is cosy and full of tradition, with more than 70 market stalls selling handmade crafts, souvenirs and Santa-shaped gingerbreads. The best bit? Lucerne Weihnachtsmarkt’s unique collectible mugs, which can be refilled at any of the market’s spiced mulled wine stands.

Franziskanerplatz, 6003 Lucerne. Dec 5-22. 

Good for: fairytale vibes

Wood-cabin stalls fill Simon Stevinplein square for Bruges’ Christmas market, set between medieval townhouses that look like they’re straight from a picture book. Bop to the strains of Europop as you shop for crystal ornaments, hand-knitted woollies and waxy cheese. The kiosks facing Steenstraat offer tasters of jenever gin and waffles drowned in whipped cream. Or warm up with deep steaming bowls of mussels and Flemish chicken stew at nearby bistro Poules Moules.

Simon Stevinplein, 8000 Bruges. Nov 22-Jan 5. 

Good for: its ginormous tree 

Germany’s known for its epic Christmas markets – after all, both Nuremberg and Aachen make this list – but one of the country’s lesser-known (but no less spectacular) editions is to be found in Düsseldorf. Despite being a much smaller city than Berlin or Munich, Düsseldorf doesn’t have one Christmas market but five, making it feel like the entire city centre is one giant Chrimbo celebration. The giant Christmas tree makes for Insta-worthy photo opportunities, but there’s also an ice-skating rink and a giant Ferris wheel – perfect for capturing beautiful views of the city from above.

Königsallee, Düsseldorf. Nov 21-Dec 30. 

Good for: stunning city views

Paris doesn’t need Christmas lights to look as gorgeous as it does (the French capital is known as the City of Light, after all), but the city looks even better when decked out for the festive season.  More than a dozen Christmas markets are dotted throughout Paris, but our pick is the one in Tuileries Garden, which stretches across the garden’s entire north edge from Rue des Pyramides to Place de la Concorde. Escape from the crowds by hiding out in the champagne bar and then riding on the giant Ferris wheel, which boasts excellent views out over the city. Tres chic!

Pl. de la Concorde, 75001 Paris. Nov 16-Jan 1. 

Good for: amusement park cheer

Located in the city’s Liseberg amusement park, Gothenburg’s Christmas market comes with a healthy dose of Disney-esque magic. Watch a Swan Lake ballet on ice, wander the market for glögg (Swedish mulled wine) and artisan goods and don’t miss Liseberg’s rides and activities. Not to forget the huge Christmas tree, which is huge and celebrates classic minimalist Scandi design. 

Örgrytevägen 5, 402 22 Göteborg. Nov 16-Dec 31. 

Good for: artisan goods 

Venice’s spectacular Christmas market is dedicated to its artisans and, throughout December, amounts to one of the city’s finest attractions. Selling everything from Christmas ornaments and Murano glass decorations to traditional Italian sweets like almond nougat and panettone, Campo Santo Stefano is transformed into a Christmas village filled with craftsmen and food producers. With just 30 boutique shops, this market emphasises quality bespoke goods over tacky festive tat.

Campo Santo Stefano, 30124 Venezia. Nov 24-Dec 30. 

Good for: a snow-free Christmas 

Believe it or not, some people don’t like slipping and sliding around on snow at Christmastime – but that doesn’t mean they don’t love some seasonal cheer (hello Aussies!). The Christmas market in the Madeiran capital of Funchal is perfect for that kind of Christmas: the pedestrian streets of Avenida Arriaga are awash with vendors selling exotic flowers and a huge range of edible goods. From mandarin and aniseed liqueurs to vinha d’alhos – pork marinated in wine – it’s a treat for your tastebuds. And, crucially, no snow.

Av. Arriaga, 9000-027 Funchal. Dec 1-Jan 5.