The 6 best Christmas Markets in Europe in 2021

Are you looking for the ultimate Christmas experience? Here you will find some Christmas markets which you will need to cross off your Christmas list. Read up activities, practical tips and gift ideas at these markets. If you are looking for a charming, warm and authentic Christmas environment, you've come to the right place!

1. Strasbourg Christmas market, France

Strasbourg, also called the ”Capital of Christmas”, is one of the oldest Christmas markets in Europe. Strasbourg has held it’s world-famous Christmas market every year since 1570, which is almost 500 years! Strasbourg really goes “all out”. It becomes this big feast and all the lights are set against the backdrop of the beautiful city of Strasbourg and the amazing Strasbourg Cathedral. No wonder it’s also called ”the hottest” Christmas market destination in Europe.

Source: Visit Alsace

When & Where?

26th November - 26th December 2021 / Place Broglie Cathedral Square, Strasbourg, France.

What to do?

There are over 300 stalls spread across the city, selling traditional food, drinks and an abundance of cheese! You can also take your family ice skating or enjoy some live music performances. If you want to experience something traditional and unique, you could learn how to cut and bake traditional Alsatian Christmas biscuits with a local baker.

Source: Holiday Inn Express Strasbourg

The best Christmas gift

What you should look for at this market are definitely the traditional gifts. The gifts from this region include the handmade wooden toys and blown glass candles. Be sure to bring some of them home!

Travel tip

2. Lille Christmas market, France

The month-long Christmas Market in Lille is the largest in Northern France and has been a tradition for centuries. The Christmas festival is held in the Place Rihour in the town centre. Rustic wooden chalets fill Lille’s Place Rihour, selling toys and gifts along with tempting vats of cheesy tartiflette and sweet waffles dripping with chocolate. More than 900.000 visitors come every year, to discover the magical light decoration of Lille's Christmas Market and the magic of the ferris wheel "Grande Roue" at the heart of the Grand Place.

Source: Toot la FranceToot la France

When & Where?

19th November - 30th December 2021 / Place Rihour, centre of Lille, France

What to do?

In the heart of winter, Lille takes on a festive atmosphere and welcomes you to a precious winter wonderland! Amongst the traditional wooden chalets selling local products and gifts, there is plenty of entertainment and regional specialities, such as gingerbread. At this Christmas market, the main star of the show isn't Santa, but is instead the huge ferris wheel in the centre of the square. This ferris wheel is actually one of the biggest ferris wheels in France, being 50 meters high!

The ultimate Christmas gift

From this market, you should take home some of the wooden figurines. They are the traditional gift from this area. Furthermore, you can also find amazing arts and crafts from Russia, Canada and Poland!

How to get to the Lille Christmas market?

Lille Christmas market is a true shopping heaven in the city centre of Lille! If you are planning a proper shopping weekend then you should probably take the car to store all the gifts. A tip is to book your parking upfront, so you do not have to waste time searching for parking when you get there. You could, for example, book with private owner Antoine or with private owner Mathieu.

3. Bath Christmas market, UK - Virtual

Unfortunately, the award winning Bath Christmas market is cancelled this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the festivities will be replaced by a virtual Christmas market!

Source: Visit Bath

When & Where?

1st November - 31st December 2019 / Online. For more information visit the Christmas Bath website.

What to do?

The virtual Christmas market allows you to still do some festive shopping online through independent and sustainable retailers. Over 160 artisans frome the Bath region and beyond are showcasing their crafts in the virtual Christmas market. These products are available for you to buy and give as thoughtful gifts throughout the season. There are also extra festive features and behind the scenes footage of the market to get you into the holiday spirit. It is a wonderful way to still enjoy the Bath Christmas market while staying safe.

The best Christmas gift

You can find everything from unique homeware to handmade Christmas decorations at this market. Just search among the online stallholders for beautiful artisanal gifts.

4. Bruges Christmas market, Belgium

Bruges is a magical city all year around, but at Christmas time it becomes even more interesting. From November until January, it transforms into this big sparkling Christmas postcard. You will find the main Christmas market on the market square in the center of the city. However, Bruges will be filled with interesting and unique little markets as well. It will be the ultimate Christmas package, as Belgium is famous for its waffles, beer and chocolate.

When & Where?

26th November – January 9th 2021-2022 / Market Square and Simon Stevinplein, Bruges, Belgium.

What to do?

Enjoy the fairytale backdrop with the colourful, lit up gingerbread-like buildings and warm up with a creamy hot cup of cocoa in the cold winter air or have a nice beer. Visit the Historium bar and learn about their specialty beers or select your favorite beverage from the extensive drink menu alongside the priceless view of the market. If you are taking the car later on and can’t enjoy a beer don’t worry! In this case, you could definitely try one of the best hot chocolates! Bruges is the hot chocolate capital of the world, head over to “Chocolaterie Sukerbuyc”. If you have kids, it is a great activity to have a hot cocoa and to take your kids ice skating on the big square!

The best Christmas gift

Buy a Chocolate box from the Sukerbuyc to share with your loved ones on Christmas eve, they have the best chocolate and offer worldwide shipping express.

Travel tip

This market will have a large selection of beers, don't drink and drive: park and drink. It is best to park your car at the edge of the city, for example in a P+R and to continue by taxi or bus for the rest of the way. You can buy a ticket on the bus itself, but only if you pay with smaller bills in cash.

5. Frankfurt Christmas market, Germany

Christmas in Germany is celebrated with treasures and gifts of every size and price, the Frankfurt Christmas market is indeed no ordinary event. It’s history has been traced back to 1393 and it has grown out to be a huge market with around 3 million visitors a year. The market is spread out over three locations: Römer square, Paulsplatz and the main Quay

Source: Kerstmarkten.net

When & Where?

22nd November - 22nd December / 2021. Römerberg, St Paul's Square, Mainkai (Main Quay), Hauptwache and Friedrich-Stoltze-Square. Frankfurt, Germany.

What to do?

Shopping at Frankfurt’s festive market really requires stamina, and that’s one of the reasons why the food sold here is so tempting. You can find any find of the typical German Christmas delicacies, from cookies, candies and roasted almonds to sausages, currywurst and glühwein. Besides eating (a lot), you should visit Liebfrauenkirche (Church of our Lady) where on selected dates, Christmas carols will be sung by a choir. You will see paintings, sculpture, photography, ceramics, graphics, jewelry, textile wood and paper work. Also, check out the rest of Christmas market programme for all other events.

The best Christmas gift

If you want to buy something sweet visit the Honey Wagners House. This family owned business specializes in bee products. They have beeswax candles you would almost want to eat because of the sweet smell and they also have a huge variety of honey based drinks and liquor to buy. Get some sweets for your sweets.

Travel tip

As mentioned above, this market is very popular with its 3 million visitors, make sure to book everything upfront! It is especially smart to book your hotel and parking upfront. Through Mobypark, you could book your parking at the Delta hotel or opt for a parking which is a bit outside of the centre, in a more quiet area, such as the parking at the Moxy hotel.

6. Valkenburg Christmas market, The Netherlands

Visit this unique underground Christmas market in Valkenburg to get a charming city break. This little old mining village near Maastricht, transforms into a festive Christmas town from the mid of November until the end of December. The entire Christmas market is held in the caves of the old mines, which gives this a truly unique and cosy feel. It will probably be one of the only underground Christmas markets you will ever find.

Source: I am Expat

When & Where?

12th November - 9th January /2021 - 2022. Daalhemerweg 27 in Valkenburg aan de Geul. Valkenburg, Netherlands.

What to do?

Take a walk through these unique caves and enjoy the special atmosphere. If you have time, take a tour of the Velvet caves and see the castle ruins. You will need to purchase an entry ticket in advance, otherwise you have the chance that you will have to wait in line for a long time. You can easily book your ticket in advance. After visiting the caves, also head over to the nearby Maastricht for a nice visit and lovely dinner. Check out the Maastricht blog as well, if you are planning to head over.

Source: Bezoek Maastricht

The best Christmas gift

Most of the stalls in this Christmas market are Christmas themed, so it is perfect to buy cute ornaments and other unique handmade goods.

Travel tip

Valkenburg is a small town and the parking lots tend to be overcrowded during the Christmas market. To get there from Maastricht, it will take about 30 minutes by car. If you do not want to go through the parking hassle, then it is recommended to park your car in Maastricht and to take public transport from Maastricht to Valkenburg.

Take your time to visit one of the above mentioned Christmas markets with your family and friends. Do not spend too much on parking, spend your money on good things such as warm drinks and good food.

BONUS: Vienna Christmas market, Austria (Cancelled due to COVID-19)

This Christmas market is worth mentioning despite it being unfortunately cancelled this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Normally, elegant Vienna gets a glittering makeover as 14 Christmas markets pop up around the city. This is truly a Christmas market experience which you could stretch for a couple of days. When this market opens up again next year, you should stroll around the market in front of the fairytale-like Schönnbrunn Palace and go to the Christmas Village on Maria-Theresien-Platz, before heading over to the popular Wiener Weihnachtstraum at the City Hall (Rathaus). Soak up all the beauty of this Medieval and Baroque city scattered with Christmas lights.

What to do?

The Vienna Ice World is one thing that is not closed this year! Experience one of the most unique ice-skating experiences in the world. Ice-skate in front of the City Hall with Christmas music playing in the background. Truly one of the best settings for a photograph is at the Rathaus or Belvedere Palace. Get seduced by tempting foods, warm drinks and beautiful decorations after having. If you look for mouth-watering seasonal treats, this is the place to go.

Travel Tip

If you still decide to travel to Vienna this year, keep in mind that this magical place can be very crowded and it’s a good idea to make a reservation for your parking and hotel upfront. You could, for example, stay at the romantic Imperial Riding School Renaissance Hotel. If you do not want to stay at the hotel, you could still consider parking here, even your parking can look romantic at the Imperial Riding School Renaissance Hotel. Vienna has a limitation on parking in its city centre, usually you can only park for a maximum 2-4 hours. At the hotel, you can park for the entire duration of your stay.

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