Christmas markets can be as divisive as brandy butter or nut roasts.
Some enjoy the twinkling lights and wallow happily in the nostalgia at these al fresco winter warmers.
Others feel a sense of dread at the thought of endless bratwurst queues and stall selling execrable quality, over-priced Glühwein.
Yet, just occasionally, you can stumble across a market that feels properly magical.
Here are markets scattered across the UK and Europe that still possess their sparkle, and another selection that can be positively Scrooge-like with their levels of bonhomie and hospitality.
The best Christmas markets to visit
Nuremberg, Germany: Best for bratwurst
The Christkindlesmarkt in Nuremberg dates back to the 1600s
The Christkindlesmarkt in Nuremberg dates back to the 1600s and looks impressively similar to the Christmas market you might have imagined when you were a child, with its scarlet-roofed stalls and the ever-present, intoxicating perfume of grilled sausages and spiced nuts.
A choir of schoolchildren regularly sings from the steps of the Church Of Our Lady and you should, on no account, miss sampling a glass from the blueberry mulled wine stand.
It’s all so perfectly Christmassy that you half expect Bing Crosby to emerge from the Lebkuchen spiced biscuit stand.
When? November 28 to December 24, free (christkindlesmarkt.de).
Strasbourg, France: Best for gingerbread and bubbly
Strasbourg has had a Christmas market since 1570, and it seems to get bigger each year. Now the Christkindelsmärik spreads across half the city amid gorgeous half-timbered houses
Strasbourg has had a Christmas market since 1570, and it seems to get bigger each year.
Now the Christkindelsmärik spreads across half the city amid gorgeous half-timbered houses, flickering lanterns and steaming vats of vin chaud – the local name for mulled wine.
The line between France and Germany blurs deliciously here, so you’ll find stalls selling Alsatian pretzels and gingerbread next to others offering foie gras and champagne flutes. This is Christmas diplomacy at its very best.
When? November 26 to December 24, free (noel.strasbourg.eu).
Edinburgh, Scotland: Best for a Caledonian carnival
Edinburgh doesn’t do things by halves at Christmas time with the Scottish capital’s market sprawling through Princes Street Gardens beneath the castle
Edinburgh doesn’t do things by halves at Christmas time with the Scottish capital’s market sprawling through Princes Street Gardens beneath the castle, which is lit up like a Highland fairy tale. There’s whisky-laced hot chocolate, artisan tweed, and, yes, some seriously big crowds.
This is really Britain’s only Christmas market that can compete with its German, Austrian and Swiss rivals when it comes to size and a real sense of occasion. It’s part carol service, part Caledonian carnival (though the fairground rides are over-priced).
When? November 15 to January 4, free (edwinterfest.com).
Salzburg, Austria: Best for romantic strolls
Salzburg at Christmas is pure cinematic indulgence
Salzburg at Christmas is pure cinematic indulgence: the cathedral square hangs thick with candle smoke, the fortress glows above, and the market brims with angels carved from wood and stars cut from tin.
Choirs sing in four-part harmony around Domplatz and Residenzplatz while there are few more romantic strolls to be had than wandering the lanes around Getreidegasse, all lit up beautifully after dark.
When? November 20 to January 1, free (christkindlmarkt.co.at).
Basel, Switzerland: Best for cheese fondue and charm
Where others festive markets go for spectacle, Basel opts for charm
Where others festive markets go for spectacle, Basel opts for charm.
The two main squares, Münsterplatz and Barfüsserplatz, shimmer beneath the spires of the old town while the air carries aromas of cinnamon and pine. It all combines to create an atmosphere where even the Swiss seem to relax a little. Come twilight, the Rhine reflects the lights like liquid gold.
View it for yourself before taking a stroll to the Alpine Hut on Claraplatz where you can sample an array of cheese fondue before throwing caution to the wind with another glass of mulled wine.
When? November 27 to December 23, free (basel.com/en).
Cologne, Germany: Best for stunning setting
Few sights beat Cologne’s towering Gothic cathedral when it’s surrounded by a sea of red-roofed huts and steaming mugs of Glühwein
Few sights beat Cologne’s towering Gothic cathedral when it’s surrounded by a sea of red-roofed huts and steaming mugs of Glühwein.
There are at least half a dozen Xmas markets in all scattered through the city, but the main one, under the Dom, feels like a Christmas card brought to life.
From Tuesdays through Thursdays there are dedicated children’s events too, including a Punch and Judy show and festive face painting, while, for parents, there’s nothing quite like sipping hot wine as church bells ring and the river Rhine glimmers nearby.
When? November 17 to December 23, free (cologne-tourism.com).
Bath, England: Best for Georgian splendour
Bath gets our recommendation for the best in England inside our shores for its understated prettiness
Bath gets our recommendation for the best in England inside our shores for its understated prettiness.
That famous Georgian stone shimmers under the amber fairy lights and there’s an unusual, and impressive, commitment to local produce at the food stalls; think Somerset fromages from the Bath Soft Cheese Co and local honey from Magees Bees alongside handmade jewellery and scented candles.
When? November 27 to December 14, free (bathchristmasmarket.co.uk).
Dresden, Germany: Best for history and cake
Dresden is beautiful at Christmas, and is known for the city’s famous stollen cake
The Striezelmarkt, dating back to 1414, is Germany’s oldest and is named after Dresden’s famous stollen cake, which is sold here by the slab, still warm and dusted in sugar. There’s a Ferris wheel, candle workshops, and even some locals who genuinely shop here rather than pose for Instagram.
When? November 27 to December 24, free (dresden.de).
Vienna, Austria: Best for ice and elegance
The Viennese don’t just ‘have’ Christmas, they conduct it. The vast Rathausplatz is lit by chandeliers strung from trees
The Viennese don’t just ‘have’ Christmas, they conduct it.
The vast Rathausplatz is lit by chandeliers strung from trees; carols echo off the grand façades and every mug of punch feels laced with old-world charm.
There’s ice skating (the ring stays open until January 6), tinkling waltzes and enough lights to melt even the iciest of Humbugs.
When? November 14 to December 26, free (christkindlmarkt.at).
Munich, Germany: Best for Bavarian folk music
There’s a raft of Christmas markets in the Bavarian capital, but none are easier on the eye than the one on Marienplatz in the Old Town
There’s a raft of Christmas markets in the Bavarian capital, but none are easier on the eye than the one on Marienplatz in the Old Town.
Munich knows how to put on large events in style thanks to Oktoberfest, meaning their markets are particularly well organised.
It’s busy, but never so frantic that you can’t take time to listen to the live Bavarian Stubenmusik (traditional folk music that’s performed each day) before tucking into Bratwurst sausages, potato fritters (known as Reibekuchen) and Käsespätzle (cheese noodles).
When? November 24 to December 24, free (christkindlmarkt-muenchen.de).
…and where to avoid
Winter Wonderland, London
For an exercise in just how cynical and exploitative the Christmas experience can be when put into the wrong hands then look no further than London’s almost universally derided Winter Wonderland
For an exercise in just how cynical and exploitative the Christmas experience can be when put into the wrong hands then look no further than London’s almost universally derided Winter Wonderland.
It’s been repeatedly slammed online by visitors for being way too busy, for having dull, generic stalls, and for offering short-lived thrills that burn a hole in your wallet. And ticket prices just to get in at peak times are £8.25. (hydeparkwinterwonderland.com)
Budapest, Hungary
Some visitors rave about the grandeur of the main Budapest duo of markets, located outside St Stephen’s Basilica and on Vorosmarty Square
Some visitors rave about the grandeur of the main Budapest duo of markets, located outside St Stephen’s Basilica and on Vorosmarty Square.
But the locals have been raising eyebrows at the prices. Be wary of overcharging at the market stalls – some people have commented online about how stall menus can show one item while charging quite another. (budapestchristmas.com)
Paris, France
There are numerous Christmas markets in the City Of Lights, with the largest in Tuileries Garden
There are numerous Christmas markets in the City Of Lights, with the largest in Tuileries Garden (called La Magie de Noël), featuring an ice rink, Ferris wheel, and artisan village being rivalled by the market in the Le Défense district which has over 300 stalls.
But people complain that overly commercialised stalls take precedence over local craft. They can be overcrowded and pricy, too. (parisjetaime.com)
Venice, Italy
The gorgeous Campo Santo Stefano should be the ideal spot for a Venetian Christmas village
The gorgeous Campo Santo Stefano should be the ideal spot for a Venetian Christmas village. But there has been heavy online criticism from visitors about pickpockets, overpriced souvenir stalls, aggressive vendors and inflated prices. Many stalls that purport to sell ‘authentic’ crafts are really just flogging tourist tat for far too many euros. (venice-tourism.com)
Madrid, Spain
You’d expect a festive market on a pretty grand scale given the size of Madrid’s Plaza Mayor. But many visitors have commented on being surprised by encountering something rather more average
You’d expect a festive market on a pretty grand scale given the size of Madrid’s Plaza Mayor. But many visitors have commented on being surprised by encountering something rather more average.
Complaints include limited stalls, steep food and drink prices and not much imagination or variety beyond the basic food and drink options of churros or wine. Watch out for pickpockets. Complaints include limited stalls, steep food and drink prices and not much imagination or variety beyond the basic food and drink options of churros or wine. Watch out for pickpockets. (esmadrid.com)
Vilnius, Lithuania
The two main markets in the Lithuanian capital, located on Cathedral Square and Town Hall Square, have received poor online reviews
The two main markets in the Lithuanian capital, located on Cathedral Square and Town Hall Square, have received poor online reviews complaining of long queues and that they simply doesn’t feel traditional enough. It can get extremely cold, with temperatures well below zero. (govilnius.lt)
Frankfurt Christmas Market, Birmingham
The German-themed festive market in England’s second city is massive, popular, visually impressive but oh-so-stressful
The German-themed festive market in England’s second city is massive, popular, visually impressive but oh-so-stressful. Visitors regularly cite this as the UK’s Christmas market with the worst combination of crowding, high prices and a lack of originality. The overall view is of an assembly-line feel. (thebfcm.co.uk)
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