8 of the best winter markets in Europe

Tis’ almost the season! Scenic, cobbled streets, steaming mugs of mulled wine, snow-dappled church spires and magical, mediaeval squares, Europe pops straight out of a fairytale come festive season.

Though most cities turn into a snow-globed winter wonderland during crimbo, there are some that really take the ‘brunkager’ – that’s a type of Danish biscuit. So, without further ado, here’s a rundown of where’s best in Europe to go if you’re looking for winter markets.

Copenhagen, Denmark

Denmark’s cool-as-a-cucumber capital, Copenhagen, is photogenic at the best of times, and known for many things – good beer, the Little Mermaid statue, the hippie commune of Christiania. But when the festive period rolls into town, it becomes a real Instagrammable dream.

The jewel in this city’s crown is arguably the Tivoli Gardens, a theme park set at its very heart, twinkling with lights, hair-raising rides and attractions, including a rollercoaster which is over 100 years old. Denmark’s Santa Claus, otherwise known as ‘Julemand’, resides here and there are plenty of street food stalls and gløgg (mulled wine) vendors to keep you fed and watered in between the grottoes and teacup rides.

Prague

The ‘City of a Hundred Spires’ is pretty magical at any time of the year, but come Christmas time, it really amps up the star power. The historic Old Town Square, dominated by the gothic spires of the Church of Our Lady before Týn, comes alive with Christmas markets, carols and choirs, and cinnamon-scented festive cheer.

The food here is absolutely delicious – think klobása (grilled sausages), pražská šunka (smoked ham) or langoš (cheese and garlic flatbreads) – best washed down with a piping-hot glass of svařák (hot wine) or a tasty pint or two of the city’s famous Pilsner Urquell lager.

Vienna

Undoubtedly one of Europe’s most enchanting cities, Vienna comes into its own at Christmas time. As one of Europe's capitals of culture, the so-called ‘City of Music’ abounds in magnificent Baroque architecture, incredible opera houses and some of the continent’s most beguiling museums.

And, during the months of November, December and January, Austria’s imperial capital is at its most photogenic, bursting to life with blinking lights, Christmas markets and carol concerts galore. Don’t miss a leisurely stroll through the Rathauspark, full to the brim with nativity scenes, lit-up Christmas trees, illuminated ice-skating trails and a fantastic festive market too.

Berlin

A city like Berlin needs no introduction, but here we go... From cutting-edge architecture and fascinating museums to legendary techno clubs like Berghain, the German capital is rife for exploration, and this is especially true during the winter months.

Soak up cityscape views from atop the ferris wheel at Alexanderplatz Fairground, glug on a warming glass of glühwein and check out the city’s extensive range of indoor and outdoor Christmas markets, where the order of the day is to eat, drink and be merry. For something a bit different, take a nighttime stroll through Berlin’s famed Botanical Gardens which are usually lit up this time of year and are home to giant blow-up Christmas figures and an ice-skating rink too.

Bruges

One of Europe’s best-preserved cities, Bruges dates back all the way to the 9th Century, and is characterised by photogenic market squares, pretty canals and magnificent churches whose towers soar high over the city. While there’s no bad time to pay Bruges a visit, it’s especially enchanting over the festive season, when you’ll find one of the best Christmas markets in the whole of the continent.

The two main markets are Grote Markt and Simon Stevinplein, which both make up the ‘Winter Glow Festival’ – so-called because of the twinkling lights you’ll find lighting up every building here. The former has a whole host of stalls (150 in fact) which sell all manner of tasty goodies as well as a large Christmas tree and an ice rink. The latter focuses on artisanal craft products – ideal if you’re looking for a present or two for your loved ones back home.

Amsterdam

Amsterdam's world-class museums and epic nightlife are well reported. However, while it’s a great city to visit at any time of year, it’s most magical when the cold winter chill rolls on in. There are a whole host of festive markets at this time of year, bringing Crimbo cheer to all and sundry.

While they’re all worth a stroll, our favourite has to be the Christmas Village in Museumplein – which offers live entertainment, market stalls, and plenty of festive food and drink to keep you warm and toasty. A glass of mulled wine before hitting the city’s nightlife? Don’t mind if we do…

Riga

Latvia’s lively capital, the largest city in the whole of the Baltics, is often referred to as the ‘Paris of the North’ – and it’s pretty easy to see why. Its UNESCO-listed Old Town, known locally as Vecrīga, is absolutely beautiful and is synonymous with labyrinthine cobbled streets, towering church spires and colourful gilded buildings which date all the way back to the 13th Century.

And even though it’s pretty cold during the months of December and January – it’s called the ‘Baltic’ for a reason – it’s absolutely magical here during this time. A light dusting of snow is commonplace on church spires and buildings, making for an incredibly photogenic experience, and the Old Town Christmas Market has a real-life Santa's grotto, arts and crafts stalls, tasty snacks like gingerbread and even a DJ spinning tunes on a Friday night.

Budapest

Now, we’ve saved one of the best for last. Hungary’s capital Budapest is a spellbinding place, known for its art nouveau architecture, delicious and hearty food, relaxing spa baths and unique ruin bars. It’s incredibly photogenic, and it ramps this up even more during the Winter months when the festive markets roll into town.

While all markets are worth a visit, the jewel in Budapest’s Christmas cloak is arguably the one in the central Vörösmarty tér. It’s the largest and longest-running Christmas market in town and has over 100 stalls for you to peruse and find everything from handmade puppets to Christmas baubles at. Add in carol singers and St. Nicholas himself, and you can see why we really love it here.

So there you have it, eight of the best Christmas markets in Europe. Pack your woolies with the deepest pockets and fill your snow boots at the continent's many winter wonderlands.