From Timeless Classics to Spectacular Winter Wonders

Each winter, Europe transforms into a mosaic of twinkling lights, festive aromas, and gilded chalets—where every square tells a story, and every sip of mulled wine tastes like home.

Our curated ranking celebrates the continent’s most beautiful Christmas markets, blending the revered traditions of classic destinations with unexpected jewels that surprise and delight.

At the pinnacle stands Zurich’s Wienachtsdorf, a shimmering spectacle that has captured hearts and accolades alike, officially crowned by travelers, media, and tourism professionals as Europe’s most beautiful Christmas market.

Its elegant blend of Alpine charm and urban grace sets a high bar, followed by a collection of markets that enchant with their architecture, atmosphere, and culinary magic.

Book your flights, your accommodation as well as your tours and activities and discover Europe’s Most Beautiful Christmas Markets! 

1. Zurich Christmas Markets

Switzerland

When: From 20th Nov to 23rd Dec 2025. 

Recognised by travellers, media, and tourism professionals as the Most Beautiful Christmas Market in Europe, Zurich’s Wienachtsdorf at Sechseläutenplatz has become a benchmark for festive elegance.

Nestled between the Opera House and the shimmering shores of Lake Zurich, this enchanting market blends the sophistication of Switzerland’s largest city with the warmth of Alpine traditions. A glittering Christmas tree towers over rows of chalets offering artisan gifts, mulled wine, Swiss delicacies, and festive entertainment.

Zurich’s ascent to becoming a recognized Christmas city is closely tied to the success story of the Wienachtsdorf, which will celebrate its 10th anniversary in 2025. Since its founding, the Wienachtsdorf has not only enchanted countless visitors but has also inspired numerous new Christmas formats across the city – shaping Zurich’s festive landscape in a lasting way. The city now presents a complete Christmas experience across several venues. Just steps from the main station, the Weihnachtsallee is quickly establishing itself as one of Zurich’s most promising new markets. Now in its third edition, this modern Christmas boulevard brings together around 80 rotating stalls with international gastronomy, design-led crafts, a fondue chalet, and even a domed mulled-wine bar. It is young, vibrant, and has all the potential to become a Zurich tradition in the years ahead.

Adding a touch of light and artistry, the Illuminarium at the Swiss National Museum transforms one of the city’s most iconic courtyards into a luminous storytelling experience. It has already been recognised among the best Christmas light festivals in Europe, adding a creative and cultural dimension to Zurich’s winter celebrations.

Together, these events position Zurich as one of Europe’s most complete and innovative Christmas capitals: from the romantic elegance of Wienachtsdorf to the contemporary buzz of Weihnachtsallee and the dazzling artistry of Illuminarium. It is no surprise that Zurich is now considered by both the public and professionals as the leading destination for an unforgettable Christmas season.

 How to get there: Book your flights to Zurich Airport, then 15 minutes by tram or taxi to the city center.

 Where to stay:  Baur au Lac – a 5-star lakeside hotel, iconic and festive, available via Booking.com.

2. Vienna Christmas Market

Austria

When: Nov 8 – Dec 26 (most markets, some until Jan 6).

Vienna’s Advent season is a timeless invitation into imperial elegance. Across the city, more than a dozen Christmas markets illuminate palace courtyards and grand squares, each with its own unique atmosphere. The most famous, on Rathausplatz, creates a fairy-tale scene with a glittering tree, ice-skating trails through the park, and over 150 wooden chalets.

Yet Vienna’s magic lies in its variety: the Spittelberg Market in narrow cobbled streets offers artisan crafts and mulled punch; Schönbrunn Palace hosts an imperial Advent village set against baroque grandeur; and the market at Maria-Theresien-Platz combines history and artistry. Each setting is different, yet all together they make Vienna one of the world’s capitals of Christmas.

What to taste: Apfelstrudel, roasted chestnuts, Kaiserschmarrn, and fragrant punch.
 

 How to get there: Book your flights to Vienna International Airport, 20 minutes by train or taxi to the center.

 Where to stay: Hotel Sacher Wien – Vienna’s legendary 5-star luxury hotel, opposite the State Opera

3. Strasbourg Christmas Market

France

When: From 26th Nov to 24 Dec 2025.

Known worldwide as the “Capital of Christmas”, Strasbourg boasts one of Europe’s oldest markets (dating to 1570). During Advent, the entire Grande Île (UNESCO World Heritage) becomes a glowing Christmas village, with nearly 300 chalets spread across squares and narrow streets.

The beating heart is Place Kléber, with its towering Christmas tree—one of the tallest in Europe—surrounded by chalets offering Alsatian delicacies and hand-made gifts.

In the district of La Petite France, half-timbered houses shimmer with fairy lights reflected in the canals. Strasbourg combines grandeur with intimacy, a perfect balance that makes it a reference point for all Christmas markets in Europe.

What to taste: Bredle (Alsatian Christmas biscuits), foie gras, vin chaud aux épices, and kugelhopf.

 How to get there: Book your flights to Strasbourg Airport, then 15 minutes by train to the center.

 Where to stay: Hôtel & Spa Régent Petite France – a 5-star boutique in the heart of La Petite France

4. Manchester Christsmas Market

England

When: From 14th Nov to 21st Dec 2025

 Manchester has become the UK’s Christmas capital, attracting millions each year. Its festive experience isn’t concentrated in one square, but sprawls across the city—from Albert Square to Cathedral Gardens and Piccadilly Gardens.

The atmosphere is more cosmopolitan than traditional: over 220 chalets offer international street food, from bratwurst to paella, as well as British crafts and handmade ornaments.

An ice rink, funfair rides, and a festive “Winter Gardens” make it particularly family-friendly. Manchester is proof that a modern, urban Christmas market can be as beautiful and atmospheric as Europe’s historic ones.

What to taste: Yorkshire pudding wraps, bratwurst, mulled gin, and Belgian waffles.

 How to get there: Book your flights to Manchester Airport, 20 minutes by train to the center.

 Where to stay: The Edwardian Manchester, A Radisson Collection Hotel – a 5-star property near Albert Square

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5. Prague Christmas Market

Czechia

When: From 29th Nov 2025 to 6th January 2026

 Few cities embody a fairy tale more perfectly than Prague. Each winter, Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square host enchanting markets framed by Gothic spires, baroque palaces, and medieval façades.

A giant Christmas tree—sourced each year from the Czech countryside—stands before the Astronomical Clock, its lights timed to music.

Visitors wander through rows of chalets selling glass ornaments, wooden toys, and Czech handicrafts, while choirs sing carols against the snow-dusted skyline. At night, the Charles Bridge and Prague Castle glow over the Vltava River, completing the most cinematic Christmas scene in Europe.

What to taste: Trdelník (cinnamon pastry rolled on a spit), klobása (grilled sausage), and svařák (mulled wine).

 How to get there: Book your flights to Václav Havel Airport, 30 minutes by taxi to Old Town.

 Where to stay: Augustine, a Luxury Collection Hotel – a 5-star monastery-turned-hotel in the historic center,

6. Dresden Christmas Market

Germany

When: From 26th Nov to 24 Dec 2025.

Dresden’s Striezelmarkt, founded in 1434, is the oldest Christmas market in Germany and one of the most atmospheric.

Located in the historic Altmarkt, it is famed for its enormous Christmas pyramid (14 meters tall) and the world-famous Stollen Festival dedicated to the city’s fruit cake.

The Saxon baroque backdrop, choirs singing by candlelight, and the aroma of roasted almonds and gingerbread create an atmosphere steeped in history. Dresden shows why Germany is still the beating heart of the Christmas market tradition.

What to taste: Dresdner Stollen, Pulsnitzer Lebkuchen (gingerbread), and Feuerzangenbowle (mulled wine with rum).

 How to get there: Book your flights to Dresden Airport, then 15 minutes by tram to the center.

 Where to stay: Hotel Taschenbergpalais Kempinski – a baroque palace turned 5-star hotel, 

7. Tallinn Christmas Market

Estonia

When: From 21st Nov to 27th Dec 2025.

 Tallinn is pure fairy tale in winter. In Town Hall Square, medieval guild houses and Gothic spires encircle a Christmas market that feels frozen in time.

Snow blankets the cobblestones, choirs sing traditional carols, and the city claims to have hosted Europe’s very first public Christmas tree (1441).

The market is intimate rather than large, but its charm is unmatched. Wooden huts sell Estonian handicrafts, while traditional dancers perform in national dress. At night, the square glows under lanterns and snowflakes—an authentic Northern Christmas experience.

What to taste: Black bread with smoked fish, elk or boar sausages, and hot glögi (spiced wine).

 How to get there: Book your flights to Tallinn Airport, 15 minutes by tram to Old Town.

 Where to stay: Schlössle Hotel – a 5-star boutique hotel in a medieval merchant house

8. Bolzano Christmas Market

Italy

When: From 28th Nov 2025 to 6th Jan. 2026

During winter, Piazza Walther is transformed into a Tyrolean winter village, its chalets overflowing with crafts, ornaments, and gastronomic specialties.

The market embodies the blend of Alpine and Italian cultures: you’ll hear German carols and Italian opera and smell strudel alongside espresso. Bolzano has quietly built a reputation as one of Europe’s most beautiful and atmospheric Christmas destinations.

What to taste: Tyrolean speck, apple strudel, mulled wine, and knödel (dumplings).

 How to get there: Book your flights to Bolzano Airport, or Innsbruck (~1 hr drive).

 Where to stay: Parkhotel Laurin – a historic 4-star luxury hotel with gardens and art deco charm.

9. Graz Christmas Market

Austria

When: From 21st Nov to 24th Dec 2025.

 Graz offers a more intimate but equally enchanting Austrian Christmas experience. The city’s baroque and renaissance squares each host their own market, from the romantic Glockenspielplatz to the family-friendly Franciscan quarter.

The highlight is the ice nativity scene carved life-size each year in front of the Landhaus, illuminated at night like a frozen fairy tale. With its smaller scale, Styrian gastronomy, and rich traditions, Graz charms travellers looking for authenticity away from Vienna’s grandeur.

What to taste: Styrian pumpkin soup, Schilcher mulled wine, and lebkuchen.

 How to get there: Book your flights to Graz Airport, 15 minutes by taxi to the center.

 Where to stay: Grand Hôtel Wiesler – a stylish 4-star with eclectic design

10. Gegenbach Christmas Market

Germany

When: From 29th Nov to 23rd Dec 2025 (calendar until Jan 6).

 Tiny but unforgettable, Gengenbach is home to the largest Advent calendar house in the world.

Each night of December, a new window of the baroque town hall is lit up with an artistic illustration, drawing visitors into a living fairy tale.

The market itself is small, with Black Forest delicacies, crafts, and mulled wine, but the combination of medieval streets, surrounding vineyards, and the magical Advent calendar makes it one of Europe’s most unique festive experiences.

What to taste: Black Forest ham, cherry schnapps, roasted nuts, and local gingerbread.

 How to get there: Book your flights to Frankfurt or Stuttgart Airport, ~90 minutes by car.

 Where to stay: Die Reichsstadt – Hotel & Spa – a 4-star boutique retreat in Gengenbach