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Discover Europe’s top 10 most unique Christmas market

While most popular in towns throughout Germany and Belgium, Christmas markets appear across the continent with a wide range of themes, specialty goods, and local food traditions. 

From Alpine summits to tiny island towns, go off the well-trodden Christmas market trail for these 10 European favorites that shine with their own unique yuletide culture.


Locally-made crafts at Innsbruck's traditional European Christmas
Locally-made crafts at Innsbruck’s traditional European Christmas © KlavdiyaV / Shutterstock
Innsbruck, Austria

Dates: November 15 – December 23, 2022

In the snowy Austrian Alps, Innsbruck hosts several enchanting Christmas markets. In the medieval old town, a huge tree glitters in front of the Golden Roof, folk bands play and chalets sell decorations, candles, gingerbread, and mulled wine. Kids love the traditional fairground rides and puppet shows on riverside Marktplatz or take them to fairy-tale-themed Kiebachgasse. Market stalls and trees packed with twinkling lights light up Maria Theresien Street. 


People gathered on a platform on the side of a rugged, snow-covered Mt Pilatus, Switzerland. There are fires and stalls selling food and drink as part of Christkindlimärt
The views at Mt Pilatus’ Christkindlimärt are spectacular © Marco Thali
Mt Pilatus‏, Switzerland

Dates: November 18 – 20, 2022

For novelty value and sensational Alpine views, ride to Europe’s highest Christmas market on the world’s steepest cogwheel railway, which has been trundling up to 6995ft (2132m) Mt Pilatus since 1889. Perched above Lake Lucerne, the mountaintop Christkindlimärt has festive music and over 40 decorated market stalls selling beeswax candles, nativity figurines, gingerbread and other stocking fillers. 


Schloss Hellbrunn‏, Austria 

Dates: November 17 – December 24, 2022

Christmas markets glitter all over Austria come advent, but few are as magical as Hellbrunn Advent Magic held at Salzburg’s Schloss Hellbrunn, with carollers, handicraft stalls, a Christmas train ride and petting zoo for kids, and the baroque palace’s 24 windows transformed into a giant advent calendar. A Christmas parade, brass bands, Alphorn blowers, nativity scenes, and a veritable forest of 400 twinkling trees make yuletide here special.


An old town square lined with medieval buildings all lit up with Christmas lights. People are a blur of bodies moving through the Christmas market
Get with the fairy-tale Christmas spirit in Colmar’s Old Town © Sami Sert / Getty Images
Colmar, France

Dates: November 23 – December 28, 2022

For the true spirit of Christmas, you can’t beat Colmar in Alsace, where the gingerbready, half-timbered old town hosts five different Christmas markets. Canal-woven Petite Venise hosts the children’s market, keeping the kids entertained with its carousel, animated nativity scene, and Santa’s letterbox, while antique, art, and craft shoppers roam the Ancienne Douane. Alsatian gingerbread, spicy Bredele cookies, anise-flavored Springerle biscuits, and kirsch-laced Berawecka fruit cake make great foodie stocking fillers.


A display of wooden Tio de Nadal (Christmas logs), which is a character in Catalan mythology relating to Christmas tradition.
Pick up your own Caga Tió at Barcelona’s Fira de Santa Llúcia © Iakov Filimonov / Shutterstock
Barcelona, Spain

Dates: November 26 – December 23, 2022

Who needs Santa when you can have a grinning, present-pooping log called Caga Tió? You will find this Catalan Christmas oddity in the miniature form alongside mistletoe, turrón nougat, and a biblical wonderland of nativity figurines at Barcelona’s Fira de Santa Llúcia, sprawling in front of the Gothic cathedral on Plaça de la Seu. And if you think Caga Tió is bizarre, wait until you see the irreverent Caganer, a defecating figurine hidden in the nativity scene for good fortune and fertile harvests.


Gengenbach, Germany's Christmas market
Gengenbach, Germany’s Christmas market © footageclips / Shutterstock
Gengenbach, Germany

Dates: November 30 to December 23, 2022

Few towns look as Christmassy as Gengenbach in Germany’s Black Forest. Its half-timbered old town is real snow globe stuff when the fairy lights are flicked on, timber chalets glow and carollers sing in front of the 18th-century, pink-and-cream Rathaus (Town Hall). Grab a spot here at 6 pm to see one of 24 windows open to reveal an advent calendar scene by famous artists and illustrators.


A snow covered Christmas Market in Tallinn's town hall square
Tallinn’s Christmas market is a frosty affair, but there are plenty of places to warm up afterward © dimbar76 / Shutterstock
Tallinn, Estonia

Dates: November 25, 2022 – January 8, 2023

You’re more or less guaranteed snow in Tallinn at Christmas. Festivities are spread throughout the Unesco-listed Old Town, with an enormous tree towering above quaint wooden chalets on Raekoja plats (Town Hall Square), its medieval centerpiece. Estonian crafts like hand-knitted hats, sea-grass animals, wickerwork and wood carvings are top buys. Santa Claus often stages an appearance in the evening. Find respite from sub-zero temperatures in candlelit cafes and warm up with hearty Estonian grub like sauerkraut and blood sausage.


St Helier, Jersey

Dates: November 24 – December 11, 2022

Supporting local artisans is central to the Genuine Jersey Simply Christmas Market held in St Helier, Jersey. Chestnut trees strung with lights illuminate Royal Square, and market stalls get shoppers into the festive spirit with mistletoe, real ales, minced pies, and locally-made crafts. There’ll be live music and entertainment too, bringing visitors all the Christmas spirit they need in one appealing parcel.


The tree of love filled with red hearts stands at Gusav Adolf's Square in Malmo at christmas time
The tree of love filled with red hearts stands at Gustav Adolfstorg in Malmo © Shaggyphoto / Shutterstock
Malmö, Sweden

Dates: multiple markets with a variety of dates 

Malmö dishes up a Swedish smorgasbord of Christmas markets, concerts, and twinkling trees. Browse for handmade decorations, pausing to warm up over glögg (mulled wine) with pepparkakor (ginger biscuits) or lussekatter (saffron-flavored buns). Katrinetorp manor (December 3 to 5) is the go-to-market for antiques, poinsettias, and festive food, while the market in Gustav Adolf Square sells fairtrade, recycled, and vintage gifts. Slip-on skates to twirl around the open-air ice rinks at Raoul Wallenbergs and Folkets Park.


Santa and reindeer race at the Padstow Christmas Festival, raising money for Cornwall Hospice Care.
Padstow’s Christmas Festival has everything from cooking demos to a Santa Fun Run © James Ram
Padstow, England

Dates: December 1 – 4, 2022

On the blustery Cornish coast, Padstow’s Christmas Festival is a cracker. Rick Stein, Paul Ainsworth, and Nathan Outlaw are among a star-studded line-up of chefs giving cookery demos to spice up Christmas dinner. Jazz bands and carollers entertain crowds milling around quayside stalls selling Cornish chutneys, pies and mulled cider, wooden toys, and decorations. For kids, there’s the reindeer enclosure and Santa Fun Run, where some 200 Father Christmas wannabes race for charity. Fireworks sparkle in the harbor at 8:30 pm on Friday.


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