8 Unique Christmas Markets in Europe in 2025
Europe is THE place to be for Christmas Markets in winter, but where are the best ones? From the well-known to the hidden gems, here are all of my favourites!
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Best Christmas Markets in Europe
1. Strasbourg, France
Don’t stop reading here, I know Strasbourg is a very common choice. However, it is for good reason and has to be included in any Christmas Market guide.
Strasbourg is home to one of the oldest Christmas Markets across Europe, its history reaching all the way back to 1570. You will find it right by Cathedral Square and Place Broglie with over 300 wooden chalets selling food, souvenirs, drinks and anything Christmassy you can imagine.
The unique thing isn’t just the incredible Christmas Market, but also the beautiful decorations that turn the entire town in a winter wonderland.
2. Montreux, Switzerland
Located on the coast of beautiful Lake Geneva, Montreux is home to arguably the most unique Christmas market of this list. It’s not just the incredible location and beautiful stands, but also boasts THE Christmas attraction: A flying Santa Claus that crosses the lake on his sleigh.
The most fascinating part is that there is an actual human sitting in said sleigh, waving to everyone on the Montreux Noël lakeside promenade below. You can see this daily at 5pm, 6pm and 7pm.
3. Budapest, Hungary
Budapest is one of my all-time favourite cities, so I couldn’t not include the Christmas Market here. The main markets are located at Vörösmarty Square and St. Stephen’s Basilica, which is the imposing building you see in the photo.
While I wouldn’t recommend solely coming for this market, Budapest itself is 1000% worth a visit and the city looks beautiful in the lead-up to Christmas, including the markets. Food is said to be quite pricy there, so I’d recommend to check the local restaurants nearby for delicious, affordable food.
4. Vienna, Austria
Germany’s neighbour Austria knows how to do Christmas just as well, and Vienna’s Christmas markets are a testimony to that. They are in the most stunning locations all across the city, the most impressive being right in front of the City Hall.
It doesn’t stop there though. There is one by Belvedere Palace, one by the University of Vienna, one at at Schönbrunn Palace, one at Spittelberg and that’s not even all of them. So if you want to be spoiled for choice, Vienna is your city!
5. Tallinn, Estonia
Estonia is still a very underrated travel destination, but Tallinn’s medieval Old Town is literally the perfect spot for a beautiful Christmas Market. And that’s exactly what you’ll find there.
Town Hall Square is home to a beautifully decorated Christmas tree from which the market stalls fan out in a star like shape. It’s a really traditional and beautiful market and one not to miss this winter.
6. Nuremberg & Munich, Germany
Germany is my home country so you may call me biased, but I truly believe that you will find some of the world’s best Christmas markets here. Two of my all-time favourites are Munich and Nuremberg. The one in Nuremberg is actually one of the oldest in the world and is full of tradition and hand-made decorations.
I spent years living in Munich and the Christmas markets there are SO worth a visit. One of the most unique is the medieval market, located at Wittelsbacherplatz. Stepping into this market feels like stepping back in time, with medieval style food, clothing and even music.
The main market in Munich by Marienplatz is also a crowd favourite and home to some truly delicious mulled wine!
7. Prague, Czech Republic
If you are looking for a medieval movie-set like vibe to your Christmas market, Prague is the place to be. The Church of Our Lady before Týn in the Old Town square is impressive by daylight, but turns into a Dracula set by night, making for an incredible atmosphere.
The other big Christmas Market in Prague is just around the corner at Wenceslas Square. There are other, more local markets dotted around the town which are said to have better prices and more local food.
Overall, Prague wins in terms of backdrop and makes for an amazing Christmas trip!
8. Rovaniemi, Finland
Deep in the Finnish Arctic Circle, you will find the so-called home of Santa Claus. A little town full of Christmas magic, reindeers and Northern Lights. Santa Claus Village here is open 365 days of the year and is somewhat of a permanent Christmas Market.
Here you can meet Santa himself, go souvenir shopping, check out some local delicacies and just enjoy the Christmas spirit. Make sure to sign up for some of the amazing activities and tours that Rovaniemi has on offer:
Which country has the most beautiful Christmas market?
It’s honestly hard to answer this question and everyone will have favourites. Personally, I have found German Christmas Markets to be the most traditional and authentic, but it is my home country and I may be biased 🙂
All of the ones listed here have stunning Christmas markets and are well worth a visit. I also think the UK, which was not featured here, has some really interesting markets and London always has the most stunning Christmas decoration I have ever seen!
What date do European Christmas markets start?
Every Christmas Market is slightly different, but in general they start in late November (e.g. many start on the 29th) and run until either Christmas Day (the 24th across many countries) or early January.
Hi, I'm Bell
I’m a solo traveller, writer and designer. I created my blog to share the many different ways to travel the world. Learn more about me here!
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