
Christmastime is one of the most magical times of year and arguably, no where does this time of year better than Europe. Twinkle lights, snow, carols and Christmas Markets abound. Nearly every city and town you visit is likely to be hosting a Christmas Market of some sort.
I was born in Europe, lived here for eight years in my childhood, came back to visit many times while growing up in North America, and eventually moved back here in 2020, living first in Belgium and now in Austria. All this to say, I've been lucky enough to have traveled Europe fairly extensively. It will never be enough and there is ALWAYS more to see in Europe, but I do like to think I've sampled quite a lot of what this continent has to offer.
→ Check out every country I have visited in Europe so far!
While there are countless Christmas Markets across the continent and far more than I will ever get to visit in one lifetime, I thought it was high time I put together a compilation of all the markets I have been to so far.
This list gets updated as I visit more Christmas Markets; this post was first published 28 December 2024.
Salzburg
Where: Dom- and Residenzplatz
Details: I might be biased because I live in Salzburg but I truly think that the Salzburg Christkindlmarkt is the best I have been to. Ice skating, gorgeous goods and crafts in opulently decorated booths, hot punsch and yummy Austrian treats spread across two of the most well-known squares in the city's old town? Magic.
Read more: Things to Do in Salzburg in Winter & Christmastime in Salzburg
Opening dates & times: check here

Vienna
Where: Schloss Schönbrunn
Details: One of the most beautiful Christkindlmarkts in Vienna is in the grounds of Schloss Schönbrunn featuring a huge Christmas tree, music, plenty of good food and wine, and bustling stalls full of seasonal goodies to admire.
Read more: Christmastime in Vienna
Opening dates & times: check here

Vienna
Where: Vienna City Hall
Details: This is hands down the most popular and most famous Christmas Market in Vienna and possibly all of Austria. It's absolutely magical (if a little overwhelming) and where we bought a little handmade gold ornament, and piping hot langos to fuel our long day of Christmassy fun!
Read more: Christmastime in Vienna
Opening dates & times: check here

Innsbruck
Where: Herzog-Friedrich-Straße
Details: While on a wintery roadtrip across Austria, we stopped in at the Innsbruck Christmas Market in the old town. It stretches across many streets and lights up the city beautifully. It felt a bit packed in the tight streets but the crafts especially were simply gorgeous.
Opening dates & times: check here

Traunsee
Where: Gmunden
Details: The very first day after I flew back from California, 1 December, we decided to ring in the Christmas season with a drive to Traunsee and a visit to their adorable little Christmas Market on the shores at Gmunden. It's tiny, but the whole town feels like a Christmas postcard and the crêpes especially were hot and delicious.
Read more: Best Lakes Near Salzburg
Opening dates & times: check here

Wolfgangsee
Where: St. Gilgen
Details: Wolfgangsee is my favourite lake near Salzburg no matter what time of year, and Christmas is no exception. The adorable little lakeside village of St. Gilgen comes alive with twinkling lights and an absolutely idyllic Christkindlmarkt complete with live music, hot punsch, freshly-made kaiserschmarrn (shredded pancakes) and germknödel (big, fluffy, yeast dumplings with vanilla sauce) and beautiful crafts and gifts for sale.
Read more: Best Lakes Near Salzburg & Things to Do in Salzburg in Winter
Opening dates & times: check here

Graz
Where: Hauptplatz
Details: While in southern Austria for a wellness weekend getaway at a spa hotel, we stopped in Graz, the capital of Styria and the second biggest city in Austria. While there for dinner, we also wandered through the bustling Graz Christkindlmarkt on the central square in the city. It was busy and lively!
Opening dates & times: check here

Prague
Where: Charles Bridge
Details: Just down the stairs off the side of the Charles Bridge is the Little Christmas Market and, if you're here at the right time of year, can grab yummy traditional Czech food and drink from local stalls cooking up massive pans of grub.
Read more: A Guide to Prague
Opening dates & times: check here

Copenhagen
Where: Tivoli Gardens
Details: Tivoli Gardens is the world's second oldest amusement park, opened in 1843. Situated right in Copenhagen, this gorgeously decorated theme park doesn't give off any gaudy vibes and is actually a seriously delightful way to spend an evening, any day of the year. As we visited at the end of the year, all the Christmassy vibes were still in full swing with twinkle lights, Christmas markets and yummy local food to sample - we enjoyed plenty of treats!
Read more: 24 Hours in Copenhagen
Opening dates & times: check here

Weimar
Where: town hall
Details: We had a quick wander around the sweet little Christkindlmarkt in Weimar after visiting the Duchess Anna Amalia Library. A beautiful German Erzgebirge Pyramid was the centrepiece of this market with beautiful decorations.
Read more: World's Most Beautiful Libraries
Opening dates & times: check here

Bamberg
Where: Maximiliansplatz
Details: While in the postcard town of Bamberg, stop by the Christkindlmarkt in the Maximiliansplatz for some yummy seasonal hot treats, a cup of punsch and local gifts.
Read more: A Day in Bamberg
Opening dates & times: check here

Lüneburg
Where: Stintmarkt
Details: Perhaps the most photographed spot in all of Lüneburg is the beautiful harbour, lined with what I truly felt were gingerbread house-like buildings at Stintmarkt. At Christmastime, the harbour is full of twinkling lights and Christmas markets. All around the harbour are cozy restaurants and boutique hotels. While you're here, spot the famous Old Crane, too, which is centuries old.
Read more: A Complete Guide to Lüneburg
Opening dates & times: check here

Lüneburg
Where: City Hall
Details: Lüneburg's beautiful baroque-style city hall is one of the most iconic buildings in the city. During Christmastime, the square in front has a delightful Christmas market going on with yummy local goodies.
Read more: A Complete Guide to Lüneburg
Opening dates & times: check here

Maribor
Where: Glavni trg
Details: The heart of Maribor, lined with gorgeous buildings, restaurants and shops. While we were in town, a beautiful Christmas Market was going on in the centre of Glavni trg and we rode the ferris wheel above the square for picture-perfect views of all of Maribor.
Read more: 6 Things to Do in Maribor
Opening dates & times: check here

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Hi! I’m Jana, a Dutch-German-British-Canadian with a dream of seeing every country in the world. I am a storyteller, photographer and adventurer passionate about documenting and sharing my travels.