With mingled aromas of glühwein and gingerbread, thousands of starry lights and stalls heaving with handcrafted gifts, there’s nothing like a Christmas market to put you in the holiday spirit.
- Strasbourg Christmas Market, France – 22 Nov – 30 Dec 2019
Strasbourg’s Christmas market takes pride of place in front of the sublime, towering Cathedral of Our Lady of Strasbourg. As the largest and oldest Christmas market in France, for more than 400 years the city has welcomed visitors to its Christkindelsmarik. Beautifully made Christmas decorations, Nativity figurines and traditional delicacies (spiced bread, mulled wine and foie gras) fill the stalls.
- Quebec, Canada – 22 Nov – 23 Dec 2019
Just a few years old, Quebec City’s Christmas market has become a firm fixture on the festive calendar. The cobble-stoned streets of Vieux Quebec are made for Christmas cards and the guaranteed cold weather cries out for the hearty German fare and drinks that are on sale from the cheery vendors. Among the delicacies are traditional raisin-studded gingerbread, pretzels, roast chestnuts and delicious Santa-shaped chocolates.
- Tivoli Gardens, Copenhagen, Denmark – 16 Nov – 5 Jan 2019
Tivoli Gardens, Denmark’s famous amusement park, hosts Copenhagen’s Christmas markets. The willow trees are festooned with lights, there are almost four miles of colourful stalls and the little ones will be able to see how the residents of Nissekøbing spend their time. The market welcomes about one million visitors each year, most of whom will want to take a ride on the carousels, Chinese Lantern and Elves’ Train.
- Chicago Christmas Market, USA – 15 Nov – 24 Dec 2019
The Christkindlmarket in Chicago is inspired by Nuremberg’s ancient market. Daley Plaza on Washington Street is where you’ll find red-and-white tents groaning under the weight of festive delicacies and traditional handcrafted gifts that will satisfy the pickiest customer. Warming German delicacies (sausages, sauerkraut and potato pancakes) keep out the cold and help soak up the glühwein and German beers.
- Christmas Market Vienna, Austria – 15 Nov – 26 Dec 2019
The Christkindlmarkt on Rathausplatz starts earlier than most, in mid-November, and is one of the biggest Christmas markets in Europe. Almost 200 stalls dominate the square, selling traditional decorations and hand-crafted gifts as well as scrumptious, melt-in-the-mouth Viennese pastries and Weihnachtspunsch (a spiced punch).
- Brussels Christmas market, Belgium – 29 Nov 2019 – 5 Jan 2020
The Brussels Christmas market – Plaisirs d’Hiver (Winter Pret) – is a fairly new arrival to the scene. It has only been around since 2004, but its location at the Grand-Place of Brussels and around the Bourse (on the Place Sainte-Catherine and on the Marché aux Poissons) gives it a centuries’ old vibe. Almost 250 chalets, ice rink, fairground rides and bauble-studded Christmas tree make it a wonderland. Then there are the mouth-watering delicacies to enjoy – the local chocolates, pots of mussels and mountains of Belgian waffles.
- Christkindlesmarkt in Nüremberg, Germany – 29 Nov – 24 Dec 2019
Nuremberg’s Christmas market was first held in 1628 and is one of the best known in Germany with more than two million visitors annually. Candy-cane striped stalls serving glühwein and bratwurst fill the Old Town while live music is performed late into the night. The must-buy souvenirs are the Nuremberg Plum People, tiny figures made from prunes.
