Which Christmas markets are the best?

The best Christmas markets in the UK 2025: festive fairs in the UK's top rated cities

• Bath Christmas Market 2025. Bath Christmas Market. ...
• Chester Christmas Market 2025. Date: 19 November to 22 December 2025. ...
• Liverpool Christmas Market 2025. Liverpool Christmas Market. ...
• Edinburgh Christmas Market 2025. ...
• York Christmas Market 2025.

Which city has the best Christmas market?

The best city for Christmas markets depends on your preference, with top contenders including Strasbourg (oldest, "Capital of Christmas"), Vienna (elegant, iconic settings like Schönbrunn), Cologne (cathedral backdrop), Prague (fairytale Old Town), and Nuremberg (traditional German charm). Germany and Austria dominate, offering diverse experiences from multi-site markets in Düsseldorf to historic ones in Dresden, while cities like Budapest and Edinburgh also offer wonderful festive atmospheres.
 

What is considered the best Christmas market?

Europe hosts many of the world's best Christmas markets, with Germany (Cologne, Berlin, Nuremberg) and Austria (Vienna) famous for traditional charm, while cities like Prague, Budapest, and Krakow offer Central European magic, featuring unique crafts, mulled wine, and festive foods, with popular UK markets in Birmingham and Edinburgh also highly rated for festive experiences.
 

What are the top five Christmas markets in Europe?

Europe's top Christmas markets often include Germany's festive staples like Cologne (Cathedral) and Berlin (Gendarmenmarkt), France's enchanting Strasbourg and Colmar, Austria's grand Vienna (Rathausplatz), the fairytale setting of Prague's Old Town, and Belgium's sprawling Brussels (Winter Wonders), each offering unique charm, crafts, lights, and seasonal treats like mulled wine and pastries.
 

What is the most beautiful Christmas town in Europe?

Colmar: A Fairytale in Alsace

One of the most enchanting Christmas markets in Alsace—and indeed all of Europe—Colmar's holiday market transforms this medieval town into a storybook village. Its cobbled streets sparkle under a thousand lights, and the half-timbered houses are decorated to resemble gingerbread cottages.

Top 10 Best Christmas Markets in Europe | Christmas Travel Guide

What is the number one Christmas market in the world?

The Best Christmas Markets Around the World

• Bath Christmas Market. November 27 – December 14 | Bath, England. ...
• Old Town Christmas Market. November 15 – December 23 | Innsbruck, Austria. ...
• Nuremberg Christkindlesmarkt. November 28 – December 24 | Nuremberg, Germany. ...
• Christmas Wonderland. ...
• Christkindelsmärik.

What is the easiest Christmas market to get to from the UK?

Brussels Christmas market

Voted one of the best Christmas markets in Europe, Brussels' Winter Wonders is the perfect choice for a festive family getaway or a weekend shopping trip — and it's just 1 hour 53 minutes from London by Eurostar.

What is the most magical Christmas town in the world?

Rovaniemi, Finland (Santa Claus Village)

Often called the best Christmas town in the world. Village Inspiration: Snowy rooftops, log cabins, Santa's Workshop.

What are the top 10 destinations for Christmas?

The 10 best places to spend Christmas in the UK

• Whitby, North Yorkshire. In North Yorkshire, Whitby transforms into a winter wonderland during the festive season. ...
• Conwy, North Wales. ...
• Edinburgh, Scotland. ...
• Mousehole, Cornwall. ...
• Llandudno, North Wales. ...
• Nottingham. ...
• Scarborough, North Yorkshire. ...
• Swanage, Dorset.

What is the Christmas market capital of Europe?

"Strasbourg, capital of Christmas" is exceptionally renowned. Every year, close to two million visitors flock to the Alsatian capital to experience its enchanting market. For over a month, Strasbourg is imbued with a festive, spiritual ambiance with few parallels anywhere else in Europe.

Where are the most beautiful Christmas markets?

Abroad, we recommend the markets in Prague (in the Old Town Square), Berlin (on Potsdamer Platz), Frankfurt, Vienna (with the “Tree of Hearts” on Rathausplatz), Tallinn (with one of the oldest Christmas trees in Europe), and London (the market in Hyde Park combined with Winter Wonderland).

Which city is best to visit at Christmas in the UK?

The most Christmassy towns and cities in the UK:

• York.
• Keswick.
• Buxton.
• London.
• Arundel.
• Haworth.
• Glasgow.
• Edinburgh.

What is the #1 best Christmas town?

Solvang has been named the #1 Best Christmas Town in the U.S. in the 2025 TZR (The Zoe Report) Jet-Set Readers' Choice Awards, earning the top spot among festive destinations nationwide. Solvang has been named the #1 Best Christmas To...

Where is the most beautiful Christmas market in the UK?

Bath Christmas Market is one of the Best Christmas Markets in Europe and the Best Christmas Market in the UK, set in the heart of Bath's UNESCO World Heritage city. Nestled among the cobbled streets and historic landmarks like Bath Abbey, it provides a magical, romantic atmosphere.

What is the largest one day Christmas market in the UK?

The UK's largest one-day Christmas market is widely considered to be the Beverley Festival of Christmas in East Yorkshire, which transforms the historic town centre with over 120 Victorian-themed stalls, entertainment, Santa, and reindeer, attracting thousands of visitors for a free, festive event.
 

Where should I go for Christmas markets?

Top Christmas market destinations are concentrated in Central Europe, with Germany (Cologne, Berlin, Nuremberg), Austria (Vienna, Salzburg), and the Czech Republic (Prague) being iconic choices, alongside vibrant markets in Budapest (Hungary), Brussels (Belgium), and Copenhagen (Denmark). Other popular spots include historic cities like Krakow (Poland), Tallinn (Estonia), and even UK locations like Bath and Edinburgh, offering unique festive traditions, mulled wine, and artisan crafts.
 

What is the least Christmassy town in the UK?

Crowned the least Christmassy town in the UK was… Luton. The city scored the lowest on the festive spirit score, making it home to the Grinchiest of souls in the country. Second place went to Bradford, followed by Southampton in third.

What is the most beautiful place in the UK in December?

For beautiful December views in the UK, consider the dramatic, icy landscapes of the Isle of Skye, the festive, historic streets of York and Bath, the serene, snow-dusted valleys of the Lake District, the rugged, empty coastlines of Cornwall, and the stark, castle-dotted beauty of Northumberland, all offering unique winter charm from moody mountains to cozy Christmas markets.
 

What is the most Christmas obsessed place in the UK?

Oxford has been named the most Christmas-obsessed city in the UK. According to new data from Ashridge House Illuminated, festive-related online searches from the city have risen by 455 per cent year-on-year, indicating that residents are planning their seasonal celebrations earlier than ever before.

What is the most beautiful Christmas market in the world 2025?

1. Christkindlmarkt at Rathausplatz (Vienna City Hall) The most iconic Christmas market in Vienna with over 150 stalls, an ice rink, and breathtaking light decorations across Rathauspark. 📍Rathausplatz 1, 1010 Wien.

What are the 10 best Christmas markets in Europe?

Christmas in Europe: 10 Best Christmas Markets in Europe to Visit in 2025

• Location: Bebelplatz (relocated due to construction work) ...
• Location: Esplanade de La Défense. ...
• Location: Roncalliplatz. ...
• Location: Rathausplatz. ...
• Location: Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square. ...
• Location: Vörösmarty tér.

What is the best Christmas market in the UK in 2025?

One of the best Christmas markets in the UK, and probably one of the busiest, is Hyde Park's Winter Wonderland. A fun fair, a Christmas market, a circus and an ice rink, you can make a day of it and explore all Winter Wonderland has to offer for 2025.