The Best Christmas Markets in Europe
With Christmas Day only a week away, the rush to buy presents, arrange food and drink, send cards and put up festive decorations should be in full swing by now (if not, what are you doing reading this?!). If you, like many, are still struggling to find that perfect present for mum, or are determined to find and cook something more exotic than turkey this year, or you are desperately searching for that perfect Christmas tree decoration to blow away your family with, perhaps one of Europe’s fantastic Christmas markets are where you might find the solution. Here at Just The Flight we do love a Christmas market (also known as Christkindlmarkt or Weihnachtsmarkt), almost as much as we love a last minute break to a beautiful European city! So, if you’re in need of some late festive inspiration, here is a list of the best Christmas markets around!
Striezelmarkt, Dresden (DRS), Germany
The Striezelmarkt in Dresden (DRS) is widely regarded as the oldest Christmas market in the world, first recorded to have been held in 1434. Today the market is one of the most popular in Europe, and is famous for selling wooden ornaments and specialist local food and drink delicacies like the Pflaumentoffel (decorations made of prunes) and Pulsnitz gingerbread.
Christkindlesmarkt, Nuremberg (NUE), Germany
With an estimated 2 million visitors a year, the Nuremburg (NUE) Christkindlesmarkt is one of the largest Christmas markets in the world. “Christkindlesmarkt” is translated as “Christ Child Market”, which is significant to the market itself – since 1969 a new ‘Christkind’ is elected bi-annually to officially open the market in the prologue ceremony. Interested in the job? You’ll need to be ‘a sensible girl aged between 16 and 19 years’ and be selected by a jury out of a finalist group of six.
Christkindelsmärik, Strasbourg (SXB), France
This Christmas market held annually in the heart of Alsace in Strasbourg (SXB) has been held since 1570 and attracts between 1.5 and 2 million visitors each year. It features over 60 different stalls and is famous for its traditionally imposing Christmas tree which always tops 100ft in height!
Plaisirs d’Hiver, Brussels (BRU), Belgium
The Plaisirs d’Hiver festival (translated as Winter Wonders) in Brussels (BRU) is one of the largest Christmas festivals in Europe, boasting 240 stalls, a 200ft skating rink, a 35m toboggan slope and a huge big-wheel ride covered with 18,000 lights! In total the ever expanding festival covers almost 2 kilometres of the Belgium capital.
Lincoln Christmas Market, UK
We’re proud to say that you don’t have to go abroad to find a great Christmas market, we have some excellent markets here in the UK too! One of which is the Lincoln Christmas market, which attracts an impressive 250,000 visitors a year to its 4-day event. Spread around the beautiful and historic Lincoln castle and cathedral, the popular event is as picturesque as anything you might find on the continent. Plus, the Lincoln market holds traditional events and games such as beer barrel rolling! You won’t find that in Germany!
Manchester (MAN) Christmas Market, UK
The Manchester (MAN) Christmas market is only celebrating its 14th year in 2012, but where it perhaps lacks in history compared to Dresden and Strasbourg, it more than makes up for in size (200 stalls set across 8 different city centre locations), variety (treats from Holland, Hungary, Spain, Germany and France to name but a few!) and high quality of food produce and gifts.
Fête dé Noué, St. Helier, Jersey (JER)
The annual Fête dé Noué on the island of Jersey (JER) is a huge festival that encompasses various smaller markets and special events. There is a dedicated Norman Christmas market, a specialist Christmas gift market, and various Christmas-y events that run in tandem. These include Dickensian storytellers, carol singing, Christmas crafts, art festivals, historical tours and moonlight parades.
Fira de Santa Llúcia, Barcelona (BCN), Spain
A trip to the warm Barcelona (BCN) sounds good at this time of year, right? Be sure to take in the Fira de Santa Llúcia Christmas fair, and all that the 300 stalls of handcrafted Christmas decorations and gifts have to offer! Curiously, the most popular figure on sale is the Catalan figure of the ‘caganer’ which translates as ‘crapper’(!), a small figure crouching with his trousers around his ankles – use your imagination to work out what’s happening there!
Kaiser Wilhelm Gedächtniskirche Market, Berlin (BER), Germany
Berlin (BER) should probably be regarded as the spiritual home of Christmas markets, with over 50 individual markets situated across the German capital. The biggest and most popular, with over 4 million visitors each year has to be the Kaiser Wilhelm Gedächtniskirche festival. If they don’t sell it at this Christmas market, chances are they won’t sell it anywhere; decorations, artwork, jewellery and other gifts, and then there is the seasonal pleasures such as chestnuts, mulled wine and endless German delicacies.
