The world’s most unique and unusual Christmas markets

Had your fill of glühwein? On the hunt for alternative stocking-fillers? Want to experience some quirkier Christmas traditions? Our festive round-up has it covered...

5 mins

Please note: These Christmas markets may be affected by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. We will update this page when we have further information.

1. Vilshofen, Germany

The floating Christmas markets in Vilshofen (Tourist Information Passauer Land)

The floating Christmas markets in Vilshofen (Tourist Information Passauer Land)

Every Christmas, the Danube promenade in Vilshofen is home to one of the most unusual Christmas markets in Germany ­– a floating one.

Housed in a Wurm & Köck river cruiser and dominated by a huge Christmas tree decorated with more thousands of lights and baubles, the market offers the usual Christmas market fare of handicrafts, mulled wine and toasted almonds, all reflected in the sparkling waters of the Danube.

There’s also a full programme of concerts, Christmas readings and a nativity play set around the world’s largest wooden crib.

Opening dates: Friday to Sunday, 29 November to 15 December 2019

2. Ravenna, Germany

Ravenna Christmas Market (Hochschwarzwald Tourismus GmbH)

Ravenna Christmas Market (Hochschwarzwald Tourismus GmbH)

Nestled in a gorge, right under the railway viaduct of the Devil‘s Valley Railway in the Black Forest Highlands, Hochschwarzwald’s Christmas village enjoys one of the most atmospheric settings in Germany.

The market also embraces its rustic Black Forest heritage, offering visitors a festive dose of handmade crafts and ‘local’ entertainment, and making it a firm favourite with German families.

Opening dates: 29 November to 22 December 2019

3. Mount Pilatus, Switzerland

Mount Pilatus (Dreamstime)

Mount Pilatus (Dreamstime)

Not only are the Mt Pilatus Christmas markets in Switzerland the highest in Europe, you have to ride the world's steepest cogwheel railway to get to them.

Perched above Lake Lucerne, the mountaintop Christkindlimärt boasts stalls selling beeswax candles, nativity figurines, gingerbread and other stocking fillers. An added bonus is the chance to make the return journey by sled, airboard or snow bike.

Opening dates: 15-17 November 2019

4. Amsterdam, Netherlands

Amsterdam at Christmas (Shutterstock)

Amsterdam at Christmas (Shutterstock)

Where better to do a spot of Christmas shopping than the birthplace of Sinterklaas (Santa Claus) himself? In Amsterdam, celebrations begin on Saint Nicholas' Eve on 5 December, with a host of processions to mark the Saint's arrival in the city.

Amsterdam also plays host to a variety of festive markets throughout the month of December with ice rinks and handicraft stalls filling the streets of Leidseplein and Koningsplein. Take a break from mulled wine and mince pies and try oliebollen, delicious warm doughnuts studded with dried fruit and citrus zest; the Dutch festive treat of choice.

Wander along the canals and marvel at the reflections of the Christmas lights that hang from the trees and be sure to visit the Bloemenmarkt, the city's floating flower market, which rustles with freshly cut pines in the run-up to Christmas. If you're really lucky, and the temperatures tumble, you can watch as hundreds of skaters take to the city's frozen waterways.

5. Valkenburg aan de Geul, Netherlands

A Christmas market in a cave (Gemeentegrot market)

A Christmas market in a cave (Gemeentegrot market)

The Velvet Cave Christmas markets in Valkenburg aan de Geul are the largest and oldest underground markets in Europe.

Set on a hill, topped by a decrepit castle, shoppers wander through the cave’s winding galleries, bedecked with twinkling lights, amongst stalls selling handmade decorations and homemade produce.

Fancy some Dutch pastries and a cup of hot chocolate? Head for the cosy café set in the 18th century chapel.

Opening dates: 15 November to 29 December 2019

6. Jersey, Channel Islands, UK

Christmas in Jersey (Visit Jersey)

Christmas in Jersey (Visit Jersey)

Christmas in Jersey is a celebration of the Island's French Norman heritage. In St Helier, La Fête dé Noué, the Island's Christmas festival, runs from 22 November to 24 December. With canopies of Christmas lights, stalls heaving with stocking fillers, candle-lit museum tours and children's lantern parades, it has something for everyone. There are plenty of Norman delicacies on offer too including saucisson, cider and buttery crepes dusted with icing sugar.

7. Rome, Italy

Rome at Christmas (Shutterstock)

Rome at Christmas (Shutterstock)

Rome's tourist hordes thin a little in the winter months, making this the perfect time to visit the Italian capital.

In December, the Piazza Navona is crammed with stalls selling all manner of gaudy gifts but the Eternal City also has plenty to offer those who like their Christmas a little less commercial. Midnight Mass in St Peter's Basilica is an unforgettable experience and the more intimate surroundings of the Pantheon provide the perfect setting for some seasonal reflection.

With nativity scenes adorning the streets of Vatican City and the smell of roasting chestnuts drifting through the wintry air, a Christmas visit to the home of Catholicism is a memorable experience, whatever your religious leanings.

8. Dublin, Ireland

Dublin at Christmas (Shutterstock)

Dublin at Christmas (Shutterstock)

In Dublin, Christmas Day can be a frosty affair with many of the city's residents enjoying an early morning dip in the icy waters of the Forty Foot. The pride of the city, this seawater pool is immortalised in the work of James Joyce.

More relaxing Christmas traditions include carols in St Patrick's Cathedral and a day spent browsing the stalls of the Docklands Christmas Festival, complete with Victorian fairground rides and a Santa's Grotto.

9. Strasbourg, France

Strasbourg at Christmas (Shutterstock)

Strasbourg at Christmas (Shutterstock)

Seasonal markets spring up all across Strasbourg in the run-up to Christmas, but the Christkindelsmärik by the city's magnificent gothic cathedral sits at the top of the tree. Dating back to 1570, the market is one the oldest in France and features over 300 chalets. Look out for traditional Alsatian glasswork and delicacies like baeckeoffe, a hearty stew of beef, mutton and pork marinated in aromatic juniper berries and white wine. If you still have room, the gingerbread bakery in La Petit France is also well worth a visit.

10. Gothenberg, Sweden

Gothenburg at Christmas (Shutterstock)

Gothenburg at Christmas (Shutterstock)

The Christmas market held in the Liseberg Amusement Park in the centre of Gothenberg is the largest in Scandinavia and surely among the most beautiful. 18th-century buildings and Laplander teepees glisten with strings of twinkling lights and the air is filled with the smell of pine needles from the hundreds of Christmas trees that adorn the park.

In addition to the arts and crafts stalls and the Sami herders from Lapland selling roasted reindeer meat, this year's market features an area exploring Swedish Christmas traditions from the 1930s and 40s. For a truly glittering start to the festive season, why not enjoy a glass of glögg (spiced wine) and a Scandinavian saffron bun while wandering along the 'Lane of Light', a 3km illuminated walkway through the centre of Gothenberg.

Looking for somewhere to go in Europe this winter?

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