Christmas is a grand time for shopping. If you will be holidaying in Europe during the festive season, then do not miss out on visiting the below listed best Christmas markets in Europe.
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Prague, Czech Republic
Prague is a beautiful tourist destination all year round, but Christmas is when the ante gets upped. You may wander across the city center from Wenceslas Square to Old Town Square; stop and shop for wooden toys, traditional decorations, and embroidered lacy apparels at wooden huts with beautiful red canopies; visit the Christmas fair and get fascinated by the wide variety of ornaments and Czech glass baubles, which you can take home as festive memorabilia; delight your taste buds with mulled wine and klobasa/barbecued sausages; and make it a point to visit the Old Town Square nativity scene where pet goats, sheep, and Christmas donkey can be pet.
After the Christmas shopping extravaganza, you may head down to the most spectacular and largest castle in Europe via the stunning ancient Charles Bridge. Check out Christmas markets in Prague in detail
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Vienna, Austria
There are more than twenty Christmas markets in Vienna. The city has hosted Krippenmarkts since the late 1200s. The best Christmas shopping experience in the city is at the market that is held next to the beautiful City Hall, which is all decked up and fully lit. The City Hall has a children’s play area where they can learn how to make festive cookies and there are international choirs entertaining everybody in the market.
A Christmas village is erected at the Belvedere Palace during this time and it has nearly 50 stalls that sell traditional decorations and handicrafts. The Schönbrunn Palace is home to even more stalls as well as an unending flow of hot punch.
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Brussels, Belgium
The Brussels Christmas market is spread across 2 kilometers and is the biggest one in the country. It has more than 250 chalets that sell all kinds of seasonal trinkets and souvenirs, a huge collection of Christmas lights, and a fairground. The stalls are overseen by a huge Christmas tree gifted by the city of Riga, and a fairy lighted Ferris wheel. The fragrance of chocolate is all around in the air as you move from one stall to another. Ensure that you do purchase creative eco-friendly gift items and do not forget to stock up on delectable Belgian chocolates. Also make it a point to check out the Sound and Light show conducted every night at the UNESCO World Heritage site Grand Place, featuring traditional concerts and marching bands.
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Amsterdam, Netherlands
Amsterdam is home to 26 Christmas markets that fill the city centers and the suburbs. Visitors will thus be spoilt for choice. The Christmas markets also comprise of the regular markets, which deck up in lights and festivities as the season approaches.
The two best markets are on Museumplein and Leidesplein, where you can enjoy heart-warming beverages, delicious festive food, and villages full of wooden chalets. The best snack during this time is the Dutch doughnut or oliebolen. Don’t worry about the calories as this dish helps ward off mean evil spirits. Besides, you can always burn off the calories via a full-filled session on the ice-skating rink.
Those travelling to Amsterdam between 1st Dec and 21st Jan must also take a trip to the Amsterdam Light Festival and see the sky get lit up just like the spectacular Northern Lights.
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Bremen, Germany
The Christmas markets in Germany are regarded as the traditional home of the seasonal festivities. And visitors to Germany will find that Bremen is the best place to get that warm Christmassy feeling whilst drinking lots of hot wine. This northern city is located on the banks of Weser River and is surrounded by ancient fortifications. You will come across taverns that have open fires, jugglers, walk-through huge advent calendars, and street entertainers. You can be rest assured that fuzzy heart-warming experience marked by warmed alcohol is a guarantee. Later, you can begin your shopping spree and buy cinnamon stars, traditional handicrafts, and lots more. Check out more Christmas markets in Germany.
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Edinburgh, Scotland
The capital of Scotland has some of the best Christmas markets in the UK. The city definitely knows how to party and the seasonal revelry can match up to the more famous Edinburgh festival in spirit as well as size. The main market that stretches from the Mound, alongside the East Princes Street Gardens, and embraces Scott Monument is laden with crafts and arts. The Children’s Market located at Santa Land has Christmas treats and crafts; face painting; and a maze made of Christmas trees that leads to a workshop of the elves.
Step on the double carousel at St. Andrew Square and enjoy the ride and later go to city centre and swirl in the air on the Big Wheel. Later, you can hit the pubs and party all night.
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Gothenburg, Sweden
The Swedish winters are known for their lack of sunlight. But come Christmas season and the town of Gothenburg is lit up with fantastic illuminations. You can go for a walk on the ‘lane of light’ which stretches for 3 kilometers adorned by millions of fairly lights.
There are 4 main Christmas markets in the city, viz., Haga, Liseberg, Gustaf Adolf’s torg, and the Röda Sten Art Centre. You must visit at least one of them. Drink a glass of glögg or spicy mulled wine and get all warmed up. Visit the most fabulous Christmas fair and check out the eclectic and gorgeous traditional decorations and local handicrafts. The regular Swedish festive dishes on offer in the varied markets are reindeer meat, smoked sausage, and Swedish traditional Christmas sweets. Do not forget to sample them.
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Strasbourg, France
The charm of Strasbourg is evident all year round, but come Christmas and it becomes the ideal winter wonderland. There are timbered homes decorated with white and red hearts, huge fir trees all around at Place Kléber, and fairy light stars that are hung all over the beautiful cobbled streets. Christkindelsmärik in the city dates way back to the late 1500s. Hence, tradition can be felt in each and everything, from food to the gifts. Bredele is a local specialty biscuit that is available in cinnamon and orange flavors. You may buy it as a memento.
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