Best European Christmas market for city break?

[incognitopurple]

Really torn. We have 3 days to spend somewhere, I adore Christmas and want to go somewhere super festive. Recommendations?

Currently considering Prague, Berlin and Cologne. Open to comments on all of these or suggestions for anywhere else.

Munich is my all time favourite. Lovely atmosphere and concentrated around the central square. For the first visit we went on an organised trip that also included coach trip to Oberammergau and Neuschwanstein Magical.

Vienna. Such a beautiful city.
Cologne was great as well.
All the Germans I know recommend Nuremberg as being the best. I’ve not been as it’s not so easy to get to.

Agree

We went to Düsseldorf a few years ago and the Christmas markets were absolutely lovely.

Salzburg was lovely when I went a few years back, and could easily be combined with Munich. South Germany and Austria have all the snowy romance.

For a fabulous city experience, though, I second Berlin. It’s got lots of smallish markets spread all over the city and transport is very cheap so you can have fun exploring them.

Definitely Vienna. Loads of markets with decent crafty things to buy, good food, and lovely things to see.

For me it’d be Copenhagen, 100%!

I’d make sure to go to Tivoli and enjoy the wonderful lights/displays, market, rides (if that’s your thing), restaurants and its totally unique atmosphere. I’m slightly biased though as I’m Danish...

There’ll be more Christmas markets than that too in Copenhagen but I’ve not been home in so long that I’ve none to recommend.

You wouldn’t get snow though (or not very likely) - better elsewhere for that.

Depending where in the U.K. you’re coming from it might be worth going by train. Cologne, Brussels, Lille are all connected very well via Eurostar from London or Ashford/Kent.
In the U.K., I’ve only been to “Christmas markets” in London. Agree they are dreadful and a travesty!

Following with interest 👀

I’ve been to all 3 and would choose Berlin then Cologne, and not bother with Prague for Christmas markets (lovely city though).

I’ve been to a lot of German Christmas markets and always recommend Stuttgart as well with day trips to Esslingen & Ludwidsberg markers (fast, cheap local train). Generally the further south you go the more Christmassy it gets.

Vienna has several markets all with different themes. There is also a wonderful ice rink that goes around the trees.
Salzburg is also lovely but you need a car to get to some.
I also enjoyed Cologne.
Prague was extremely busy

Krakow

Cologne is practical to get to by train from London.

We did Berlin and it was amazing. I’ve been to Munich during the summer and I suspect it would be a fab destination for Christmas. To me Germany feels Christmassy all year round!

Salzburg was beautiful with authentic Christmas markets and we mixed it up with skiing. Enjoyed Brugge at Christmas and Paris too.
Lapland was also amazing for Christmas atmosphere for adults. Not much in the way of markets though.

Brugge is beautiful at that time of the year

Valkenburg, Netherlands - it's in a network of caves

www.christmastownvalkenburg.com/

I live in Munich and the Christmas markets are lovely here.

Nuremberg is also a good option

Ghent, Brugges, Amiens or Dusseldorf. Ghent is smaller, but has a lovely, intimate atmosphere and could be combined with Brugges I think? I enjoyed the race of the Santa Clauses to the centre of the lake in Brugges. (I think!)

I always fancied Cologne, but I've just come back from there and hated the city- even though I wanted to love it.

I’m watching with interest and would love to do this OP.

It would be via Eurostar though.

So am I!

Thank you OP for starting this

Bordeaux ?

To add some other options easily reachable by train!

Achen is lovely and their market is nice. Plus there is the amazing cathedral too.

Haarlem has a really special Christmas Market that is only on for one weekend. Its very local, all over the city centre and the streets have different themes. No commercialised tat there!

I've done Cologne & Koblenz, Berlin, Dusseldorf. Berlin was probably my favourite because it snowed, but there seemed to be more markets to choose from. Plus with it being a capital city there was lots of other stuff to do as well.