Christmas Markets UK & Europe (2014) [Help me find some fab ones please!]

[ChippingInAutumnLover]

So, I am determined to find some good Christmas Markets this year! Please help me

Europe

We have a few days prior to Christmas (18th to the 21st) when I would like to go somewhere in Europe to a/some lovely Christmas Market/s.

Lots of pretty lights, mulled wine, atmosphere and preferably grapes in toffee (The ones in Bruges were A-May-Zing). I'm not looking for somewhere to 'shop' but a couple of nice decorations would be good (but definitely not a priority), I just want the atmosphere and to go somewhere new/different.

UK - I'd like to book up some weekends so we don't end up 'busy' & not able to fit them in!

I live in the SE & we'll be going to Winchester (flexible with this as we can either 'make a weekend of it' or just go for the day).

Happy to travel for the weekend as long as it's worth it

Where do you love/hate & why? Thank you x

I love Bath Xmas market have been a couple of years running. This year I am off to York and will visit the Xmas market at the Tate Modern

Berlin Markets. I went last year. Very crowded. One was nice, bit artsy, less good than a Steiner school fair, in one of the bigger schools. The large christmas fair was a horror of crowds, and hotdogs. Not as good as the South Bank fair in my view, along the same vein, but the south bank one better location and nicer feel.

re south bank. went in weekday during term time. in holidays is horror.

It's jenners in Edinburgh that have the huge tree also lovely window display. I love Edinburgh Christmas market I go every year but I'm only 20 mins away

ZeVite - there are, I think, 3 park and rides in Bath. Which direction would you be coming from?

Here you go

Have you looked for deals on Groupon? I'm no expert (although I love manchesters markets) but they seem to be offering a good deal here www.groupon.co.uk/deals/groupon-getaways/ga-clear-sky-holidays-139-262/49552220

Also re: Bath - it'd be worth getting into town as early as you can. Plenty of sights to see and cafes to sit in while you're waiting for the market to open.

what time is early we could be there for 9.30 - 10?

*dumbledore thanks!!!

It's hard to say how early the traffic will start to build up - but that sounds sensible to me. Good luck!

Another one for Aachen. Get on Eurostar, change in Brussels. Closer than Cologne, smaller town but much better and older cathedral. If it's good enough for Charlemagne... Also, there's just one large market so you can't really get lost. In Cologne there are several markets spread out over the city. Maybe stay a weekend and you can fit in trips to Maastricht and Liege. That's three countries for the price of slightly more than one if you pay for the travel.

I haven't read the whole thread, but has anyone mentioned Vienna? There are at least half a dozen markets - avoid the Rathaus (Town Hall) which is full of plastic tat, in favour of the one on Freyung (name of street), Karlskirche (Charles Church - also near amazing Art Deco metro station), or Schonbrunn Palace (modelled on Versailles). Christmas decorations, sugared almonds and of course Gluhwein. You pay 2 euro or so deposit on a souvenir china mug, which you keep or return as you wish. I miss it! www.wien.info/en/shopping-wining-dining/markets/christmas-markets

We went to Munich last year and it was lovely-big Central market and smaller ones in the suburbs. Plus cheap and scenic train ride from Salzburg which is one of my favourite places to visit- the market was really lovely there in the old town. We did this with our 10 month old and nowhere was too crowded or overwhelming, atmosphere was great. A bit of an overland trek for you but Manchester also does a good market.

I'm running a school trip with 40 Y8-10s to Lille Christmas market in 2 weeks. Really hope they enjoy it and don't whinge about being freezing after half an hour

I'm going to give away a German Market secret which the Brits haven't really discovered. I hope I don't regret it when it becomes as expensive as the others!

Erfurt is one of the largest unbombed town centres and has the most beautiful centre and a massive Market. Fifteen minutes away is Weimar which is also beautiful and fifteen minutes in the other direction is Eisenach which has a medieval xmas market in a castle with stunning views over the surrounding forest. Everything is accessible by train.

Germania (cheap) now flies there from Gatwick. We're going next month. It might be tricky to get a hotel room because although the Brits haven't discovered it it's famous within Germany.

Nuremberg is so crowded you can barely move. Berlin itself is lovely but the only really lovely market is the Gendarmenmarkt but there is lots else to do that's interesting.

Ooh thanks for that tip! Will store it away for next year...

We are going to Cologne on 19th Dec. We are flying, but live near Heathrow so it's going to be easy for us. I have to work on the 19th, we have an evening flight and then in Cologne for the long weekend, but I can get the bus from where I work to the airport. Plus, I love flying. Haha. So long as there's no delays all will be good.

Has no one mentioned Winter Wonderland in Londons Hyde Park yet? It is commercialised, but I love having a wander round it each year (but then it's also only about an hours travel time for me).

Here's a Telegraph article. I was going to mention Esslingen too as that's also beautiful with a great market but Erfurt is better.
I wouldn't bother with Stuttgart itself though.

Vienna was beautiful but I've never been so cold in my life.

I seem to have done a lot of Christmas markets!

Hmm can't seem to paste. Google Erfurt telegraph christmas market.

Went to Cologne Christmas market one year for a day on the train (we're in Europe).

I loved it. Right by the amazing cathedral which you see as you come in.

Very atmospheric. Lights, candles, gluhwein and all the other goodies.

Oh, and my friend has got me a ticket to go to the Christmas market in Munster this year. By bus for the day. Should be good. It looks good on its website anyway, kind of medieaval town centre.

BREMEN is a lovely smallish town with lots to look at and wander around at any time of year, airport 40 mins walk from old city centre so easy to get to. And it has a fab xmas market.
This year we are going to Manchester 40 mins train ride away. Think we will go on a wed or Thurs after school and stick to the central bit near the town hall.

We've been to the Christmas markets in Salzburg, Vienna, Tallinn, Innsbruck and Krakow. Best for variety of markets is Vienna but for markets and atmosphere, then Salzburg every time :)

Do any of you worry about booking to go away in winter, I have never been skiing and I have an irrational fear If we book in winter, flights will be grounded too much snow, stuck etc?!

Countries where they have lots of snow are totally geared up to dealing with it. It's at this end that we have problems!

I've actually got a stall at bath this year (gulp). I'll be manning it at the weekends

would recommend park and ride(s). even trains get rammed although they lay on extras.

PS Vienna sounds dreamy...think I'd go there op if I was choosing