European Christmas markets help please

[Elledeco]

I'd really like to take my dd away for a Christmas market weekend at the start of December. It's her 20th birthday.
I've never been and have no idea of the best ways to book, who to book with, cheapest prices and best markets to go too.
Talk me through everything please?

I recommend Vienna.

I recommend Dresden...avoid anything in Berlin

We went to Copenhagen in early December last year and loved it. It’s a small and walkable city, easy to get to via train from the airport, and Tivoli was so festive. VERY expensive though. I can also highly recommend Cologne, although it’s a few years since I went.

We normally book everything separately, so book flights direct via easyJet/Ryanair or whichever airline - Google Flights and Kayak are good for finding cheaper flights. Then we normally use booking.com for accommodation or book direct with the hotel. But you can also book everything as a package if you’re not as confident booking things separately.

I think someone that age might like Berlin best because there was so much variety when we went and loads going on like light projections, live music and a funfair.

EasyJet have some good budget-friendly deals

Innsbruck is lovely and festive with great Christmas markets.

Montreux. Fly into Geneva and take the train. It's stunning and has Santa in a sled flying across the sky. Wonderful no matter what age you are!

https://www.montreuxnoel.com/en-36-the-market-place-and-santa-claus-on-his-flying-sleigh.html

Seconding Dresden, the markets are just fantastic, and its a very reasonably-priced destination

I do not disagree with this, although you said you wanted to know about Christmas Markets. Speaking as an ongoing Berlin resident of 6 years who also spends time in Dresden, Berlin Christmas markets tend to be either small and traditional but crowded (and sometimes expensive), or very big and not at all traditional, but not unaffordable as places to drink gluhwein and/or eat unhealthy food.

My recommendation for a memorable and not unaffordable trip remains Dresden (although potentially consider Leipzig or even Goerlitz if you speak some German); maybe visit Berlin in the summer instead as its so much better then (OK, most places are, but for Berlin this is particularly relevant).

We did Cologne last year, booked and Airbnb and then flights. However we did book March/April time as things get busy!

Cologne is lovely. Easy to get to by train (St Pancras to Bel Midi, Midi to Koln)
Aachen is smaller and prettier, doable by train from Bxl too.
Monschau is tiny but a beautiful little town and one the UK tourist buses don't go to might be a bit of a trek
Trier is also very nice.
Colmar in France is supposed to have a beautiful market.
Salzburg is magical.

Night trains go from Brussels to Vienna (search Nightjet, not every night). You can change and get the train to Salzburg. We did that before covid. Would travel in a cabin rather than couchette and def not in a chair. Think the Nightjet trains also go to Berlin now.

German Youth Hostels are very comfortable