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Use our Travel forum for recommendations on everything from day trips to the best family-friendly holiday destinations.

Original poster

Where in Europe do I find the best CHRISTMAS MARKET?

24 replies

QuintessentiallyQS · 30/08/2014 13:57

Planning a trip with a few girl friends for a weekend in December.

I am thinking places such as Bruges, Salzburg, Vienna, Dresden, Wroclaw, etc.

But where do we find the best and most Christmassy and atmospheric Christmas market?

OP posts:
guineapig1 · 30/08/2014 13:58

Marking my place as I would love to know this too!

sydd · 30/08/2014 14:02

Bremen? Really easy to get into the town from the airport and a very pretty square.

Original poster
QuintessentiallyQS · 30/08/2014 14:04

Thanks Sydd. I am hoping for a couple of suggestions so I can have a reasonable discussion with my cousin and my second cousin. They are coming from Norway, and I am travelling from London.

OP posts:
Original poster
QuintessentiallyQS · 30/08/2014 14:05

Bremen looks lovely!

OP posts:
PacificDogwood · 30/08/2014 14:06

Munich.

It's magical IMO.

iamusuallybeingunreasonable · 30/08/2014 14:11

Bremen is lovely, as is Tallinn... Stay at the Three Sisters hotel for added ambience, you also can't go wrong Krakow, but I would say Bremen and Tallinn are prettier

Original poster
QuintessentiallyQS · 30/08/2014 14:19

Easy for all of us to get to Tallinn...

OP posts:
iamusuallybeingunreasonable · 30/08/2014 14:21

It may even be coated in snow that time of year, but it will be freezing brrrrr, lots of nice places to get a hot drink though Smile

Viviennemary · 30/08/2014 14:24

I read an article ages ago. It said Vienna was one of the best ones. Help, I've replied to a Christmas thread. Grin

Sid77 · 30/08/2014 14:29

Bernkastel-Kues has a lovely market. There are lots of other small towns/villages along the Mosel valley that also have them. Cochem(?) and Trier are not far and are larger towns with bigger markets. Google pictures of Bernkastel, it's beautiful.

Lonecatwithkitten · 31/08/2014 15:17

I've done Brugge, Vienna and Salzburg. Salzburg was my favourite and the city is so lovely and compact.

TheABC · 31/08/2014 20:30

Another vote for Salzburg. There is masses to do in addition to the market and plenty of places to shop, drop and drink!

fussychica · 04/09/2014 09:52

My neighbour swears by Munchen - they used to live there and went last Xmas and are going back this Xmas too.

HettyD · 05/09/2014 21:15

Berlin has several different markets, Alexander platz is traditional whilst potsdammer has more going on, plus several others...you can make quite a collection of glasses from each!!

turkeyboots · 05/09/2014 21:22

When we lived in Munich everyone raved about the Christmas market in Regensburg.

LesleyKnopeFan · 05/09/2014 21:26

Salzburg is magical. It's like being in a classic Christmas card scene!

hz · 10/10/2014 19:28

Krakow, Poland. Beautiful city lots of good quality accommodation at very reasonable prices. Takes place in a huge medieval square in the centre of krakow.

Mrsgrumble · 10/10/2014 19:31

I loved krakow!

threepiecesuite · 10/10/2014 19:39

When do the markets usually begin?

Archfarchnad · 10/10/2014 19:40

The Christkindl market in Nuremberg has the reputation as the best in Germany. Salzburg is probably the best in Austria.

"Berlin has several different markets, Alexander platz is traditional whilst potsdammer has more going on".

It's actually got more like 30-plus markets in different parts of town, some of which only run for a day or once a week. Alexanderplatz isn't particularly trad - the one on Gendarmenmarkt is much more old-fashioned. However, nobody would claim that Berlin is a great Christmas market destination by comparison with the really cutesy places. You go there sightseeing and the markets are a good extra. Berlin is also less likely to have snow at Christmas because it's at sea level.

Archfarchnad · 10/10/2014 19:43

three usually they start on or just before the first weekend of Advent, which is four Sundays before Christmas. I've just checked and the one at Potsdamer Platz in Berlin is opening this year on 24 November.

The thing to watch out for if you're going over for Christmas is that they often have their last day on 23 Dec, and don't open much or at all on the 24th - all the stallholders are celebrating Christmas themselves then, and most German families are at home.

Spartak · 10/10/2014 19:45

Birmingham is quite good fun for people who can't afford foreign trips!

Dowser · 30/11/2014 14:26

So was Salisbury yesterday. Thought they had a good mix of food, gifts, crafts etc

Nice little shopping area with plenty of the usual shops and then different ones like

Dowser · 30/11/2014 14:30

So was Salisbury yesterday. Thought they had a good mix of food, gifts, crafts etc

Nice little shopping area with plenty of the usual shops and then different ones like A crystal shop. Neals yard organics, a sausage shop, a well stocked health shop,. There's the cathedral with lots of things going on this time of year and yesterday we hit lucky with a craft fair with some very beautiful and unusual gifts.

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