European Christmas Markets with a Toddler

[Tallblue]

DH and I would love to visit a European Christmas market in late Nov/early Dec this year, along with our DD. By December she will be 16 months old.
We live overseas in a very hot place and this will be our opportunity to feel 'christmassy' as we are not planning on returning to the UK this Christmas.

Does anybody have any experience of going to the Christmas markets with children? Any recommendations for specific countries/cities with markets which might be more child friendly than others?

I'm not much help - just place marking really as I want to do the same this year & an interested in the responses. However, I have always fancied going to Cologne market

Hi

Don't bother with Bruges. Went there last year with toddler and there just wasn't much actual market stuff. Lovely place to visit, plenty of stuff for kids. But Xmas market was rubbish. Get a much more Christmassy feel on the Southbank here in London!
X

Ds and I went to Dusseldorf last December. It was lovely, not too crowded, and felt v Christmassy.

I'm planning on Cologne this year

We went to Berlin when DS3 was 8 months old (and our older 2 were 5 and 8) - it was brilliant! The markets were cold but fantastic and so child friendly - they got very packed in the evenings so we tried to hit them in early evening and day time. Berlin was a lovely city to wander round too.

We went to Tivoli in Stockholm with DS1 when he was 2 for the xmas market - it was great too.

Also on my hitlist of xmas markets is Venice which is supposed to be great - though am waiting till we can holiday without a buggy for that one

We went to Aachen near the German/Belgian border last year in Oct/November - it's a lovely city to wander round and felt very family-friendly. To be honest I think the markets at that point were sort of trad German ones, rather than actual Christmas ones, but I'm aure by Dec they'd be suitably festive!

We have done Cologne with a 2 yr old. There are a lot of market stalls spread over the museum. On most of the markets there is a small carousel or two, and the stall holders were mostly friendly to the DC, offering them samples of biscuits etc to try, also lost of toy stalls that got their interest.

There are lots of shops in Cologne too, some lovely Christmas displays that appealed to the DC. We stayed in the Novotel which was family friendly and would recommend, message me if you'd like any more info.

Sorry meant spread over the city, not museum.

Also there is a land train to take you between the markets, good fun for kids plus saves extra walking.

We went to Copenhagen with DS1 when he was about 4 months. It was awesome! Tivoli Gardens is really Christmassy.

(and got a sneaky last minute cancellation table at Noma - bonus!)

I've been to the one in Brussels. Was fab especially with the son et lumiere, but very busy and it might be a bit crazy with a toddler. Also been to the ones in Dusseldorf and Cologne. Much less crowded. Really recommend Cologne.

Thanks all.
After much research based on these responses I think we're going to opt for Berlin. We can get a direct flight, I've found some great family friendly apartments and I think there will be a lot to do in addition to the markets. Just got to get it booked now :-)

We took DD1 to Prague over Christmas when she was 19 months old.

It was lovely.

Just make sure your DD is warm. She will be colder in a buggy than you will, walking around.

I second the colder in a buggy, so lots of layers and cafe stops.

Also Prague is very cobbled....DS had a bumpy few days in his fold up buggy.

We did Berlin too and it's great for a toddler (except the cold). They have amazing playgrounds.