Lady’s 7 Best European Christmas Markets

Today I want to bring you my guide to the best European Christmas markets. From Germany to France, the UK to Austria, there are a lot of great seasonal markets that are ripe for visiting this winter.

Best European Christmas Markets

It’s almost Christmas. Lights are up, gifts are wrapped (or getting there, anyway), and Rudolph and his team are warming up for their annual round-the-world trip.

I’m so excited for Christmas I can’t stop visiting the Christmas markets around London to soak up the seasonal spirit.

But there are other cities nearby that do markets well at this time of year, too. In honor of the season, here’s A Lady in London’s guide to the 7 best European Christmas markets.

I’ve been to all of these and can recommend them from personal experience. I’ll keep adding more as I visit additional festive markets, so you can bookmark this blog post or pin it on Pinterest for easy reference.

1. Cologne Christmas Markets

There are no less than seven Christmas markets in Cologne, and each one has a unique theme. From angels to Santa’s village, they’re packed with chalets selling handmade toys, mulled wine, and all the German sausages one could eat.

The best of them is the Christmas market at Cologne Cathedral. It’s the biggest and has the benefit of the stunning backdrop of the famous church.

I heard so many good things about the Christmas markets in Cologne that I made a special trip to the city just for a day. I flew out in the morning, spent all day exploring the city’s Christmas markets, and flew home in the evening.

It was a long day, but worth it to experience some of the best European Christmas markets. I had been to German Christmas markets in Munich, Dusseldorf and Bochum before, but the Cologne markets were my favorites.

2. Paris Christmas Markets

I never knew that Paris had Christmas markets until I visited in December right after I moved to London. All throughout the city, markets sprang up in festive celebration.

From the huge markets in the Tuileries and at La Defense to the little ones at Abbesses and in La Maison de l’Alsace, there’s a great variety.

My favorite of them all is the Christmas market in Place Saint-Sulpice, which has a lovely ambiance and a manageable size.

Since that first December trip, I’ve taken many more Paris Christmas trips to see the markets, lights, and shops. This city has some of the best European Christmas markets. You can read more about them on my itinerary for a weekend trip to Paris at Christmas.

3. Innsbruck Christmas Markets

I had never experienced European Christmas markets in the mountains until I traveled to Innsbruck. Best known for skiing, the Austrian town is also home to an impressive Christmas market.

Locals decorate the town center with lights and chalets each December, and windows are dressed up to look like Advent calendars.

There’s even a parade through the streets to kick off the Christmas celebrations in Innsbruck.

Children dress up like shepherds and herd a flock of live sheep down a main road while a horse-drawn carriage circled by angels follows with the baby Jesus. It’s a great start to the festive season.

4. London Christmas Markets

A Lady in London’s list of the best European Christmas markets wouldn’t be complete without a mention of the UK capital. But even if I didn’t live in London, I would still put the city on the roster.

From the Christmas market on the South Bank to the market at London Bridge and the one at Winter Wonderland—there are over 200 fairylit Bavarian-style wooden chalets there—London has earned its place among the top cities for Christmas markets in Europe.

5. Salzburg Christmas Markets

Back in Austria, Salzburg is home to more of the best European Christmas markets. The city of Mozart has markets spilling out of seemingly every historic square, with bright lights illuminating the hill leading up to the stunning castle.

Chalets in front of the city’s famous Baroque cathedral sell all things Christmassy, including boxes of Salzburg’s famous chocolate-and-marzipan confection, Mozartkugel.

But the real treat is the sound of live carol singers echoing off the cobblestones. It’s guaranteed to put me in the mood for the season.

6. Birmingham Christmas Markets

Bringing it home to Britain, Birmingham surprised me with its many Christmas markets and loads of seasonal celebrations. Its streets fill with chalets each December, and its squares host live music, ice skating rinks, and Ferris wheels.

One of the best places to take in the ambiance is from the balcony of the Library of Birmingham in Centenary Square, which has great views of the markets and festivities (and a few sweet Christmas decorations of its own!).

7. York Christmas Markets

Also in England, York is home to some of the best European Christmas markets. Its markets are dotted throughout the city’s historic streets and squares.

Each York Christmas market is filled with stalls selling all kinds of foods, crafts, toys, and gifts.

When I visited, I particularly liked the Christmas market outside The Judge’s Lodging. It specialized in handcrafted gifts and had a lot of beautiful things to buy. It’s my favorite of all the British Christmas markets.

Best Christmas Markets in Europe

I hope you’ve enjoyed this guide to the best European Christmas markets and that it’s helped you get an idea of what this part of the world has to offer in winter.

If you get a chance to visit one or all of these places, I’m sure you’ll get into the seasonal spirit as much as I have.

Do you have a favorite European Christmas market? Where is it?

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