Survive and Thrive: Five Tips for European Christmas Markets
- Phil Thomas
- 5 hours ago
- 4 min read
If you’ve ever imagined European Christmas markets as softly glowing winter wonderlands where snowflakes fall around you, mulled wine warms your hands, and crowds part like the Red Sea, allow me to offer some realism.
They’re magical, yes, but also chaotic, repetitive, and often rather sticky underfoot.
Still, with a few well-honed tips for European Christmas markets, you can avoid the rookie mistakes that separate the merry from the mildly traumatised. Having made my way round markets across Europe, here’s my guide on how to survive, and, with luck, actually thrive, in the land of Glühwein and inflatable Santas.
There’s Really Not That Much Difference Between Them
Literally every town from the North Sea to the Baltic has some form of Christmas market. There’s a temptation to flock to the likes of Cologne or Nuremberg, which score highly on Instagram potential but, plot spoiler, there’s really not a whole lot of difference between them.
Wooden trinkets? Check; Glühwein? Definitely; slightly tacky decorations? Absolutely). At ground level, it’s less ‘local flavour’ and more ‘déjà vu all over again’
Accommodation prices also skyrocket in the big-name destinations, so brace yourself for an expensive weekend.
Last year, we went to Bremen purely because it had a cheap, direct flight from London - and were thoroughly charmed. If you’re looking to do a Christmas market weekend on the cheap, the best option is the one your local budget airline happens to fly to.
Come Early For Shopping, Later For Atmosphere
The fantasy: you stroll through a twinkling market at dusk, chatting with jovial stallholders and selecting unique, meaningful gifts for loved ones. The reality: you’re shoulder to shoulder with strangers, trying not to spill your mulled wine as someone’s rucksack delivers a roundhouse punch to your jaw.
From dusk (around 4 pm) until about 8 pm, most markets resemble a festive rugby scrum. Still go for the atmosphere and a glass of something mulled, it’s half the fun, but for actual shopping, aim for before 2 pm (or before midday on weekends) or the last hour before closing. You’ll enjoy more “peace on Earth” and fewer elbows to the ribs.
Is That The Time?
There’s a tendency to believe that Christmas markets follow pub or restaurant hours and stay open until midnight.
Very rarely true.
There’s no single answer, but in some places stalls can close as early as 7 p.m., and only a minority continue past 9 or 10. So if you’re planning to pop down after an afternoon snooze for the perfect night-time photo, don’t dally too long.
Food and drink stalls tend to stop serving between 15 and 30 minutes before official closing, so get your orders in while you can - nothing dampens Christmas spirit like watching someone else get the last sausage.
Broaden Your Horizons
As mentioned above, most Christmas markets in big cities look, sound and taste remarkably similar. A bit of research, however, can reveal smaller celebrations outside the main centres that bear a far closer resemblance to the traditional markets of centuries past.
Take the Austrian city of Innsbruck. A lovely Christmas market spread throughout the city, which helps disperse the crowds. But hop on a train or bus for ten minutes and you’ll find yourself in the breathtaking town of Hall-in-Tyrol, where narrow medieval streets are punctuated by Alpine views.
The market here is smaller, certainly, but run largely by local businesses and producers, giving it an authenticity that’s often lacking in the big cities.
Also: it’s an excellent place to sample Tyrolean Kriachl (think doughnut batter with your choice of topping - sweet like apple sauce or Nutella, or savoury like cheese, sauerkraut and bacon). Calories don't count as Christmas, it's tradition.
See What Else Is On
It’s not just Christmas markets that spring up in December. Most cities have their own festive traditions that visitors are welcome to join.
From light shows to carol concerts (don’t worry if you don’t speak the language; there’s beauty in just being inside these century-old churches) to parades (the Bavarian and Austrian Krampus runs on 6 December are marvellous and terrifying in equal measure), there’s far more to the season than rampant consumerism. Each city's tourism website inevitably has a list of festive shenanigans.
If nothing festive jumps out - or you’ve had your fill of forced jollity - consider what you might normally do on a city break.
Ghent, for instance, is a fabulous Belgian city I visited last December. The Christmas market is fine but won’t detain you for more than an hour or two, and we had the whole day. Cue a superb food tour, which provided a thorough and very tasty dive into Eastern Flemish cuisine: waffles, charcuterie and beer, in roughly that order. Around this time of year, it’s always worth booking ahead.
Tips for European Christmas Markets – The Long and Short of it
European Christmas markets are equal parts fairy tale and farce: glittering, crowded, and irresistibly cheerful once you surrender to the chaos. Whether you’re sipping cider in Bremen or dodging elbows in Nuremberg, a little strategy goes a long way. Remember these tips for European Christmas markets: arrive early for browsing, late for atmosphere, keep an eye on closing times, and don’t be afraid to venture beyond the big cities.
You’ll come home with stories, snacks, and possibly an outsized wooden nativity you’ll never quite understand why you bought…and I suppose that’s all part of the magic.