Not everyone can take leave in the lead-up to Christmas. unfortunately, many celebrated Christmas markets only run through Advent – When we are all so busy and struggle to book time off.
The Traditional ’12 days of Christmas’ (the days between Christmas and the Epiphany, are in my view one of the most Magical times of the year. They are full of expectation for the year ahead and dreams. Your mind is no longer taken by thoughts of gifts and is more focused on me time and new years resolution.
Thankfully, There are some Christmas markets that either include the full ’12 Days of Christmas’ or stay at least open until new Year’s Eve.
12 of Europe’s best Christmas markets that stay open after Christmas
In this post, I cover a few firm favourites from different European countries. These European winter gems are perfect as city breaks on their own, Or you can combine them with a winter sports break, or a wellness break.
All of them are reachable by train from various European destinations. So, you can soak in the festive atmosphere while being kind to our planet. To plan and book your trip, you can use Trainline, RailEurope, or Rome2Rio.
So, here is my selection:
1. Hamburg Christmas Markets
What’s so good about them:
Hamburg used to be part of the Hanseatic League of northern trading cities, and is still today Europe’s second largest port city. Between its history and its waterside location, Hamburg is a memorable destination at any time of the year, but it is truly special in winter. It’s cold, and it may snow. The canals and the Als lakes reflect the Christmas lights, creating a magical atmosphere.
Most of the Christmas markets close by Christmas Eve, But Spitaler Strasse, HafenCity and Saint Petri‘s stay Close on the 28th, 29th, and 28th respectively.
HafenCity, as the name suggests, takes place in the Old Harbour area.
Spitalerstrasse, in one of Central Hamburg’s most visited shopping streets, has a gourmet focus.
St Petri‘s is one of the most athmospheric as it takes place at Hamburg’s oldest surviving church. From mystical to hedonistic, Soak in the winter wonderland vibe at the StrandPauli Winter Market, which takes place in an iconic Hamburg beach club overlooking the Elbe. It runs until March!
Wander outside the centre for offer some other unique experiences, such as the Scandinavian Village Market at Bergerdorf (open until the 30th of December)
Getting there:
Brussels, Amsterdam, and Copenhagen have great train connections to Hamburg.
There are also night trains from Germany, Austria, Denmark, Sweden, and Switzerland.
Dates: Advent to end of December. Check the tourist office website for details.
2. Bruges’s Kerstmarkten
What’s so good about it:
The romantic canal city of Bruges (Brugge in Flemish) has one of the most beautiful Christmas markets in Europe. Luckily, it market does not end with Christmas but carries on all the way to the Epiphany! it feels like a solstice celebration of light winning over the darkness of winter.
Bruges’s medieval buildings have a gingerbread-house appearance which just adds to the charm. The main event (Kerstmarkten) takes place in the Grote Markt (Main Square) and nearby Simon Stevinplein.
Over the last few years the Bruges Kerstmarkten‘ experience has been enriched by the introduction of a Light Trail – you can follow artistic light installations throughout the city. There is also a floating ice skating rink on the Minnewater (Lake of Love). And of course there are waffles and chocolate and hearty Belgian food to keep you warm!
Wandering the cobbled streets and taking a boat trip on the illuminated canals, and musing over the timeless beauty of Bruges, will give you memories to treasure for a long time.
Getting there:
From Amsterdam, Paris, London, Frankfurt and Cologne all you need is a swift change in Brussels. You can also get to Bruges easily with day time connections from Strasbourg, Basel, Zürich, Geneva, and Stuttgart.
From Munich, Vienna, and Berlin you can catch the Nightjet night train and then hop onto a local train for the 1-hour journey between Brussels Midi and Bruges.
Dates. November 21st 2025 to January 5th 2026.
3. Berlin Christmas Markets
What’s so good about them:
The capital of Germany is most certainly also the Christmas market capital of Germany, and probably of Europe. Every area of Berlin has its own. There are over 70 different Christmas markets in the city. So many that visitors can even sign up for a walking tour!
Confusingly, they start and end at different times. Some are local and only last one weekend, whereas the ones in the centre go on throughout the Advent and some beyond.
Thankfully, the most famous of Berlin’s Christmas markets, the Gendarmenmarkt‘s WeinachtsZauber, continues all the way to New Years’ Eve!
The smaller market around the Kaiser Wilhelm memorial is one of my favourites and very atmospheric. It carries on even longer, until the Epiphany.
If you are in West Berlin, Charlottenburg‘s market is magical and a bit less busy. It is set in front of the magnificent Baroque Charlottenburg Palace, and you can stroll through the immaculate gardens as well. It ends on New Year’s Eve.
Berlin’s great green lung – the TierPark – as well as the Botanical Gardens – also embrace the spirit of Christmas. Their decorations are only removed on the 12th of January.
Getting there:
You can reach Berlin by train from a number of European cities and capitals. Depending on where you are in Europe, you may have great night train options too.
Regular Night Trains connect Berlin with Amsterdam, Antwerp, and Brussels, courtesy of European Sleeper. Based in Paris, Graz, Vienna, Budapest, Bratislava, Zurich, Basel, or Warsaw? You can use Nightjet.
If you prefer to travel at day time but feel the direct journey may be too long, you can plan a Christmas markets mini-tour and combine Berlin with another option like Frankfurt or Munich. or a Christmas market outside Germany.
Dates: Varies. See Individual markets above for details.
4. Budapest Christmas Market
What’s so good about it:
Repeatedly voted best Christmas Market in Europe, Budapest‘s is quite special.
What makes it unique? Budapest is actually two cities, Buda and Pest, separated by the Danube, and each side has its ownfabulous Christmas market on both sides.
In Pest, the centre of action is the Vorosmarty Square. As you would expect, it is an elegant square overlooked by grand buildings such as the iconic Café Gerbeaud, an ideal stop for hot chocolate and delicious Hungarian cakes. Under the square is a piece of transport history – the first metro station ever built in the world!
At Christmas, even the statue of poet Vorosmarty in the middle of the square joins in the celebrations, and over 100 stalls sell everything from amber jewels, artifacts and local craftmanship, to winter warmer such as mulled wine, bowls of goulash, and the traditional Hungarian/Transylvanian chimney cake.
The stalls’ offering is similar in Buda, on the hill. Yet the setting could not be more different. From 19th century Austro-Hungarian grandeur to medieval fairy tale. The main market takes place in square in front of the beautiful gothic St Stephen’s Basilica, an absolutely magical setting!
What makes Budapest a perfect winter destination is that it boats cultural sights, culinary delights, and thermal baths. There are 6 hot springs in the city, and you can try that unforgettable experience of immersing yourself in a warm pool while it’s freezing outside – even watch the snow fall on the water! Besides, some of the indoor baths are architecturally unique, and ranging in style from liberty to Ottoman – the Turks ruled over Budapest for a while.
Getting there:
You can reach Budapest directly by train from Prague, Vienna, Innsbruck, Bratislava, and Berlin.
There are also direct Nightjet night train from Zürich, Berlin, Munich, Vienna, and Wroclaw.
From Western Europe, Budapest is not super-easy to reach by train for a long weekend, but if you have a week off you can combine a few days in Budapest witha stop at another great winter destination better connected with Budapest, such as Vienna, Munich or Basel.
Dates: From 17th November 2024 to 1st of January 2025.
5. Vienna’s Wintermärkte
What’s so good about them:
Vienna is a great place to enjoy the magic of the 12th days of Christmas, as snow often blankets the city.
There are actually over a dozen Christmas markets in Vienna, scattered across the Austrian capital, and all opening at different times, with the earliest opening around 10 November each year.
The markets are of high quality, refined, and all different, especially thanks to their incredible architectural backdrops.
The Wiener Chriskindlemarkt on Rathausplatz, perhaps the largest and well-known in Vienna, opens early and closes on December 26th.
If you can get to Vienna by the 26th, it is definitely worth a visit. the windows of the Rathaus are decorated with Advent scenes by local artists, and the collections of stalls is incredible.
But the other smaller markets that stay open for longer are some of Vienna’s best. the Schloß Schönbrunn which stays open until the Epiphany is quintessential Vienna. With classical music playing in the background and the imperial palace of Schönbrunn as the backdrop, this is a place to relax and dream!
The market specialises in local arts and crafts rather than food: pottery, candles, glass, wood. and much more. perfect for New Year resolutions and post-Christmas me-time.
Also, you cannot leave Vienna without visiting the Christmas village at the Belvedere Palace, which stays open until New Years’ Eve/ The palace itself houses arguably Vienna’s best art collection, including Klimt’s The Kiss. Its outline, decorated in star-themed Christmas lights, is one of the most beautiful market backdrops I have ever seen.
As the Vienna Tourist Board rightly puts it, ‘I defy you to enter the Belvedere complex through the southern gate after sunset and not gasp in wonder at the beauty of the scene before you.’
Getting there:
There are Nightjet night trains to Vienna from Berlin, Venice, Brussels, Amsterdam, Paris, Hamburg, Milan, Verona, Bologna, Florence and Rome.
Good daytime connections are available from Munich, Stuttgart, Prague, Budapest. and Venice.
Dates: Opening and closing dates vary. All locations will stay open until at least 23 December, with the Christkindlmarkt closing on 26 December and the markets at Belvedere and Marie-Theresien-Platz open until New Year’s Eve. The Wintermarkt on Riesenradplatz runs until 7 January. Check the Visiting Vienna website for details.
6. Brixen’s Christkindlmarkt
What’s so good about it:
Before Christmas, the Italians flock to Südtirol (the German-speaking province of the Dolomites area) to savour the Christmas market atmosphere., and one of the most loved ones is hosted in the heart of the small city of Bressanone, or Brixen in German.
Why is Brixen so special?
First of all, its setting is delightful. A river runs through it, and it is surrounded by vine-covered hills, with Alpine peaks around those.
Although a small city, Brixen played an important role in medieval Europe, and the grand cathedral, the Bishop’s Palace (Hofburg) and calm cloisters whisk you away to a different era.
The Old town is busy in the lead-up to Christmas, but you only need to talk 20 minutes and you’ll be climbing up mountains, or exploring the beautiful abbey of Novacella, which still makes its own wine!
The Christmas market (Mercatini di Natale in Italian, and Christkindlmarkt in German) takes place in DomPlatz – the main square in front of the cathedral and offers many unique gifts, and products of local traditional Alpine craftsmanship.
As the Brixen market stays open until the Epiphany, you can also take a week off and travel there between Christmas and New Year. If you are a skier, you may be able to fit in a bit of skiing too, and alternatively make the most of the countless hiking options in the area!
Tempted to find out more? Here is a post dedicated to Brixen, its history and its highlights.
Getting there:
You can reach Brixen via Bolzano, the provincial capital. Bolzano is connected by train to Munich, Vienna, Salzburg, Stuttgart, and many destinations in Italy.
Another option is catching a Nightjet night train to Munich (possible from Brussels, Amsterdam, Paris, Strasbourg, Hamburg, Budapest, and Berlin) and from there catch a direct train to Bolzano.
The journey from Munich to Bolzano may feel long on paper (it is almost 4 hours) but you will be travelling through the most incredible Alpine scenery all the way, so it will feel like an excursion!
Dates: Opening dates: From 28th November 2023 to 6th January 2024.
7. Colmar and Strasbourg’s Marchés de Noël
What’s so good about them:
Colmar‘s half-timbered houses, churches, and the delightful Petite Venise are magical at any time of the but the Christmas illuminations enhance the medieval Old Town’s fairy tale quality. It is a mid-winter dream!
There are 6 Christmas markets in then the centre, with stalls and wooden chalets selling artisan crafts, gourmet food and of course wonderful Alsatian wines.
Don’t miss the children choirs singing carols listen out for the children choirs singing traditional carols on illuminated boats on the canal in the Petite Venise.
What makes Alsatian Christmas markets really special, in my view, are the decorations – a feat of Alsatian creativity – and the incredible local food and wine. Think wild boar stew, flammekuche, fragrant braedele (aniseed or ginger-flavoured biscuits) and the king of Alsatian cakes, the comforting, buttery kugelhopf! And for wines, where do I begin? Aromatic Gewurztraminer, refreshing Riesling, Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc…
Getting there:
Colmas is just over 2 hours from Paris by direct train, and the trains leave from Gare de l’Est, so if you come from London, Amsterdam, or Brussels, arriving into Gare du Nord, you can change stations with a 20-minute walk or one stop on the metro.
It is also super-easy to get to Alsace from Switzerland, Frankfurt, Milan (change in Basel)
There is a Nightjet night train service from Berlin.
Dates: Colmar markets run from November 25th to 29th December. check this website for details.
8. Bolzano’s Weihnachtmarkt
What’s so good about it:
Bolzano is the capital of this German-speaking province of Italy, and its Christmas Market (Weihnachtmarkt) is the largest in the country.
Whether in conjunction with nearby Brixen or in its own, Bolzano’s Christmas market is a great introduction to the uniqueness of South Tyrolean culture.
The main venue is Piazza Walther, the city’ main square, and is a feast of speck, apple strudel and mulled wine, as well as another great place to buy unique Alpine products, be it food – the area is known for its sustainable agriculture and slow food traditions – or handicrafts.
Like Brixen’s, this market is great if you are a skier. It stays open until the Epiphany and in a week you can combine skiing and sightseeing.
Getting there:
You can reach Bolzano by train from Munich, Vienna, Salzburg, Stuttgart, and of course most of Italy.
You can also use a Nightjet night train to get to Munich from Brussels, Amsterdam, Paris, Strasbourg, Hamburg, Budapest, and Berlin, and from there get on a direct train to Bolzano. The journey from Munich to Bolzano may feel long on paper (it is almost 4 hours) but you will be travelling through the most incredible Alpine scenery all the way, so it will feel like an excursion!
Dates. From 28th November 2023 to 6th January 2024.
9. Baden Baden’s Christmas Market (Christkindelsmarkt)
What’s so good about it:
I stopped at this market between Christmas and New Year, while driving back from Italy to the UK, and ended up staying 3 days!
During the 19th century, Baden Baden attracted European high society with its thermal waters, and casinos propped up next to the elegant hotels to entertain wealthy visitors.
While I have no interest in casinos, I fancied the idea of splitting my time between wellness and Christmas markets, as well as hikes in the nearby Black Forest.
What I found beat my expectations. Baden Baden is a small but extremely romantic city, surrounded by hills, with tree-lined promenades and gorgeous nineteenth-century architecture, and a perfect winter break. It snowed every day, which truly added to the magic.
This market is open all the way to the Epiphany, so you can use it as a post-Christmas break, hiking in the hills and enjoying some thermal treatments to start delivering on your New Year Resolutions early.
Getting there:
You can reach Baden Baden from London, Paris, Amsterdam, Brussels, northern Italy, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Austria, Strasbourg, and Lyon.
Dates: Advent (2th of November) to Epiphany. Check the tourist office website for details.
11. Valkenburg and Maastricht
What’s so good about them:
According to local legend, Santa comes from Valkenburg aan de Geul in the Netherlands. As the days get shorter, this enchanting small city on the river Geul in Zuid-Limburg, becomes ‘Kerststad Valkenburg’.
Apart from the delightful village and the Santa connection, what makes Valkenburg unique? That the over ground Santa grotto and waffle stalls are just the beginning…Under the Municipal Building in the city centre, there is a maze of marlstone caves, known under the name of Municipal Cave and every November this maze is transformed into the largest underground Christmas market in Europe!
And another cave system, the Velvet Cave, lies under the ruins of the castle, and it gets the same Christmas makeover.
From Valkenburg, every 30 minutes there is a train to Maastricht, and this city in the deep southeast of the Netherlands, very close to Aachen, is another wonderful Dutch Christmas destination.
I find Maastricht one of the prettiest and most romantic cities in the Netherlands, and never more so than in the magic glow of its Christmas lights.
Follow the Magical Lights route through the cobbled streets and pristine Dutch townhouses, and you’ll feel transported back in time.
The main Christmas market, in the Vrijthof, takes place in front of the Saint Servatius Romanesque basilica, believed to be the most ancient surviving church in the Netherlands. Unforgettable.
Getting there:
Given its location in the south of the Netherlands, you do not need to make your way to Amsterdam to go to Maastricht.
From London or Paris the best way is a fast train to Brussels, where you change for Belgian/Dutch railway services.
From Switzerland and western/northern Germany head to Aachen, and change there for Maastricht.
From Berlin you change in Dusseldorf. Or you can travel while you sleep with European Sleeper.
From Munich and Vienna you can catch the Nightjet night train to Brussels and change.
Dates. Both Valkenburg and Maastricht run from 14 November 2024 until 5th January 2025.
12. Salzburg’s Christkindlmarkt
What’s so good about it:
The Salzburg Christkindlmarkt on Dom- and Residenzplatz Square is one of the oldest markets in Europe, believed to have started in 1491.
The fairy-tale baroque Cathedral Square is the perfect backdrop for celebrating the Advent season in the city of Mozart. High above the cathedral, Salzburg‘s fortress watched over the city for added charm.
As you would expect given the city’s Mozart connection, the Salzburg Christkindlmarkt offers a rich cultural programme, ranging from an exhibition of Christmas mangers, to folk song and dance performances, to classical music and chorus.
I also love the way the pre-Christian figure of the Perchten – a devil-like creature of the pagan Austro-Bavarian tradition, said to roam the countryside at midwinter – is incorporated in the celebration. A procession of Perchten their frightening masks and costumes, is part of the celebrations. For the more traditional, angelic experience of Christmas, visit the nativity exhibit in the Residenz courtyard.
If you want to explore further afields, there are plenty of other Christmas markets nearby, such as Hellbrunn Advent Magic and St. Leonhard Advent Market.
Getting there:
Munich is literally around the corner. There are good daytime connections from Venice, Verona, Frankfurt, Strasbourg, Zürich, Prague, Budapest, Berlin, and Milan.
From Brussels, Paris, Florence, Rome, Bologna, Ljubljana, Milan, Warsaw, Budapest, and Rijeka you can catch the Nightjet night train.
Dates. 20th of November 2024 to 1st of January 2025.
Make the most of your Christmas holidays
Visiting a Christmas market after Christmas may seem illogical, but it is the one of the best ways to embrace the darkness of deep winter, Soak its magic, without the Christmas rush.
If you prefer to visit during Advent, here are my recommended Christmas markets in Germany, and in the rest of Europe.
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