A Fairytale Christmas: a journey through Europe’s most spectacular Christmas markets
As daylight hours grow shorter, cities turn to festive decorations to bring warmth and sparkle to the season, ensuring nothing dims the holiday spirit. Each year, urban centres reinvent themselves through ever more spectacular Christmas installations. From themed attractions and dazzling lights to food stalls offering mulled wine, churros and local specialities, Christmas markets—particularly across Europe—have become destinations in their own right, capturing attention throughout the winter months. But where does this tradition come from?
Its origins date back to the 16th century, when these markets emerged as welcoming meeting points where communities could stock up ahead of the harsh winter months. Over time, what began as a practical necessity—enhanced by a modest ornamental touch to create a pleasant refuge—evolved into one of the most cherished traditions in the European calendar.
Today, Austria, Germany and France are home to some of the continent’s richest and most colourful Christmas traditions, frequently topping rankings published by travel platforms and agencies.
From Colmar to Vienna: Christmas in full splendour
In Vienna, the Christkindlmarkt—the city’s largest—spreads out in front of City Hall; in Paris, smaller markets are scattered across different neighbourhoods; while in Munich, the Marienplatz Christmas market has been held since 1642, centred around a towering fir tree illuminated by more than 3,000 lights.
However, in 2025, it was the Gdańsk Christmas Market that claimed the title of Best Christmas Market in Europe 2025, according to European Best Destinations, with 92,283 votes—a historic record for the competition. The wooden stalls are arranged around Targ Węglowy (Coal Market) and the Wyżynna Gate, where amber jewellery, smoked oscypek cheese, steaming pierogi and elaborate light installations transform the market into a true fairytale setting.
Meanwhile, a Lonely Planet survey involving more than 40,000 participants named Colmar, in Alsace, as the best Christmas market. This comes as no surprise. The town hosts six different markets spread throughout its historic centre, each with its own identity—from a purely gourmet market beside the cathedral to the family-friendly atmosphere of Petite Venise.
Adding to this, a more recent CNN ranking named Vienna’s Rathausplatz Christmas Market “the most beautiful in the world” in 2025. The scene is defined by the illuminated neo-Gothic City Hall, the iconic Heart Tree, a Ferris wheel and an ice rink, all framed by an impressive light display. Often described as the most photogenic market in the city—and possibly in the world, alongside Prague—Vienna’s appeal is further reinforced by the fact that it boasts more than twenty official Christmas markets, making it an essential Christmas destination.
Prague, already mentioned as another benchmark destination, certainly lives up to its reputation. Highlights include the combination of a giant Christmas tree, the Church of Our Lady before Týn, traditional wooden stalls and the famous Astronomical Clock. Dresden also deserves a visit: the oldest Christmas market in Germany and one of the earliest in the world.
