Every winter, year after year, people of all ages enjoy the holiday in the company of their loved ones, watching Christmas movies and waiting for Santa Claus to put the presents under the beautifully decorated tree. But one more thing needs to be done: on this special occasion, every person must visit at least one Christmas destination, with a beautiful market in an exceptional city in Europe, or at least from a lovely village located on the continent.
This article contains a selection of some of the best European Christmas destinations in Europe, so that travel enthusiasts know exactly where to go to enjoy the most magical time of the year with family or friends. If you’ve ever wondered which are the best places in Europe for Christmas, then now is the perfect time to discover some popular and attractive spots, to manage to visit as many of them as soon as possible. After all, who wouldn’t like to be at Christmas in a city or village in Europe, nicely decorated with lights and Christmas trees all over the place? Without a doubt, it’s one of the most beautiful experiences in a person’s life, even more so if it’s with the ones he loves the most in the world.
Top 10 destinations where tourists can spend Christmas in Europe thanks to the magnificent markets
If you’re wondering which are the best places to spend Christmas in Europe, it’s necessary to know, first of all, where the most extraordinary markets take place. After that, together with your travel partners who love the Christmas atmosphere as much as you do, you will be able to decide which will be the first market on the map that you will visit. In the following rows, will be highlighted some Christmas destinations in Europe that you should not miss this year and the reasons why they are special. Click on Framey.io, download the app and discover several tourist attractions, including the most popular Christmas markets in Europe!
Christmas is approaching and that means that specific decorations will soon invade every corner of Europe and, most likely, soon your home too. In addition, it means something else: the Christmas markets, which represent a tradition from Germany born in the 14th century, will appear almost everywhere. Of course, there are many impressive countries on this continent that are worth visiting and where wooden huts are installed, but only a few of them really leave you speechless. To help you choose where you should book a winter vacation, a top 10 of the best places to visit in Europe for Christmas has been prepared carefully. It’s impossible to deny the urge to pack your bags and visit at least one of the places described after reading this article.
Christmas in Europe with family or friends: Here is a list of the most beautiful markets and most visited by tourists:
1. Stuttgart, Germany
Stuttgart, the sixth largest city in Germany, amazes both locals and foreign tourists with the impressive Christmas market that takes place every year. Those who visited this festive place consider it perhaps the most beautiful Christmas market in all of Europe. To convince yourself that this rumor is true, you have to see with your own eyes the stands arranged in a distinctive way and, of course, explore what is in each of them. Thus you will also discover some specialties, such as the famous Hutzelbrot and bread made from fruits.
2. Vienna, Austria
It was impossible not to mention Vienna in the list of the best Christmas towns in Europe that you can visit. The capital of Austria hosts not only one Christmas market every year, but even several, each of them standing out for its unique atmosphere.
Therefore, if you dream of spending your Christmas holidays in Europe, more precisely in one of the most famous destinations on the continent, it is worth walking through the wooden huts to find something delicious to eat. And, why not, at the Vienna Christmas market, you can try the delicious Christmas punch, recommended by all the tourists who pass by here.
As well, it’s fundamental for any tourist to know which are the top attractions in Vienna, because it’s a huge city and there is a lot to see.
3. Strasbourg, France
The city where the European Parliament is located has many nice Christmas markets that residents and tourists can visit. It is known that visitors take advantage of this holiday to taste the Alsatian specialties, such as strudel or kouglof, for sale at the cottages in the Christmas market.
Also, here you have the chance to drink a delicious mulled wine, but also other hot drinks, together with those who accompany you. Undoubtedly, this is the ideal way to warm up and regain energy to continue your trip.
4. Krakow, Poland
Among the best European cities to visit for Christmas is Krakow, one of the oldest in Poland. This city with an amazing history has the most beautiful Christmas market in the country and is the perfect place where people can buy a tasty Polish sausage and a mulled beer, a famous Polish wintertime drink.
5. Frankfurt, Germany
Frankfurt is definitely one of the best places to go in Europe for Christmas, because, among other advantages, tourists can benefit, if they want, from guided tours of the Christmas market.
6. Brussels, Belgium
Another city that is among the best places to visit in Europe during Christmas is the capital of Belgium, Brussels. Here, the stalls offer tasty dishes straight from Quebec, such as tartiflette, waffles, and oysters. It’s worth trying them!
7. Zurich, Switzerland
Of course, we can’t forget Zurich, Switzerland’s biggest city. As always, one of the most wonderful Christmas markets in Europe is set up in the main train station and is the biggest covered market on the continent, visited by a lot of people every year. Here, there is a special Christmas tree, fully decorated with Swarovski crystals, which contribute to a magical atmosphere.
8. Basel, Switzerland
At the same time, Basel is another place in Switzerland that is one of the best cities to spend Christmas in Europe. Not only the enchanting landscapes will take your breath away, but also the Christmas market that conquers the hearts of all tourists.
After you visit this destination once, without a doubt, you will want to come back next year to enjoy the festive spirit in the city located on the Rhine. Also, in this country, famous for its dreamy mountain areas, there are some of the best Christmas villages in Europe that are worth visiting, more precisely:
- Montreux;
- Lucerne;
- St. Gallen;
- Lugano;
- Zermatt;
- St. Moritz;
- Locarno.
Now that you have found out this information about the best places in Europe to spend Christmas, all that remains is to decide which is the best place in Switzerland for you to spend Christmas and then to book your well-deserved vacation. But that’s not all! In the following rows, some more ideas of the best Christmas vacations in Europe will be listed.
9. Lille, France
Lille is one of the best places to celebrate Christmas in Europe. Here you can find cabins with waffles, mulled wine, gingerbread and many other dishes for all tastes and budgets. In addition, if you want to admire the panorama, the lights of the city and enjoy an experience at high altitudes, you can go on the giant wheel, located on the Grand’Place pavement.
In France, there are several places that are known as some of the best places in Europe at Christmas. One of these is, obviously, the city of lights, Paris. So, if you want to organize a trip and want to benefit from one of the best Christmas vacations in Europe, then you must also visit Paris, beside Lille.
10. Prague, Czech Republic
Prague’s Christmas consists of decorated wooden cabins stocked with traditional delicacies and handicrafts, such as:
- Tasty grilled sausages (klobasa);
- Bread covered with garlic;
- Sweet dumplings (sladke knedliky);
- Pancakes (palacinky).
Therefore, if you plan to organize a Christmas Europe trip, then you must stop in Prague on your way because you will not regret it. Moreover, if you make this wise decision and visit one of the most popular Christmas towns in Europe, make sure that you know which are the main attractions in Prague, in order to visit as many new places as possible during your stay here.
The best Christmas cities in Europe + a few villages that tourists must explore
Although some of the most wonderful Christmas cities in Europe have been noted above, there are still a few places worth mentioning in this context. Therefore, if you declare yourself a big fan of this holiday, then you must add to your list of destinations a few more towns and villages that are among the best places to go at Christmas in Europe.
Do you want for Christmas to travel in Europe or are you seriously considering this option? Here are some places to visit in Europe for Christmas that you will like!
Top Christmas destinations in Europe: towns and villages to visit during the holiday
1. Budapest, Hungary
If until now you were searching online for the best Christmas holiday in Europe or, on the contrary, you couldn’t decide on the perfect destination, then there is an ideal place for you: Budapest. The capital of Hungary is not a typical Christmas town in Europe, but one that you will fall irreparably in love with. If you’ve been here before this time of the year, you know exactly what it’s about. Besides exploring the Christmas markets, there are many other things to do in Budapest that every tourist should know.
Back to the topic, this place is one of the cheapest places to go for Christmas in Europe. So, almost anyone can afford to buy at least one product made by the locals or one of the local delicacies, such as:
- Cabbage;
- Goulash;
- Grilled meat and sausages;
- Szekler cake.
Considering the festive décor and the multitude of possibilities for tourists, Budapeste is certainly one of the most amazing places to visit in Europe for Christmas.
2. Amsterdam, Netherlands
Amsterdam is another point of interest that is one of the best European towns for Christmas. If you visit the Christmas market in this city, you will be able to admire the ice rink and even try this winter sport yourself. More than that, the singers will play live music and the vans have a lot of dishes that are worth trying.
This city attracts millions of tourists every year curious to discover every corner. If you want to stay more than one day in one of the best Christmas locations in Europe, then you must find out which are the best places in Amsterdam, in order to know exactly where to go. Thus, you will not waste a single second of this special vacation.
3. Zagreb, Croatia
Did you propose to spend Xmas in Europe as you have seen in movies? In this case, you should not neglect an extremely appreciated and well-known place, Zagreb. There are many wonderful things to to in Zagreb, the capital of Croatia, one of the most beautiful vacation destinations.
Zagreb is one of the places to visit during Christmas in Europe, so take your group of friends, your relatives, or your life partner with you and have fun at the Advent Zagreb Christmas Market!
4. Munich, Germany
Germany is probably one of the best countries to spend Christmas in Europe, considering that this tradition of markets, so loved by people all over the world, was born here. Here are some of the best European cities to visit during Christmas, and one of them is Munich. Not only is it one of the best places in Europe to visit at Christmas, but it also has one of the oldest Christmas markets in history. That’s why it’s worth allocating more time to visit the surroundings. But first, you need to find out about the things to see in Munich, in order to know concretely which options you have and from what you can choose the ones that please you.
In Germany, apart from Munich, Frankfurt and Stuttgart, there are some other places to spend Christmas in Europe, among which are Cologne and Nuremberg. These are some of the most Christmassy places in Europe thanks to the arrangement in detail that creates a fairytale space.
Other places to visit in Europe during Christmas are:
- Tallinn, Estonia;
- Copenhagen, Denmark;
- Rovaniemi, Lapland, Finland;
- London, England;
- Berlin, Germany;
- Edinburgh, Scotland;
- Sibiu, Romania;
- Rovaniemi, Finland.
There are many places that can be called „the best cities to visit at Christmas in Europe”, but, in the end, what matters is which place you like the most and what you are looking for.
To conclude, if you want to travel to Europe for Christmas and to enjoy the festive atmosphere of a big city or a cute village, known for its Christmas markets, then you must consider the options mentioned in this article. So, enjoy the company of your soulmate, a close friend or other people dear to you in one of the best places to be in Europe for Christmas!
Photo: Framey.io, Unsplash.com, Pixabay.com.
