The Ultimate Guide To Planning Your Christmas Market Trip

The mention of Christmas in September might be enough to send you screaming for the hills, but the reality is that if you want a festive event to happen, you need to start planning it now! One of the most popular things to do in November and December is visit a Christmas Market, which are held in many UK cities and also throughout Europe.

There’s nothing like the tempting gift stalls, bags of roast chestnuts, and cheery lights and music to get in the mood for Christmas. It’s also a great opportunity to explore a new city with your family and friends, or even to hire a coach for a bigger group day out for a club or community outing. 

As it’s still early in the autumn, there’s still enough time to plan a trip further afield if the idea of exploring the cities of continental Europe takes your fancy. Get your Christmas shopping sorted early this year with our guide to planning a festive market fling. 

Choose your destination

There are now so many Christmas markets to choose from that it can be difficult to know which one to pick. Consider how long you want to spend travelling and if you want extra time to explore the rest of the city, or if you want to focus exclusively on the market. If you have a few days to spare and the right budget, you may wish to plan a European excursion.

The original Christmas market

The Christmas market originated in Germany, with the oldest considered to be Dresden’s Striezelmarkt, which can be traced back to 1434. The name ‘striezel’ refers to a type of sweet bread rather like stollen, and was one of the festive food and drink items sold at the market. 

The market evolved over the years into a festive celebration with gifts, music and entertainment as well as food. The Dresden market is still a thriving market today if you are craving an authentic experience. 

As you might expect, the Striezelmarkt is one of the largest and most traditional markets you can find, but throughout the city you will find several other smaller events. Dresden is also a beautiful city with riverside walks, heritage and museums to explore.

The best European Christmas markets

Other German cities with bustling markets include Berlin, Frankfurt, Hamburg, and Munich. Most of them open during the last week of November and run right through until Christmas Day, although a handful stay open into the new year. 

Other European cities with good Christmas markets include Vienna, Austria, which is often sprinkled with snow in December; Budapest, Hungary; Prague, Czech Republic; and Strasbourg, France. 

When to travel

It may be possible to arrange cheaper travel and accommodation in late November or early December, but consider if this is too early for you and the rest of your party to be getting into the festive spirit. If you have the chance to go mid-week rather than at the weekend, then the markets will usually be less crowded. 

Making the most of your trip

If you are planning a longer break rather than just a day trip, make the most of it with some other sightseeing activities, or even a tour of different markets around the country. Plan to visit the markets at different times of day, because the atmosphere changes and evenings can be lovely when the stalls are brightly lit and everyone is slightly merry. 

In the afternoons, many markets will have some form of entertainment such as an outdoor ice rink, fairground rides, or live music. Be adventurous and try new local foods and drink rather than sticking to what you know, and don’t forget to bring plenty of bags to safely carry all of those gifts and goodies home with you!

Cool Christmas markets in the UK

Most UK cities now host a Christmas market, so you may simply wish to travel to the city that is most convenient for you. Historical cities that are geared towards tourists tend to hold the most elaborate affairs. For example, York, Bath, Edinburgh and Winchester are very popular destinations.

Manchester and Birmingham are also excellent places to visit at Christmas with large markets featuring hundreds of stalls, foods from around the world, live entertainment, and high-quality crafts and goods.