Christmas is approaching and the streets start to fill with lights and people looking to get into the Christmas spirit. A warm atmosphere that defies the cold of the season and brings together outside people on the hunt for the perfect gift along with tourists who want to discover the city’s Christmas lights or simply locals who enjoy strolling in the festive atmosphere.
Winter and Christmas also bring with it the long-awaited Christmas markets that are spread across almost the entire globe. A perfect place to enjoy with friends or family and find handmade Christmas decorations or gifts.
Visiting a Christmas market always gives a feeling of warmth that it is difficult to describe. Maybe it’s the wooden stalls, the smells of traditional sweets or the little lights that decorate everything. But the truth is that they are places where it is difficult to hold back a smile.
Although Christmas markets can be found all over the world, there is no doubt that Europe is the continent where there is the greatest concentration of them and where some of the most beautiful ones can be found.
Wondering which Christmas markets are near me? Discover the most beautiful Christmas markets around the world.
European Christmas markets
Europe is home to the highest concentration of Christmas markets, and there are cities that host several at the same time! But some of them are so special that they have earned the right to be considered the best markets in Europe.
Plaza Mayor Christmas Market (Madrid, Spain)
The best way to start is without leaving home. The Spanish capital has one of the most famous street markets, which transforms the Plaza Mayor into a place of dreams. It is one of the biggest in the country and is a must-see for tourists and locals alike every year. Here you can find handicrafts, Christmas decorations, fir trees, nativity scenes, typical sweets and jokes to celebrate the Holy Innocents.
The market is open from 25 November to 31 December.
The Angels Christmas Market (Londres, Reino The Angels Christmas Market (London, UK)
London breathes Christmas, we’re not going to deny it. Among its many Christmas markets, The Angels Christmas Market stands out as one of the most attractive. It is located in Hyde Park Winter Wonderland and you can find all kinds of handicrafts, from accessories to jewellery.
It is also known for its stalls of Christmas decorations and for the amount of traditional Christmas sweets that can be found in its wooden stalls.
The market is open from 18 November to 2 January.
Cologne Cathedral Christmas Market (Cologne, Germany)
At the foot of Cologne’s imposing Gothic cathedral is one of the most famous Christmas markets in Europe. This northern German city is one of the great epicentres of Christmas, attracting tourists from all over the world. Wooden toys, decorations, nativity scenes, Christmas delicacies and the famous spiced wine to keep out the winter cold. An unforgettable experience for any lover of this time of year.
The Cologne Cathedral flea market is open from 29 November to 23 December.
Place Broglie Christmas market (Strasbourg, France)
Strasbourg is considered one of the most beautiful cities in Europe thanks to the perfect blend of German and French tradition in its architecture. And its Christmas markets are no exception. Although many can be found throughout the city, one of the most famous, and also the largest, is the one in Place Broglie.
This market is known as Christkindel and was originally dedicated to Saint Nicholas. As with the others, you can sample the best delicacies from all over Alsace, as well as find the most beautiful traditional crafts, decorations and toys of the season.
The Christmas market on Place Broglie is open from 25 November to 24 December.
Bresanona Christmas Market (Bresanona, Italy)
Italy, like Spain, is a land of nativity scenes, and this is one of the great attractions of the Bresanona Christmas market. In this town in the region of Trentino Alto Adige (the famous Tyrol) you will find one of the most fascinating markets at the foot of the city’s duomo.
Here you can find handmade cribs, wooden ornaments, ceramics, glass and toys. The visits are often accompanied by live music and it is always possible to try some of the culinary specialities.
The Bresanona Christmas market is open from 29 November to 6 January.
Christmas markets around the world
Christmas markets may have originated in Europe, but nowadays they can also be found outside the Old Continent. Here are some of the best known.
Central Park Christmas Market (New York, United States)
At 59th and Central Park West you can find one of New York’s most famous Christmas markets, the kind that reminds you why so many of the movies of the season are centred around the city that never sleeps. This open-air flea market offers all sorts of treats for gifts and selfies, as well as a good selection of decorations and Christmas specialties to sample.
It is open from 28 November to 24 December.
String Bean Alley Christmas Market (Melbourne, Australia)
It may be the middle of summer in Australia, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have a Christmas market, does it? The String Bean Alley Christmas Market is part of the Melbourne Christmas Festival and is a night market where you can find everything from crafts to food, a giant gingerbread man, carol singers and even fake snow!
You can enjoy the market on the evenings of 5, 12 and 19 December.
Ottawa Christmas Market (Ottawa, Canada)
In the style of a European Christmas market, the Ottawa Christmas Market is located in Aberdeen Square, surrounded by the city’s most important buildings. Its wooden stalls, lights and decorations make it look like a small Christmas village that will delight the whole family. Like most of them, you can buy gifts, decorations and enjoy traditional Christmas performances and flavours.
Open from 25 November to 23 December.
Have you visited any of these markets? Comment and share!
We remind you that during the month of December you can enjoy our advent calendar on the Havaianas website, with a different surprise gift every day. Get yours!
