The best markets for Christmas shopping
Norsk Folkemuseum Christmas Fair
For many of us Christmas is a time to be with family and reminisce about old times and old friends. Some of us are helped along memory lane by the reappearance of the same Christmas decorations year after year, but in th...more
Munster Christmas Market
The real magic of the traditional German Christmas markets is in the air or in the atmosphere to be precise. The contrast of the short, grey days with the nights lit up by the warm golden glow of festive lights and trimm...more
Berlin Christmas Market
The cosiest, most colourful and traditional Christmas that you dreamed about as a small child really does exists. Berlin’s Kaiser Wilhelm Gedachtniskirche Christmas Market is a compact network of festive pathways, which ...more
Baden-Baden Christmas Market
The horns of heralding angles are replaced by hunting horns in Baden-Baden’s Christmas Market nativity, but the animals baying in the manger are real and pet-able. Baby Jesus and Santa make an appearance in a horse rathe...more
Hamelin Christmas Market
If this German town’s name sounds familiar, here’s a hint─think wind instruments. Hamelin is the town Pied Piper cleared first of mice and rats and then of children, and you can’t get much more fairy tale than actually b...more
Salzburg Christmas Market
The cathedral and Hohensalzburg fortress make this market’s charming backdrop. Idling between the eighty or so stalls, breath showing as you sip from your cup of hot mulled wine or hot chocolate, you’ll be presented with...more
Graz Hauptplatz Christmas Market
A covered market makes more sense at this time of year and in Graz a pavilion is put up over the main square to allow comfortable shopping or strolling whatever is the weather. Performers keep market visitors entertained...more
Hamburg Weihnachtsmarkt
During the advent period, hundred new merchants move to Hamburg’s main square in front of the Town Hall where a tree is set up and lit by 1000 candles─just in case you forgot what time of the year it is. Bakers from Aach...more
Cologne Christmas Markets
With the cathedral towering behind it, this market gets bonus points for setting and atmosphere. The Christmas market essentials are all taken care of including mulled wine in themed, collectable mugs. Around 150 stalls ...more
Nuremberg Christkindlesmarkt
Since sixteenth century, Christkindlesmarkt has taken place in the main square of the old town in Nuremberg. At 5:30 pm on the Friday before the first Advent Sunday, a ‘Christmas Angel’ (a young girl chosen from citizens...more
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