Bishop Auckland Christmas Town 2025
Now in its 5th year, Bishop Auckland Christmas Town has become a much-loved tradition, transforming the historic town centre and marketplace into the “Christmas Capital of the North.” Visitors can…
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Now in its 5th year, Bishop Auckland Christmas Town has become a much-loved tradition, transforming the historic town centre and marketplace into the “Christmas Capital of the North.” Visitors can…
Eastern Europe comes alive during the festive season, and Romania and Moldova are no exception. From bustling capital squares to quaint medieval towns, these countries offer a magical mix of…
Few countries capture the spirit of a traditional European Christmas quite like Czechia. With its cobbled medieval towns, Gothic cathedrals and cosy cafés serving steaming cups of svařák (mulled wine)…
Columbus Wanderlights is a long-running, free light trail through Downtown linking Columbus Commons with other illuminated stops. It’s not a chalet-style market, but it functions as a winter festival anchor:…
Running at the BJCC, Birmingham’s Christmas Village Festival is the state’s headline indoor festive market. Hundreds of artisans and boutique vendors fill the exhibition halls with Christmas décor, toys, clothing…
Cleveland’s Christmas Connection returns to the I‑X Center, packing the vast halls with holiday décor, toys, gifts and artisan wares. The show typically features live entertainment, Santa photos and celebrity…
Boise’s Riverside Hotel hosts the Winter Wonder Market—a free, creator‑focused holiday fair with 75+ local vendors. Expect handmade jewellery, woodwork, prints, candles and gourmet treats alongside festive photo ops and…
Jackson’s Holiday Bazaar brings together local artists and makers for two days of indoor shopping in the shadow of the Tetons. Browse jewellery, ceramics, fine art, leatherwork and gourmet goodies…
This extended pop‑up market from the Art Association of Jackson Hole showcases work by local artists—paintings, prints, ceramics, jewellery and ornaments—in a gallery‑shop format. It’s a brilliant place to find…
Complementing the international flair of Christmas Village across the street, the Made in Philadelphia Holiday Market showcases 45+ local artisans and food makers in white wooden booths at Dilworth Park…
Hosted by the Germania Society at their wooded Germania Park, Cincinnati’s Christkindlmarkt offers a classic German‑American festive weekend: Friday evening atmosphere, a full Saturday and a relaxed Sunday to close…
Georgetown, a preserved silver‑rush town in the Rockies, hosts a charming Old World market on the first two weekends of December. Expect roasted chestnuts, carollers, St. Nicholas visits and stalls…
More theatre than market—though there’s plenty of shopping—The Great Dickens Christmas Fair recreates Victorian London across 140,000 sq ft of the Cow Palace. Running weekends from late November to late…
Launched in 2023, Seattle Christmas Market has quickly become a West Coast favourite. Set across Fisher Pavilion and the South Fountain Lawn at Seattle Center, it brings rows of alpine…
Detroit’s winter markets bring holiday shopping to Cadillac Square with a mix of local makers, food stalls and festive photo‑ops. The cosy cabins make browsing pleasant even on cold days…
Before December’s big events, Denver warms up with the Urban Holiday Market, a series of weekend pop‑ups at Union Station. The market brings local makers, gifts and festive snacks to…
Downtown Pittsburgh’s Cultural District transforms into a European‑style market. Wooden chalets line pedestrian streets with local makers and international vendors selling gifts, decorations and winter warmers. The setting—surrounded by theatres…
Philadelphia Christmas Village is one of the nation’s standout European‑inspired markets, stretching across LOVE Park and City Hall. Expect a lively mix of wooden stalls selling ornaments, knitwear and artisan…
The Mile High City’s Christkindlmarket delivers European warmth against a Rocky Mountain backdrop. At Auraria Campus’ Tivoli Quad, you’ll find wooden stalls laden with nutcrackers, sheepskins and hand‑crafted decorations, alongside…
Discover the most magical Christmas festivals in Spain, Portugal, Andorra and Madeira — from historic nativity fairs in Seville to winter wonderlands in Lisbon, cosy alpine villages in Andorra and…
When winter descends upon the Alps, Switzerland and Liechtenstein transform into glittering wonderlands filled with festive spirit, mountain charm and centuries-old traditions. Wooden chalets brim with crafts, twinkling lights reflect…
The Downtown Holiday Market brings festive sparkle to Penn Quarter, stretching along F Street NW with a curated mix of rotating artisans, specialty foods and live entertainment. The line‑up changes…
Aosta’s Marché Vert Noël transforms Roman‑era streets and squares into a winter village dotted with timber chalets. You’ll find woollens, woodcarving and mountain flavours, along with hot chocolate and mulled…
Bressanone’s Christmas Market unfolds beneath the cathedral towers on Piazza Duomo, with wooden huts selling artisan gifts, tree decorations and regional delicacies. Expect choirs, brass bands and a leisurely, family‑friendly…
Come November the cities and towns of Europe join in unison to celebrate the advent of Christmas with a Christmas Market. What started off as very much a Germanic tradition has now swept across much of mainland Europe as well as in the UK.
The very first December market was held in 1298 when Albrecht I granted permission for a meat market, and the Austrian capital is very much at the heart of festive markets to this day, with 20 in and around the city.
However, it is in Germany that the markets really flourished, with Dresden’s Striezelmarkt standing out as one of the most spectacular Christmas markets in the country – where else can you see a giant stollen parade?
In the UK the trend has evolved more recently, with markets now appearing in most cities and towns across the kingdom. From Winchester to Beverley and Padstow each has its own particular take on the theme, and London even has its own Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park.
From the iconic Brussels Christmas Market in the capital of the European Union, the festive seasonal tradition has also swept across eastern Europe and Scandinavia. The Brno Christmas Market is prove that the Czech Republic is not all about Prague while in Lithuania they take place all over this small country, from its capital Vilnius to the smaller city of Kaunas. Meanwhile, the one in Helsinki called Tuomaan Markkinat, is amongst Europe’s most Istagrammable Christmas markets.