Travel Topics
Every winter, Arras transforms into a glittering Christmas wonderland. Nestled in the Grand’Place, the Arras Christmas Market or Ville de Noël à Arras is one of the largest in Hauts-de-France…
The Bratislava Christmas Market, held annually in the heart of Slovakia’s capital, transforms the historic Main Square (Hlavné námestie) into a festive wonderland. What to Expect at the Bratislava Christmas…
Mark Bibby Jackson travels to Klagenfurt in Carinthia Austria to be re-inspired by the magic of Christmas. Sometimes in the uber-commercialised world we live, it’s easy to forget the magic…
Mark Bibby Jackson takes the train from London Euston for a Manchester city break and sample the city’s festive offerings including its Christmas Markets. It’s been a long time since…
Explore global festivals and events in December 2024, from Europe’s enchanting Christmas markets to Guatemala’s colourful Fiesta de Santo Tomás. Experience diverse cultures, dazzling lights and unforgettable traditions worldwide. Follow…
From November 28 to December 28, the enchanting Cité de Noël transforms Béthune’s historic Grand’Place into one of the most captivating Christmas markets in the Hauts-de-France region. Nestled beneath the…
The unmistakable glow of Manchester Christmas Markets 2025 is set to illuminate the city centre once again, transforming streets and squares into a wintry wonderland from Friday, 7 November, through…
The Strasbourg Christmas Market is a magical event that blends centuries of tradition with the vibrant holiday spirit. As one of Europe’s oldest and most iconic Christmas markets, it has…
Tallinn Christmas Market runs from 21 November to 28 December in the Town Hall Square (Raekoja plats) right in the heart of the medieval lower Old Town of Tallinn. This…
If you are thinking of a slightly alternative Christmas market in Europe away from Vienna, Salzburg and Dresden you would do far worse that considering the Vilnius Christmas market. Vilnius…
France’s fourth largest city becomes a winter wonderland each December for the Toulouse Christmas Market. The Place du Capitole is transformed from 27 November to 28 December into a European…
Neil Hennessy-Vass visits Christmas at Waddesdon Manor and declares that the festive season has officially commenced. After a hiatus of two years (we all know why) that glorious Victorian confection…
December 8 marks the opening of the ski season at the SkiWelt Wilder Kaiser Brixental in the Wilder Kaiser region of Austria. SkiWelt Wilder Kaiser – Brixental The SkiWelt Wilder…
As befits such a dynamic and cosmopolitan city Berlin has not one but 70 Christmas markets, many of which have adopted a sustainable…
The medieval city of Antwerp makes for a stunning background to its famous Christmas market. Expanded now into several of the city’s prime historical locations…
It’s the season to be merry, but one Christmas Market stands out from the crowd – well it is the original one after all. Not that the Vienna Christmas Market is a single market, but…
In recent years stollen has become as much a feature of Christmas as figgy pudding. But nowhere do they celebrate the festive cake as seriously as in Dresden where each…
If you are planning to take a trip to a Christmas market this year, you could do far worse than travelling to Austria’s world-heritage city Salzburg, home of Mozart. Alongside…
A highlight of the festive season, Winchester Christmas Market opens on 22 November. Since 2006 the market has been recognised as one of the leading Christmas Festivals…
The hugely popular Beverley Festival of Christmas, in East Yorkshire, has grown from a small market to one of the largest festive celebrations in England. Held on 8 December…
The Brussels Christmas Market is no doubt one of the best in Europe for food and atmosphere. Winter Wonders – as the market is dubbed – runs over two kilometres through the Belgian…
This year, once more the Dresden Christmas Market, or Striezelmarkt, will take over the Saxon Baroque city for the 591st time. Originating in 1434, Striezelmarkt is one of the oldest…
Just like Christmas is not just about the Vienna Christmas Market, Czechia is not all about Prague, especially at Christmas time. The Brno Christmas Market (Brněnské Vánoce) takes place in the…
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.
