Europe's Christmas Markets Worth the Trip
Updated 28 September 2026 with confirmed 2026 dates.
Every December, a handful of European cities become the reason people travel. But the market itself is rarely what makes the trip. The hotel you return to, the table you've booked, the concert you didn't expect to love: these are what people remember.
So our advice is simple. Choose the city you will love once you leave the market. Here are four we think are worth building a trip around, each for a very different reason.
Vienna, for grandeur
Christmas market, Rathausplatz, Vienna, Austria. Photograph: Artyom / Unsplash.
Vienna does Christmas on an imperial scale. The market on Rathausplatz is the famous one, but we prefer the courtyard at Schönbrunn Palace and the narrow lanes of Spittelberg, where the crowds thin and the craftsmanship improves. Add an evening at the Musikverein or the State Opera, and a slow afternoon in one of the old coffee houses.
2026 dates: Rathausplatz, 13 November to 26 December; Schönbrunn Palace, 6 November to 6 January 2027.
Where we'd stay: Hotel Sacher or Hotel Imperial for a classic grand hotel, or Rosewood Vienna for something quieter and more contemporary.
Salzburg, for atmosphere
Christkindlmarkt, Domplatz, Salzburg, Austria. Photograph: Photograph: www.christkindlmarkt.co.at Salzburg.
Smaller and more intimate than Vienna, Salzburg is where Advent feels most traditional. The Christkindlmarkt fills the squares around the cathedral, and the Advent market at Hellbrunn Palace is well worth the short drive. "Silent Night" was first sung in 1818 in Oberndorf, just outside the city, and music runs through the season here.
2026 dates: 19 November to 1 January 2027, on Domplatz and Residenzplatz.
Where we'd stay: Hotel Sacher Salzburg, on the river with views to the old town, or Hotel Goldener Hirsch, tucked into the Getreidegasse.
Vienna and Salzburg are around two and a half hours apart by train, which makes them a natural pairing.
Copenhagen, for families
Christmas market, Højbro Plads, Copenhagen, Denmark. Photograph: Colin + Meg / Unsplash.
This is our pick for travelling with children. Christmas at Tivoli brings together lights, rides and winter food in a way that works across every generation, and the market along Nyhavn adds the classic harbour setting. It is also one of Europe's great restaurant cities, which parents tend to appreciate.
2026 dates: Christmas in Tivoli, 13 November to 3 January 2027.
Where we'd stay: Nimb, set inside Tivoli Gardens itself, or Hotel d'Angleterre on Kongens Nytorv for the city's most classic address.
Tallinn, for intimacy
Christmas market, Town Hall Square, Tallinn, Estonia. Photograph: Dmitry Sumin / Unsplash.
Tallinn's market sits on Town Hall Square, at the heart of a medieval old town that is UNESCO-listed and remarkably intact. It is smaller and calmer than the Central European markets. For travellers who find Vienna too busy, that is exactly the appeal.
2026 dates: 20 November to 6 January 2027.
Where we'd stay: Hotel Telegraaf, in the old town, a few minutes' walk from the square.
Tallinn is also a two-hour ferry from Helsinki, so it combines well with a few days in Finland.
When should you book a Christmas market trip?
Earlier than most people expect. Vienna's Rathausplatz market closes on 26 December, but Salzburg, Tivoli and Tallinn all continue into the new year, so a trip can span Christmas and New Year. The best rooms in Vienna and Salzburg for Advent weekends are often committed by October, as are concert seats and restaurant tables in December. If you are considering this year, now is the moment.
How we'd plan it
We would build the trip around the city rather than the stalls. That means visiting the markets on weekday evenings when they are quieter, securing concert and dinner reservations in advance, and choosing a hotel you'll look forward to coming back to each night.
If a December in Vienna, Salzburg, Copenhagen or Tallinn appeals, we would be glad to shape it around you.
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Header photograph: Mario Tuzon / Unsplash.
