My Ranking of European Christmas Markets

One of my favorite family traditions (newer, but still a tradition) is going to European Christmas markets with my dad. We started two years ago with Paris and though I was unable to attend Vienna’s markets last year with my dad and sister, we continued this year with Munich and Prague and added my mom to the mix! Because of the uncertain nature of standby flying, we ended up adding Dresden and Brussels.

Munich

I visited Munich over the summer and fell in love with the pastel neighborhoods and pints of beer. Going back in the winter, I fell in love with the smell of cinnamon-roasted nuts and twinkly lights that lined the streets. We first visited the Schwabing Christmas market. This one set the bar too high and was my favorite out of any that we went to the rest of the trip. It was clear that it was a local favorite. It was packed shoulder-to shoulder, and for good reason. People were chatting and drinking which really showed us how big of a cultural event these markets are. The art at this market was unique, handmade and local.

I truly could have bought something from each stall if I wasn’t on a budget. The other markets we visited were great and authentic as well but didn’t have the same artisan feel as the first one. A lot of the items for purchase were obviously wholesale manufactured at the rest of the markets, but there were opportunities to find more hand-crafted items if you took the time to look. The Marienplatz market was definitely a must-do, as well. Vendors line the plaza and if you can imagine it being busier than it normally is, you’ll be prepared for your Christmas market experience in Munich.

Dresden

The Dresden markets were super authentic. I felt like I was stepping into a medieval town. We indulged in spatzl, gnocchi and glühwein to warm ourselves up. As I’m not a huge wine fan, I typically opted for the spiked hot apple cider, which I cannot recommend enough. Walking through these markets, I noticed again that there were more unique and hand-made art items, which piqued my interest.

Typically, when you order a drink at any market, you’ll receive a ceramic or glass mug. If you return the mug, you get a few Euros back, and if not, you have a cute, cheap souvenir mug! We ended up keeping 4 mugs from different Dresden markets. They had unique designs on them that we just had to have! When packing these, we stuck some socks in them and wrapped them up in our clothes for easy storing to take up little room.

Brussels

We were only in Brussels for about 16 hours, but that was just enough time to explore the city at night! In our short exploration, I realized how much I love Brussels.

The city streets were adorned with twinkly lights, and we happened to stumble into Grand Place just as a giant light projection show began. It truly felt like we were in Disney World! This is definitely one place in which I need to spend more time!

Prague

This trip was my first time to Prague. I instantly fell head over heels for the city. The Eastern European influence on the buildings and streets was something that intrigued me because I had never experienced it before.

The Christmas markets here were quaint and had tasty food but honestly could not compare to authentic German markets. We still found our necessities of glühwein and crafted souvenirs, but the quantity and quality of these markets were just a little less than what we experienced in Germany.

Within a week, we hit almost 10 Christmas markets around Europe. They were all unique in their own ways, but still gave that familiar, traditional vibe that a Christmas market should give off.  Next year, I’m hoping to go to markets in Vienna! Any other suggestions? Let us know!