Few cultural experiences compare to your first true experience of visiting a Christmas market, two words that, even in 2025, continue to embody the very essence of the festive season. The celebration of Christmas began in Rome around 336 AD, though it didn’t become a major Christian festival until the 9th century. Over time, it has grown into one of the world’s most widely celebrated holidays globally as both a religious and cultural holiday.
Inside, visitors find chalet-style stores selling everything from deer antler-shaped chandeliers to traditional Swedish mulled wine — choral ensembles whose soaring harmonies and brass quartets’ festive overtures soundtrack a blur of candlelit bustle and laughter; revellers wrapped in wool and velvet; and vendors deftly arranging trays of roasted chestnuts, gingerbread hearts, and sugared almonds.
Millions are expected to wander through the world’s Christmas markets this season, which typically run from late November until Christmas Eve, though festivities in some cities extend well into the New Year. What began as local winter fairs has evolved into a global celebration. Whether you’re drawn by the elaborate light displays, cured sausages, or the promise of festive cheer in the cold, these are the best Christmas markets worth traveling for in 2025.
Best Christmas markets to visit in Europe in 2025
Brussels, Belgium
Walking through Brussels’ Winter Wonders feels like stepping into a living postcard of European Christmas tradition. Stretching for nearly 2 kilometres through the heart of the city, wooden chalets line the cobblestone paths connecting the Grand-Place, Bourse, Place de la Monnaie, Place Sainte-Catherine, and Marché aux Poissons.
Though modelled after northern European holiday fairs, its spirit is unmistakably Belgian, from waffles dotted with pearl sugar to local beers poured beneath glowing garlands. A whirl on the Ferris wheel reveals Gothic rooftops glimmering against the winter sky. Each year, the event attracts close to 2.5 million visitors, making it one of Europe’s most attended Christmas markets.
- Dates: November 28, 2025, to January 4, 2026
- Address: Grand-Place, Bourse, Place Sainte-Catherine, and Marché aux Poissons
Visit their website.
Amsterdam, Netherlands: A Christmas Market for pure festive fun in 2025
Some cities just look better covered in festive cheer, and Amsterdam is one of them. At Museumplein, the Christmas Village can feel the busiest with 45 stalls, roaming choirs, and steaming mulled wine. Over at RAI Amsterdam, the Winter Paradise bring out indoor and outdoor skating, snow tubing, and the Symphony of Lights.
Meanwhile, Westergasfabriek’s Funky Xmas Market near the Westerpark neighbourhood is where you can dive into a bit of artsy, creative flair with a distinctly Amsterdam edge. Beyond these typical market events, you can also explore Pure Markt Wintereditie in Park Frankendael and the Amstelveen Winter Village.
Christmas Village Amsterdam
- Dates: December 4 to December 28, 2025
- Address: Museumplein, Oud-Zuid
Visit the website.
Amsterdam Winter Paradise
- Dates: December 17 to January 3, 2026
- Address: RAI Amsterdam, Zuid
Visit the website.
Prague, Czech Republic
Few European capitals blend architecture quite like Prague does with its mix of Gothic, Baroque and Renaissance styles, and when snow starts settling on the red roofs and church spires, the 1,100-year-old city feels straight out of a winter fairytale.
The main markets are at Old Town Square (Staroměstské náměstí) and Wenceslas Square (Václavské náměstí), right in the heart of the city. The two squares are just a 5-minute walk apart, so it’s easy to visit both. Start at Old Town Square Market, the largest and most enchanting of the two and make just enough time to head down the street to Wenceslas Square Market for a second tour of a slightly different but equally interesting experience. Together, these markets rank among Europe’s best-loved and have earned multiple international awards.
Old Town Square Market
- Dates: November 29, 2025, to January 6, 2026
- Address: Staroměstské nám., 110 00 Josefov, Czechia
Wenceslas Square Market
- Dates: November 29, 2025, to January 6, 2026
- Address: Václavské náměstí, 110 00, Nové Město, Praha 1
Strasbourg, France
Dating back more than 450 years, the Strasbourg Christmas Market began in 1570 as the Christkindelsmärik (Market of the Infant Jesus). Today, it stands as a UNESCO-recognised cultural gem and one of Europe’s most atmospheric winter gatherings. At its heart towers the tallest decorated Christmas tree on the continent, a dazzling 30-metre fir, surrounded by more than 300 wooden chalets selling handcrafted gifts, spiced treats, and items inspired by Alsatian Christmas traditions.
- Dates: November 26 to December 24, 2025
- Address: Cathedral Square, Strasbourg, France
Visit the website.
Berlin, Germany, for the best Christmas Market experience in 2025
To say that Berlin goes all out at Christmas is something of an understatement. The German capital truly embodies a winter wonderland during the festive season. We’d even go so far as to say that if you can visit just one city this Christmas, make it Berlin. And we’re not just saying that; the city’s official website notes that over 100 Christmas markets take place here every year. If you could only visit one, we’d recommend WeihnachtsZauber, which returns to Berlin’s beautifully renovated Gendarmenmarkt, one of its most iconic squares.
More than a thousand glittering lights and baubles illuminate its elegant white tents, attracting over 600,000 visitors annually. Guests can sample Bavarian and Austrian specialities like Neuburger Rahmbrot (bread with melted cheese) and Kaiserschmarren (sweet shredded pancakes), explore artisan crafts from glassblowers and goldsmiths, and enjoy live performances. For a full list of Christmas markets happening in 2025, and an interactive map to help you navigate them, click here.
- Dates: November 24 to December 31, 2025
- Address: Gendarmenmarkt, 10117 Berlin, Germany
Visit the website.
London, the United Kingdom
The most hyped-for-the-right-reasons Christmas market, Hyde Park Winter Wonderland, is returning in 2025 with over 150 rides, attractions, and live shows, including the UK’s largest open-air ice rink and the towering 70-metre Giant Wheel. This year’s theme, ‘The Magical Ice Kingdom: A Mystical, Mythical Fantasy World’, features over 500 tonnes of ice and snow sculpted into the Four Realms of Earth, Fire, Air and Water. New additions include a reimagined Santa Land with London’s largest free Santa’s Grotto, an interactive Elves Workshop, and Luminarie Lane, an Italian-designed light installation. Visitors can explore hand-crafted gifts, enjoy Bavarian food and mulled wine, or catch shows like Zippos Christmas Circus and Cirque Berserk: Ignite.
Other London markets worth exploring include Leicester Square Christmas Market, Southbank Centre Winter Market, Covent Garden Christmas Markets, Old Spitalfields Christmas Market, and Kingston Christmas Market.
- Dates: November 14 to January 1, 2026
- Address: Louisa Duckworth Walk, London W1K 7AN, United Kingdom
Visit the website.
Paris, France
Tucked between the Louvre and Place de la Concorde, the Tuileries Garden Christmas Market 2025 turns one of Paris’s most elegant parks into a lively open-air village. Around 80 wooden chalets line the paths, filled with regional delicacies, artisan crafts, and vin chaud served steaming from copper pots. Families drift between carousels and game stalls as the city’s evening light settles over the statues and fountains. In short, it’s an unmistakably Paris Christmas market, dressed perfectly festive for some winter-y fun.
- Dates: November 15, 2025, to January 4, 2026
- Address: Place de la Concorde, 75001 Paris, France
