# The 20 Best Christmas Markets in Europe

> Some of these markets have been trading since the Middle Ages, others sit in caves or under Ferris wheels; cathedral squares and Baltic old towns fill out the rest.

*By YPB Team · Published November 7, 2026 · https://youpick.best/ranking/the-20-best-christmas-markets-in-europe*

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## Current results (no votes yet)

1. **Esslingen Medieval Christmas Market** — score 1000/1000
   A Christmas market in Esslingen am Neckar where traders and performers in medieval costume sell crafts beside a regular Christmas market.
2. **Strasbourg Christkindelsmärik** — score 999/1000
   Strasbourg's Christmas market, held since 1570 around Strasbourg Cathedral and Place Kléber, is one of the oldest in France.
3. **Riga Christmas Market** — score 953/1000
   A Christmas market on Dome Square in Riga's old town, a city that claims the first decorated Christmas tree in 1510.
4. **Stockholm Stortorget Christmas Market** — score 840/1000
   A Christmas market of red stalls on Stortorget, the oldest square in Stockholm's Gamla stan.
5. **Nuremberg Christkindlesmarkt** — score 750/1000
   Nuremberg's Christmas market on the Hauptmarkt square, opened each year by the Christkind's prologue from the Frauenkirche balcony.
6. **Munich Christkindlmarkt** — score 680/1000
   Munich's main Christmas market on Marienplatz, in front of the New Town Hall.
7. **Vienna Christmas Market at Rathausplatz** — score 680/1000
   Vienna's largest Christmas market, held on Rathausplatz in front of the neo-Gothic City Hall with lights strung through the trees of the Rathauspark.
8. **Salzburg Christkindlmarkt** — score 600/1000
   Salzburg's Christmas market on Domplatz and Residenzplatz, in front of Salzburg Cathedral in the UNESCO-listed old town.
9. **Colmar Christmas Markets** — score 600/1000
   Several themed Christmas markets spread through the half-timbered old town of Colmar in Alsace, including Little Venice.
10. **Valkenburg Cave Christmas Markets** — score 508/1000
   Christmas markets held inside the Velvet Cave and the Municipal Cave in the marl caves of Valkenburg in the Netherlands.
11. **Frankfurt Christmas Market** — score 400/1000
   Frankfurt's Christmas market on the Römerberg in front of the Römer town hall, first recorded in 1393.
12. **Dresden Striezelmarkt** — score 400/1000
   Dresden's Christmas market on the Altmarkt, first held in 1434 and named after the Striezel, the local word for Christstollen.
13. **Prague Old Town Christmas Market** — score 400/1000
   Prague's Christmas market on Old Town Square, set around a large Christmas tree in front of the Church of Our Lady before Týn.
14. **Cologne Cathedral Christmas Market** — score 400/1000
   A Christmas market on Roncalliplatz beside Cologne Cathedral, the best known of the city's several Advent markets.
15. **Aachen Christmas Market** — score 400/1000
   A Christmas market around Aachen Cathedral and the town hall, known for Aachener Printen gingerbread.
16. **Kraków Christmas Market** — score 400/1000
   A Christmas market on Kraków's Main Market Square, beside the Cloth Hall and St. Mary's Basilica.
17. **Advent in Zagreb** — score 400/1000
   Zagreb's city-wide Advent festival, voted best Christmas market in Europe by European Best Destinations in 2016, 2017 and 2018.
18. **Budapest Vörösmarty Square Christmas Fair** — score 273/1000
   Budapest's central Christmas fair, held each Advent on Vörösmarty Square at the northern end of Váci Street.
19. **Bruges Christmas Market** — score 273/1000
   A Christmas market on the Markt square in Bruges, beneath the medieval Belfry tower.
20. **Tallinn Christmas Market** — score 273/1000
   A Christmas market on Town Hall Square in Tallinn's medieval Old Town, a city that claims to have raised one of the first public Christmas trees in 1441.

Tags: europe, christmas, travel, markets