The Best Christmas Markets Around the World
Skansen
Stockholm, Sweden
This unique open-air museum is the oldest of its kind in Europe, celebrating music and tradition in equal measures among its historic houses and farmsteads on the tiny island of Djurgården in central Stockholm. Beyond the festive lights and delicious food for sale, the standouts here are each December are the Scandinavian animals housed in the property’s zoo and the interactive crafts workshops, from which you can emerge with your own handmade treasure.
Niels Poulsen simi2 / AlamyTivoli Gardens
Copenhagen, Denmark
Visitors to Denmark join locals every winter for the Christmas festivities at Tivoli Gardens, the second-oldest amusement park in the world. Built in 1843 and featuring plenty of rides among its stunning flower gardens, Tivoli’s Christmas market has it all: Traditional snacks and drinks, glittering lights, glass ornaments and other holiday trinkets to peruse, and—new this year—a wintry wonderland scene set in a traditional Alpine village.
Winter Village at Bryant Park
New York, NY
Essential at least once in your life—if not every year—celebrating Christmas in New York City isn’t complete without a visit to this lively open-air market that pops up every October smack in the middle of the city that never sleeps. Artisans from around the globe hawk one-of-a-kind treasures, handmade jewelry, specialty foods, and eco-friendly artwork in rows of custom-made kiosks that surround The Rink, where ice skaters circle for hours underneath the sparkling Manhattan skyline.
Striezelmarkt
Dresden, Germany
Traditional music, blazing holiday lights, and the irresistible aroma of mulled wine beckons guests to the heart of Dresden for Germany’s largest and oldest Christmas market—which, 580 years after its opening in 1434, retains much of its original character and charm. Don’t miss the 46-foot Christmas pyramid or a sample of freshly-baked authentic Stollen, the renowned Christmas bread after which this bustling bazaar gets its name.
Christkindlmarkt Chicago
Chicago, IL
Daley Plaza in the Windy City’s Loop District invites merrymakers to come for free to its exhilarating version of a traditional German Christmas festival. Bring a group and book your table at Grand Timber House, where revelers can feast on warm drinks and holiday delicacies before heading back out to stroll, shop, and look for the golden fairy known as the Christkind—a German version of Santa—who wanders the grounds handing out gifts.
Strasbourg Christmas Market
Strasbourg, France
Billing itself the “capital of Christmas,” this expansive, award-winning fair has joyfulness to spare. Vendors are stationed in charming wooden chalets and concerts are performed nightly, while an ice skating rink and the famous “blue tree” of Strasbourg will delight younger visitors.
Great Dickens Christmas Fair
San Francisco, CA
It’s always Christmas Eve at the Great Dickens fair in San Francisco’s Cow Palace exhibition hall. As you browse the winding streets filled with quaint shops, apothecaries, art galleries, and other Victorian delights, you may bump into beloved characters like Ebenezer Scrooge, Tiny Tim, the Artful Dodger—giving visitors of all ages the feeling they’ve stepped into a Charles Dickens novel.
Bronner’s Christmas Wonderland
Frankenmuth, MI
There’s a good reason why more than 2 million visitors flock each year to this megastore of Christmas décor in an otherwise quiet corner of the Midwest. Bursting with gifts, collectibles, and more than 8,000 types of ornaments, the market (open 361 days a year) ramps things up in December, featuring an entire street of glittering lighted archways, the illuminated yet intimate Silent Night Memorial Chapel, and 90,000 square feet of unbeatable holiday bargains.
Toronto Christmas Market
Toronto, Canada
The historic Distillery District of Toronto gets even more beautiful in December, when cheery Christmas lights illuminate the streets and revelers sipping mulled wine and German beer shop for handcrafted charms. Take a break from the holiday merriment and grab a bite to eat at one of the neighborhood’s quaint, crowded restaurants or pubs (but be sure to avoid a lengthy wait for a table by making reservations in advance).
Old Town and Wenceslas Squares
Prague, Czech Republic
Traditional Czech gifts like potpourri, handmade soap, and wooden toys are exhibited at multiple spots in Prague each holiday season, but a pair that are not to be missed are those at Old Town Square and Wenceslas. Not only are they two of the busiest, they’re also surrounded by magnificent architecture and history in the heart of this notable city.
Christkindlesmarket Nuremberg
Nuremberg, Germany
The best way to enjoy the Christkindlmarkt in the historical city of Nuremberg is with a stagecoach ride around the lavishly decorated shops and food stalls. In addition to giving you a bird’s-eye view of the festivities and regaling you with Christmas songs on his trumpet, your coachman can also make sure you find plenty of Nuremberg Prune Men—traditional figurines made from dried prunes and figs—to take home as souvenirs.
Christkindlmarkt Bethlehem
Bethlehem, PA
This Christmas, visit the little town of Bethlehem—in Pennsylvania, that is. The Christkinlmarkt here features rotating displays by artisans and crafters that change week to week, so visitors can come back more than once to find gifts for everyone on their lists. Those with little ones will enjoy meeting St. Nicholas as well as nightly concerts by young local performers.
Christkindlmarkt Salzburg
Salzburg, Austria
Baroque architecture makes an idyllic backdrop for downtown Salzburg's Christkindlmarkt, one of Europe’s first and the perfect place to pick up traditional Austrian gingerbread while viewing jovial holiday performances as well as the living Nativity scene. Manageable at under 100 stalls, the market offers a sophisticated array of handmade crafts, sweets, and other treasures.
Shanghai German Christmas Market
Shanghai, China
You’ll instantly forget you’re in the center of the largest city in China after a few minutes at this German-style marketplace, which debuted this year. Raucous theme parties and treasure-filled shopping huts abound, but it’s the enticing food stalls serving up Bratwurst, Gluhwein and Zotter chocolate that will have you wondering if you’ve been magically transported to Europe for the evening.
Hyde Park Winter Wonderland
London, England
Visit a circus, ride the Giant Wheel, and skate on the Lycamobile Ice Rink at this fairyland of winter fun. Don’t miss the Magical Ice Kingdom, a fantasy forest home to unicorns, fairies, and castles made completely out of ice and snow. Afterward, warm up by the roaring fire at live-music venue Arctic Lodge Bar, or head to the Bavarian Great Hall for a refreshing stein of German beer.