Must-visit Christmas markets around the world

Christmas markets evoke fairy tale scenes of medieval town squares, snow-capped mountains and the aroma of citrus-spiced glühwein (mulled wine) filling the air. It’s a pretty accurate picture, even several centuries after one of the earliest known markets popped up in Vienna in 1298.

The European Christmas market tradition has since spread across the globe. As a result, you might embrace the holiday spirit by sampling German-style pretzels and sausages in equally frosty Sapporo, Japan, while admiring its light show and towering tree. Or, you can combine ice-skating with browsing for handcrafted jewellery, toys and gifts at the Bryant Park Christmas market in the heart of New York.

Taking inspiration from Santa himself, we’ve made a list and checked it twice to point you to the best Christmas markets around the world.

North America

New York, US

Even before Thanksgiving, glittering Christmas markets set up shop across Manhattan, with the most central being Bryant Park’s Bank of America Winter Village , right by the New York Public Library in Midtown. It’s a wonderland of over 100 vendors selling jewellery, toys and chocolates, with an ice-skating rink smack bang in the middle. Union Square Market , meanwhile, supplements its weekly farmers market with festive stalls for holiday ornaments, seasonal gifts and gourmet foods. A live DJ helps heat things up. 

25 October–5 January 2025 (exact dates vary by market) 

Chicago, US

Chicago’s significant German community comes out in force for the annual downtown Christkindlmarket , inspired by the original in Nuremberg. Choirs and brass ensembles have been known to serenade those browsing for German-inspired classics like nutcrackers, cuckoo clocks, beer steins and glass ornaments. Take a break from last-minute shopping to refuel with your choice of potato pancakes, pretzels, schnitzel or chocolate-coated biscuits. 

22 November–24 December 

Toronto, Canada

The Distillery district’s cobblestone streets and Victorian-era brick warehouses set the scene for Toronto’s annual Christmas market , which brings together local food purveyors such as Sweetie Pie for homemade favourites like apple pie, and Tartistry, famous for tarts filled with barrel-churned creamery butter and bourbon vanilla. More treats include an outdoor beer (and mulled wine) garden, Santa’s Village, a towering Christmas tree and bands of carollers, dancing elves and other performers. 

13 November–31 December

Europe

Brussels, Belgium

More than 200 stalls serve glühwein, Belgian beers and waffles, of course, as part of the Winter Wonders   celebration, which is centred at the Grand Place and bends around to the Bourse, the Place de la Monnaie and Marche aux  Poissons. An ice-skating rink, a merry-go-round and a light show add to that multisensory experience. The Christmas Market welcomes you to sample all the oysters, wine and Belgian chocolates. There’s an interactive map, but it's pretty self-explanatory – just follow your nose to eat, drink and soak up all that Brussels has to offer at Christmastime.

29 November–5 January 2025

Nuremberg, Germany

Germany takes its Christmas markets seriously, and the Nuremberg Christkindlesmarkt  is tops for sheer size, quality and atmosphere. The market has a prime old-town location, with Frauenkirche church as an imposing backdrop, and a history stretching back to the 16th century. The stalls extend to nearby side streets, with seasonal foods such as local bratwurst, roasted almonds and lebkuchen, aka spiced gingerbread. Look out for the distinctive Nuremberg ‘prune men’ – edible sports and celebrity figurines made of prunes. You can also ride a reindeer with Father Christmas, jump on a giant merry-go-round and meet the Christkind (an angel believed by Lutherans to bring children their Christmas gifts). 

29 November–5 January 2025

Prague, Czech Republic 

It’s a pleasant stroll under twinkling lights between Prague’s two biggest Christmas markets : Wenceslas Square and Old Town Square, which features a stable of animals for children to pet and a Christmas tree transported from the northern Czech mountains. Wooden huts line the streets, while booming carols encourage even the grinchiest passersby to get in the holiday spirit. Sausages are a must-eat here; klobása is typically sandwiched between a simple white bread roll and washed down with a local pilsner. Polish off your market walk with vánočka, a traditional Christmas bread, while observing the festivities in front of St Nicholas Church or enjoying a Christmas concert. 

30 November–6 January 2025

St Gallen, Switzerland 

From Zurich, it’s about an hour’s drive east to St Gallen , whose market shines brightest among Switzerland’s many charming examples. That’s thanks, in part, to the more than 700 twinkling stars strung up above the small city centre, pointing your way to the Abbey district – recognised as a Unesco World Heritage site – and its cathedral with a giant baroque Christmas tree. More than 70 stalls make up the surrounding Christmas market, known for its local Appenzeller cheese rarebit, raclette and the St Gallen bratwurst. We recommend forgoing the apple cider in favour of the local speciality, feuerzangenbowle, a spicy sugarloaf set on fire dripping into a glühwein. 

28 November–6 January 2025

Vienna, Austria

Vienna supposedly hosted the first Christmas market back in 1298 and now counts more than 20 variations, all of which deliver on holiday cheer, mulled wine and cookies. One standout is the Vienna Christkindlmarkt in front of the City Hall (Wiener Rathaus), where a giant tree and ice-skating rink are popular draws. Another market worth visiting is the city centre’s Old Viennese Christmas Market on Freyung. It’s easy to access and fills up with both tourists and locals soaking up the ambiance – festive advent music begins at 4.30pm daily – and eating their fair share of marzipan-covered chocolate truffles. 

15 November–26 December (exact dates vary by market) 

Asia

Sapporo, Japan

Since 2002, Sapporo has brought a dose of European-style holiday cheer to a similarly cold Asian winter through its German Christmas Market . After all, Munich is Sapporo’s sister city. Stalls clustered in Odori Park sell warming favourites such as mulled wine, pretzels and sausages. Shoppers are also here to admire the Sapporo White Illumination light show and the park’s giant Christmas tree.  

22 November–25 December

Singapore 

The annual Christmas Wonderland  fair spreads Yuletide cheer through seasonal carnival games, performances and even a “blizzard” snow experience to the Gardens by the Bay. Wooden huts for shopping and eating replicate typical European Christmas market decor, while the SuperTree Grove is a lovely outdoor spot to linger under twinkling lights with family and friends. 

29 November–1 January 2025

This story was originally published in November 2019 and updated in November 2024.