5 beautiful European cities for Christmas markets and a fairytale atmosphere this winter

Christmas is just around the corner, but if Colorado’s mall ice rinks and expensive ski resorts don’t exactly help you get into the festive spirit, there’s only one thing that will.

Imagine old cobbled towns, dusted with snow, a medieval belfry in the distance with loud bells signaling the hour, and an endless row of wooden stalls serving mulled wine and all kinds of juicy sausages:

Yes, good old Europe is where it is.

Maybe it’s the fact that it all started there, or maybe it’s just the allure of the Old World – we’ll never know for sure, but what we Doing Just know that spending your holiday across the pond feels particularly magical here 5 fairytale cities:

Dresden, Germany

Speaking of historic markets, how about checking out Europas very first ever ‘Wedding market’? That’s just another long, complicated German word meaning Christmas market, but we’re trying not to repeat ourselves here.

It is located in Dresden, a beautiful city in southeastern Germany, often called the ‘Florence of the North’, and according to public records: this market first took place in 1434which makes it almost 600 years old.

It is incredibly picturesque, located in the heart of Dresden’s Old Town Square, flanked by landmarks such as the baroque Frauenkirche, the newly renovated Dresden Castle, and the stately Semperoper Opera House.

Apart from the beautiful surroundings, you can taste the original stollenthe famous German fruit bread served during the holidays – originally baked in Dresden – and drink a few pints of it mulled beer (hot beer) while watching the little nutcrackers do their dance in the Christmas pyramid.

Tallinn, Estonia

Surprisingly picturesque for a capital, Tallinn is a picture-perfect port city on the shores of the Baltic Sea, still surrounded by imposing walls, built all the way back in the Middle Ages, and with a festive atmosphere like no other.

Not only does it feel like you’re in a literal scene from a storybook, with the winding alleys, cone-shaped towers you’d swear you saw in a Disney movie, and pointy church steeples, the market near Tallinn’s Old Town Hall is one of the oldest on the continent.

By the way, the first public Christmas tree ever placed in Europe stood on the same square in 1441, on the orders of the Brotherhood of Blackheads. This year, the tree lighting ceremony is expected to take place on November 21.

With medieval themed stalls and traditional savory recipes passed down through generations of families over the centuries, Tallinn’s market is as Christmassy as Europe can be– Make sure you try the local black pudding (verivorst), usually served with potatoes or sauerkraut.

Strasbourg, France

One of the most famous Christmas destinations in Europe, Strasbourg is the cultural heart of France’s heavily Germanic Alsace region and an idyllic city built around a monumental Gothic cathedral from the Middle Ages.

There’s plenty to do in Strasbourg to keep the culture lover in you entertained whatever the season, from canal-crossed Petite-France to the maze of half-timbered houses near the cathedral, but there’s no denying it’s December Real comes to life.

With around 13 different markets spread across the historic centre, Strasbourg has rightly earned its title Europe’s Christmas capital, for the oldest and most traditional, go to Place Brogliewhere the famous Christkindelsmärik has been held for 450 years.

The cheese heavy bretzels (yes, with ab) and tartes flambéed served there are truly off the charts. Other highlights include the market on Cathedral Square and the one at Place Kléber, where there is a huge, richly decorated pine tree.

Cologne, Germany

One of the largest in Europe, the food trucks and souvenir stalls of the Cologne Christmas Market typically spring up in the shadow of a towering Cologne Cathedral, a ancient medieval wonder of dark stone that survived the shelling of the Second World War largely unscathed.

It immediately provides that dramatic backdrop of the only European cityThat’s possible, but the main reason tourists from all over the world flock here from late November onwards is the sheer size and scope of the two-month festivities.

Just like in Strasbourg, there are different markets to choose fromand because they are all a short walk from each other, it almost feels like the whole city has become one big Christmas village.

Would you like to try different beers on tap and enjoy live music? Domplatz, the closest to the cathedral, is the place to be, and it becomes quite a party as soon as the local band strums the first guitar chords.

If you feel like it bratwurst and potato pancakes, Alter Markt has the best range of Christmas meals in the city. Make sure you take some cash in advance, as several stalls do not accept credit cards.

Zagreb, Croatia

We’re sure you know Croatia for Dalmatia’s sun-drenched coast and beach destinations like Split and Dubrovnik, but in case you didn’t know, the seriously overlooked capital of Zagreb puts one unforgettable Advent.

Rather than the Mediterranean, this part of Croatia is culturally anchored in Central Europe and is very similar to countries like Austria and Hungary. Needless to say, they take their Christmas celebrations seriously:

The main one extends across the central Ban Jelačić Square and into the cathedral-dominated Old Town, and somehow it feels a lot more intimate and more family-friendly than the vast French or German markets.

We’re talking about ice rinks overlooking historic buildings, especially those on King Tomislav Square, Ferris wheels, carousel rides, rows upon rows of street food stalls –ćevapi simply different in winter – and even a Christmas train for children.

Vinicius Costa

Vini, our senior head writer at Travel Off Path, has over 60 countries to his name (and is currently weaving stories from Paris!), and a knack for turning off-the-beaten-path experiences into informative stories that will have you packing your bags.