Christmas Markets, Celebrations and Events in Europe

Lines of traditional cabin houses with snow topped roofs bearing handicrafts and tasty treats are a regular sight on the lead up to the big day. Christmas markets are said to have originated in Germany in the middle ages when a market selling handmade gifts was held in front of a local church after a carol service. Nowadays everyone’s at it, but not all Christmas markets are made equal. Here are a few of the best ones within easy reach from Paris.  

Paris

If you don’t want to go too far to get in the festive mood, there’s plenty of Christmas magic in Paris. The Parisian Christmas Markets, or Marché de Noel, are a great opportunity to replenish your wine stocks if nothing else.

For a traditional market with local produce head to Marche Saint-Germain between 5 to 31 December. Here you’ll find a fun crowd and stalls selling handicrafts and yummy delicacies. Of if you prefer the ultimate Christmas hit, there’s nowhere like Euro Disney.

The Disneyland Paris Christmas Market is filled with thousands of fairy lights and hundreds of stalls and chalets. The legendary Disney parade is even more magical when you add Christmas to the mix, as they do between 8 November and 6 January. And of course, if you’re in Paris for the winter, don’t miss visiting Notre Dame Cathedral for the carols, decorations and spirit.

 

London

Visit the London Christmas markets in just over two hours with the Eurostar. There are a few in London, but the Christmas Markets at Southbank are a great choice if you want to enjoy the scenery.

Enjoy the beautiful Big Ben and Westminster on the skyline as you shop around the hundreds of chalets. There’s a huge Christmas tree, traditional music, handicrafts and endless mulled wine and bratwurst between 18 November and 24 December 2011.

Move north to Hyde Park and you’ll find Winter Wonderland – a whole festival dedicated to Christmas. There’s ice skating, rides, an observation wheel, a ‘mind blowing’ circus, gluhwein huts and you can even visit Santa in Santa Land. Winter Wonderland runs from 18 November to 3 January. There are lots of cheap central London hotels to choose from, take a taxi or bus down Oxford Street and Regent Street to reach your hotel and you can admire the famous London Illuminations as you go.

 

Berlin

Berlin is the capital of Christmas Markets; there are over 60 to choose from. The biggest and most famous is the beautiful Charlottenburg Castle Christmas Market, which is filled with specially selected arts and crafts, ancient handicrafts and loads of delicious local foods to try.

In the centre of Berlin the Potsdamer Platz Christmas Market covers 4,000sqm. Here you’ll find lights, music, a 500sqm ice rink, the largest mobile toboggan run in Europe at 12m high and 70m long, and a ‘mountain’ restaurant.

Both markets run from 22 November to 31 December. Berlin is full of cheap hotels, but before you rest your weary head walk down Kurfuerstendamm to admire the Christmas lights adorning the rows of trees. Then release your inner child on the winter fairground at Alexanderplatz. Flights from Paris to Berlin take around 1 hour 40 mins.

 

Munich

The hip Munich suburb of Schwabing offers a trendier type of Christmas shopping at the Schwabinger Weihnachtsmarkt. A small group of artists started their own Christmas market here in the 70s, selling original sculptures, paintings and ceramics from their huts.

You’ll also find eclectic Christmas cuisine here, such as Eritrean mead and mulled Jamaican claret. For a more traditional German Christmas market, head to the one in Marienplatz where you’ll find the usual handicraft suspects as well as stacks of gingerbread and beautiful glassware from Bavaria. Both markets run from 26 November to 24 December.

Munich has many cheap hotels starting from just €15.53pppn. Paris to Munich takes 11 hours by overnight sleeper train, or flying takes just 1 hour 30 mins.

 

Brussels

The Christmas decorations in Brussels are legendary. The most impressive ones are at the Grand’Place where the gothic buildings are lit up by the famous Electrabel Light exhibition.

The best way to see the lights is from the illuminated Ferris wheel at the Winter Wonders Christmas Market. You’ll also find an array of fairground carousels here, and stalls selling a range of items from food and drink to funky little trinkets. In previous years they’ve even had a huge ice dinosaur monster in the square and a huge ice rink.

The market starts on 25 November and finishes 1 January 2012. Visit nearby Sablon Square for art galleries and antiques shops open till 11:30pm especially for the festive period. In the square you can also enjoy free horse-drawn carriage rides and live music.

Get there early and enjoy a hot chocolate at Wittamer’s – one of Belgium’s oldest chocolate shops.

It’s easy to get the Eurostar to Brussels; you can do it in an hour and a half. Brussels’ cheap hotels start from just €19.84pppn so why not stay over and make the most of the Christmas cheer? 

Article sponsored by Hostelbookers