Christmas markets in Europe have been a magical custom for hundreds of years – the primary markets started within the German-speaking elements of Europe approach again within the Center Ages. And, lately, you’ve got in all probability seen the twinkling lights and steaming mugs of mulled wine of European Christmas markets invading your social media feeds beginning every November.
If all of the hype has made you suppose that possibly you’d prefer to plan your personal Christmas market journey, I am first right here to validate your emotions – the Christmas markets in Europe ARE certainly unimaginable, and I’d extremely advocate a visit!
However should you’ve completed any cursory analysis into planning such a visit, then possibly you realized how overwhelming it may be. Not solely are there actually hundreds of Christmas markets throughout dozens of nations in Europe every year, however there are additionally a number of methods to go to all of them!
You possibly can guide a Christmas market river cruise, plan a practice journey, or take a Christmas market highway journey. Every choice is interesting for various causes – so how do you select??
Nicely fortunately for you, I’ve really completed each a Christmas market river cruise AND a self-planned Christmas market highway journey, and have additionally visited some markets by practice (and have usually traveled round Europe so much by practice). So I am uniquely positioned to match and distinction all of your choices to hopefully allow you to determine which one may be the very best match for you.
(There’s truthfully not a WRONG strategy to go to Christmas markets, whether or not you simply go to one main metropolis with numerous markets, or plan a 14-day highway journey at breakneck pace to see as many locations as you presumably can. However you positively wish to do no matter matches your private journey fashion finest.)
What makes Christmas markets so particular?
So, why do individuals lose their minds over European Christmas markets? Are they actually that good?
The Christkindlmarkt (Christ youngster market) or Weihnachtsmarkt (Christmas Eve market) is a convention that’s lots of of years outdated; there have been particular winter markets talked about in Europe approach again within the 1300s!
The markets have fun the Christmas season throughout Creation, starting 4 weeks earlier than Christmas, and normally lasting up till Christmas Eve. They’re recognized at present for festive stands promoting regional treats and crafts, and for exuding all kinds of Christmas-y cheer.
In case you hate Christmas, crowds, or being out after darkish, then Christmas markets won’t be for you. However, for most individuals, they’re actually enjoyable and magical! I’ve now been to dozens of Christmas markets throughout Germany, France, and Switzerland. And even after so many visits, I nonetheless discover them simply as charming as ever.
However let’s speak concerning the other ways to plan a Christmas market journey.
Christmas markets by river cruise
My first journey to see Christmas markets in Europe was through a cruise on the Rhine River with Viking River Cruises one December. Most river cruise strains in Europe supply Christmas market cruises, that are just like their common itineraries with the exception that they happen throughout the Christmas market season and normally enable passengers some additional time to discover the markets.
On my cruise, we visited 8 completely different cities of various sizes with festive vacation markets. A few of the smaller cities simply had one market, whereas the bigger cities all had a number of – which meant that we had the possibility to go to greater than a dozen completely different Christmas markets in only one week.
I fell in love with Christmas markets on that journey, and beginning singing the praises of the Christmas market river cruise to anybody who would pay attention.
Execs of a Christmas market river cruise
So why did I really like and advocate that Christmas market cruise a lot?
1. No itinerary planning required
The great factor a few river cruise is that you just principally guide all the pieces all of sudden in a single bundle. There is not any itinerary planning concerned in any respect past selecting which cruise you wish to go on. You do not have to analysis a route, guide lodges, plan out meals, or get tickets for museums or sights upfront. You simply guide your cruise and a few flights, and present up!
For anybody overwhelmed by all of the Christmas market choices on the market (or simply overwhelmed by journey planning generally), this removes probably the most irritating elements.
And as soon as your cruise begins, you do not have to fret about any logistics on the bottom, both, as that is all taken care of for you by the gifted crew in your cruise.
2. Go to numerous market cities in a single journey
River cruise strains that supply Christmas market itineraries sail routes that can have you ever visiting many alternative locations with markets. So you will be assured numerous choices to go to Christmas markets, each in larger cities and smaller cities.
In case you like selection in your travels, it is a good choice! There have been some days on my cruise the place we visited one city within the morning and a second one within the afternoon.
3. Nearly all the pieces is included
The great factor a few river cruise is that nearly all the pieces in included. Out of your room to all of your meals to a minimum of one guided tour in every port, it is all included within the value you pay to your cruise. You additionally get beer and wine with meals, and free wifi on many cruises.
Some cruise strains even provide the choice to incorporate issues like crew ideas and journey insurance coverage whenever you guide, which means you actually solely have to fret about your procuring price range when you’re onboard your ship.
4. You solely need to unpack as soon as
This would possibly really be the highest promoting level for many individuals. However occurring any type of cruise principally means staying in a floating resort that travels with you. So although you may be altering cities continuously (possibly even twice per day!), you solely need to unpack as soon as.
Having the ability to settle right into a room and never stress about packing all the pieces up each 1-2 nights feels so luxurious.
5. Ships aren’t big
And for anybody turned off by the thought of massive ocean cruises with hundreds of passengers on a ship with you, relaxation assured that river cruises aren’t that. The common river cruise ship in Europe holds fewer than 200 passengers (160-190 is fairly commonplace), lacks issues like casinos and theaters, and customarily has very relaxed vibes.
RELATED: Christmas Markets with Viking River Cruises: What’s It Really Like?
Cons of a Christmas market river cruise
And now on to the issues a few Christmas market cruise that you just won’t love.
1. Lack of flexibility
With any packaged, pre-planned journey, you are giving up some flexibility. Sure, on a river cruise you continue to get to select from numerous completely different excursions every day (or select to simply discover a metropolis by yourself), however you may’t change your general itinerary.
You possibly can’t cease in an additional city you see on the map on a whim, keep away from a wet morning, or determine to spend longer in an space you actually like when your itinerary is strictly set like it’s on a cruise.
2. You do not have a say in WHEN you make port calls
Going together with the dearth of flexibility in a visit like this, you can also’t select what time of day you go to cities on a river cruise. For instance, some locations are finest visited early within the morning, and a few smaller markets are prettiest at night time as soon as all of the stalls shine with twinkle lights and paper stars.
However until it is a bigger metropolis the place you are staying all day, chances are you’ll not have a selection whenever you go to sure locations. (Although in my expertise you will have a number of alternatives to go to Christmas markets within the evenings/after darkish, so don’t be concerned an excessive amount of about this one.)
3. You could not dock *in* city
There are particular areas the place river cruise ships can dock in every metropolis and city, however they normally aren’t proper within the metropolis heart besides within the smallest cities. This implies if you wish to exit and do some exploring by yourself, you would possibly have to stroll a methods, determine public transport, and even name a taxi.
4. Smaller cities might be crowded
Lastly, maybe the most important draw back of seeing Christmas markets on a cruise is that many of the river cruise firms function very related itineraries and schedules on the most important rivers of Europe. You will not essentially discover numerous different cruise ship passengers in larger cities like Cologne or Vienna – however you positively WILL discover them in smaller cities when a number of cruise ships dock on the identical time.
For instance, the small city of Rüdesheim am Rhein is a well-liked cease for Rhine River cruises, and it has a really charming Christmas market unfold all through its small metropolis heart. When you’ve gotten lots of of individuals from a number of ships packed into this small space all on the identical time, nonetheless, it might really feel very crowded to the purpose of it being disagreeable.
NOTE: I am not planning to cowl organized bus excursions to see Christmas markets, as they kind of have most of the identical professionals and cons as river cruises, with the exception that you’re going to possible change lodges a number of occasions alongside the way in which. In case you’re debating between a river cruise and a bus tour, I personally would go the cruise route!
Christmas market practice journey
Let’s speak about one of many land choices you’ve gotten for visiting Christmas markets by means of Europe subsequent. First up is a self-guided journey to markets through practice. You could have quite a lot of selection right here, as all the most important cities all through Europe – and even many of the smaller cities – are well-connected by practice.
I LOVE practice journey round Europe. It is way more environmentally-friendly than flying or driving (or cruising, for that matter), and is usually snug and pretty inexpensive.
Plus, there’s one thing additional romantic about visiting Christmas markets by practice, is not there?
Execs of a Christmas market journey by practice
1. Extra management over your itinerary
You could have way more management over your itinerary whenever you’re absolutely planning it your self. If you plan a visit by practice, you may determine which cities you go to and the way lengthy you keep in every, together with selecting your lodges and different actions (although, truthfully, throughout market season you will possible be spending most of your free time exploring Christmas markets and consuming all of the festive meals!).
2. You possibly can go to the markets you need, whenever you need
Wish to go to widespread cities early within the morning earlier than the tour teams arrive? No drawback. Solely wish to discover Christmas markets as soon as they get additional atmospheric after darkish? You are able to do that! You usually have way more flexibility in your itinerary whenever you plan it like this.
3. Practice journey in Europe is enjoyable and environment friendly
For a Christmas market journey, likelihood is you’ll possible be specializing in Germany, maybe dipping into different close by nations, too. The practice system in Germany could be very environment friendly and easy, and most cities and cities have practice stations to make touring this manner simple.
Each excessive pace and regional trains are snug and clear, and practice stations are pretty simple to navigate (don’t be concerned should you solely communicate English; indicators are sometimes in two languages and customarily simple to observe).
I really like touring by practice, as you may sit again and simply benefit from the countryside passing by out the window.
Cons of a Christmas market journey by practice
And now on to the potential downsides of a Christmas market journey by practice.
1. It’s good to guide all the pieces upfront
If you’re touring this manner – and particularly across the busy vacation season – you positively have to plan each side of your journey upfront. This implies reserving trains (and typically seat assignments, too), lodges, and even some eating places upfront.
The extra widespread the Christmas markets change into, the extra vital it’s to make your plans as far upfront as potential. Lodges in the most well-liked cities do positively guide up weeks or typically even months upfront throughout the vacation season.
2. It’s good to plan round practice schedules/connections
If you’re planning a visit by practice, your schedule might be beholden a bit to coach schedules and connections. This may not be tough in any respect should you largely plan to go to bigger cities (for instance, trains between Frankfurt, Stuttgart, and Munich are plentiful and frequent), however may take a little bit of artistic planning if you wish to go to quite a lot of smaller cities.
You may want to concentrate not solely to normal practice schedules, but additionally journey lengths and connection occasions, and ensure you’re permitting your self sufficient time in every place to warrant a journey. This is not overly tough, however you do not have a lot flexibility if there are rare trains to the place you wish to go.
3. Practice delays/cancellations can and do occur
Although nationwide practice companies like Deutsche Bahn in Germany are normally pretty dependable, that does not imply that you’re going to by no means run into practice delays or cancellations. Take it from me that they will and do occur!
Climate could cause practice points (final Christmas I acquired caught in Munich after a freak blizzard dumped 17 inches of snow on town in lower than 24 hours and fully shut it down), and practice strikes are additionally changing into an increasing number of frequent as of late throughout Europe (on that very same journey final 12 months, a practice strike shut down all DB trains for a day throughout Germany, forcing a pal and I to alter our plans on the final minute).
Typically you will get superior warnings about issues like strikes, however some delays and cancellations can come out of nowhere. Make sure you have journey insurance coverage coverage to your journey, and be mentally ready to take care of last-minute transit modifications. (Although I would say usually this is not that frequent; December 2023 was an outlier!)
4. You may need to take care of your personal baggage
This one might not be one thing you’d consider immediately, however touring by practice will imply not solely maneuvering your baggage on the trains themselves, but additionally schlepping it round practice stations and the cities you are visiting.
Pack mild when you may – in case you have a bag small/mild sufficient to elevate over your head into the bags rack above your seat, your life might be so much simpler on journey days.
Christmas market highway journey
Lastly, let’s speak about renting a automobile and visiting Christmas markets by yourself. This selection offers you probably the most freedom, although I do know driving in overseas nations doesn’t attraction to everybody.
I did a 2-week Christmas market highway journey in 2023 with my friend Tamara, visiting dozens of Christmas markets all through southwestern Germany and France, and I cherished it a lot!
Execs of a Christmas market highway journey
1. You could have complete management over your itinerary
There aren’t any limitations in your itinerary whenever you lease a automobile and drive your self round to completely different Christmas markets. You do not have to depend on a set cruise itinerary or any practice schedules, and may actually construct your best itinerary and go precisely the place you wish to go.
Don’t love castles and outdated church buildings? Skip them. Wish to detour to go to some wineries? Go for it! Determine to keep away from the large cities altogether and solely hunt down smaller cities? No drawback. With your personal automobile, you may simply do all of these issues.
Must lease a automobile in Europe? It is normally fairly inexpensive, even round Christmas. I take advantage of Auto Europe for automobile leases on this a part of the world. Do be aware that driving in Austria, Hungary, the Czech Republic, and several other different nations in Europe requires US drivers to acquire an Worldwide Driving Allow (IDP), which is an official translation of your US driver’s license. You will get an IDP rapidly and simply from any American Vehicle Affiliation (AAA) workplace. (You do not want one for Germany or France.)
2. You possibly can go to the markets you need, whenever you need
Very similar to with a practice journey, a Christmas market highway journey means that you can go to cities and Christmas markets everytime you need. You possibly can sightsee throughout the day and gorge on market meals at night time, or spend a whole day market-hopping in larger cities. You will not have any time constraints if you don’t need them.
3. Extra flexibility to alter plans
You continue to have to plan your journey upfront, however having a automobile positively lends itself to a little bit of spontaneity. You possibly can change up elements of your itinerary (to an extent) to observe higher climate, for instance, or possibly determine to cease in a small city you end up driving by means of. Or you may depart a Christmas market or whole city early should you’re simply not having fun with it.
By myself highway journey, for instance, we added additional stops in a pair smaller cities within the Alsace area of France as a result of we had the time and our personal automobile to get us there. Considered one of them, Obernai, ended up being pleasant and having my absolute favourite mulled wine of the entire journey. Conversely, we left one other city (Riquewihr) rapidly due to how overcrowded it felt.
4. It may well really be extra inexpensive
This might not be the case each time (and it clearly is dependent upon what kind of lodges you are staying in), however a highway journey can really be probably the most inexpensive of the choices listed right here. When automobile leases can value lower than $500 for 2 weeks, it is typically much more inexpensive than taking trains in every single place.
Cons of a Christmas market highway journey
1. The quantity of selection might be overwhelming!
When your choices are vast open, I understand it may be tremendous overwhelming to plan a visit like this by yourself! There are SO many options in terms of unbelievable Christmas markets in Europe – however fortunately which means you may’t actually go incorrect.
My recommendation can be to give attention to one area or smaller nation, select a pair bigger cities to base your self round, or maybe plan a visit round one particular particular market.
For instance, alone Christmas market journey, my pal Tamara wished to go to markets in France like Strasbourg and Colmar, and I had my coronary heart set on going to the Ravenna Gorge market close to Freiburg and the medieval market in Esslingen – so we deliberate our journey to give attention to southwestern Germany and a tiny little bit of France.
2. It’s good to guide all the pieces upfront
Identical to with a practice journey, you’ll need to plan your whole highway journey itinerary upfront. Whereas your actual day-to-day actions could be a little much less regimented, you will have to guide issues like your rental automobile and lodges nicely upfront of your journey.
3. Parking might be difficult in some cities
The most important problem to a Christmas market highway journey is discovering a spot to park your rental automobile. That is one other factor you’ll want to analysis and presumably plan upfront.
Some historic metropolis facilities in Europe are car-free, so chances are you’ll have to get a particular allow to drive by means of them to your resort (we had to do that in Strasbourg, although our resort helped with it). You may additionally have to pre-book parking spots the place you are staying, or a minimum of do a little bit of analysis on the place you may park in a single day.
More often than not we had no points, however a couple of days we ended up a bit frazzled over parking conditions. My greatest tip is to attempt to guide lodges which have their very own non-public parking for company at any time when you may (it is not a given in Europe; you really need to seek for lodges that supply parking!).
What a few mixed practice + automobile journey?
You possibly can completely do a little bit of a mixture of highway journey and practice journey. By myself highway journey, we largely drove in every single place, however we did take the practice to Colmar from Strasbourg as a substitute of driving, and we additionally visited each Ludwigsburg and Esslingen by practice from Stuttgart.
In case you base your self in larger cities for a pair nights at a time, it is typically simpler to take trains to close by cities. In smaller cities, you may normally stroll to the Christmas markets from the central practice station.
One of the best ways to go to Christmas markets
So which approach is the *finest* strategy to expertise Christmas markets in Europe? Is it through river cruise, practice journey, or highway journey?
Nicely, truthfully, that is not one thing I can inform you! I’ve visited Christmas markets all 3 methods, and have cherished all of them! I like how simple touring on a Christmas market river cruise is, however equally like the liberty of practice journey or a highway journey.
I feel the “finest” approach might be going to be completely different for everybody, relying in your journey fashion and the way snug you’re touring independently round Europe. Do not wish to drive or determine practice schedules? Then go the river cruise route! Do not wish to journey in a tour group and quit flexibility? Then plan a Christmas market highway journey!
No matter you select, I promise will probably be wonderful.
How do you suppose YOU wish to discover Christmas markets round Europe?
Amanda Williams is the award-winning blogger behind A Harmful Enterprise Journey Weblog. She has traveled to greater than 60 nations on 6 continents from her house base in Ohio, specializing in experiential and considerate journey by means of the US, Europe, and remainder of the world. Amanda solely shares ideas based mostly on her private experiences and locations she’s really traveled!
