Visiting European Christmas Markets? Some Things to Know

One of the local radio stations here in Seattle recently started advertising a tour to visit Christmas markets in Europe this coming winter. In recent years these trips seem to have become quite popular. Many tour companies are promoting such tours. The idea behind them seems quite interesting to folks who are looking for some kind of Christmas experience during the holiday. I am not an expert on Christmas markets, but I have been to six different European cities to see some over the last few years. Here are some thoughts and tips if you are planning to make that trip.

Let’s start with some logistics. In Europe Christmas markets generally start at the end of November. In Germany they seem to start on November 24. That gives them a month before they close on December 24. That’s traditionally when the markets close in Germany, but the days are getting stretched beyond that as tourists come after Christmas as well. Our first visit to the markets was to Budapest and Prague. Those markets extended into January which is why we chose to go there. If you have a specific country or city in mind, it is important to research when the markets there will be open.

Going to Europe over Christmas can be expensive. Since the markets are open in late November, going earlier can be cheaper, especially the first few weeks of December. We traveled over Thanksgiving on our second trip which was less expensive.

A second concern can be the weather. Northern Europe is farther north. We were lucky on both our trips to not have any real issues with the weather. However, it was cold, and we did see some light snow in Germany. All the Christmas markets we visited were outdoors not in some covered area so having appropriate clothes is important.

It’s also important to note that it gets darker sooner. The sun seemed to set around 3:30 which is pretty early. The good thing is the markets really glow at night so they are more festive in the dark.

In large cities there can be more than one market. Berlin boasts over 80 markets. Some of them are only for a few days or on weekends, but it can be challenging to figure out where to go. There are plenty of online sites that can offer help. However, one never knows until you get there. One market in Berlin seemed quite hyped because they had a big slide. However, there were hardly any booths around, and it was quite disappointing. Most markets don’t charge an entrance fee, but a few do so do your research.

The Christmas markets we visited were all open during the day and seemed less crowded at that time. Evening seemed busier as locals stopped by after work to meet with friends. The exception is the weekend. We found the main Dresden market very crowded on the Saturday we were there.

This may seem obvious, but know that Christmas markets are really about business. When I talk to people about Christmas markets, I get the feeling they are looking for some special moment or experience to ignite the Christmas spirit everyone seems to be looking for during Christmas. They may or may not find what they are looking for at the Christmas markets.

When I was a kid, we looked forward to going to the county fair in my hometown in Oregon. It was supposed to be about farm animals, baking contests, carnival rides, and food. It always struck me as odd to see furniture sales booths or even insurance companies at the fair. The reason, though, was this is where the people came so one brought the business to the people.

The same can be said for the Christmas markets. Businesses both large and small know that people will come to the Christmas markets so they show up with whatever it is they have to sell. Now it’s not as broad as the county fair. I didn’t see furniture or insurance people. However, one could find many things at the market that could just as easily be found at a local mall. For example clothing was a common item to sell: hats, gloves, jackets, winter clothing. These weren’t anything special, but they were readily available for those walking by.

There were not as many craft booths as I might have hoped for. By that I mean unique items that one would not find at the local mall. In Dresden we found the most booths with handcrafted items. In fact one of the markets was all about that so it was a good place to visit. However, that was the exception rather than the rule.

In all the markets we visited, food always seemed to have equal standing with the booths selling other items. In fact in some markets, food booths seemed to predominate. Food at the markets are generally reasonably priced so it can actually be a fairly inexpensive meal to get rather than looking for a restaurant.

In terms of food, one of the most common in all six cities was the mulled wine. This seems to be one of the cornerstone elements of a Christmas market. One of the interesting aspects of this is the wine cups used. Markets would have a unique glass each year. Local patrons could come and collect glasses from year to year. When one buys a mulled wine, one also buys the glass. However, if you don’t want the cup, you can return it for a refund.

Ham and sausages are also pretty common foods. Visitors can buy them in sandwiches or there are also shops from which you can buy some to take home. Don’t forget the cheese. Cheese shops are another frequent booth at the markets. Each location also had their own local foods. These might include soups or a type of sandwich. It’s interesting to see the foods even if one doesn’t try them.

When I was a kid I would hear the words, “chestnuts roasting on an open fire.” Chestnuts weren’t sold where I lived so I always wondered what they tasted like. Almost all the markets we visited had roasted chestnuts. I had some in Budapest and realized that I didn’t like them at all. Now I know. On the other hand I discovered funnel cakes, and those I did like. While all the countries had them, there were some variations from city to city in terms of topping options.

,Many of the Christmas markets played Christmas music over a sound system. One of the things I found interesting was that all the songs were in English. They were all the popular songs one might hear in the United States at Christmas. I kept wondering if there wasn’t Christmas music in their own languages. After all the famous carol “Silent Night” was originally written in German, but I never heard it played in German.

In Budapest and Prague we didn’t see any carnival rides. However, in Poland and Germany they were more common. Ferris wheels seemed to be the most typical ride. Ice skating rinks were around in some of the markets. We also saw a concert in Prague, but entertainment like that wasn’t too common, at least when we were there.

Using a credit card to make a purchase is fairly accepted, but it is not universal. One night I was trying to buy a specific item to eat, and the first few booths I tried did not take credit cards. I didn’t have any cash on me so I had to keep going around until I found a place that did take credit cards.

When planning a trip to visit Christmas markets, it’s important to recognize that you will be visiting more than just Christmas markets. Choose a place which has other sites that might interest you. In Berlin with all the markets available, perhaps one could fill their days with Christmas markets. However, most Christmas markets won’t take your full day. So make sure you know what else the city has to offer when you visit.

Since it is winter, some sights such as gardens and parks may not be good options. However, castles, museums and churches can be interesting depending on your specific interests. In visiting Poland and Germany this last December, we found ourselves learning a lot about World War II and the subsequent communist rule of eastern Europe.

Whether you take an organized tour of Christmas markets or strike out on you own, Christmas markets can offer an insight into the culture of the country. The unique items one finds, the foods one encounters, and of course the people all bring us to a greater understanding of our world. In a world that seems increasingly divided, celebrating the birth of the Prince of Peace in another country can perhaps helps us understand that our differences need not divide us. Instead they make the world a more beautiful place to be.

Credits: Family photos taken by Silvette Lee except the photo of me and my wife was taken by Andrea Lee.