Start your festive season with a trip to a magical European Christmas Market, get in the mood with mulled wine and fairy lights galore in the AllSafe guide to Christmas Markets in 2019.
Sweden isn’t necessarily a well-known Christmas Market destination, but it’s firmly on the map this year, with Gothenburg’s Liseberg Amusement Park hosting the annual Christmas Market. While the rides and rollercoasters might not be to your taste, there’s lots to do in this modern market.
Liseberg takes pride in creating a fully immersive Christmas experience, for example their Medieval Market has actors playing their parts to ensure that you get a historical thrill exploring the stalls and wares. There are shows, carol singers and of course, there’s the Christmas shopping!
You’ll be amazed at the effort that’s put into the look and feel of Liseberg Market, they spend lots of time, and undoubtedly lots of money, creating a winter wonderland with scores of Christmas trees, a mountains worth of fake snow and reems, and reems of twinkling lights making the experience truly magical!
Budapest is home to the spectacular St Stephens Basilica, a beautiful neo-classical church building nestled in the heart of this famous city. The Basilica is an awe-inspiring backdrop for this vibrant Christmas Market, full of homemade wares that has a very Folky feel. There’s folk dancing, singing and stunning handmade crafts to buy.
If you can, visit Vorosmarty Square too, a larger market with a more nostalgic feel with wooden stalls and lots of local food and drink. Make time to sample the local chimney cake, it’s nicer than it sounds, we promise!
When you’ve had your fill of shopping you could visit the thermal baths to warm up, which remain open throughout the festive season, or take trip down the Danube on a boat that’s full to bursting with local food, drink and Christmas cheer!
Not just a destination for summer city breaks and stag parties, Prague has so much to offer this Christmas! Prague’s wonderful architecture and ancient monuments perfectly lend themselves to be covered in fairy lights and seasonal charm.
The Christmas Market in Old Town Square is probably Prague’s most famous; it has a lovely nostalgic feel and is full of traditional allure. There are regular carol concerts amongst the brightly painted Christmas market stalls, adding to the heady mix of aromas and sounds that make these markets so special.
Wenceslas Square is also synonymous with Christmastime in this part of the world. Not only is it a beautiful destination in its own right, but its name may also be familiar to you from the beloved carol ‘Good King Wenceslas’. The lyrics for this carol were written about a 10th century king who was highly regarded for his journey in perilous weather to provide charity to the poor, he’s said to have made the long trip in bare feet and the carol tells of his hardships. So, where better than to celebrate the season of goodwill?
The Viennese Dream Christmas Market is located in front of the City Hall, but it could easily be mistaken for a fairy-tale castle.
There are over 20 Advent Markets in Vienna, and all have their own charm but if you’re looking for family adventure the Dream Market is for you. The first floor of the City Hall is opened up to host Christmas craft workshops for children with the Christkind often present to help with the making of trinkets, cookies and above all lasting, fun filled memories.
The very adult pastime of enhancing your shopping experience with a cup of something warm and alcoholic, is actively encouraged by various vendors selling Glühwein, a spiced mulled wine, popular at Advent Markets and Après Ski locations all over Austria – Guten appetit!
Christkindlemarkt in Nuremberg is the jewel in the Bavarian Christmas Market crown. The market is steeped in tradition, age-old ceremony and culture, as one of the oldest Christmas Markets in Europe.
Nuremberg has everything you could ask for, and more, in a festive destination; from the somewhat strange Prune Men, that are for sale on many stalls and are thought to bring luck, to the Christkind, an angel like figure that is celebrated as the original gift-giver in this part of the world. It’s a wonderful change from more familiar British traditions surrounding the season.
Make sure you leave yourself enough time to wander through the stalls of impeccably made decorations, sample the local Nuremberg bratwurst, three of these small sausages are served in a fresh warm bread roll, and drink your fill of mulled wine or hot chocolate.
If that wasn’t enough, Nuremberg has its own children’s market full of adventure and fun for big and little kids alike!
If you're thinking of travelling this festive season, make sure that you're covered by a travel insurance policy you can trust to care for your needs, get a quote with AllSafe today!
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