Christmas markets in Europe

I don’t know about you, but Christmas is hands down the best time of the year. And there’s no better way, IMHO, to ring in the final week of the year than basking in the Yuletide vibes and breathing in the cold, crisp winter air, in the birthplace of Christmas markets – Europe. Bonus points if it’s snowing, because to us tropical kids, a white Christmas is the stuff that dreams are made of.

If your EOY holidays are still in the works, here are some of the most magical European Christmas markets to visit, that you can easily get to via direct flights from Singapore.

P.S.: Most Christmas markets start in mid- to late November and will close by 23rd-24th December. Some larger ones, especially in major cities, might stay open on Christmas, or reopen on Boxing Day till early January, but you’ll have to check the official websites for exact dates and times.

P.P.S.: Stick with us, because we’ve got a 20% discount code on eSIM data bundles for you to stay connected and worry-free on your European Christmas market holiday.

1. Vienna, Austria

>20 markets in the City of Music

Image credit: @christmasmarketsvienna via Instagram

ICYMI, Scoot launched direct flights to Vienna earlier this year. The Austrian capital, known as the City of Music, was once also the centre of the famed Habsburg Empire. Its rich history of culture, music and arts, plus the grandeur of its imperial past, provides the backdrop for more than 20 Christmas markets that come to life each November.

The biggest and most famous of these is the Wiener Christkindlmarkt at Rathausplatz, AKA city hall square. With close to 100 stalls selling everything from handcrafted knick-knacks to sweet kaiserschmarrn and savoury kartoffelknödel – that’s emperor’s mess, a sweet, shredded pancake, and potato dumplings – under the twinkling lights of the illuminated Rathaus, there’s no better fairytale Christmas than this.

Don’t miss the Christmas market in front of Schönbrunn Palace, which has a more village-like atmosphere and a greater focus on local craftsmen. With reliable coverage on your Nomad eSIM data bundles, you won’t have to worry about losing access to Google Maps. Complete your visit to the 1,441-room Baroque palace with a turn on the ice-skating rink, a Christmas special, or a round of curling.

Check out Vienna’s Christmas market dates.

Carriers with direct flights: Scoot, Singapore Airlines
Christmas markets nearby: Salzburg, Krems

2. Munich, Germany

Traditional Bavarian Christmas with >600 years’ history

Weihnachtspyramide, AKA Christmas pyramid, with spinning tiers and a fan on top.
Image credit: @safi_snaps via Instagram

Originally called Nikolaidult, with the first documented Nicholas Market dating back to 1642, the Christkindlmarkts of Munich today are still deeply rooted in tradition. You’ll smell the heady scents of glühwein – German mulled wine – before you even see the massive Christmas tree and Weihnachtspyramide that tower over each market.

The largest market in Munich is the one at Marienplatz, surrounded by the city’s most iconic buildings, with over 100 stalls. Must-eat foods at any German Christmas market include flame-grilled sausages of all varieties, kartoffelpuffer (potato pancakes), flammkuchen (a thin flatbread similar to pizza), käsespätzle (cheese noodles), lebkuchen (gingerbread cookies) and schneeball (a deep-fried pastry dusted with sugar). And no, you don’t have to remember all of this – stay connected with a Nomad eSIM and its fast, reliable connection that’ll help you use Google Translate to get through all the German pronto.

Don’t miss the Munich Krampus run on 7th December 2025, a parade where people dress up as the Krampus, a horned, demon-like creature from Alpine folklore that beats misbehaving kids with a birch switch on Krampusnacht.

Check out Munich’s Christmas market dates.

Carriers with direct flights: Singapore Airlines
Christmas markets nearby: Nuremberg, Rothenburg ob der Tauber

3. Paris, France

Christmas markets against iconic landmarks in the City of Lights

Image credit: @lamagiedenoel_paris via Instagram

Christmas in the City of Light? Say less. Paris, the City of Love, is the perfect setting for the season, and La Magie de Noël Paris is the most epic market in town. Held at the Tuileries Garden, this particular market is slated to run till 11.45pm daily, even on 25th December, with the exceptions of Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve, when it’ll close at 8pm.

It’s a full carnival experience here, with adrenaline-pumping rides, an ice rink, and a gourmet food market where you can indulge in vin chaud, crêpes, churros, waffles, and regional specialities such as raclette.

Other Christmas markets to check out in the French capital include the ones at La Défense, the city’s biggest, with over 200 stalls, Trocadéro, set against the backdrop of the Eiffel Tower, and the Montmartre hilltop, for a bit of bohemian charm.

Check out Paris’ Christmas market dates.

Carriers with direct flights: Air France, Singapore Airlines
Christmas markets nearby: Strasbourg, Colmar, Reims

4. Brussels, Belgium

2km-long Christmas market with 3D projection mapping shows

Image credit: Travel Pictures Ltd

If you’re a fan of Belgian waffles and frites, you’ll have to make a trip to Brussels. There’s only 1 Christmas market here called Winter Wonders, but it stretches over 2km long, across the city centre and past its most iconic attractions. It’s recommended that you start at the Grand Place, AKA the historic heart of the city, and start wandering from there.

Once night falls, you’ll want to catch the 3D projection mapping light show at Grand Place, which will take place every hour from 5pm-10pm, or hop on the 55m-tall ferris wheel for a bird’s eye view of the city.

P.S.: This market is open throughout the season from 12pm-10pm daily, except on 24th and 31st December 2025, when they’ll close at 6pm.

Check out the Brussels Christmas market dates.

Carriers with direct flights: Singapore Airlines
Christmas markets nearby: Ghent, Bruges, Antwerp

5. Amsterdam, Netherlands

Visit the 14th edition of the Amsterdam Light Festival

Image credit: @christmasvillageamsterdam via Instagram

Amsterdam is a seriously underrated destination for Christmas markets, but the Dutch capital, known for its system of canals that runs through the city, also dons its festive cap come November each year. There’s the Museumplein Christmas market, with its huge ice rink, roaming choirs, food stalls, and mugs of hot chocolate, and the Amsterdam Winter Paradise, said to be the Netherlands’ biggest Christmas market, housing both an indoor and outdoor skating rink, 10m-tall slides, carnival rides, and even après-ski clubbing.

Image credit: Dutch Culture via Facebook

Also happening at the time is the annual Amsterdam Light Festival, now in its 14th year, where the city’s canals become canvases for illuminated light installations that you can view on foot, bicycle, or on a canal cruise. This year’s festival is themed around Legacy, with each artist exploring what it means to them to leave something behind.

Check out Amsterdam’s Christmas market dates.

Carriers with direct flights: KLM, Singapore Airlines
Christmas markets nearby: Haarlem, Utrecht

6. Barcelona, Spain

See Caga Tió, the pooping log, instead of Santa Claus

If you’ve popped 12 grapes in your mouth as the clocks count down the last seconds of the year, congrats – you’ve celebrated the new year, Catalan style. And yes, it’s still Christmas around here till 6th January, when Spaniards celebrate the Feast of the Epiphany.

Image credit: Tio de Nadal

The biggest Christmas market in town can be found at the Barcelona Cathedral. The Fira de Santa Llúcia has been held there for over 200 years, and most of its stalls are dedicated to selling handicrafts including your Christmas Caga Tió – a log with a Catalan sock hat, with stick legs and a smiling face that poops presents.

Then, there’s the Fira de Nadal de la Sagrada Familia, which you’ll find in front of Gaudi’s famed church, but the Food Artisans Market, Fira del Col·lectiu d’Artesans de l’Alimentació, is where you should go to get all the Spanish nosh you can eat.

Check out Barcelona’s Christmas market dates.

Carriers with direct flights: Singapore Airlines
Christmas markets nearby: Girona, Sitges

7. Helsinki, Finland

The home of Santa Claus

Image credit: @antsvahter & @helsinkiofficial via Instagram

We kid – the official home of Santa Claus is found in Rovaniemi, a 10h drive from Helsinki, but hey, that’s still also in Finland. On that note, it’s the Tuomaan Markkinat, found in the city’s Senate Square, that is the most well-known Christmas market in the Fennoscandian Peninsula. In fact, CNN named it one of the best Christmas markets around the world for 3 years running.

Here, mulled wine is called glögi, and you’ll find reindeer rugs, rabbit and fox furs, ethnic crafts, and gnome-themed bits and bobs, alongside reindeer sausages, gingerbread and other local delights.

Image credit: Jussi Hellsten via My Helsinki

If you’re looking for a white Christmas, Helsinki’s got you covered – the snowfall typically starts in late November, though it’s likely to melt away unless you visit later in the season. On 13th December, a young maiden will be chosen to represent Saint Lucia in an age-old Nordic custom; she’s crowned in the Cathedral, after which the parade will take her through the city, bringing light and warmth in the cold, dark winter.

Check out Helsinki’s Christmas market dates.

Carriers with direct flights: Finnair
Christmas markets nearby: Porvoo, Turku

8. London, United Kingdom

First-ever Christmas market at Buckingham Palace

Image adapted from: @coventgardenldn via Instagram

The Royal Family of the UK typically only heads to Sandringham on Christmas Eve, so there’s not that much of a chance that you’ll bump into one of them at Buckingham Palace this EOY – for the first time ever, it’s hosting a Christmas market at the iconic Royal Mews.

That aside, the single biggest market you’ll want to visit is Hyde Park Winter Wonderland, though you’ll have to pre-book and buy tickets to enter this massive fair. Otherwise, there’s the Southbank Centre Winter Market, where you can feast on food from around the world, the smaller Leicester Square Christmas Market that’s just around the corner from Chinatown, or get squished up against throngs of other visitors at Covent Garden, where you’ll find 3 daily markets all dressed up for the season.

Check out London’s Christmas market dates.

Carriers with direct flights: British Airways, Singapore Airlines, Qantas
Christmas markets nearby: Bath, York, Blenheim Palace

Stay connected in Europe with Nomad eSIM

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Visit these Christmas markets in Europe

This list is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Christmas markets in Europe. It’s a great start for your first foray into the dazzling world of these markets, but if you find yourself catching the Christmas market itch, you’ll definitely want to venture out of the capital cities for the ones which are less touristy, but so much more vibey.

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This post was brought to you by Nomad eSIM.
Cover image adapted from: @christmasmarketsvienna, @coventgardenldn, @antsvahter & @helsinkiofficial via Instagram