These European Cities Have Stellar Christmas Markets and Festivals—and Fewer Crowds

With the approach of the holiday season, many European cities transform into fairy-tale winter wonderlands—sometimes with a dusting of snow. Metropolises such as Prague and Vienna tend to get top billing when it comes to Christmas markets, and while charming and picture-perfect, they can also be absolutely packed.

There are plenty of places, though, where you can find a festive holiday ambiance with slightly fewer tourists. Here are nine European cities where you can dive into the Christmas spirit and still have some breathing room.

Winchester, England

Courtesy of Winchester City Council

Founded around 648 C.E., the medieval city of Winchester is known for its 11th-century cathedral and 17th-century Morley Library. It’s bewitching at any time of year, but December is especially beautiful—and it’s only an hour from London by train. This peaceful market town glows during the holiday season, with a warmly lit Christmas market full of local vendors selling treats from shortbread to samosas, items like soaps and jewelry, and such winter essentials as beeswax lip balm.

Attending a service at the cathedral—which, at 558 feet, is the longest Gothic cathedral in Europe—is worthwhile even if you’re not religious; there’s something truly enchanting about hearing Christmas hymns echo through the long nave. And don’t miss a ride on the heritage steam train Watercress Line, which runs special excursions around Christmas like afternoon teas and meet-and-greets with Santa.

Where to stay: The Wykeham Arms, Winchester

• Book now: The Wykeham Arms, Winchester

A five-minute walk from Winchester Cathedral and its Christmas market is the Wykeham Arms, a cozy 14-room inn above a pub. Thick curtains and cast-iron radiators keep out the chill, and you can always warm up with a soak in your room’s claw-foot tub.

Coburg, Germany

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The cobbled squares, historic homes, and enormous, imposing castle in this gorgeous Bavarian town are the perfect setting to make all your Christmas fantasies come true. Walk less than 15 minutes from the train station to Coburg’s beautiful Christmas market, filled with handicrafts by Bavarian artisans. Spectacular lighting displays illuminate the whole city. Expect candlelight choir performances, a carousel for kids, horse-and-cart rides through the picturesque streets, and plenty of glühwein (mulled wine) to go around. Don’t miss the statue of Prince Albert, Queen Victoria’s Coburg-born husband, who famously brought the Christmas tree to England in the 1840s.

Where to stay: Villa Victoria

• Book now: Villa Victoria

The 1835 Biedermeier-style Villa Victoria was once a private home and now has eight rooms and two suites furnished mostly in period style, some with the original 1835 parquet. The house has several gilded chandeliers, and a nook in the dining room has pretty stained glass windows.

Vilnius, Lithuania

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Make 2025 the year you visit Lithuania’s capital for its Christmas markets; Vilnius was named one of three European Capitals of Christmas, plus it’s one of Europe’s most underrated cities, offering a feast of baroque architecture and a fascinating medieval old town. It’s a romantic destination, the streets often dusted with snow, with skating rinks (including one in Town Hall Square open November 30 through January 25, 2026) and saunas for warming up.

Vilnius kicks off its Christmas celebrations on November 29 with the lighting of its Cathedral Square tree, whose design and size change every year. (For 2023, an 80-foot tree was covered in nearly two miles of lights powered by coffee grounds.) At Vilnius’s Christmas market in Cathedral Square, you’ll find mulled wine and other traditional fare like kūčiukai (tiny, slightly sweet poppy-seed pastries), plus plenty of gifts and decorations. For something a little different, visit the International Christmas Charity Bazaar on Saturday November 29, 2025; you’ll find holiday goods from around the world, and proceeds are donated to charities across the country. Or head to Design Square (December 17–21, 2025) for unique finds by 40 Lithuanian designers.

Where to stay: Hotel Pacai

• Book now: Hotel Pacai

In a 17th-century mansion bang in the center of Vilnius’s UNESCO-listed historic center is the grand Hotel Pacai. Its baroque exterior belies the 104 modern rooms and suites within, each with handsome parquet floors, a long desk, and cushioned black headboards. The hotel’s eponymous restaurant, which serves global fare like a coconut fish soup with shrimp dumplings, is in the Lithuania Michelin guide.

Antwerp, Belgium

A favorite of fashion types and less than an hour by train from Brussels, Antwerp is a brilliant festive break, all dimly lit, cozy pubs with roaring fires and superb traditional beers. Squares throughout the city have alfresco seating with plenty of heaters and blankets.

Head to Grote Markt, where the Renaissance Town Hall sparkles with lights and the historic homes that fringe the square are illuminated after dark. Here you can browse more than 100 stalls with crafts from local designers, artisans, and charities. Go ice skating, indulge in a fluffy waffle, and then retire to a table at Elfde Gebod, a traditional pub where hundreds of statues of the Virgin Mary gaze down on the drinkers.

Where to stay: House of Franq

• Book now: House of Franq

In a late 19th-century former bank building, only a five-minute walk from Grote Markt, House of Franq has 42 rooms, all with king beds, Marshall speakers, and Clarins bath products. Although December in Antwerp is chilly, the hotel does have bikes available to rent, and Antwerp is very bike-friendly.

Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy

Courtesy Bruneck/Brunico Kronplatz Tourism, Gianvito Coco

Cortina, cohost of the 2026 Winter Olympics and Paralympics, sits between the peaks of the mighty Dolomites. A ski resort, it’s doused in powdery snow for most of winter, making it a scenic Christmas destination. As part of the holiday festivities, a new window of the former town hall is lit each night leading up to Christmas, like an architectural Advent calendar.

Unlike many other towns this close to the Austrian border, Cortina is thoroughly Italian, so you can expect the locals to indulge in the traditional evening passeggiata, strolling and window-shopping. Take to the slopes by day, and spend your evenings in town, walking the car-free Corsa Italia before thawing out in one of the superb pizzerias. Cortina is tiny and doesn’t have its own big Christmas market, but there are a handful of larger and very festive markets in other Dolomites towns. Among these is the market in Brunico/Bruneck, with 30-odd stalls, live music Wednesday–Saturday, and a nativity parade along the Stadtgasse (main street) on December 21.

Where to stay: Ancora Cortina

• Book now: Ancora Cortina

Right on Cortina’s main street, Corso d’Italia, Ancora Cortina opened in 1826 and is one of the town’s oldest hotels. It reopened in July 2025 with 35 airy rooms. Depending on the season, guests here can take cooking, cocktail, flower-arranging, and yoga classes; go for guided hikes in the surrounding Dolomites; and climb a via ferrata.

Colmar, France

Courtesy of OT Colmar

This small town in northeastern France sits across the Rhine River from Germany and Switzerland and is 45 minutes by train from Basel. It exudes romance year-round, but come Christmas time, it’s even more beguiling. Its canals and cobblestone streets, lined with half-timbered historic houses, are perfect for a brisk winter walk between several holiday markets. On Wednesdays and Saturdays from 5–6 p.m. November 26 to December 20, children’s choirs take to the water on illuminated boats and sing carols to passersby. There are also a dozen or so Christmas markets in the towns near Colmar, including a fair-trade food and craft market 10 minutes away in Ingersheim. A shuttle bus connects the markets in assorted villages.

In Colmar, take the kids to the Champ de Mars park, which is decked out in holiday lights and has a historic, enclosed carousel. Parents can venture underground and into the city’s Alsatian wine cellars—such as Domaine Martin Jund or Domaine Karcher—where folk celebrations and events are held throughout December. Tastings are, of course, essential.

Where to stay: Hotel Le Marchéchal

• Book now: Hotel Le Maréchal

In the center of Colmar’s old town is this 1565 house whose 30 rooms have comfortable modern amenities while also respecting its age. Facing either the courtyard or “Little Venice” (how the Lauch River is referred to), rooms showcase the building’s timber framing and have candelabra-style sconces or chandeliers and cushioned headboards.

Related: Go to This Lesser-Known French Wine Region for Bubbly, Alpine Lakes, and Comté Cheese

Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Germany

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Once Germany’s second-largest city, Rothenburg ob der Tauber is today one of its best-preserved walled medieval towns. It’s the ultimate Bavarian fairy tale—all turrets and timber and clock towers—and is a famous stop on the Romantic Road, a route that connects a series of quintessentially German towns and cities. Visitors tend to favor the town in summer when it’s warmer and less windy, but come warmly dressed during winter for a wonderfully evocative visit.

Take the Night Watchman Tour to get insight into the gritty life here during the Middle Ages and learn about some of the town’s key buildings, then head to the main Christmas event: the postcard-perfect Reiterlesmarkt. It’s got all you could want in a German Christmas market—sausages, mulled wine, fragrant roasted nuts—and, until 5 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, you can enjoy a spectacular view of the festivities from the Town Hall tower, a 220-step climb.

Where to stay: Herrnschlösschen

• Book now: Herrnschlösschen

Many of the medieval buildings in Rothenburg now house boutique hotels, and among these is Herrnschlösschen, a grand late 11th/early 12th-century former home, believed to be one of the oldest preserved residences in Germany. Guests can head to the stone-walled sauna to warm up after a day tromping around town before bedding down in one of four rooms, four suites, or a one-bedroom apartment.

Zagreb, Croatia

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Croatia, known for its scenic beaches, isn’t an obvious winter destination, but it should be: Zagreb goes all in on making winter fun and festive with Advent markets and events around town. The Christmas market in Ban Jelačić Square has the city’s big, bedecked tree, concerts and cultural performances, plus market stalls selling gifts, handicrafts, and bites like fritule (crispy miniature doughnut balls). You’ll find even more things to eat at holiday street food market Fuliranje in Strossmayer Square. Skate off the sausages and other treats at the ice rink in King Tomislav Square, or market-hop with visits to those at European Square, Zrinjevac, and Grič Tunnel.

For additional holiday shopping, head to the Take Me Home Croatian Design Shop for books, furniture, jewelry, and many more Croatian-made goods.

Where to stay: Pod Zidom Rooms

• Book now: Pod Zidom Rooms

Above a Michelin Guide–recommended restaurant is a truly boutique hotel of the same name. Its four rooms are large and modern, with comfortable reading chairs, long desks for a little remote work, and spacious marble bathrooms. All guests are welcomed with sachets of traditional Croatian cookie paprenjak, made with honey, cinnamon, nutmeg, and black paper, and given a pocket Wi-Fi to use around town. The building is on a quiet side street less than five minutes’ walk from Ban Jelačić Square and just behind Dolac market, where you can find food from all over Croatia.

Aarhus, Denmark

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Find holiday hygge in Denmark’s second city this Christmas—Aarhus has small-town charm and festive cheer aplenty. Take the train from Copenhagen in under three hours and wander Aarhus’s pretty streets strung with Christmas lights, ducking into boutiques and cafés before making your way to one of two Christmas markets. At Den Gamle By (the Old Town Museum), learn about the history of Christmas, taste wild boar sausages and almond-studded butter cookies, and visit Santa’s attic. Enjoy live music from the Royal Academy of Music’s brass bands every weekend and December 22–23 from noon to 4 p.m. The magic for kids in particular continues at Tivoli Friheden amusement park, which is entirely lit up—including a 130-foot tree—and filled with kiosks selling crafts like hand-blown ornaments and Danish treats such as æbleskiver, buttery pancake puffs that are hard to ignore.

Where to stay: Villa Provence

• Book now: Villa Provence

More than a thousand miles separate Arhaus from France’s Provence region, but this lovely hotel has 39 homey rooms with wide plank floors, brass or dark wooden four-poster beds, Provençal bedcovers, and framed French film posters. Enjoy a complimentary glass of wine on the floral-print sofa in the warm lobby, where you can mingle with other guests.

Read Next: Where to Find Europe’s Most Festive Christmas Markets

This article was originally published in 2018 and most recently updated on October 27, 2025, with current information.