10 European-Style Christmas Markets in the U.S. for Glühwein, Danish Cookies, and Swedish Santa

When it comes to festive travel experiences, few things compare to the sights and smells of the dazzling Christmas markets that light up cities and towns across Europe. Full of good cheer, plenty of places to do your holiday shopping, and warming food and drink, they’re the perfect way to beat any winter doldrums—and they’re all over the United States, too.

European-style Christmas markets in the U.S. deliver the same magical punch of holiday fun, without the jet lag. Find a domestic Christmas market near you, or plan a trip to one to indulge in some old-world holiday treats like German glühwein or Danish brunkager.

Christmas Village in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Yet another German-inspired market, Philadelphia’s Christmas Village in Love Park looks like a European wonderland with its dozens of wooden huts, illuminated beer garden, and thousands of twinkling lights. (The fact that it’s backed by Philly’s ornate, Second Empire–style City Hall only adds to the European feel.)

The market features a double-decker carousel and German food vendors, where visitors can fill up on bratwurst, Belgian fries, warm plates of spätzle, and lots of European beers and spiced wine. Most Christmas Village dates align with the neighboring Made in Philadelphia Holiday Market (also near the Ice Rink at Dilworth Park and the municipal Christmas Tree at North Broad), so the district surrounding Love Park is busy with holiday cheer this time of year.

Related: 4 Days in Philadelphia: Cobblestones, Calder Sculptures, and a 24/7 Cheese Vending Machine

Christkindlmarket in Chicago, Illinois

Photo by Eric James Walsh Photography

Chicago sure knows how to impress during the holidays, right down to the last window display on State Street. One of the city’s biggest yuletide attractions is its annual Christkindlmarket, inspired by the classic Christkindlesmarkt in Nuremberg, Germany.

If you can blur out the Chicago landmarks in your periphery, you might believe you’ve been transported to Bavaria. Wooden stalls hawk handmade gifts, and the scents of Bavaria’s gingerbread and bratwurst infuse in the air. If you’re there with kids, don’t forget to take a picture with the Christkind, “a fairy-like being dressed in gold and white robes with a crown upon her golden locks.” She’s the namesake for the Chriskindlmarket, and in German folklore, she’s the bearer of gifts to children.

Related: A Local’s Guide to the Perfect Long Weekend in Chicago

Texas Christkindl Market in Arlington, Texas

The impact German immigrants have had on Texas is visible in many of the state’s small towns and cities, as well as during events like the Texas Christkindl Market in Arlington, a city situated between Dallas and Fort Worth.

Celebrating its 15th iteration in 2025, the open-air market partners with Bavarian town Rothenburg ob der Tauber to offer handicrafts and collectibles, including ornaments and nutcrackers from German Christmas-decoration company Käthe Wohlfahrt.

Market performers range from the German Band of North Texas to an Alphorn quartet known as the Swiss Longhorns. But you can also embrace the Texan side of things by perusing vendors like Texas Rib Rangers, which sells barbecue sauces and rubs and the on-theme JJ’s Schnitzel.

Savannah Christmas Market in Savannah, Georgia

Photos courtesy Visit Savannah

Now in its fourth year, Savannah’s Christmas Market in the Plant Riverside District combines Austrian tradition with Southern charm. Here you’ll find a small collection of stalls lined up right along the river, selling mulled wine, beer, pretzels, and chocolate treats for the kids. The packed events calendar includes a tree lighting ceremony (November 28 at 6:30 p.m.), a parade of 30-plus lit-up boats (November 29 at 7 p.m.), and a Kwanzaa celebration (December 26 at 5 p.m.), as well as live music, children’s activities, and photos with Santa Claus.

Cincinnati Christkindlmarkt in Cincinnati, Ohio

Spread out in Smale Riverfront Park just outside Moerlein Lager House is this celebration of Cincinnati’s German heritage, held annually since 1998. Expect some 25 tents selling gifts and food—think vintage German beer steins, goat milk soaps, and hand-knit gloves, as well as strudel, soft pretzels, and sausages. The packed events calendar includes a DJ night, musical performances, and a wine tasting. Kids can go ‘round and ‘round on a carousel, new for 2025, before kicking back during storytime.

Kerstmarkt in Holland, Michigan

Photo by Samantha Denman/Holland Area Convention & Visitors Bureau

Holland, Michigan, is perhaps best known for its springtime tulip festivals (like those of its namesake), but the town leans into its Dutch heritage just as heavily during the holidays. Its annual volunteer-run Kerstmarkt pays homage to the Christmas markets that pop up around the Netherlands in December, with food, drinks, and handicrafts sold across a variety of booths. The vendors offer a handful of Dutch dishes savory and sweet, so you can chase your bowl of erwtensoep (pea soup) with some apple dumplings.

Greenville Christmas Market in Greenville, South Carolina

Thirty-three vendors fill Autograph Collection hotel the Grand Bohemian Lodge during Greenville’s annual Christmas market, where you can pick up gifts like elderberry syrup from Easley, South Carolina and ceramics by local makers Hollowed Earth Pottery and Clay Stories Ceramics Studio. The fireplace will be roaring at the hotel’s bar, Spirit & Bower, and revelers can sip festive cocktails and pose under mistletoe. Children’s storytime, photos with Santa, and serenades by the City Carolers group round out the fun.

Solvang Julefest in Solvang, California

Courtesy of SolvangUSA.com

The next best thing to the Christmas festivities at Tivoli Gardens Solvang Julefest—and a whole lot warmer—is an annual celebration of Danish culture held north of Santa Barbara in the town of Solvang, which calls itself “the Danish capital of America.”

For more than a month, the city’s downtown area transforms into a charming Christmas village straight from a Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale, complete with gløgg and brunkager (Christmas cookies), visits with Santa, and scavenger hunts to find the mysterious Solvang nisse—basically the Danish version of Elf on the Shelf.

Scandinavian Christmas Fair in Raleigh, North Carolina

Hosted every year by a local Swedish American organization, Julmarknad brings Scandinavia to Raleigh with traditional folk dances, visits with Tomten (a Swedish folklore character with a strong resemblance to Santa), and gifts ranging from Norwegian sweaters and heavy quilts to painted gnomes. This year marks the 30th anniversary of the Julmarknad (Swedish for “Christmas market”), which is a great excuse to load up on Swedish meatballs, pea soup, glögg, and kanelbullar (cinnamon buns).

Holiday Market at Snowport in Boston, Massachusetts

The largest annual outdoor, European-style holiday market in New England, Snowport (a clever renaming of its host neighborhood, Seaport), features more than 120 small businesses, such as Oceanum Vela, which upcycles sails into sturdy bags, and More Than Words, a social enterprise bookshop.

There are also 24 food and beverage vendors selling everything from traditional Swiss-style raclette to dumplings. Activities include iceless curling at the Snowport Curling Lanes, shopping for freshly cut trees and evergreen trimmings at the Tree Market (the market’s annual holiday tree lighting is Friday, December 5), and sharing Christmas wishes on a 25-foot interactive chalkboard. Keep an eye out for Betty the Yeti, Snowport’s official mascot, throughout the season.

This article was originally published in 2021 and most recently updated on November 21, 2025, with current information.