Revealing Which Cities In Europe Have The Best Christmas Markets
Christmas is coming, bringing with it plenty of beloved traditions, and lots of seasonal food and drink as well! One tradition that remains popular every year is the Christmas Markets, combining a festive day out with the chance to do some Holiday shopping.
With something for everyone, from beautiful lights and decorations, to food vendors with local holiday delicacies, a visit is something many look forward to. While the tradition originated in Germany, the events are now found in a wide variety of countries, and are especially popular in Europe. Many of Europe’s capital cities have a Christmas market they are very proud of, and they should be!
But where are the very best examples across Europe? To find out, we at Ubuy researched the popularity of Christmas markets in some of the continent’s biggest capital cities using hashtags on Instagram and TikTok. We can’t wait to tell you all about the events, traditions and local customs we learned about - and show you where the most popular destinations are!
The Top 10 Best Christmas Markets In Europe
Discover the most magical, festive Christmas markets across Europe for seasonal drinks, food, gifts and charm.
1. London, England
The number one destination for Christmas markets in Europe is the UK’s capital city. The hashtags we counted added up to an enormous 12.3 million views on TikTok, and results were high on Instagram as well, with 5.4K posts tagged.
London has a whole host of options for visitors and locals alike to enjoy, ranging from traditional stalls in Trafalgar Square to delicious food from around the world at the Southbank and live music at King’s Cross. You can also catch performers and fire breathers at Leicester Square’s market. And we would be remiss not to mention the circus and the UK’s biggest outdoor ice rink at Hyde Park’s Winter Wonderland!
Combined hashtag views and posts: 12840000
2. Vienna, Austria
Vienna comes in close behind London, posted about 18.9K times on Instagram, by far the most of any of the cities we looked at! That’s a clear sign that the markets are surely among the most beautiful. Vienna also received 10.2 million views on TikTok.
Markets at Christmas-time in Vienna have been written about since 1298, and so, as you can imagine, there are plenty to choose from - some years there will be as many as 20. The most famous in Vienna is the picturesque Christkindlmarkt by the Rathaus city hall, where you can ice skate. But you can also find more options in the forecourt of the fabulous Schönbrunn Palace, and in Karlsplatz where the market specialises in fine arts and crafts.
Combined hashtag views and posts: 10218900
3. Paris, France
The capital city of France was the next most popular destination for Christmas markets. On TikTok, posts received 4.9 million views, whereas on Instagram, there were 1.6K tagged posts.
The city centre of Paris will often see more than 15 markets every Christmas, not counting the smallest pop ups. La Magie de Noël in Tuileries is one of the most popular and most certainly the biggest. One of the things that makes this destination so special is the ferris wheel that visitors can ride, looking down over the glittering scene. The Saint-Germain-des-Prés is a great place to shop for luxury goods, and the smaller and more traditional market at Notre Dame is where you can try authentic regional foods.
Combined hashtag views and posts: 4901600
4. Budapest, Hungary
Budapest is the next city on our list, with 12.2K posts on Instagram about the Christmas markets here, and 1.6 million views on TikTok. The capital city of Hungary along the Danube is a popular winter destination, looking absolutely magical in the snow.
Traditional Hungarian chimney cakes will be sold at many of these events. Vörösmarty Square is where you can find one of the most famous destinations, first hosting the event 20 years ago. The Christmas market at St. Stephen’s Basilica is the longest-running in Budapest. An annual fixture for the last 12 years, it often features incredible light projections onto the walls of the basilica itself. There is often also a market at Vajdahunyad Castle, a building well worth a visit in its own right, which looks straight out of a fairy tale.
Combined hashtag views and posts: 1612200
5. Brussels, Belgium
Next up is Brussels, a city whose Christmas markets, like Budapest’s, saw a huge 1.6 million views on TikTok. There are also more than 1000 posts on Instagram. This historic city is the capital of Belgium, and you can bet that the stalls here will have plenty of mouth-watering treats from local waffles to famous Belgian beers.
Marché aux Poissons is where you can find more than 200 chalets selling gifts, food and drink, but there are plenty of other destinations to check out in Brussels at Christmas. The Christmas market in Brussels takes place at a number of different sites, each with their own charms. At St Catherine’s, the pretty square is filled with stalls and lit by colourful projections onto the church.
Combined hashtag views and posts: 1601000
6. Copenhagen, Denmark
Copenhagen, the Danish capital on the banks of the Øresund strait is our next city. With 257.2K views on TikTok and 100+ tagged posts on Instagram, this is another popular destination for Christmas markets, although not as well-known as some of the other places on our list.
Copenhagen Zoo is one of the most unusual destinations on our list, where as well as the traditional market stalls, there are opportunities for children to meet Santa and feed the animals in the petting zoo. Tivoli Gardens, the world’s second oldest amusement park, also hosts a very special Christmas market, decked out in festive twinkling lights, and of course you can go on all the rides! Copenhagen is also host to more traditional options where you can stroll among the stalls - try the market at Kongens Nytorv if you go!
Combined hashtag views and posts: 257300
7. Zagreb, Croatia
Now let’s turn to Zagreb, the capital of Croatia, an increasingly popular tourist destination with beautiful historic buildings. There are more than 1000 tagged posts on Instagram, and on TikTok Zagreb’s markets have been viewed 248.5K times.
There are more than 25 individual Christmas markets in Zagreb and you can even ride the special Merry Christmas tram driven by Santa Claus himself as you go between them! Josip Jelacic square in the city centre combines cute stalls selling handicrafts and local snacks with the opportunity to see live music or traditional dancing on a large stage. In King Tomislav Square, the ice skating rink is always very popular.
Combined hashtag views and posts: 249500
8. Berlin, Germany
The capital city of Germany is next, with 6.7K tagged posts on Instagram and 64.4K views on TikTok. Germany is perhaps the country most famous for its Christmas markets, with definitely some of the famous foods - bratwurst and Glühwein come to mind!
In Berlin, there are over a hundred different markets every December, as you might expect for a German city! Visitors and locals can find something to suit every taste. Go to Charlottenburg Palace to find sweet and savoury snacks, traditional crafts and also nostalgic fairground rides. At the all-inclusive Spreespeicher Christmas market, paying for entry means you can then try as many of the hot and cold foods as you want. And lastly, Friedrichshain’s unique mediaeval-themed event hosts performers like acrobats and jugglers who will entertain you while you shop.
Combined hashtag views and posts: 71100
9. Helsinki, Finland
Helsinki, the capital of Finland, had more views on TikTok than Berlin, with 67.4K. Christmas markets in this city were featured in 1000+ tagged posts on Instagram. This city is frequently rated highly for its friendliness and high standard of urban living.
The Helsinki Christmas Market in Senate Square is the oldest and most popular in the city. Shoppers can enjoy the stalls selling gifts and foods from Finnish pastries to local fish, and on the 13th December, it is home to the fantastic traditional St Lucia procession. Look for artisanal handicrafts at Vanha Ylioppilastalo. Indoors, try the City Museum’s Holiday Market, for a relaxed stroll through stalls held by handpicked vendors.
Combined hashtag views and posts: 68400
10. Oslo, Norway
The last city on our list of the Top 10 cities in Europe for Christmas markets is Oslo in Norway. Oslo’s Christmas markets saw 22.6K views on TikTok, and were tagged on Instagram 812 times. In Norway, snow at Christmas time is practically a given!
The Spikersuppa Christmas fair has a great many stalls where you can find something delicious to eat, as well as a skating rink that families, friends and couples can all enjoy. The open-air Norsk Folkemuseum has a wonderful and unusual Christmas market - travel through time and witness festive traditions from different periods in the past, while you shop for gifts from little independent stalls.
Combined hashtag views and posts: 23412
Conclusion
We don’t know about you, but after reviewing Europe’s Top 10 destinations for Christmas markets, we feel warm and cosy inside, and ready for a mulled wine or a waffle! London came out as the most popular, with a vibrant atmosphere and something for people of all ages to enjoy. While Oslo’s Christmas markets did not attract as much attention on social media, it sounds like a gorgeous destination as well, with plenty to see and do.
We hope that this list has given you an idea of some locations you would like to visit yourself for the holiday season one day. If you would like to buy something special from another country such as their Christmas traditional food, you can find lots of speciality and gourmet food at Ubuy. We can also help you find festive decorations like lights and ornaments from all over the world.
Methodology
We initially created a list of the capital cities with the highest populations in Europe.
We looked at Instagram to record how many posts used a hashtag related to Christmas markets in the city, and counted the number of views the same hashtag received on TikTok.
We combined the number of posts on Instagram and the TikTok views and gave each destination a score.
Finally, the cities were ranked according to the score they received.