There’s something magical about the holidays in Europe, particularly in destinations renowned for Christmas markets. Snow-capped mountains, winter chalets, mulled wine and twinkling lights epitomize the festive season. For seekers of fairytales, Kempinski’s guide to the best Christmas Markets in Europe showcase the most luxe experiences in the most charming destinations.
Budapest, Hungary
As Hungary’s capital, Budapest is a charming city bisected by the River Danube, and as such, a special experience must include a boat ride along the Danube after dark with views of the Chain Bridge and the illuminated parliament and palaces. Many things are better here in winter, including a soak in the Széchenyi Thermal Baths, enveloped by a cloud of steam in the cold air. Budapest’s main Christmas Market unfolds on Vörösmarty Square from 15 November until 31 December 2024. Visitors can enjoy walking under the lights of pedestrianized Fashion Street. At the 100 stalls, which are also easily reached by metro, families will have plenty to keep them busy, from the playhouse and craft classes to the kid-sized miniature railway. It’s also one of the best markets for foodies, with specialty dishes rooted in Central and Eastern European cuisine. Specialties include stuffed cabbage and lepeny (a traditional flatbread), hearty Hungarian goulash and strudel or sekler cake (the famous Budapest chimney cake). Nearby, Kempinski Hotel Corvinus offers luxury accommodations with some of the freshly renovated rooms overlooking Fashion Street.
Munich, Germany
At the heart of Bavaria, Munich truly comes alive during Christkindlmarkt season. Visitors can indulge in frosty steins of beer, bratwurst and lederhosen throughout the year, however the festive season is special with a variety of markets to explore. Münchners have been gathering in Marienplatz to shop and celebrate Christmas since the 14th century. A seven-story Christmas tree sits in the shadow of the neo-gothic New Town Hall, lit up by the thousands of candles. Here, visitors will find more than 100 stalls, completely filling the square from 25 November until 24 December 2024.
Visitors looking for an idyllic experience should head to the centre of the English Garden, one of the world’s largest urban parks. Horse-drawn carriages, food stands and well-maintained paths through the forest are hallmarks of this market.
Alternatively, a popular market for families is at the Residenz. Bavaria’s Wittelsbach royal family began construction of this palace in 1385, continuing to build over the centuries, resulting in a rambling, 130-room redoubt. Revel in a Christmas village across 10 courtyards, with a focus on puppet shows and kid-friendly attractions. Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten Kempinski, a grand hotel literally built for a king, and home to Munich’s finest living room, is the cornerstone of the city.
Dresden, Germany
Dresden is a hidden treasure. Nicknamed the “jewel box” its beauty is sometimes overlooked. Home to generations of Saxon kings, aristocrats built a brilliant place on the broad bends of the Elbe River. The elaborate chambers of the royal palace and the fascinating galleries of the rambling, 18th-century Dresden Zwinger are a sight to behold. Located in Altmarkt Square, the Striezelmarkt is Germany’s oldest Christmas market. The 14.6-metre step pyramid (which holds a record in the Guinness World Records) is laden and lined with whimsical festive figures and features the world’s largest candle arch. The market also boasts a Ferris Wheel and 240 stalls showcasing everything from delicate lacework to handmade wooden toys. Visitors should indulge in rahmklecks, a Dresden speciality – a bread roll stuffed with ham and cheese and topped with a dollop of sour cream. Further down the Prager Strasse, many smaller markets are dotted along Christmas Mile. Built by Augustus the Strong and the recent recipient of a multi-million-dollar transformation, Hotel Taschenbergpalais Kempinski is one of the crown-jewels of Dresden.
Berlin, Germany
Germany’s capital is one of the world’s best walking cities and a tour through history. Visitors should start at Checkpoint Charlie and trace the remnants of the Berlin Wall all the way to the Brandenburg Gate. The winding pathways of Tiergarten transforms into an illuminated winter wonderland, complete with ice skating and Yuletide tunes, during winter from 22 November 2024 to 12 January 2025. In addition to the festivities in the park, Berlin offers over 100 Christmas markets, with most available to visit from 25 November 2024 until the end of December.
Visitors should not miss Charlottenburg Palace, the market set at the former home of Queen Sophie Charlotte. The palace lights up at night with marching bands moving through the hundred stalls selling everything from silk items to ceramics. It’s a good option for families with two carousels and a Ferris Wheel. Spandau is the city’s largest Christmas market, spreading out from the main square to the cobblestones of old town. Two of the biggest highlights include a nativity scene with live animals and a stage where music rings out throughout the day. For a local experience, the neighbourhood around the Art Deco Brohan Museum comes together to celebrate on 7 and 8 December featuring arts and crafts from local suppliers, homemade foods, and performances from local schools and dance clubs. The most famous place to stay in Germany, Hotel Adlon Kempinski sits at the heart of it all, right at the Brandenburg Gate.
St Moritz, Switzerland
Perhaps no place on earth embraces winter better than St Moritz. Not just an upscale ski town, here palatial hotels, with a sugary-white glaze of snow, look like homes of fairytale princesses and princes. Just a walk through the winding streets in the heart of town will feel like a stroll through a storybook. Visitors should arrive in town by riding the Glacier Express through Alpine switchbacks and tunnels, and across trestles with soaring views down to snow-bound villages below. The feelings of winter fantasy continue at the town’s Christmas market, one of the fanciest anywhere. Savvy onlookers will find jet-setters, celebrities and even royalty, browsing a number of pop-up markets in squares and pedestrian streets that feature upscale goods like handmade jewellery, crafted from stones sourced just nearby. Close to the centre of town and right at the foot of the cable car, the Grand Hotel des Bains Kempinski offers a regal sleep.
Riga, Latvia
Riga might be Europe’s most underrated city. Built by the Baltic Sea, the Latvian capital has been a centre of international trade since its founding in 1201. That wealth and power is still evident across its matchless Old Town, which has been meticulously preserved as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Visitors should marvel at the history and architecture, from its medieval core to the greatest collection of Art Nouveau buildings in Europe. The Old Town Christmas Market runs from 29 November 2024 to 2 January 2025 on Doma Square. The place where Riga’s heart beats, seven streets meet at the square, surrounded by some of the city’s greatest landmarks, including the grand cathedral, topped by its iconic weathercock, and the Venetian Renaissance-style Art Museum Riga Bourse. Visitors should partake in traditional Latvian touches: black balsam, the national liquor; piragi, buns filled with bacon and sautéed onions; and Latvian honey. Stylish rooms can be found at Grand Hotel Kempinski Riga, which sits at the entrance to Old Town across from the Latvian National Opera and Ballet theatre.
Salzburg, Austria
The place where the hills come alive with the sound of music; a city immortalised in the popular 1965 film starring Julie Andrews. A visit here always feels like stepping into an imagined world. A wonderland, especially in winter, set on the banks of a serpentine river, beneath towers and church spires and an imposing hilltop fortress. From 24 November 2024 to 1 January 2025, the city’s main Christmas market sets up in the middle of town, on Cathedral and Residenz Squares. Known for its theatre and music, Salzburgers have been gathering for these festivities since the 15th century. Visitors can enjoy performances by dozens of choirs with musicians performing on turmblasen (wind instruments). Just 30 minutes from Salzburg sits Kempinski Hotel Berchtesgaden, built on a ridge 1,000 metres up, amidst the mountains with spectacular views.
Sofia, Bulgaria
Situated in the shadow of Mount Vitosha, a number of cultures come together in Sofia, intersecting with natural wonders nearby. While it may not be the first destination that comes to mind when thinking of European capital cities, it’s a special place that offers shimmering onion domes, Ottoman minarets and Soviet monuments, with waterfalls and ski slopes just outside of town. Christmas markets are a relatively new phenomenon to Sofia. The first market and the largest, Deutscher Weihnachtsmarkt, opened just over a decade ago. Running from 15 November 2024 until just before Christmas, the stalls in City Garden bring together German and Bulgarian traditions. Visitors can start here and then walk to two others nearby, each with their own charms. Christmas Fest, at the National Palace of Culture, offers many live performances – everything from concerts to circus shows. Christmas Park on Slaveykov Square is the best market for locally made handicrafts and fresh products from Bulgarian farms. For a magical snowy experience, nearby Kempinski Hotel Grand Arena Bansko is a picture-perfect resort located next to a gondola lift in the Pirin Mountains.
