Christmas Markets Tier List: Ranking 24 of the World's Best
Christmas markets have gone from a cozy German tradition to a global winter obsession, and now every city with a half-decent square is throwing up wooden stalls selling mulled wine and felt slippers. We looked at 24 of the biggest and most talked-about markets, from the old guard in Nuremberg and Dresden to newer entries in Chicago and New York.
This list leans on what regulars, travel writers and market obsessives actually say when you ask them which ones are worth the trip and which are just a glorified parking lot with a hot wine stand. Disagree with where we put your favorite? That's half the fun. Rank it yourself and see how it stacks up.
The tier list
The community’s tier list fills in as members vote. It appears once 5 members have ranked or voted on these.
Think you can rank them better?
Make your own tier listFree account. Your ranking stays private unless you share it, and it counts toward the community tier list.Vote
SS Tier: The ones worth building a trip around
Nuremberg Christkindlesmarkt
This is the market every other German Christmas market gets compared to, and it usually loses. The Prune Man figures and the Nuremberg Lebkuchen are legitimately worth queuing for, and the opening ceremony on the Hauptmarkt still gives people chills.
About Nuremberg Christkindlesmarkt
A historic Christmas market held on the Hauptmarkt in Nuremberg, Germany, famous for its Prune Men figures and traditional opening ceremony.
- Location
- Nuremberg, Germany
- Known for
- Lebkuchen and Prune Man figures
Dresden Striezelmarkt
Billed as one of Germany's oldest Christmas markets, dating back centuries, and it wears that history well. The giant Christmas pyramid and the Stollen festival give it a weight the newer markets can't fake.
About Dresden Striezelmarkt
One of Germany's oldest Christmas markets, held in the center of Dresden and named after Stollen, the local Christmas bread.
- Location
- Dresden, Germany
- Known for
- Giant Christmas pyramid and Stollen
Strasbourg Christmas Market
Alsace does Christmas like nowhere else, and Strasbourg's half-timbered streets strung with lights feel like someone built a movie set and then let actual people live in it. The vin chaud and bredele cookies are reason enough to go, but it's the whole city turning into one market that seals it.
About Strasbourg Christmas Market
A citywide Christmas market in Strasbourg, France, spread across multiple squares in the historic Alsatian center.
- Location
- Strasbourg, France
- Known for
- Bredele cookies and half-timbered setting
Vienna Christkindlmarkt
Rathausplatz at night, City Hall lit up behind the stalls, ice rink going, punsch in hand. Vienna does grand without losing the warmth, and that's a harder trick than it sounds.
About Vienna Christkindlmarkt
The main Christmas market in Vienna, Austria, set on Rathausplatz in front of the City Hall.
- Location
- Vienna, Austria
- Known for
- Punsch and City Hall light display
AA Tier: Genuinely great, minor quibbles only
Cologne Christmas Market
Technically several markets rolled into one city, and the one by the cathedral is the showstopper. Having a Gothic landmark looming over your mulled wine stand does a lot of heavy lifting, but the harbor market and the one at Neumarkt keep it from being a one-trick pony.
About Cologne Christmas Market
A group of several Christmas markets across Cologne, Germany, with the main one set beside Cologne Cathedral.
- Location
- Cologne, Germany
- Known for
- Cathedral backdrop
Prague Old Town Christmas Market
Old Town Square with the astronomical clock and a towering tree is one of the prettiest market settings anywhere. It can feel like a tourist conveyor belt by late afternoon, but the trdelník and the setting still win people over.
About Prague Old Town Christmas Market
A Christmas market in Prague's Old Town Square, overlooked by the astronomical clock and Týn Church.
- Location
- Prague, Czech Republic
- Known for
- Trdelník and historic square setting
Tallinn Christmas Market
Smaller and cozier than the big German names, and that's the appeal. The market on Raekoja plats claims a long running history and the medieval old town around it makes the whole thing feel unusually intimate for a capital city.
About Tallinn Christmas Market
A Christmas market held on Town Hall Square in Tallinn's medieval old town, Estonia.
- Location
- Tallinn, Estonia
- Known for
- Medieval old town setting
Budapest Christmas Fair
The market at Vörösmarty Square and the light show projected onto St. Stephen's Basilica nearby is one of the better free spectacles in European Christmas markets. Kürtőskalács (chimney cake) alone is worth the flight for some people.
About Budapest Christmas Fair
A Christmas market at Vörösmarty Square in Budapest, Hungary, known for its light projections onto nearby landmarks.
- Location
- Budapest, Hungary
- Known for
- Kürtőskalács and basilica light show
Brussels Winter Wonders
Stretches across the city center with a light and sound show at Grand Place that genuinely stops people in their tracks. Belgian waffles and fries alongside the usual mulled wine give it an edge over markets that only do the German staples.
About Brussels Winter Wonders
A citywide Christmas market and light festival in Brussels, Belgium, centered around Grand Place.
- Location
- Brussels, Belgium
- Known for
- Grand Place light and sound show
Tivoli Gardens Christmas
Less a market, more a whole amusement park dressed up for the holidays. The rides, the lights strung through old trees and the sheer scale of the decoration make it feel more like a Christmas event than a row of stalls.
About Tivoli Gardens Christmas
The Christmas edition of Tivoli Gardens amusement park in Copenhagen, Denmark, combining rides with festive decoration.
- Location
- Copenhagen, Denmark
- Known for
- Christmas lights and rides
Colmar Christmas Market
Colmar splits its market across several squares, each with its own theme, and the canal-side houses lit up in red and green are almost too picturesque to be real. Smaller crowds than Strasbourg but arguably just as charming.
About Colmar Christmas Market
A Christmas market spread across several themed squares in Colmar, a canal town in France's Alsace region.
- Location
- Colmar, France
- Known for
- Canal-side lit houses
BB Tier: Solid, reliable, a good night out
Salzburg Christkindlmarkt
Mozart's hometown does Christmas with the Hohensalzburg Fortress looming over the square, and it's a genuinely beautiful backdrop. It's a little smaller and pricier than its Austrian sibling in Vienna, which keeps it just below the top tier.
About Salzburg Christkindlmarkt
A Christmas market held in front of Salzburg Cathedral and the Hohensalzburg Fortress in Austria.
- Location
- Salzburg, Austria
- Known for
- Fortress backdrop
Munich Christkindlmarkt
Marienplatz looks the part with the Neues Rathaus glowing behind the tree, and the market delivers solid Glühwein and Lebkuchen. It gets compared unfavorably to Nuremberg a lot, which isn't entirely fair, but the comparison is inevitable given how close they are.
About Munich Christkindlmarkt
The main Christmas market on Marienplatz in front of Munich's Neues Rathaus, Germany.
- Location
- Munich, Germany
- Known for
- Town hall backdrop and Glühwein
Frankfurt Christmas Market
One of the oldest markets in Germany, spread across the Römerberg with its distinctive half-timbered buildings. It does everything a German Christmas market should do competently, without quite having a single moment that makes it unforgettable.
About Frankfurt Christmas Market
One of Germany's oldest Christmas markets, held around the Römerberg square in Frankfurt.
- Location
- Frankfurt, Germany
- Known for
- Historic half-timbered square
Stuttgart Christmas Market
One of the largest markets in Germany by stall count, and it shows in how long you can wander before seeing the same thing twice. The lack of one iconic backdrop keeps it from the very top, but the sheer variety makes up for it.
About Stuttgart Christmas Market
One of the largest Christmas markets in Germany by number of stalls, held in central Stuttgart.
- Location
- Stuttgart, Germany
- Known for
- Large scale and variety of stalls
Aachen Christmas Market
The cathedral here is a UNESCO site and it gives the market real gravitas. Printen gingerbread is the local specialty and worth seeking out over the generic Lebkuchen you'll find everywhere else.
About Aachen Christmas Market
A Christmas market set around Aachen Cathedral, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, in western Germany.
- Location
- Aachen, Germany
- Known for
- Printen gingerbread
Berlin Gendarmenmarkt Christmas Market
Set between two cathedrals and the Konzerthaus, it's arguably the most elegant square in Berlin for this kind of thing. It charges entry at the gates some years, which annoys people used to free-roaming German markets, but the setting mostly justifies it.
About Berlin Gendarmenmarkt Christmas Market
A Christmas market set on Gendarmenmarkt square in Berlin, between the German and French Cathedrals and the Konzerthaus.
- Location
- Berlin, Germany
- Known for
- Elegant square setting, sometimes ticketed entry
Edinburgh Christmas Market
Princes Street Gardens with the castle looming overhead is a genuinely great setting, and the big wheel and rides give it more of a fairground energy than most European markets. Critics say it's leaned too commercial in recent years, and that complaint isn't baseless.
About Edinburgh Christmas Market
A Christmas market and festival held in Princes Street Gardens in Edinburgh, Scotland, below the castle.
- Location
- Edinburgh, Scotland
- Known for
- Big wheel and castle views
Kraków Christmas Market
The Rynek Główny, one of the largest medieval squares in Europe, makes a fantastic stage for a Christmas market. Cheaper than most Western European options too, which travelers consistently point out as a real draw.
About Kraków Christmas Market
A Christmas market held on the Rynek Główny, one of the largest medieval town squares in Europe, in Kraków, Poland.
- Location
- Kraków, Poland
- Known for
- Large medieval square setting
CC Tier: Fun but leaning more theme park than tradition
Hyde Park Winter Wonderland
This has basically become a theme park with a Christmas theme bolted on, rides, circus shows, an ice rink, and yes, stalls selling mulled wine somewhere in the mix. Fun for a day out, but purists will tell you it's drifted a long way from what a Christmas market is supposed to be.
About Hyde Park Winter Wonderland
A large Christmas-themed event in Hyde Park, London, combining a market with rides, an ice rink and circus shows.
- Location
- London, England
- Known for
- Rides and festive theme park atmosphere
Manchester Christmas Markets
Spread across multiple sites in the city center, which sounds great until you realize it means a lot of walking between underwhelming clusters of stalls. Good for bratwurst and cheese on a cold day, but reviews consistently mention how crowded and repetitive it's become.
About Manchester Christmas Markets
A network of Christmas market stalls spread across multiple sites in Manchester city center, England.
- Location
- Manchester, England
- Known for
- Multiple market sites citywide
Bryant Park Winter Village
The ice rink and the skyline backdrop are genuinely lovely, and the shopping kiosks are a step up from your average market stall. It's more a holiday market with boutique vibes than a traditional Christmas market, and traditionalists dock it points for that.
About Bryant Park Winter Village
A holiday market and ice rink in Bryant Park, New York City, featuring boutique shopping kiosks.
- Location
- New York City, USA
- Known for
- Ice rink and skyline views
Christkindlmarket Chicago
Daley Plaza gets a solid dose of German Christmas spirit, imported steins and all, and it's clearly done with real affection for the tradition. It still reads as a well-executed tribute act rather than the real thing, which is fine, just don't expect Nuremberg.
About Christkindlmarket Chicago
A German-style Christmas market held in Daley Plaza in downtown Chicago, USA.
- Location
- Chicago, USA
- Known for
- Imported German goods and steins
FF Tier: Disagree with us in the comments
Basel Christmas Market
This one's controversial since plenty of locals love it, but across several squares it often gets criticized for feeling fragmented and overcrowded without a strong central draw. If it clicked for you, that's great, but the consensus in the notes we gathered was lukewarm at best.
About Basel Christmas Market
A Christmas market spread across multiple squares in Basel, Switzerland, including Barfüsserplatz and Münsterplatz.
- Location
- Basel, Switzerland
- Known for
- Multiple market squares
How we ranked them
We weighed atmosphere and history first, since a market without soul is just a craft fair with snow. Then food and drink quality, the Glühwein-to-gimmick ratio, setting (a market in front of a cathedral beats one in a parking lot every time), crowd size and how commercial it's gotten, and overall consistency year to year based on recent visitor reports. Consensus from travel forums, local reviews and repeat visitors mattered more than any single glossy magazine list.
Think we got it wrong?
Drag all 24 christmas markets into your own tier list, then download the image or share a link.
Rank these yourselfFAQ
Which is the oldest Christmas market in the world?
Dresden's Striezelmarkt is widely cited as one of the oldest documented Christmas markets, with roots going back centuries, though several German cities make similar claims.
What is the biggest Christmas market in Europe?
Stuttgart's Christmas market is often named as one of the largest by number of stalls, while Cologne's combined markets across the city add up to one of the biggest overall footprints.
Is Vienna or Nuremberg's Christmas market better?
It's genuinely close. Nuremberg wins on tradition and food, Vienna wins on grandeur and setting. Both land in our S tier for good reason.
Are US Christmas markets as good as European ones?
They're fun but different. Bryant Park and Christkindlmarket Chicago borrow the format without the centuries of local tradition, so they land in the middle of our list rather than the top.
What should I eat at a German Christmas market?
Glühwein (mulled wine), Lebkuchen or Printen gingerbread, bratwurst, and roasted chestnuts are the staples worth trying almost anywhere you go.
More rankings
Image credits
- Nuremberg ChristkindlesmarktPhoto: Roland Berger, CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons) · License · Source
- Dresden StriezelmarktPhoto: Dietmar Rabich, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons) · License · Source
- Strasbourg Christmas MarketPhoto: Romynine, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons) · License · Source
- Vienna ChristkindlmarktPhoto: Pavel.Shulekin, CC BY 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons) · License · Source
- Cologne Christmas MarketPhoto: CGP Grey, CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons) · License · Source
- Prague Old Town Christmas MarketPhoto: Hynek Moravec, CC BY 2.5 (Wikimedia Commons) · License · Source
- Tallinn Christmas MarketPhoto: Ypsilon from Finland, CC0 (Wikimedia Commons) · License · Source
- Budapest Christmas FairPhoto: Jorge Franganillo from Barcelona, Spain, CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons) · License · Source
- Brussels Winter WondersPhoto: William Murphy from Dublin, Ireland, CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons) · License · Source
- Tivoli Gardens ChristmasPhoto: Susanne Nilsson, CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons) · License · Source
- Colmar Christmas MarketPhoto: Office de Tourisme de Colmar, CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons) · License · Source
- Salzburg ChristkindlmarktPhoto: Wald1siedel, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons) · License · Source
- Munich ChristkindlmarktPhoto: Ramessos, Public domain (Wikimedia Commons) · Source
- Frankfurt Christmas MarketPhoto: Roy Hughes, CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons) · License · Source
- Stuttgart Christmas MarketPhoto: BuzzWoof, Public domain (Wikimedia Commons) · Source
- Aachen Christmas MarketPhoto: CMFRIESE, CC BY 2.0 (via Openverse) · License · Source
- Berlin Gendarmenmarkt Christmas MarketPhoto: Andreas Trojak, CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons) · License · Source
- Edinburgh Christmas MarketPhoto: M J Richardson, CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons) · License · Source
- Kraków Christmas MarketPhoto: U.S. Army photo by Maj. Joseph Trovato, Public domain (Wikimedia Commons) · Source
- Hyde Park Winter WonderlandPhoto: Garry Knight, CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons) · License · Source
- Manchester Christmas MarketsPhoto: David Dixon, CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons) · License · Source
- Bryant Park Winter VillagePhoto: Rhododendrites, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons) · License · Source
- Christkindlmarket ChicagoCover: Wikipedia · Source
- Basel Christmas MarketPhoto: Dghosal, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons) · License · Source