If you hadn’t noticed already we’re pretty obsessed with Christmas and what better at Christmas than a Christmas Market. Christmas Markets are one of the pinnacles of the festive vibes from mulled wine to Christmas decoration havens and who could forget a crepe or bratwursts! Now we haven’t coved the whole of Europe yet and we are sure that there is a chunky lump of Christmas markets which are missing of this list but these are the best of the best we’ve visited so far…

Prague

Prague is one of the most magical places at Christmas. The multi-coloured houses and wiggling cobbled street couldn’t be more charming. The markets are scattered throughout the whole city and you can’t walk around a corner without been greeted by the sweet smell of roasted chestnuts or the twinkle of Christmas lights. However, the mother of all markets in Prague is the gigantic Old Town Square Christmas Market which seems to run forever, and we’re not complaining.

The Old Town Square Market can give the New York Rockefeller tree a run for its money. It towers above the wooden huts with thousands of blaring lights which look simply stunning set against the gothic architecture. A sight not to be missed! There is even a petting zoo where you can get up close with all your favourite furry Christmas friends. Don’t say we didn’t warn you, Prague has got Christmas down.

Prague is a beautiful city with a million and one things to do and a must see any time of the year but at Christmas it makes the whole experience a little bit merrier.

Copenhagen

Now moving a little further north and after piling on another couple of layers, Copenhagen needs to be the next stop. This stunning city in its own right is beautiful and its somewhere which again doesn’t need the Christmas Markets to make it onto your bucket list, however wandering those streets with a warm mulled wine in hand isn’t too shabby either.

Again, like Prague there are Christmas Markets scattered all over, the biggest being in the King’s New Square. Our favourite, however, had to be the smaller market running along the banks of Nyhavn. The sparkling lights draped along the multi-coloured back drop is stunning and we walked up and down this little stretch for hours. There are a number of little individual little shops with handmade crafts which are mesmerising and again the food is insane.

Now moving a little bit away from the tradition Christmas markets, you have Tivoli. This is normally an amusement park but at Christmas it turns into the biggest winter wonderland playground you have ever seen. Now, it’s not your normal wander round stalls and sip of mulled wine sort of affair, it is an in your face, you will love Christmas or get out sort of place. But lucky for us… we LOVE Christmas. Here you are thrown into the festivities head first and you better enjoy it! It was potentially the most festive place we have ever visited in our lives and can’t recommend it enough – just be prepared – and get tickets beforehand, no one wants to wait in a three-hour queue hugging the entire park… see it’s good!

London

Now we couldn’t write this post without throwing a little bit of love to our home town. It’s not really got quaint little streets with cobbled floors and you do not have a Christmas Market around every corner, but you have Winter Wonderland and that’s enough. Winter Wonderland again like Tivoli is in your face Christmas, it’s a huge, temporary Christmas-fest with rides, market stall and the gem of the whole experience, the Bavarian Tent in the heart of the Bavarian Village. Now if Christmas for you, like us is a time to get a little bit merry, this is the place for you. It is a football pitch sized tent with lines and lines of tables, there are food and drink stalls all around the outside and the cheesiest bands on the stage which make you want to jump on the tables and dance… and everyone jumps on the tables and dances… until you are pulled down by security two minutes later.

It truly is one of the happiest places on earth and somewhere to warm you fingers and toes on a chilly Decembers evening in London. There’s also a lot more to London than just Winter Wonderland… moving away from the Markets for just a teeny moment you have the Christmas tree in Trafalgar Square surrounded by festivities and one of our favourite pass times in December, walking along Oxford Street gazing at the insane Selfridges Christmas windows.

If you haven’t see London at Christmas, throw it on the bucket list!

Berlin

Now, how could we write a Christmas Market post without including where they originate from?! Berlin hands down has some of the most incredible Christmas Markets ever… which is expected!

Again, there is not just one but they are scattered round the city but with the two biggies being located in Alexanderplatz and Gendarmenmarkt. What made our trip so magical to the Berlin markets was the beautiful sprinkling of snow which we were lucky enough to encounter while there. Being from London it is extremely rare for us (ever) to be blessed with a white Christmas but in Berlin the odds were in our favour and there it came.

There are many other places we’ve heard of which we think would be absolutely magical at Christmas time. We were in Vienna and missed out seeing the festive change by a couple of weeks and ditto with Stockholm a few years before. We would even love to venture out of Europe for Christmas and see New York, but for now, these are our number one destinations to get into the Christmas spirit! Where are yours?