Complete 2 Week Itinerary to the Enchanting Christmas Markets of Central Europe

Traveled in November 2018

The Christmas markets in Europe are unparalleled, and the Christmas markets in Central Europe are some of the most festive. If you spend all year looking forward to Christmas, then you MUST visit the Central Europe Christmas markets at least once in your life. I did a little happy dance when we arrived at our first Christmas market because its just so magical! The Christmas spirit is palpable in these markets. It reminds you that the holidays are not so much about gifts and more about spending quality time enjoying friends and family. We did this Central Europe Christmas Markets itinerary as a group trip with friends, and it was even more fun to visit the Christmas markets together because we fed off each others’ enthusiasm.

Most European cities will have a Christmas market, but they differ in how large they are and what types of stalls they have. This Christmas markets of Central Europe itinerary takes you to cities that already have fairytale-like old towns so the setting for these Christmas markets is even more magical. Put your Christmas music playlist on and start planning your Christmas market trip NOW!

If you want to skip the logistics and get straight to the Christmas markets, check out my post on the must see Christmas markets in Central Europe or skip ahead to the itinerary!

Central Europe Christmas Markets Itinerary

When to Go

Because the focus of this trip is visiting Christmas markets, the best time to go is in the winter. The Central Europe Christmas markets start at different times every year. It is best to double check each Christmas market’s website for the updated dates for the year. The Christmas markets in the larger cities usually start in mid-November, and most of the Christmas markets are open by the end of November. We traveled in mid-November and some of the Christmas markets in the smaller cities were not open yet. The Christmas markets in Central Europe are usually open until at least December 23, and some continue past Christmas until the end of December. Visiting the last week of November through Christmas is your best bet for catching all the markets in full swing.

How to Get There

This itinerary starts and ends in Munich (airport code MUC). The Munich airport is one of the bigger hubs in this area, so it may be easier to find a good round trip flight there (like we did). Other potential airports to search along this itinerary are Budapest (airport code BUD), Vienna (airport code VIE), or Prague (airport code PRG). To avoid the long train ride between Munich and Prague, you can also find an open jaw flight that flies into Munich and out of Prague (or vice versa).

You will also need to book a one way ticket between Prague (airport code PRG) and Budapest (airport code BUD).

Booking tip: certain flight searches like Kayak, Skyscanner, or Google flights allow you to set price trackers that will alert you when the price of your flight changes. I never book a flight without tracking prices first because there is no better feeling than snagging a good deal! And if you book your flights with a travel credit card like the Chase Sapphire card (use my referral for bonus points!), the card usually includes some travel insurance protections (like lost luggage reimbursements, trip delay reimbursements, or trip cancellation insurance) to save you the cost of buying extra travel insurance.

Bonus Booking tip: sign your kiddo up for frequent flyer accounts with airlines to start earning airline miles for them! Most airline miles do not expire for minors so your kiddo will thank you later.

Where to Stay to Visit the Central Europe Christmas Markets

For this Central Europe Christmas markets itinerary, you will be staying 2 nights in Munich, 3 nights in Prague, 3 nights in Budapest, 2 nights in Vienna, 2 nights in Salzburg, and 1 night in Munich.

Munich Hotel Recommendations

I prefer to stay in the old town whenever possible to be closer to the main sites. The accommodations we stayed in when we visited Munich sadly did not survive the pandemic. If going again, I would bookmark these options in the old town (altstadt):

ARABEST Aparthotel & Boardinghouse

The rooms at ARABEST Aparthotel & Boardinghouse are studio apartments, so it is a great option for those that like a little more space and to have a kitchen. It’s only a 5 min walk from the train station and subway station. It is about a 20 min walk from Marienplatz, but only 2 stops away on the S-bahn train. So if you’re not a walker then the location is still very convenient.

Hotel MIO by AMANO

To be even closer to Marienplatz, the Hotel MIO by AMANO is a great option. It is only an 8 min walk to Marienplatz. The rooms are modern and colorfully decorated. If you use my link and book through booking.com, they occasionally provide a promotion where they offer a free airport taxi (if it is available you will see a green symbol that says “free taxi available” when booking. Directions for how to book the free airport taxi will be available on your booking confirmation page if the promotion is running).

Maximilian Munich Apartments & Hotel

For an apartment stay walking distance to Marienplatz, book the Maximilian Munich Apartments & Hotel. It is only a 7 min walk from Marienplatz, and is in the center of the old town but tucked away on a quiet side street. They have a range of studio and suite style apartments and a cute little garden to feel more at home while traveling. It is a little more expensive, but worth it for the extra space and access to a kitchen in a prime location. This is another property that occasionally has a promotional free airport taxi transfer when using my link to book through booking.com.

Prague Hotel Recommendations

MOODs Boutique Hotel

We stayed at the MOODs boutique hotel. It has a good location close to the river, and is about a 15 min walk from the center of the old town where the main sites are. The hotel is very modern and clean, and the rooms were comfortable.

Golden Angel Suites by Adrez

For an apartment type stay, the Golden Angel Suites by Adrez is at the top of my list for our next visit to Prague. They have a range of beautifully decorated studio and one bedroom apartments. And the location is amazing, only 5 min walk from the center of the old town.

Budapest Hotel Recommendations

We took this Central Europe Christmas markets trip with friends when we were younger, so we stayed in an apartment near the Jewish quarter. The Jewish quarter is where all the bars and restaurants are located, so can be a bit loud. Now that we are older and like to sleep, we would probably choose to stay in a quieter area. Budapest is made up of two areas separated by the Danube river: Buda and Pest. The Buda side is more residential whereas the Pest side is more urban. I recommend staying in Pest to be closest to the sights. The Terézváros district near the Opera House is halfway between the river and the Jewish quarter, so it is a great central location.

Opera Residence

The Opera Residence has studio and 1 bedroom apartments. It is located behind the Opera House and is about a 15 min walk from Vorosmarty square. Having a kitchenette and a little more space is convenient. However, the beds are full size beds so can be on the small side for some.

Hotel Moments Budapest

For a hotel stay, the Hotel Moments Budapest is highly rated. It is located on a busy street, so some street facing rooms can be noisy. However, the central location makes it worth it for ease of sightseeing. The rooms are colorfully decorated and bathrooms are nice and modern.

Vienna Hotel Recommendations

Pension Sacher – Apartments am Stephansplatz

We loved the Pension Sacher – Apartments am Stephansplatz. The location is fantastic. This hidden gem is located kitty corner from St. Stephen’s Square (which has a festive Christmas market). Most of the apartments have a view of St. Stephen’s Cathedral.The apartments are clean and comfortable, with a small kitchen. And the hosts are so nice!

Nikolai Homes

If Pension Sacher is not available, another great apartment option in that area is Nikolai Homes. They have a range of studios that all have a kitchenette. Each studio is uniquely and beautifully decorated so you feel like you’re staying in a friend’s home rather than a hotel.

Salzburg Hotel Recommendations

Boutiquehotel am Dom

Salzburg is small and very walkable. To stay right next to the main Christmas market in Residenzplatz, stay at the Boutiquehotel am Dom, which is just down the street from the plaza. The rooms are clean and the bathrooms are modern.

Apartments Salzburg – Bergstrase

For an apartment type stay, I have bookmarked the Apartments Salzburg – Bergstrase. It is located across the river, closer to Mirabell Palace. So it would be a pleasant 10 min walk to the Residenzplatz Christmas market. They have a variety of newly renovated condos with small kitchenettes.

How to Get Around

Europe is very efficiently connected by train. The majority of this Central Europe Christmas markets itinerary will be completed through train travel, although there is one flight from Prague to Budapest to save some time. You could rent a car, which would allow you to stop at some of the smaller towns on your way to the bigger cities. However, weather at this time of the year is usually wet and may involve snow, so only rent a car if you are comfortable driving in unfamiliar places in wintry conditions. The cities themselves are very walkable, especially if you stay near the city center.

Show Me the Money

Germany and Austria are both part of the European Union, so the currency used in both countries is the Euro. Prague in the Czech Republic uses the Czech koruna (abbreviated CZK). Budapest in Hungry uses the Hungarian forint (abbreviated HUF). Credit cards were widely accepted in all of the countries at larger stores, restaurants, and even most of the Christmas markets, so we mostly relied on our no-foreign-transaction-fee credit card. We use the Chase Sapphire Reserve card (use my referral for bonus points!). Always choose to pay in the local currency rather than USD for a better exchange rate. We did withdraw a small amount of cash in each country just in case for the Christmas markets. If withdrawing any cash, look for ATMS run by the local banks and always choose to withdraw the amount in the local currency rather than USD for a better exchange rate.

Saving tip: to avoid ATM fees (from the foreign bank and your bank), look for a checking account that offers ATM fee reimbursements. I can personally recommend the Schwab investors checking account and the Betterment checking account for this purpose.

How to Stay Connected

Because we took this trip before e-sims were commonly used, we bought tourist prepaid sim cards for our cell phones during this Central Europe Christmas markets trip. Orange and Vodaphone are two popular cell phone companies in Europe and sell prepaid tourist sim cards that can be used throughout Europe.

However, if traveling again we would definitely use an e-sim from Airalo.

If you have an unlocked phone, then you can either purchase a prepaid sim card or you can use an e-sim. The e-sim is the cheapest way to get international cell phone data. We had a great experience using Airalo to purchase an e-sim on our trip to Canada and our trip to Switzerland. The downside is that you only have data and no phone service when using Airalo e-sims, so it’s a good option if you don’t anticipate needing to make phone calls. The Airalo website has great tutorials and I also watched this Youtube video for more installation tips. We usually start the installation process at home to load the e-sim into our phones, and then once we land at our destination we turn off our US e-sim and turn on the international e-sim.

Airalo offers local e-sims for specific countries or regional e-sims for all of Europe. For this Central Europe Christmas markets itinerary, I would recommend getting the regional Europe e-sim to cover the entire trip.

Central Europe Christmas Markets Itinerary at a Glance

Day	Activity	Sleep In
1	Arrive in Munich Christmas market in Marienplatz	Munich
2	Marienplatz and St. Peter’s Church Viktualienmarkt. Residenz and Hofgarten	Munich
3	Train to Prague (5.5 hrs) Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square Christmas markets	Prague
4	Old Town Square and Charles Bridge	Prague
5	Strahov Monastery Prague Castle Letna Hill	Prague
6	Flight to Budapest (1.5 hrs) Great Market Hall Vörösmarty Square Christmas market	Budapest
7	Explore Buda side Royal Palace, Matthias Church. and Fisherman’s Bastion Gellert Baths	Budapest
8	Explore Pest side Hungarian Parliament and St. Istvan’s Basilica Hungarian State Opera House Danube River Boat Tour.	Budapest
9	Train to Vienna (2.5 hrs) Old Town Christmas markets	Vienna
10	Vienna Opera House and Hofburg Palace Albertina Museum	Vienna
11	Train to Salzburg (20 min) Mirabell Gardens and Palace Salzburg Christmas markets	Salzburg
12	Salzburg Old Town Hohensalzburg Fortress	Salzburg
13	Train to Munich (1.5 hrs) More Munich Christmas markets	Munich
14	Fly home from Munich

Day 1: Arrive in Munich and Marienplatz Christmas Market

To get from the Munich airport to the city center, take the S-bahn train (S-1 or S-8) to Marienplatz or the main train station (50 min). The train platforms are downstairs from the terminals. If staying near the main train station, another option is the Lufthansa airport bus (45 min) which drops you off in front of the main train station.

Kick off this Central Europe Christmas markets trip with one of the bigger markets. The Christmas markets are open all day starting at 10am, but they are most lively and festive after dark under the twinkling lights. Munich has many Christmas markets, but the biggest one is the Christmas market in Marienplatz. Head there first to start off this Christmas market tour with a bang. Marienplatz is the square in front of the New Town Hall, which is an atmospheric backdrop for the Christmas market. There are many stalls here selling locally handmade holiday crafts and tasty treats. There is usually a band playing traditional music to add to the lively atmosphere. I liked that the stalls were mostly filled with locally made crafts and not made-in-China holiday kitsch. Browse the beautiful ornaments, have a sausage, and enjoy a glass of mulled wine to join in on the festivities!

To continue Christmas market hopping, visit the Christmas market at Viktualienmarkt (5 min walk from Marienplatz). They had some beautiful wreaths here that we would have loved if we lived there.

Day 2: Explore Munich

I’ve listed the big sights in order to avoid too much back tracking across the city.

Marienplatz and St. Peter’s Church

Start the day in Marienplatz again to admire the New Town Hall and its glockenspiel. The glockenspiel dances daily at 11am and noon, and lasts about 10 minutes. You can take an elevator up the New Town Hall Tower for a city view. The elevator is located under the glockenspiel, and does have a fee. For a view of the glockenspiel dance from across the street, climb up the tower at the St. Peter’s Church down the street. Keep in mind that there is no elevator in this tower. It is 306 steps up and there can be some traffic at the top of the stairs if it is crowded. So time it accordingly if you’re trying to catch one of the glockenspiel dances.

Viktualienmarkt

Downhill from St. Peter’s Church is the Viktualienmarkt, a good place to stop for a snack or a beer! For a sweet snack, look for Cafe Frischhut nearby. They are known for Schmalznudel (fried dough covered in sugar – what’s not to love?). Don’t miss the stores around the Viktualienmarkt for some souvenirs. We enjoyed browsing the woodworking stores for some quality kitchen wooden items.

For more food-related souvenirs, go back towards Marienplatz and walk past it to find Dallmayr Delicatessen. This classy institution is famous for its sweets, chocolates, and coffee. It feels even fancier because everything is stored in porcelain jugs. Nearby is the Hofbrauhaus, the most famous beer hall in Munich. We didn’t eat here, but we did take a walk through just to experience the raucous atmosphere.

Residenz and Hofgarten

Next, visit the Residenz and Hofgarten. The Residenz was once the palace of the ruling family. It is now made up of the Museum, Treasury, and Cuvillies theater. There is an entrance fee for each, but you can also get a combo ticket for entrance to all three. The Residenz Treasury is glittering with jewels to admire. The Residenz Museum is where you can explore the rooms of the palace itself. I love walking through old palaces – we don’t have many historic residences like this in the US and it’s fun to imagine what it would have been like to live in this opulence. The courtyard of the Residenz also has a small Christmas market to explore.

Behind the Residenz is the Hofgarten, the backyard garden of the Residenz. The Hofgarten is free to enter and a peaceful place to spend some time if the weather is nice.

Day 3: Travel to Prague and Old Town Christmas Markets

The train ride from Munich to Prague is a long ride at about 5.5 hours, but the train is direct. Book tickets through the Czech Railways website for cheaper fares (departing from München Hbf and arriving at Praha hl.n.). If you book early, there may be some cheaper advance purchase fares. You can pay extra for a seat reservation, but seat reservations may not be available until a month before trave. So you may need to buy the ticket first then go back to buy the seat reservation closer to the date of travel.

To get from the Prague main train station to your hotel in the Old Town, you can take the metro (metro entrance is located in the train station’s main hall) or you could take an Uber. The main train station is not far from the Old Town, so taking an Uber is pretty affordable into the Old Town (cheaper than a taxi), especially if you are traveling with a group.

The main Christmas markets in Prague are located at the Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square. These Christmas markets open closer to December so sadly, we missed them when we traveled. But given the fact that the Old Town Square already feels like a fairy tale or a Korean drama on a regular day, I can imagine the vibes would be even more magical during Christmas market season! The top of Wenceslas Square is only about a 5 minute walk away from Old Town Square, so it’s convenient to visit both Christmas markets in one evening.

Day 4: Explore Prague Old Town

Make sure you have enough photo storage because you will want to take photos of everything today. Prague is just so photogenic.

Old Town Square

The heart of Prague’s Old Town is the Old Town Square. The first time we stepped in the square, there were street performers everywhere, someone in a giant panda suit taking pictures with tourists, bubbles floating in the air, and of course the stunning architecture. It felt surreal, truly like something out of a fairy tale. Because Prague was spared from most of the bombing from World War II, most of the architecture is original (unlike a lot of other major cities in Europe which were not so lucky), which is really amazing if you think about it.

The Old Town Square is surrounded by the Church of St. Nicholas, the Tyn Church, and the Old Town Hall with its famous astronomical clock. The astronomical clock puts on a glockenspiel show at the top of the hour every day from 9am-10pm. Inside the Old Town Hall you can pay to go up the tower by elevator for some amazing views of the city.

A 5 minute walk away is the Powder Tower, which was the main gate of the old town wall. It’s a nice photo op from the outside, but not really worth going inside.

Charles Bridge

From the Old Town Square, walk downhill towards Charles Bridge for more dreamy views. The Charles Bridge has towers on both sides of the river that you can go up. From the top of the tower on the Old Town side, you get a stunning view of the bridge, the river, and the Prague Castle and St. Vitus Cathedral across the river.

After going up the tower, cross the Charles Bridge and enjoy more of the views. For the best photo spot of the Charles Bridge on the Lesser Town side of the river, go behind the Franz Kafka Museum until you see the sloping stone walkway down to the water (where the swans and ducks are hanging out). The photos we took here with the swans in the background are some of my favorites!

For dinner, check out one of the local breweries! We enjoyed Lokal.

Day 5: Strahov Monastery, Prague Castle, and Letna Park

This day focuses on the sights on the other side of the river from the Old Town of Prague.

Strahov Monastery

The first stop is slightly off the beaten path to Strahov Monastery. Why are we going to a monastery? Because Strahov Monastery has one of the most beautiful libraries I have ever seen and this book lover could not pass up the chance to ogle it. And the brewery in the monastery, Klasterni Pivovar, has some of the best beer my husband has had. To get there, catch tram #22 or #23 to the Pohorelec stop. There is a fee to enter the library, and note that you can only view the library rooms from the doorways.

Prague Castle

From the monastery, walk downhill towards Castle Square to the main entrance of Prague Castle. If you’re not into beautiful libraries and want to go straight to the castle, take tram #22 or #23 to the Prazsky Hrad stop to get to the northern entrance of the castle. The castle grounds are free, but you have to buy a ticket to enter all the sights inside the castle. The “Basic circuit” ticket bundles the highlights of St. Vitus Cathedral, the Old Royal Palace, the Basilica of St. George, and the Golden Lane. There is also a Christmas market in the Prague Castle grounds behind the St. Vitus Cathedral.

Letna Hill

Exiting the castle complex from the eastern entrance past the Lobkowicz Palace, it’s a 30 minute walk to the top of Letna Hill for a beautiful overlook of the city. The timing worked out for us to be up at the park just before sunset and it was a lovely place to watch the sun setting over the river and panorama of the city.

For dinner, consider Nase Maso Butchery for a great burger. They are a tiny butcher shop with a couple small tables. The burgers, pastrami sandwich, and sausages are solid choices, or be adventurous and try their beef tartare.

Day 6: Travel to Budapest and Vorosmarty Square Christmas Market

The Prague airport is about 30 min away from the city center. Uber from the city center to the airport is pretty affordable, especially if you are traveling in a group. Another option is to take the airport express bus from the main train station. The flight from Prague to Budapest is a quick 1.5 hours. To get from the Budapest airport to the center of Pest, you can take express bus #100E (40-60 min) or grab a taxi.

Great Market Hall

If you need a snack after the flight, head for the Great Market Hall. This place is HUGE and can feel a little overwhelming when you first walk in. The ground floor is where all the produce, paprika, and bakeries are. The upstairs has the eateries and souvenirs, and the downstairs is a supermarket. I love to browse markets for some foodie souvenirs. We came away with some paprika and flavored salts to remind us of this trip when cooking back home.

Vorosmarty Square Christmas Market

The main Christmas market in Budapest is the Christmas market in Vorosmarty Square. We found the Christmas markets in Budapest to be festive and lively, but the stalls did not have as many handmade or local crafts. We didn’t end up buying much at the Christmas markets in Budapest, but we did enjoy the convivial atmosphere and all the food! Especially the giant chimney cakes and the local cakes. Nearby to Vorosmarty Square, the Fashion Street has some festive lighted holiday displays and Christmas market stalls to browse as well.

Day 7: Explore Buda

Budapest is split into two sides by the Danube river, the Buda side and Pest side. On the Buda side, you will find the popular photo spots of the Royal Palace, Matthias Church, and the Fisherman’s Bastion. We mostly walked from place to place and used Google maps as a guide.

Royal Palace

Start at the Royal Palace on Castle Hill. The terrace outside the palace has one of the best views of the Pest side across the river. We visited the palace mostly for the views from the terrace and skipped the museums.

Matthias Church

From the palace courtyard, map to the Matthias Church. Matthias Church, with its lacy spire and colorful roof, is very photogenic. There is a fee to enter the church, or you can just enjoy the outside.

Fisherman’s Bastion

In the end of the square next to the Matthias Church is possibly the most photographed spot in Budapest, the Fisherman’s Bastion. There is a fee to enter the Fisherman’s Bastion and it is worth it for all the photo ops. The openings of the ramparts that run along the cliff are perfect frames for the view of the Parliament building across the river.

Gellert Baths

After all that walking, the afternoon is for relaxation. Relaxing in the thermal baths is one of the unique experiences of Budapest. The thermal baths have a variety of jetted pools heated to different temperatures. There is usually also a dry sauna, wet steam room, and cold plunge pool.

The two biggest thermal baths in Budapest are the Szechenyi Baths on the Pest side and Gellert Baths on the Buda side. There are more outdoor baths at the Szechenyi Baths and it is generally a little more rowdy, more like a water park than a spa. The indoor pools at the Gellert Baths are beautifully decorated and overall feels a bit more genteel and spa-like. If you plan on visiting a thermal bath, pack a swim suit and flip flops to take in with you. You do also have to bring a towel – some hotels loan out towels for the baths. You don’t need to buy tickets in advance for the baths. Just show up and pay at the counter for your locker rental and entrance ticket.

Budapest is a great place to spring for some nice dinners because it is relatively more affordable. We really enjoyed Macesz Bistro in the Jewish quarter. The menu is inspired by Hungarian Jewish favorites. This was a surprise favorite restaurant in Budapest for our entire party. While in the Jewish quarter, finish out the night by getting a drink in one of the Ruin Pubs. Even if you’re not a bar/club person, the ruin pubs are unique to Budapest and worth it to experience the vibes at least once. Szimpla Kert is one of the originals.

Day 8: Explore Pest

Hungarian Parliament

Start the day at the Hungarian Parliament to admire its iconic facade. You can tour the inside, but it requires a ticket. The tickets often sell out, so purchase online ahead of time. We did not get a chance to visit because the tickets were sold out online and we didn’t get there early enough for the limited same day tickets either. We still enjoyed the exterior of the building and the fabulous views of Buda from the riverfront by the Parliament Building.

St. Istvan’s Basilica

Next, walk to St. Istvan’s Basilica, the biggest church on the Pest side. For more views, you can buy a ticket to ride an elevator up to the panorama terrace at the top of the basilica. The square in front of St. Istvan’s Basilica also hosts another Christmas market. Down the street from St. Istvan’s Basilica towards Erzebet Square (Erzebet ter) is another Christmas market.

Hungarian State Opera House

A 10 minute walk from Erzebet Square is the Hungarian State Opera House. Budapest would be a great place to experience an opera because of the affordable tickets. But even if you’re not an opera fan, it’s worth it to go for a 60 min tour of the Opera House (buy tickets online here) to admire the opulent decor.

Cafe Break

If it’s time for a snack and a break, detour to one of Budapest’s grand cafes. These lavishly decorated coffee shops with their sparkling mirrors and stained glass will make you feel like you’ve stepped back in time. Feel super fancy as you’re sipping your coffee and nibbling on your cake. Walking back towards the river, find one of these cafes at Parisi Udvar. The other famous grand cafe is New York Cafe (but it is a little further away from the river, so more of a detour).

Danube River Boat Tour

Heading down towards the river, stroll along the Danube promenade between the Chain Bridge and Erzebet Bridge. This section of the Danube promenade has some the best views of the Castle Hill across the river.

Another great way to enjoy the river is with a Danube River boat tour. While gliding down the river you can admire the architecture on both sides of Buda and Pest. We went with Legenda Cruises and highly recommend it (dock is in front of the Marriott). The daytime cruise is 75 minutes long and nighttime cruise is 1 hour long. We went for the nighttime cruise and it is beautiful to see the buildings all lit up at night. From the river, the Hungarian Parliament looks like a floating palace. But keep in mind that it can be cold on the uncovered upper deck of the boat at night in the winter.

Not gonna lie, we definitely splurged out on dinners in Budapest. Michelin star restaurants in Budapest are still expensive, but more affordable than back home. Think $180-200 USD for a tasting menu in Budapest compared to $400-600 in the Bay Area. We made reservations at Borkonyha and thoroughly enjoyed it. They have a wide range of Hungarian wines that you won’t find elsewhere and they have an ala carte menu. There are many more new Michelin star restaurants in Budapest now than when we visited. Other Michelin star restaurants in Budapest are Babel Budapest, Stand Restaurant, Rumour by Racz Jeno, Salt Budapest, Essencia Restaurant, and Costes Restaurant.

Day 9: Travel to Vienna and Christmas Market Hopping

The train from Budapest to Vienna takes 2.5 hours. To get to the Budapest Keleti train station, take either the red or the green metro to Baross Ter. You can buy train tickets online on the Austrian Railways website here. Search from Budapest Keleti to Wien Hauptbahnhof (Vienna has multiple train stations, Wien Hauptbahnhof is the central station). There are discounted tickets if booking ahead. Or, if you don’t want to be tied down to one particular train time you can get tickets at the station. Paying extra for seat reservations is recommended on weekends. To get to the city center from the Wien Hauptbahnhof, you can take the U-1 subway (although the U-Bahn stop is about a 10 minute walk away from the train station), or grab an Uber.

The Christmas markets in Austria emphasize handmade artisan goods, so all the ornaments and decorations are beautifully crafted. We made the majority of our purchases at the Christmas markets in Austria. There are many Christmas markets in Vienna, and we walked by three others unexpectedly just on our way to the main Christmas market in Rathausplatz.

The first one we visited was the Christmas market at Stephansplatz because it was right outside our hotel. This Christmas market is in the courtyard outside the St. Stephan’s Cathedral and was a festive first stop for some mulled wine to get ourselves into a Christmas-y state of mind.

Next, we passed through the Christmas market at Am Hof. This one had a lot of local artists so it was fun to browse more unique stalls. The next Christmas market we stumbled upon was at Freyung. This one is next to the farmer’s market and is a little smaller than the others. But the gem of this Christmas market is this cabin in the middle that is packed with the most beautiful painted glass ornaments we have seen. The cabin is a clumsy person’s nightmare (definitely don’t walk in there with a big backpack), but so delightful to browse. They pack up the glass ornaments very well, and all of our ornaments survived the rest of the trip and flight home without breaking. (Now the test is if they will survive our children in the years to come.)

Finally (much later than we expected), we reached the main Christmas market in Vienna in front of the City Hall in Rathausplatz. Despite visiting three other markets right before this one, we still felt this one was magical. At night the City Hall is all lit up with twinkling lights and is a charming backdrop for the Christmas market. There is also an ice skating rink, a ferris wheel, and a park with decorated trees and nativity scenes. There are many food stands here, so you’re bound to find something tasty to munch on, whether you’re looking for a sweet snack or a full meal.

Day 10: Explore Vienna

This is a day of meandering around the old town of Vienna with man more Christmas markets sprinkled in between.

Opera House

Start the day at the Opera House. This opera house also offers tours, but the interior is less impressive than the one in Budapest so we skipped this tour. Another option is to get cheap standing-room tickets and watch an opera if there is one playing. Make sure to check the information on the website about the dress code if attending an opera. Next to the Opera House is a small Gourmet Advent Christmas market, which sells mostly specialty foods from Austria.

Hopefully it is not too early for cake. Cafe culture in Vienna is thriving, and having a leisurely cake and coffee became one of our favorite activities during our time here. The cafes usually serve lunch as well. Our first cafe experience was at the Gerstner Cafe across the street from the Opera House and we were hooked after that.

Hofburg Palace

For more opulence, tour the Hofburg Palace. There is another small Christmas market at Michaelerplatz to enjoy near the entrance of the Hofburg Palace. The Hofburg Imperial Apartments (including the Sisi Museum) and the Treasury are the must sees at the Hofburg Palace (in my opinion), and then any museums you’re interested in after that. Separate tickets are needed for each, and can be purchased online using the links above.

Next to the Hofburg is the Burggarten park, which was once the royal palace’s backyard so you can bet it is beautiful. The Palmenhaus restaurant is housed in what looks like a greenhouse and is a vibey place to have lunch surrounded by palm trees while overlooking the palace garden.

Albertina Museum

There are plenty of museums to choose from in Vienna for your dose of culture. Our choice was the Albertina Museum. We are not super artsy people, but the Albertina has a mix of Monets and Picassos (artists we were familiar with). We made it fun by each choosing a favorite painting and sharing what we liked about it (is that very nerdy? IDK it made for good cafe conversation).

Maria-Theresien-Platz Christmas Market

Behind the Hofburg Palace and across the street, there is another larger Christmas market at Maria-Theresien-Platz sandwiched between the Naturhistorisches and Kunsthistorisches museums.

Seems like a good time for another cafe stop! We enjoyed the cakes and atmosphere at Cafe Tirolerhof or another option is Cafe Demel. It is worth detouring to Cafe Demel to bring home some of their famous chocolates even if you don’t stop in for cake and coffee. We had the Schonbrunn Palace on our list, but ended up whiling away a lot of time in the cafes chatting and enjoying the cakes so we didn’t make it out there. The Schonbrunn Palace is about a 10 min subway ride from the old town. But since we already toured the Hofburg Palace we decided not to double up on palace tours and enjoyed that cafe life instead.

Day 11: Travel to Salzburg and Christmas Markets at at the Dom and Residenzplatz

There are two train companies that run the route between Vienna and Salzburg. The difference is which train station they depart from in Vienna, so choose the one more convenient to your hotel. The OBB train departs from Vienna Hauptbahnhof and the Westbahn train departs from Vienna Westbahnhof. Both arrive in Salzburg Hbf. Tickets can be purchased online at the links above, and buying tickets in advance for specific train times is usually cheaper. Getting from the Salzburg train station to the city center is very affordable by taxi, or you can take buses #1, #3, #5, or #6.

Mirabell Gardens and Palace

Strolling around the Mirabell Gardens and Palace is a relaxing free activity in Salzburg. There is also a Christmas market in Mirabellplatz, the square in front of the Mirabell Palace.

Christmas Markets in Salzburg

The main Christmas markets in Salzburg are at the Dom and Residenzplatz, which are right next to each other. The location in front of the cathedral in combination with the twinkly lights and giant Christmas tree is stunning and feels super festive and romantic. Add in the choral concerts in front of the cathedral, and you have the perfect Christmas setting.

Day 12: Explore Salzburg

Salzburg Old Town

Walk across the river on Mozartsteg bridge to start touring the old town. Salzburg is where Mozart was born and the museum in Mozart’s Birthplace has a collection of paintings, letters, and personal items that paint a picture of Mozart’s early life (tickets required, don’t need to be bought in advance). The building is located on Getreidegasse, the old town’s main street. There are many cute shops to browse on this street, and you’ll see some arcaded tunnels that connect Getreidegasse to the market square behind it.

Lunch at St. Peter’s Stiftskulinarium

St. Peter’s Stiftskulinarium holds the claim that it is the oldest restaurant in Europe. Not gonna lie, it’s pretty touristy, but we were drawn inside because the inside of the restaurant is completely decorated for Christmas and it is just so festive. We are really leaning into the Christmas theme on this trip, so we’re here for the vibes more than the food.

Hohensalzburg Fortress

Take the funicular by the cathedral up to the Hohensalzburg Fortress. The views from the fortress give you an impressive panorama of Salzburg below.

Spend the evening back at the Christmas markets. This Christmas markets of Central Europe trip is almost over, so soak in all the Christmas spirit while you still can!

Day 13: Travel to Munich

The train from Salzburg to Munich takes 1.5 hours. Buy tickets online here, cheaper fares when purchasing in advance.

We spent this day touring the Allianz Arena (the Bayern Munich stadium). But if you are not a football enthusiast, then you can spend some time roaming around the English Garden. The English Garden is the city’s big park. If it is too cold or wet to be out in a park, then head for some of the smaller Christmas markets in Munich or one of the beer gardens.

Other Munich Christmas Markets

Other Christmas markets in the old town are located at Sendlinger-Tor-Platz in front of the Sendlinger Tor old town gate, in the plaza in front of the Isartor old town gate, and there is a medieval Christmas market located at Wittelsbacher Platz. We did not get a chance to visit these Christmas markets, but if you have time then go for it! The more Christmas markets the merrier.

Day 14: Fly Home and Say Bye to the Central Europe Christmas Markets

If you’re ready to plan your next trip to Europe, consider a foodie adventure in Northern Spain and Portugal!