Festive Christmas Markets You Must See in Central Europe: Munich, Prague, Budapest, Vienna, and Salzburg
Traveled in November 2018
This is your sign to plan your winter vacation to Central Europe to experience the best Christmas markets in fairy-tale old town settings. If you can’t wait to put up your Christmas decorations every year, then you must see the Christmas markets of Europe at least once in your life. The Christmas spirit is palpable in these markets. While the stalls are fun to browse and have the most lovely Christmas crafts and decorations, the Christmas markets are so much more than shopping. There is a convivial atmosphere that comes from everyone simply making time to enjoy friends and family. This list of must see Christmas markets in Munich, Prague, Budapest, Vienna, and Salzburg makes it easy to check the Christmas markets of Central Europe off your bucket list now!
This is by no means a comprehensive list of markets in each city. However, these are the main markets that are close to other sights in the old town. So it is easy to stop by any of these markets every night to enjoy the atmosphere. The Christmas markets open at slightly different times every year. The bigger ones start mid-November, and most open by the last week of November. Most of the markets stay open at least through Christmas. Check the websites every year for the opening dates. But traveling the last week of November to early and mid December is the best time to catch the Christmas markets in full swing.
Munich
Marienplatz
Marienplatz is the main square in front of the city hall. The stalls of the Christmas market fill the square under the twinkling lights and the giant Christmas tree, and spill into the pedestrian streets surrounding the square. I liked that there were a fair amount of locally handmade goods at this market and there was a lot of variety since it was a bigger market.
Viktualienmarkt
Viktualienmarkt spends most of the year as the open air market of Munich. But at Christmas it gets a holiday makeover with the addition of some Christmas market stalls popping up. There were some stalls selling beautiful Christmas wreaths that would have made gorgeous decorations if we lived there and of course a lot of foodie stalls.
Residenz
The Christmas market at the Residenz is located in the courtyard of this former royal palace. It is a cozier market, but has a great atmosphere. Besides food and crafts stalls, they also have some life size nativity dioramas to admire. We didn’t buy anything at this market, but we did enjoy a warm drink and the friendly atmosphere.
Prague
Old Town Square
The Old Town Square in Prague is the heart of the old town. The beautiful architecture surrounding the Old Town Square is a dreamy backdrop for the Christmas market and adds to the magical atmosphere! We didn’t get a chance to check out this market, but be sure to grab a chimney cake here!
Wenceslas Square
The Christmas market at Wenceslas Square is about a 5 minute walk from the Old Town Square. The decorated stalls are spread along the length of Wenceslas Square.
Find the perfect place to stay in Prague near these Christmas markets with our recommendations!
Prague Castle
The Christmas market at Prague Castle is located in the castle grounds, behind the St. Vitus Cathedral. From reading recent articles, it seems like this market is not open every year. But the Prague Castle is still worth a visit, and it would be a bonus to find a Christmas market while you’re there!
Budapest
Vorosmarty Square
The Christmas market in Vorosmarty Square is the main Christmas market in Budapest. We thought the goods being sold were a little more commercialized, but there are a lot of local treats that we enjoyed. There are also Christmas decorations and some stalls that spill onto Fashion Street nearby which made for nice photo ops.
St. Istvan’s Basilica
St. Istvan’s Basilica is the perfect backdrop for a Christmas market. The Christmas market is held in the square in front of the basilica. Besides enjoying the festively decorated stalls, there is a light show on the facade of the basilica that runs throughout the night.
Check out our recommendations for the most charming hotels in Budapest near these Christmas markets!
Vienna
Stephansplatz
The Christmas market at Stephansplatz in front of St. Stephen’s Cathedral is small, but what it lacks in size it more than makes up for in ambiance. The cathedral is a striking backdrop to the sparkling lights of the Christmas market. This was the Christmas market closest to our amazing accommodations in Vienna and it was fun market to end our nights in.
Looking for a place to stay? We highly recommend our charming Vienna hotel if you want this exact view from the window!
Am Hof
The Am Hof Christmas market is conveniently located right in the middle of the old town. There are many unique artisan stalls here, and the quality of the local handmade crafts here is top notch. We liked that this market sold goods that we hadn’t seen in other markets, so it was fun to browse.
Freyung
The Freyung Christmas market is between the Am Hof Christmas market and the main Christmas market at Rathausplatz. The gem of this market is a cabin filled with the most beautifully crafted glass ornaments you have ever seen. We all bought our favorite glass ornaments here. This Christmas market is right next to a local farmers market, so they also have stalls selling artisanal locally produced foods if you’re looking for more of a foodie souvenir.
Rathausplatz
The main Christmas market in Vienna is located at the Rathausplatz in front of the city hall building. This Christmas market is always buzzing with activity, and all the visitors enjoying their mulled wine under the twinkling lights adds to the festive atmosphere. This is the Christmas market I pictured in my head when I dreamed of visiting a Christmas market. Besides the market stalls, there is also a decorated park next to the market with advent displays and an ice skating rink. There are plenty of food stalls here too so we spent a while here browsing and eating snacks for dinner.
Opera House
The Opera House Christmas market is located in the plaza next to the Opera House. This is a smaller Christmas market that focuses more on gourmet locally produced foods from Austria and Italy. It’s fun to browse, but we didn’t buy much here.
Michaelerplatz at Hofburg Palace
The Christmas market at Hofburg Palace is located in Michaelerplatz in front of the palace. The Christmas market is small, but since most people visit the Hofburg Palace or at least walk by it at some point during their time in Vienna, we thought the market was worth a browse since we were there anyway.
Maria-Theresien-Platz
The Christmas market at Maria-Theresien-Platz is sandwiched between the Kunsthistorisches art museum and the Naturhistorisches natural history museum. This is one of the bigger markets in Vienna with many stalls, so it is a fun break in between museums.
Salzburg
Mirabellplatz
The Christmas market at Mirabellplatz is just outside the Mirabell Gardens and Palace. This is a smaller market, but has many stalls with beautifully crafted handmade Christmas decor. We found another stall with beautiful glass ornaments here.
Looking to stay close to the Christmas markets? Check out our recommendations for the most convenient areas to stay in Salzburg!
Domplatz and Residenzplatz
The main Christmas market in Salzburg stretches from the Residenzplatz to the Domplatz in front of the cathedral. Its location in front of the cathedral is magical, especially under the strings of twinkling lights stretching overhead. The locally made handmade crafts in the stalls are all high quality. Besides the stalls, there are also nativity exhibits on display and choral concerts in front of the cathedral and an ice skating rink. This market was especially festive because they had choir singers performing in front of the cathedral.
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