Christmas markets evoke fairytale scenes of medieval town squares, snow-capped mountains and the aroma of citrus-spiced glühwein (mulled wine). But today, the Christmas market tradition is spreading beyond Europe’s shores. Christmas revellers can now enjoy pretzels and sausages from a quaint German stall while admiring Singapore’s light shows and towering Supertrees, or go ice skating and shop for handcrafted Christmas gifts in the heart of New York City.
We’ve made a list and checked it twice to guide you to the best Christmas markets around the world.
Europe Christmas markets
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Brussels, Belgium
Dates: 27 November, 2026 – 3 January, 2027
More than 200 stalls serve glühwein, Belgian beers and waffles as part of the Winter Wonders celebration in Brussels, which is centred at the Grand Place and bends around to the Bourse and the Place de la Monnaie. An ice-skating rink, merry-go-round and light show add to the fun. The accompanying Christmas Market may tempt you to sample oysters, wine and Belgian chocolates. There’s an interactive map , but it's simpler to just follow your nose.
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Nuremberg, Germany
Dates: 27 November – 24 December, 2026
Germany takes its Christmas markets seriously, and the Nuremberg Christkindlesmarkt takes the cake for sheer size, quality and atmosphere. The market has a prime old-town location, with the imposing backdrop of the Frauenkirche church. The stalls extend to nearby side streets, with traditional German Christmas market foods such as local bratwurst, roasted almonds and lebkuchen, aka spiced gingerbread. Look out for the distinctive Nuremberg “prune men” – edible sports and celebrity figurines made out of prunes. You can also ride a reindeer with Father Christmas, jump on a giant merry-go-round and meet the traditional gift-giving Christkind.
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Prague, Czech Republic
Dates: 28 November, 2026 – 6 January, 2027
It’s a pleasant stroll under twinkling lights between Prague’s two big Christmas markets in Wenceslas Square and Old Town Square. The latter features a stable of animals for children to pet and a crowd-sourced Christmas tree. Wooden huts line the streets, while booming carols encourage even the grinchiest passersby to get in the holiday spirit. Sausages are a must-eat here; klobása is typically sandwiched between a simple white bread roll and washed down with a local pilsner. Round off your market walk with vánočka, a traditional Christmas bread, while observing the festivities in front of St Nicholas Church or enjoying a Christmas concert.
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St Gallen, Switzerland
Dates: 26 November – 24 December, 2026
From Zurich, it’s about an hour’s drive east to St Gallen , among the brightest of Switzerland’s many charming festive markets. That’s thanks, in part, to the more than 600 twinkling stars strung up above the small city centre, pointing your way to the Abbey district – recognised as a Unesco World Heritage site – and its cathedral with a giant baroque Christmas tree. More than 70 stalls make up the surrounding Christmas market, known for its local Appenzeller cheese rarebit, raclette and the St Gallen bratwurst. We recommend forgoing the apple cider in favour of feuerzangenbowle, a local glühwein infused with drippings from a flaming rum-spiced sugarloaf.
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Vienna, Austria
Dates: 13 November – 26 December, 2026 (Vienna Christkindlmarkt), 14 November – 23 December, 2026 (Altwiener Christkindlmarkt)
Vienna is said to have hosted the first and oldest Christmas market back in 1298 and now has more than 20, all of which deliver mulled wine, cookies and holiday cheer. One standout is the Vienna Christkindlmarkt in front of the Wiener Rathaus (city hall), where a giant tree and ice-skating rink are popular draws. Another market worth visiting is the Altwiener Christkindlmarkt . Located in the heart of the city, it fills up daily with both tourists and local residents soaking up the ambience and enjoying their fair share of marzipan-covered chocolate truffles.
North America Christmas markets
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New York, US
Dates: Not yet released, previously ran from late October to March for its 2025-2026 editions
Even before Thanksgiving, glittering Christmas markets set up shop across Manhattan, with the most central being the Winter Village at Bryant Park , right by the New York Public Library in Midtown. It’s a wonderland of vendors selling jewellery, toys and chocolates, with an ice-skating rink right in the middle. Union Square Holiday Market , meanwhile, supplements its weekly farmers market with festive stalls offering holiday ornaments, seasonal gifts and gourmet foods.
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Chicago, US
Dates: Not yet confirmed, previously open late November to December
Chicago’s German community comes out in full force for the annual downtown Christkindlmarket. Choirs and brass ensembles serenade those browsing for German-inspired classics like nutcrackers, cuckoo clocks and beer steins. Take a break from perusing to refuel with your choice of potato pancakes, pretzels, schnitzel or chocolate-coated biscuits.
Credit: The Distillery Winter Village
Credit: The Distillery Winter Village
Credit: The Distillery Winter Village
Toronto, Canada
Dates: 12 November, 2026 – 3 January, 2027
The Distillery district’s cobblestone streets and Victorian-era brick warehouses set the scene for Toronto’s annual Winter Village , which brings together local food purveyors supplying sweet treats like apple pie and jam-filled tarts. There’s also an outdoor beer (and mulled wine) garden, Santa’s Village, a towering Christmas tree, plus bands of carollers, dancing elves and other performers.
Asia’s best Christmas markets
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Singapore
Dates: To be announced, typically runs end of November to early January
The annual Christmas Wonderland fair spreads Yuletide cheer through seasonal carnival games, performances and even brings a “blizzard” snow experience to Singapore’s usually tropical Gardens by the Bay. Wooden huts for shopping and eating replicate typical European Christmas market decor, while the Supertree Grove is a lovely outdoor spot to linger under twinkling lights with family and friends.
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Pampanga, Philippines
Dates: Mid-December through New Year
Known as the “Christmas capital of the Philippines” and just 1-2 hours’ drive from Manila, the entire city of Pampanga is lit up with public lantern displays throughout the festive period, bringing tens of thousands of visitors. Buzzing venues such as the Capital Town Christmas Market and the Sky Ranch Pampanga Food Fest may not fit the classic alpine vision, but they certainly offer plenty of authentic local fun and flavour.
This story was originally published in November 2019 and is updated annually. This latest version was updated in September 2026.