Christmas is looming, and whilst it might be too early to be putting up the tree, it’s a great time to start planning a festive getaway.
Europe is brimming with Christmas markets come December, as picturesque towns and cities gear up for the holidays with twinkling lights, local carols and the scents of sweet treats.
Several European cities are famous for their markets at Christmas[/caption]
And an added bonus of enjoying these magical places is that getting there from the UK doesn’t have to carry a hefty price tag.
We’ve searched through Ryanair‘s most Christmassy destinations to find flights to wintry wonderlands for under £25 — here’s what we found:
Nuremberg Christmas market, Germany
Nuremberg has one of the oldest Christmas markets in the world[/caption]
Dubbed the ‘Christmas city‘, Nuremberg boasts one of the world’s oldest and largest Christmas markets.
The famous Christkindlesmarkt sits in the central square of the old town, surrounded by trademark Bavarian architecture and charming cobbled streets.
Visitors can browse stands selling unique decorations while revelling in the local food scene — after all, Nuremberg is the birthplace of the bratwurst.
The city has a long history of gingerbread-making too, with its Lebkuchen often claimed by locals to be the world’s best.
It’s great fun for kids, as the event boasts a mini Ferris wheel, a merry-go-round and a young woman dressed as an angel who greets and reads fairytales to the children.
- Dates: November 29 – December 24, 2024
- Flights to Nuremberg with Ryanair: from £20.99 from London Stansted
Basel Christmas market, Switzerland
There are 155 stands at Basel’s Christmas market[/caption]
Basel hosts not one but two Christmas markets.
Spread across the Barfüsserplatz and Münsterplatz squares, Basel’s event was voted Best Christmas Market in Europe in 2021.
Here you’ll find 155 little wooden chalets selling artisanal goods, Swiss raclette and biscuit called Läckerli instead of gingerbread (kids can even decorate their own at a workshop).
The 13 metre-tall Christmas pyramid is the best place to grab a hot drink, while the best view can be seen from the cathedral tower.
Head up to the top to admire the romantic sea of lights from the market below.
- Dates: November 28 – December 23, 2024
- Flights to Basel with Ryanair: from £14.99 from London Stansted
Brussels Christmas market, Belgium
Winter Wonders has spectacular light shows[/caption]
Called Winter Wonders, the Brussels yuletide market is the main reason the city is considered a Christmas capital.
Tourists making their way through the 2km stretch of stalls will find authentic Belgian waffles and chocolates which can be washed down with an spiced mulled wine or a local beer.
Family friendly activities can be found all around; there’s ice rink for skating, a Ferris wheel and spectacular light shows to wow the kids.
Plus, you can’t miss the enormous tree which stands the centre of all the action and is a wonder to behold at over 66ft high.
- Dates: November 29, 2024 – January 5, 2025
- Flights to Brussels with Ryanair: from £16.99 from Manchester
Krakow Christmas market, Poland
Tourists can take a horse and carriage ride around Krakow’s main square[/caption]
Getting in the Christmas spirit is not hard in Krakow‘s picture-postcard medieval square.
Horses pull white carriages around the plaza which is situated at the heart of the Old Town — a UNESCO World Heritage Site — and the air is filled with the aromas of traditional cuisine.
Visitors to its market wander around with pierogies (Polish dumplings) or grilled meats in hand and perhaps the local specialty of mulled beer.
It gets cold, but anyone who comes unprepared can buy handmade fur hats and gloves to keep toasty from inside the square’s central building, the Cloth Hall.
Truly the place to be for some Christmas shopping, the market has a wealth of crafts on offer from stocking-fillers to Krakow‘s signature finely-painted glass baubles.
- Dates: November 29 – December 26, 2024
- Flights to Krakow with Ryanair: from £24.99 from London Stansted
Copenhagen Christmas market, Denmark
Copenhagen is a Christmassy haven[/caption]
Few places embody the cosy Danish spirit of hygge as much as Copenhagen at Christmastime.
The markets become a haven of enchanting lights, stands selling knitwear and wooden toys and people drinking glögg, the Scandinavian version of mulled wine.
Of the several Christmas markets in Copenhagen, Tivoli Gardens is by far the most popular, but Nyhavn’s harbour setting has its own charm too.
Braver visitors can take an icy dip in the water during the day, but there are plenty of fairground rides to choose from if you your idea of fun is firmly on dry land.
- Dates: November 15, 2024 – January 5, 2025 (exact dates vary by market)
- Flights to Copenhagen with Ryanair: from £16.99 from Bristol
Riga Christmas market, Latvia
The Christmas market in Riga has won several awards[/caption]
When Riga‘s Doma square is decked out in its seasonal decor, it’s clear to see why it was voted the Most Authentic Christmas Market in Europe.
With its award-winning light trail nestled among the traditional architecture and stalls selling local delicacies like winter pig snout, the Eastern European city really does ooze a sense of magic.
Riga is a generally affordable city — according to the Savvy Backpacker’s price guide, lunch, dinner and a beer can be bought for just over £10 — but its worth budgeting a little extra for souvenirs and culinary delights.
If you’re travelling with family, children can meet Santa’s little helpers and send letters to Lapland while the grown-ups browse a wealth of unique gifts on sale.
Latvian folk music is swapped out for a live DJ on Fridays, so Riga has the amusement covered for people of all tastes.
- Dates: November 29, 2024 – January 2, 2025
- Flights to Riga with Ryanair: from £24.99 from London Stansted
Bratislava Christmas market, Slovakia
Bratislava’s market is great for food enthusiasts[/caption]
Bratislava‘s markets are scattered throughout the city and are a feast for the senses.
From the famous Bratislava rolls to cheesy dumplings and roasted goose, the markets are a foodie paradise, and it’s a good place for a tipple too.
The city boasts some of the cheapest beer on the continent while markets serve honey wine and fruit brandy.
Bratislava castle which sits perched on a hill on the banks of the Danube river adds to the movie-like wonder of the place, as does the Christmas tram which transports passengers through the streets covered in fairy lights.
- Dates: November 23 – December 23, 2024
- Flights to Bratislava with Ryanair: from £14.99 from Leeds
Gothenburg Christmas market, Sweden
Liseberg is the most popular market in Gothenburg[/caption]
In the run-up to Christmas the Gothenburg amusement park of Liseberg transforms itself into a winter wonderland complete with a market and theatrical performances .
Visitors pay for entry here, but inside they’ll find towering rides, bumper cars and and an impressive ice show which is included in the ticket price.
For a smaller market that’s free to visit, the welcoming neighbourhood of Haga offers a community vibe as shoppers meander through cobbled lanes snacking on roasted almonds.
- Dates: November 16 – December 29, 2024 (selected dates)
- Flights to Gothenburg with Ryanair: from £16.99 from London Stansted
Berlin Christmas market, Germany
There are over 80 different Christmas markets in Berlin[/caption]
Berlin pulls out all the stops when it comes to Christmas markets.
Advent sees over 80 individual markets get set up in the German capital, with Spandau being the biggest and Weihnachtszauber considered the prettiest.
Postdamer Platz is the place to be for activities; market-goers can try tobogganing or curling and children can enjoy a free ice skating lesson.
The usual German festive trimmings will be available everywhere; sausages, glühwein (mulled wine) and snow-dusted huts selling traditional jewellery and crafts.
Some of the markets have an entry fee, but you can get your fix of Christmas cheer for free at Alexanderplatz, Charlottenburg Palace, Spandau, Landberger Allee and numerous others listed on the Berlin city website.
- Dates: November 24, 2024 – January 7, 2025 (exact dates vary by market)
- Flights to Berlin with Ryanair: from £24.99 from London Stansted
Seville Christmas market, Spain
Visitors can snack on churros at Seville’s market[/caption]
Seville may not be the first place that comes to mind for Christmas markets compared to the colder and snowier destinations in Northern Europe, but it is well worth a visit.
Wooden cabins line the streets of the glowing historic quarter as shoppers snack on hot churros and choirs sing Andalusian Christmas songs called campanilleros.
It’s also worth exploring the Spanish tradition of nativity scenes — elaborate models of Bethlehem ranging from miniature to life-size are displayed at the Feria del Belén.
- Dates: November 29 – December 23, 2024 (to be confirmed)
- Flights to Seville with Ryanair: from £24.99 from Luton
Poznan Christmas market, Poland
Poznan Christmas market offers free concerts for entertainment[/caption]
There’s an ethereal atmosphere in Poznan‘s square when it gets festooned with over 43,000 LED lights.
Over 70 quaint stands, a Venetian carousel and a massive tree arrive in the city for the Christmas market which sees throngs of tourists and locals alike munching on roasted chestnuts and buying handcrafted wares.
Poznan is an inexpensive city and puts on a show at the market with free concerts and animations for kids, so a trip to the market won’t break the bank.
- Dates: November 19 – December 23, 2024
- Flights to Poznan with Ryanair: from £16.99 from London Stansted
