Why a holiday trip to Europe’s famous Christmas markets is a travel bucket list winner

One of the many markets in Cologne, Germany.

COLOGNE, Germany — While Northeast Ohio boasts plenty of festive cheer this time of year, there’s nothing quite like spending the holiday season visiting the original European Christmas markets.

The air is filled with Christmas tunes and smells of roasted chestnuts, while stalls are filled with kitschy gifts for young and old. Of course, the famous, collectible boot mugs, filled with glühwein (mulled wine) accompany your browsing.

If the holiday season is hectic here at home, European markets are literally thousands of miles from that. These markets are where locals gather, tourists peruse and everyone is reminded of the true holiday spirit.

Last year, I traveled to Cologne, Germany, and Vienna, Austria, at the beginning of December to sample numerous markets. Christmas markets are popular in major and minor cities in Germany, France, Austria, Poland, Estonia and beyond. My partner and I took an Aer Lingus flight from Cleveland to Dublin to Amsterdam, Netherlands, to visit his sister along the way.

While Amsterdam isn’t typically known for sprawling Christmas markets, the entire town was decorated with holiday cheer, and it wasn’t hard to find small holiday markets upon major squares in the city center.

After a quick night’s sleep, we headed to the train station and Cologne. A 2 1/2-hour ride got us to the main station, where we transferred to a tram to get to our Airbnb. This is when the magic really began.

Looking out the tram window over the Rhine River, Cologne’s impressive gothic cathedral towered above the city. As the tram made stops in the city center, I tried to hide my overwhelming excitement as I caught glimpses of markets on every stop.

After a quick stop to drop off our luggage at our accommodations near the Neumarkt square, we only had to walk a few blocks before accomplishing our first task — visiting our first Christmas market. In just a moment, we had mugs of glühwein in our hands while we tried to decide whether to start by perusing the adorable German-style ornaments or getting a potato pancake. Thankfully, in the span of 10 minutes, we were able to do both.

Cologne is filled with Christmas markets within only a few blocks of each other. The Christmas market underneath the magnificent cathedral is the most popular for a reason — live entertainment, tunneling stalls that feel like a surprise to explore and the picturesque backdrop of an architectural icon. Give me a raclette sandwich, and I’ve made it to holiday heaven.

Two full days in Cologne and nearly a dozen markets later, we headed to the airport to get to Vienna. Vienna was always near the top of my travel bucket list, especially during the market season, and it didn’t disappoint. The only appropriate way to describe it is using the German word Gemutlichkeit, which is a state of good cheer, coziness, peace and belonging, but with the grandiose look of a city like Paris. Inviting cafes on every corner, world-class art, a love of music and pastries — it’s a perfect destination to get immersed in the culture.

The city and the Christmas markets were distinctly more crowded than those in Cologne, with a larger presence of tourists. But when you’re ice skating at the Christkindlmarkt at the Rathausplatz (city hall square) or riding the carousel outside of the Schönbrunn Palace, you don’t really care that other tourists are there to enjoy the moment with you.

It’s like entering a Christmas fairy tale.

Mugs of glühwein and loaded fries in Cologne, Germany.

Every Christmas market has its own distinct theme, vendors and vibe. Whether it’s a snowy wonderland or a holiday storybook, each market offers new things to discover. Sure, several items are staples to be found at every market, like wooden ornaments or themed nutcrackers, but it’s so much better than browsing the big box stores.

If you’ve ever felt like a Scrooge during Christmas, one visit to a Christmas market in Cologne will infect you with the holiday spirit.

While both Cologne and Vienna offer much to do outside of the Christmas markets, there are numerous reasons why you should plan a trip around the holiday season.

The Christmas markets in Vienna are busy any time of day, with folks gathering to shop, eat and drink outdoors.

You’ll get one-of-a-kind holiday gifts.

The best way to approach the Christmas markets is with a list of loved ones you want to buy gifts for but without a set plan. Everyone in my family received thoughtful gifts from the market, from handmade baby mobiles to ornate cookie cutters. Jewelry, art, dinnerware, decorations, toys, clothes — you can find anything at the markets. Plus, your family and friends will be grateful to receive something that likely no one else will gift to them.

You get to fall in love with European third spaces.

Europe’s Christmas markets are the ultimate example of why third spaces, a place that isn’t home or work, are the best. People gather, without a set time or plan, to shop, eat, drink and, quite literally, be merry. Drinks are inexpensive and warming and there’s always something new to look at. Plus, it’s easy to linger for a while, especially when there are festive performances involved. You also get to see how locals wander down to the markets after work to meet friends and enjoy the season.

You might actually like being outside in the winter.

Any Clevelander knows how hard winter can beat you down. It can feel like the time to isolate yourself and hibernate until the temperatures reach at least 50 degrees again. However, a visit to the Christmas markets makes you love the winter season. The exciting atmosphere, cozy fire pits and secluded chalets make it easy to stay warm, especially if you bundle up. Plus, the array of warm drinks also help keep you toasty from the inside out.

You’ll leave with lasting holiday memories.

If you want a Christmas to truly remember, planning a trip to the markets is a guaranteed way to do it. It’s hard not to remember the reason for the season — gathering and engaging in festive joy — while visiting a Christmas market. Riding fair rides, playing games and singing carols while holding mugs of hot chocolate and warm pretzels will forever be cemented in my Christmas memories, and for that I am grateful.

Writer Alex Darus indulging in wursts and pomme frites in Vienna, Austria.

Tips before you go:

Adorable ornaments from a Christmas market in Cologne, Germany.

Decide the kind of trip you want to experience. This sounds simple, but it really will make a difference. Do you want to be able to shop in a calm, less crowded environment? Look into smaller cities. Is the hustle and bustle of crowds exciting to you? Visit a major destination and maybe consider a Christmas market-centered group trip. You can rent a car and make it a road trip, sail along the Rhine while making shopping stops along the way — the opportunities are endless. Assess what’s most important to you in the experience and pick the destinations based on what you’re looking for.
Make a rough gift list. I’m not saying have a detailed list of items, but at least have an idea of who you need to buy gifts for, so you don’t leave anyone out. As previously mentioned, it’s easy to find something for anyone at the market, so it’s good to do all of the shopping there. Plus, it’s impossible not to go home with a few seasonal treats for yourself.
It’s winter — pack accordingly. You will be walking from market to market in November/December; bundle up. Gloves, a hat, multiple layers, a nice coat, warm socks and boots you can walk in are imperative. Snow isn’t guaranteed, but it adds to the seasonal vibe that you won’t want to miss by hiding inside from the cold. Although, “forgetting” a hat is a good excuse to buy a new one at the first market you visit.
Leave extra room in your suitcase. This is hard because you have to pack so many layers. We ended up stopping at a store in Vienna and buying a cheap carry-on to bring home our gifts and keepsake mugs. The trip is centered around shopping — you don’t want to overpack from the get-go and end up with no room on the way home.
Save your mugs! Most of the markets will sell drinks for one price with a deposit fee of a few Euros that you get back upon returning each mug. However, when you find a mug you truly can’t part with, you’re allowed to keep it and forget about the deposit. You might plan on getting one or two mugs, but once you see all the adorable, different options at each of the markets, it’ll be hard to pick one. Plus, they do make easy gifts to bring home. If you haven’t caught on yet, we ended up bringing home nearly a dozen novelty mugs/glasses from the markets, but a significant portion were gifts, which makes it totally justified, right?
Pack breakables thoughtfully. You might be wondering how we managed to bring home a dozen glasses and mugs, along with ornaments and other fragile gifts, in two carry-ons and a checked bag. The answer is smart packing. For the mugs, which we knew would be washed later, we stuffed and wrapped them with our dirty laundry to avoid breaking on the way home. Roll everything in multiple T-shirts or stuff things in socks and keep the super breakable or high-value items in your personal item, if they fit.
Don’t count out other festive activities. The markets are the main attraction, but most cities will offer orchestra concerts, Christmas operas and other seasonal live performances during the holidays. We saw the Advent concert at St. Stephen’s Cathedral in Vienna by the Vienna Symphony Orchestra, which was a one-of-a-kind holiday showcase in a classically beautiful setting.

Christmas market underneath Cologne cathedral.

Foods not to miss at Christmas markets:

Raclette is a stinky, melty Swiss cheese that is probably the unofficial food of the Christmas market. It’s as much of a show as it is a treat to watch flaming cheese melt over baguettes, potatoes or whatever else is an option on the menu. Don’t let the strong smell fool you — it’s quite a delicious treat.
Flammlachs, or flame-grilled smoked salmon, is another eye-catching snack that you shouldn’t pass up on. A seasonal salmon filet is fixed to a wooden plank over the fire, resulting in a delicately cooked fish with tons of smoky flavor. It’s typically served on a sandwich, and it’s one I still dream about.
Wursts, or sausages, are ubiquitous within the markets, especially in Germany. Bratwurst, currywurst, Weißwurst (a white veal and pork sausage) — the list goes on. If you’re a lover of America’s hot dog culture, you won’t be able to pass up a wurst while perusing the markets.
Crepes are most popular in the French Christmas markets, with both savory and sweet versions. The thin pancakes can be filled with cream, fruit jams, mushrooms, ham and cheese and more, and make for a great on-the-go bite.
Reibekuchen, potato pancakes, and basically every other form of potato. Potato dumplings, potato fritters, potato tornadoes — you will get a potato fix at any of the Christmas markets.
Soft pretzels, and we’re not talking your average concession stand options. Classic pretzels, or brezels in German, can be sweet or savory, topped with ham and cheese, stuffed with chocolate or infused with butter and garlic. The possibilities are endless and it’s hard not to resist a warm, hand-rolled pretzel snack as you walk past the stand.
Goulash in a bread bowl. It might not seem like soup would be the easiest on-the-go food, but the rich goulash served in fluffy bread bowls is a great excuse to pause your shopping and warm up with a hearty meal. Plus, you get to eat the bowl, so it’s two snacks in one.

Cheersing our mugs at the market underneath the cathedral in Vienna, Austria.

Langos (deep fried dough with toppings), knodel (various German dumplings), flammkuchen (German flatbread), apple strudel, chimney cakes, gingerbread cookies and more are also popular at the main markets.

A guide to the Christmas market bar menus

Christmas market outside Schönbrunn Palace in Vienna, Austria.

Glühwein, or mulled wine in German, is the drink of choice at any Christmas market. Called vin chaud in French, glögg in Nordic countries and svařák in the Czech Republic, this is a warm, boozy drink loaded with spices that tastes like the sippable version of a holiday dessert. The base is typically a warm red or white wine.
Punsch. Glühwein can be punsch, but not all punsch is glühwein. This is a slightly broader category of warm boozy beverage that can use a base of wine, rum, liqueur or other spirits to spike it. Kinderpunsch is a nonalcoholic version typically made for children, while the spiked variations can come in a wide variety of flavors from apple to cherry to apricot.
Feuerzangenbowle. This is next-level punsch. It’s typically a group drink that involves lighting a rum-soaked sugar cube on fire over hot, spiced wine to sweeten it. Between the high-proof rum and flaming garnish, the drink is guaranteed to keep you warm.
Eierpunsch is the German version of eggnog with a boozy twist. It’s made with a German egg liqueur and white wine, making it lighter than dairy-based versions.

Hot apple cider, hot chocolate, tea and beer are other typical drinks at the markets, but it depends on the country/region you’re in.