The world's best Christmas markets that will fill you with festive spirit

’Tis the season of the Christmas market, which means the chance to stock up on arty crafty presents, eat too many festive treats and ward off the winter chill with a glass of mulled wine.
 

Glitter ball: The Christmas market in Prague's Old Town Square

PRAGUE, Czech Republic

The Czech capital does Christmas at its most picturesque. Between November 26 and New Year’s Day, it’ll host festive fairs in its two grandest spaces, the Staromestske namesti (Old Town Square) and Vaclavske namesti (Wenceslas Square) — while its main street market (Havelske trziste) will up its game with seasonal gifts galore.

Star attraction: The setting. Prague suffered little damage in World War II and retains a distinctive medieval character, with its castle on a bluff above the River Vltava and the 15th-century astronomical clock that watches over Old Town Square. See praguewelcome.cz/en.

Details: Three nights at the four-star Casa Marcello starts at £498pp for two, including flights, transfers and breakfast, with Kirker Holidays (020 7593 1899; kirkerholidays.com).

BERLIN, Germany

Germany ’s main metropolis takes its Christmas markets seriously — some 50 of them, in total, are dotted across its centre. One of the largest and most tinsel-laden is the Weihnachts Zauber (gendarmenmarktberlin.de), staged in the giant Gendarmenmarkt square from November 21 to December 31. But the prettiest is a smaller affair that plays out below the Kaiser-Wilhelm Gedachtniskirche church, a bomb-struck reminder of the war.

Star attraction: Catch a glimpse of the past at the Eastside Gallery (eastsidegallery.com), a preserved stretch of the Berlin Wall.

Details: Three nights at the five-star Kempinski Hotel, flying from Heathrow on December 15, is £210pp based on two sharing (lastminute.com; 0800 0834000).

MADRID, Spain

There is no rule that says a trip to a Christmas market must involve a chilly climate. Spain’s capital does a festive extravaganza with a Latin twist. In December, 100 stalls will grace the central Plaza Mayor.

Gifts include face masks and costumes sold ahead of Dia de los Santos Inocentes — Spain’s equivalent of April Fool ’s Day on December 28. See esmadrid.com.

Star attraction: Nearby, on Pasadizo de San Gines, the almost 24-hour Chocolateria San Gines (0034 91 365 6546) dispenses churros (thin doughnuts) with hot chocolate.

Details: Three nights at the five-star Westin Palace (with two sharing), flying from Luton on December 1, start at £298 pp with Expedia (0203 027 8682; expedia.co.uk).

BIRMINGHAM, Midlands

Strange, but true. Birmingham has established itself as the leader in Britain’s Christmas market stakes.

Its Frankfurt Christmas Market (Birmingham is twinned with the German city) is into its 11th year, and will fill Victoria Square with noise, cheer and bratwurst stands from November 17 to December 23.

You can also peruse a Christmas Craft Fair in the adjacent Chamberlain and Centenary Squares. See birmingham.gov.uk/frankfurtmarket.

Star attraction: Finish your festive shopping in the Jewellery Quarter, the city’s celebrated district of independent jewellers, just north of the centre. See jewelleryquarter.net.

Details: Double rooms at the Birmingham Malmaison (0121 246 5000; malmaison.com), in the Mailbox complex, cost from £99 per night (£119 with breakfast).

HELSINKI, Finland

For those who really want to embrace the festive season, continental Europe’s most northerly capital is a fine choice, shrouded in a winter darkness that makes the St Thomas Christmas Market seem even more atmospheric.

Staged in Senaatintori square, below the huge bulk of the Tuomiokirkko — Helsinki’s frosted Christmas cake of a cathedral — this wrap-up-warm bonanza from December 7 to 22 promises 120 stalls. See helsinki.fi.

Star attraction: Grab a reviving cocktail at the Ateljee Bar (ateljeebar.fi), a tiny watering hole on the 14th floor of the Hotel Torni, from where you can look out across the city.

Details: Three nights at the five-star Hotel Kamp (two sharing), with flights from Heathrow on December 8, are £404pp via Travelocity (0871 4725116; travelocity.co.uk).

WINCHESTER, Hants

This pretty city has become a festive staple of late. Launched in 2006, its Christmas market has grown into a sizeable event. This year’s (November 24 to December 21) will see 90 stalls gathered outside the city’s medieval cathedral.

Winchester was England’s 11th-century capital, and a sense of history fills its lanes — right down to the statue of Alfred the Great in the city centre.

Star attraction: There will be an ice rink that should keep younger visitors entertained. See winchester-cathedral.org.uk and visitwinchester.co.uk.

Details: Double rooms at the Hotel Du Vin (01962 841414; hotelduvin.com) close to the cathedral on Southgate Street — start at £135 per night (£155 with breakfast).

LILLE, France

Foreign festive merriment can also be found by train. The northern French city of Lille is a mere 80-minute hop by Eurostar, and offers the Marche de Noel (noel-alille.com) from November 19 to December 30, featuring 80 stalls clustered in the central Place Rihour.

As well as the standard wooden toys and tempting patisseries, the vendors serve up a transatlantic flavour of France, with crafts and delicacies from distant Quebec.

Star attraction: The market comes with a large ferris wheel for high-flying fun.

Details: A three-night break at the three-star Hotel des Tours, departing from St Pancras on December 15, costs from £215 pp (two sharing) through Eurostar (08432 186186; eurostar.com). A simple day-trip on December 17 costs from £99 return.

 NEW YORK, U.S.

Few nations embrace Christmas with the enthusiasm of our U.S. cousins. And New York positively brims with festive markets — including the Columbus Circle Holiday Market, on the lip of Central Park (November 30 to December 24), and the Union Square Holiday Market, at 14th Street and Broadway — where you can buy organic farmers’ produce as well as presents from November 18 to December 24 (nycgo.com).

Star attraction: Flee the cold at the Grand Central Holiday Gift Fair, in the iconic setting of Grand Central station from November 14 to December 24 (grandcentralterminal.com).

Details: Four nights at the Carlton Hotel start at £839 pp with two sharing and flights from Heathrow  on December 14, through Virgin Holidays (0844 5574321; virginholidays.co.uk)

Source: dailymail