The sweet scent of aromatic mulled wine, the sound of local folk music and, if you’re lucky, a carpet of romantic snow: Europe’s best Christmas markets encapsulate the magic of the festive season and bring friends and families together.

Prague



Image via The Blueberry Trails

During the festive period, Prague’s Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square–of Good King Wenceslas fame–are decorated with twinkling fairy lights and, occasionally, a coating of shiny white snow. The Czech capital’s medieval centre conjures ideas of fairytale princesses and heroic kings at the worst of times, but the magical daydreams are most prevalent when the historical squares are filled with thousands of well-wishers browsing for local delicacies at traditional red-roofed stalls.

As a city famed for its tremendous beer, it’s no wonder that Prague’s Christmas markets focus on unusual drinks and seasonal cuisine, rather than gifts, toys and wares. World-renowned beers such as Pilsner Urquell, Staropramen and Budvar are available by the keg load, while mulled wine (svařák) and grog with honey liquor (medovina) warm hands, mouths and spirits. The traditional Czech Christmas dish is fried carp with potato salad, so don’t be surprised to find huge watery tubs of carp in the streets in the week leading up to Christmas day (Vánoce).

Copenhagen



Image via Visit Denmark

Sub-zero temperatures, delightful illuminations and ubiquitous Yuletide grub lend Copenhagen a tremendous festive atmosphere. Danes love to spend the season in Tivoli Gardens, where electric light shows and explosive firework displays form kaleidoscopic reflections in the glassy lake.

Red robed and rotund as ever, Father Christmas can be found in a 19th-century pantomime theatre, while Danish customs such as advent wreaths, calendar candles and Christmas pixie (Nisse) themed treats are sold from booths. Nearby Hans Christian Anderson Market really gets into the Danish spirit, with each stall named after one of the famous storyteller’s fairytales.

Hamburg



Image via The Metropolist

Germany is home to the quintessential Christmas market: mulled wine (glüwein), giant Bratwurst sausages, cinnamon cakes (stollen) and wooden handicrafts. And Hamburg’s grandiose City Hall is home to exactly this kind of jolly festive fun.

However, venture out of the main Rathausmarkt and you’ll find a diverse range of smaller specialist emporiums. Over three million people visit Hamburg’s Christmas markets each year. Some like to experience the magic of an inner city forest at Winterwald, others prefer to indulge in luxury snacks along Hamburg’s premier boulevard (Jungfernstieg), while others still venture into the erotic stalls of the Reeperbahn’s X-rated Santa Pauli Christmas market.