A good Christmas market tour can transform a visit. You get the history behind the traditions, a local guide who knows which stalls are worth your time, and usually some mulled wine and food tastings thrown in. I’ve done market tours in Vienna, Nuremberg and Dresden, and I always come away having discovered something I would have walked straight past on my own.
Christmas Market Tours in Europe
Nuremberg Christmas City & Food Tour
Nuremberg is the home of the most famous Christmas market in Germany, and this tour does it justice. Walk through the Christkindlesmarkt and the old town with a local guide, learning about the city’s traditions while sampling Nuremberg’s legendary bratwurst, lebkuchen and other seasonal treats.
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Vienna Christmas Food Tour
Skip the tourist crowds at the big-name markets and explore Vienna’s neighbourhood Christmas markets by tram instead. This food-focused tour takes you to four lesser-known markets, sampling traditional Austrian dishes along the way, both sweet and savoury.
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Strasbourg Christmas Tour with Mulled Wine
Strasbourg is known as the Capital of Christmas, and with around 10 markets spread across the city, it can be hard to know where to start. This walking tour takes care of that. A local guide leads you through the illuminated streets and market squares, sharing the history of Alsatian Christmas traditions along the way. You’ll discover artisan stalls, taste local specialties and finish with a glass of what they claim is the best mulled wine in Strasbourg.
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Dresden Advent Tour with Food Tastings
Dresden is home to the Striezelmarkt, the oldest Christmas market in the world, and this tour takes you there along with two other markets. Between stops, you’ll see the Opera House, the Zwinger museum and the stunning Frauenkirche. The highlight is tasting authentic Dresden stollen, a Christmas specialty you won’t find better anywhere else.
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London Christmas Lights
See London’s famous Christmas lights from the top deck of a 1960s open-top Routemaster bus. The tour drives under the lights of Oxford Street and Regent Street, past Harrods and through Trafalgar Square. It’s one of the most popular Christmas experiences in London for good reason.
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Budapest Christmas Tour with Tastings
Budapest’s Christmas markets are among the best in Europe, and this tour takes you beyond the stalls to discover local traditions. Sample Hungarian treats and seasonal drinks before warming up with coffee at a classic Budapest coffee house.
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Prague Christmas Market Tour
Prague at Christmas is magical, and exploring its markets with a local guide means you won’t miss the best bits. Visit three markets across the city centre, try traditional Czech snacks like trdelník and mulled wine, and pick up gifts along the way.
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Stockholm Old Town Christmas
Explore Stockholm’s Gamla Stan by lantern light on this atmospheric winter walk. A local guide shares Swedish Christmas traditions and history as you wander through the narrow cobblestone streets of one of Europe’s best-preserved medieval old towns.
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Copenhagen Christmas Tour
Experience a Danish Christmas with a local guide who’ll introduce you to traditions like æbleskiver, gløgg and the hygge atmosphere that Copenhagen does so well. The tour takes you through the city’s prettiest decorated streets and Christmas markets.
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Berlin: 4 Christmas Markets Tour
Berlin has more than 80 Christmas markets, which can be overwhelming for a first visit. This tour narrows it down to four of the best, including the beautiful Gendarmenmarkt, with mulled wine tastings and a local guide to explain German Christmas traditions.
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Bremen Christmas Market Tour
Wander through the old town’s winding streets to the beautifully decorated market stalls around the Town Hall and the Roland statue. Bremen’s market is one of the most charming in northern Germany, and a guided tour brings its history and traditions to life.
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