European Christmas markets are magical and offer a festive atmosphere with unique traditions, local food, handcrafted gifts, and beautiful decor. I recently traveled to Germany and Austria and had a truly magical experience. I experienced a true winter wonderland as it was snowing and made the trip even more memorable.
munich
Germany is known as the birthplace of the Christmas markets. We traveled to Munich and they alone have approximately 12 markets, having only have visited six or so, it left me with the desire to make this trip a tradition, visiting them all over Europe. Between the smell of mulled wine and gingerbread, the markets were just incredible to visit and explore.
salzburg
Salzburg is the location of Mozart’s hometown, it features Alpine traditions, nativity scenes, and local delicacies. The markets were illuminated with many twinkling lights and smell of deliciousness. The second day in Salzburg we woke up to a winter wonderland since it had snowed all night. Several of us ventured out to St. Wolfgang, Austria where we took a boat to three villages to experience once again more Christmas Markets.
st wolfgang
St. Wolfgang, Austria, is a picturesque lakeside town located on the shores of Wolfgangsee in the Salzkammergut region of Upper Austria. We drove an hour via bus before taking the boat to three different villages. See for yourself how magical this was…
The markets in the villages were my favorite, they felt homie is the best I could describe them. During the Advent season, St. Wolfgang transforms into a magical Christmas wonderland with festive markets, lights, and holiday decorations. The vendors were locals and they sure were lovely. The made us feel at home with their tasty delights and beautiful hand crafted gifts.
vienna
Vienna is renowned for its Christmas markets, where visitors can enjoy traditional food, warm drinks, and handcrafted goods. Rathausplatz is the the largest market, located in front of City Hall, with over 150 stalls and a beautifully lit ice skating rink. Vienna’s streets and landmarks are beautifully adorned with Christmas lights.
