The top ten most festive markets in Europe have been revealed, with Kraków Christmas Market in Poland ranking in first position.
Travel insurance experts at Quotezone.co.uk have created the 2024 Christmas Market Index to help Christmas loving travellers get the most for their money during the festive season.
The index ranks ten popular Christmas markets across Europe based on how festive they are, using factors such as average temperature and snowfall in December, number of stalls and length of days the market runs.
The index even measures the distance of the various Christmas markets to Santa’s home in Lapland, with those closer scoring highest in the ranking so that holiday makers can make it the ultimate European festive break – planning trips to visit Santa and take in the famous market.
Kraków Christmas Market in Poland has been named the most festive market in Europe, offering tourists a wintery atmosphere with lots of snow and chilly 0.2 degrees on average in December.
Kraków’s Old Town provides a fairytale setting for the market where visitors can find a hundred wooden stalls offering traditional Polish delights and handmade crafts.
The Christmas market tradition in Kraków dates back to the 13th century and its historical charm and focus on Polish traditions is what sets this market apart from others around Europe.
Ranked second on the list is the Vörösmarty Square Christmas Market in Budapest, Hungary. As the largest Christmas market in the city, it features 120 vibrant stalls and runs from mid-November until New Year’s Eve, offering visitors an extended period to enjoy its festive charm.
Vienna is perfect for those looking for a snowy and cold winter city break and its most famous Christmas Market on Rathausplatz Square has made the top three on the list.
Set against the backdrop of the iconic Vienna Town Hall and surrounded by the festive displays in the Christmassy Rathauspark, it offers an enchanting holiday experience and attracts millions of visitors every year.
Sharing the fourth and fifth place in the ranking are Prague Old Town Square Christmas Market in Czech Republic and Copenhagen Tivoli Christmas Market in Denmark.
While the market in Prague offers more stalls and colder temperatures, Copenhagen Christmas Market is open for nearly two months and its close proximity to Santa’s home in Lapland gives it an authentic Nordic holiday spirit.
Christkindlesmarkt in Nuremberg in Germany, Brussels Winter Wonders Christmas Market in Belgium, Edinburgh East Princes Street Gardens Christmas Market in Scotland and Strasbourg Christmas Market in France rank in the sixth to ninth positions on the list.
While the Basel Christmas Market in Switzerland is one of the prettiest in Europe, it came last in the ranking, largely due to its shorter opening period (end of November until 23rd of December) and low average snowfall in December.
CEO and travel insurance expert at Quotezone, Greg Wilson said: “Many people will be looking to visit Christmas Markets around Europe to get into the festive spirit in the run-up to Christmas.
“To help travellers choose where to go for the most Christmassy experience, we’ve ranked some of the most popular Christmas markets in Europe based on factors such as snowfall and temperature in December, number of stalls, amount of days the market is open and the distance from the most festive place in the world – Santa’s residence in Lapland.
“Our 2024 Christmas Market Index has revealed that Kraków, the second largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland, hosts the most festive Christmas market in Europe as it received excellent scores in all categories.
“Kraków Christmas Market is known for its traditional feel as it’s situated in the historical Old Town filled with charming wooden stalls with vendors selling traditional Polish foods, arts and crafts. Visitors can also enjoy a busy entertainment programme and go on a horse and carriage ride around the Old Town.
“Also among the top three were the Christmas markets in Budapest and Vienna as they’re both ideal for wintery weather conditions, have plenty of stalls to discover and are open for more than 40 days.
“Surprisingly the famous Basel Christmas Market in Switzerland which has a staggering 155 stalls came last in our ranking because of its short opening period, lack of snow and distance from Santa and Lapland.
“When planning a winter getaway to a Christmas market in Europe, we recommend that travellers protect themselves financially by purchasing travel insurance. Winter often brings flight delays and cancellations, and crowded places like Christmas markets can be hotspots for pickpocketing.”
| Rank | Country & Christmas market | Average temperature in December (°C) | Average snowfall in December (mm) | Number of stalls | Length of days the market runs | Distance from Lapland (km) |
| 1 | Kraków Christmas Market, Poland | 0.2 | 51.5 | 100 | 33 | 1998.27 |
| 2 | Budapest Vörösmarty Square Christmas Market, Hungary | 1.8 | 54.3 | 120 | 47 | 2290.22 |
| 3 | Vienna Rathausplatz Christmas Market, Austria | 1.1 | 53.4 | 99 | 42 | 2246.39 |
| 4/5 | Prague Old Town Square Christmas Market, Czech Republic | -0.3 | 35.9 | 79 | 38 | 2074.53 |
| 4/5 | Copenhagen Tivoli Christmas Market, Denmark | 2.5 | 36.6 | 60 | 51 | 1522.97 |
| 6 | Christkindlesmarkt in Nuremberg, Germany | 2.23 | 31.8 | 180 | 26 | 2209.15 |
| 7/8 | Brussels Winter Wonders Christmas Market, Belgium | 3.9 | 20 | 200 | 38 | 2238.5 |
| 7/8 | Edinburgh East Princes Street Gardens Christmas Market, Scotland | 4.2 | 10 | 80 | 51 | 2009.73 |
| 9 | Strasbourg Christmas Market, France | 6.68 | 31 | 300 | 31 | 2378.72 |
| 10 | Basel Christmas Market, Switzerland | 1.4 | 30.1 | 155 | 26 | 2490.5 |
