A new Christmas survey has revealed the top 10 most festive markets in Europe.
The 2024 Christmas Market Index has been created by the travel insurance experts at Quotezone.co.uk, based on 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.
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. As the largest Christmas market in the city, it features 120 vibrant stalls and runs from mid-November until New Year’s Eve.
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 Vienna Town Hall and surrounded by the festive displays in the Christmassy Rathauspark, it 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.
“Many people will be looking to visit Christmas Markets around Europe to get into the festive spirit in the run-up to Christmas,” said Greg Wilson, CEO and travel insurance expert at Quotezone.
