Dreaming of twinkling lights, festive melodies, and a touch of luxury this holiday season? Our Best Christmas Markets 2025 guide brings you something new: curated dual-city journeys that blend world’s most magical festive destinations into seamless, unforgettable trips. Instead of spotlighting only single markets, this year’s the 79 Christmas Market Guide invites you to explore paired cities like Vienna & Prague, London & Edinburgh, Paris & Strasbourg as well as individual destinations like Tokyo and Singapore, so you can experience deeper culture, richer traditions, and more enchantment in one luxurious winter holiday escape.
Vienna & Prague
In Vienna, the city truly comes alive during the festive season with its markets. The flagship market at Rathausplatz (City Hall) transforms into a dazzling winter wonderland from mid-November through December, with more than 100 artisan huts offering elegant gifts, handcrafted decorations, and seasonal delicacies. Families can enjoy weekend choir performances and candle-making workshops in a warm, festive setting. Another gem is the Christmas Village at Belvedere Palace, open through the end of December, set against the palace’s baroque façade, this market features around 40 stalls filled with stylish ornaments, local crafts, and gourmet treat options like Vanillekipferl (vanilla crescent cookies), Maroni (roasted chestnuts), Lebkuchen (gingerbread cookies). Meanwhile, more intimate markets like Am Hof invite visitors to wander among more than 50 exhibitors offering thoughtful gift ideas and design-led handicrafts. All of these highlight why Vienna remains one of the most enchanting Christmas markets in Europe 2025.
Across the border, the Prague festive season experience is nothing short of magical. The Old Town Square market opens from 29 November 2025, filling the square with beautifully decorated wooden huts, a majestic tree, treats like Trdelník (sweet rolled pastry with sugar and cinnamon) and a stage for carol concerts under the city’s Gothic skyline. Just a few minutes’ walk away, Wenceslas Square hosts its own festive stalls, artisan crafts, and a charming nativity scene, open during the same dates. For a quieter, more local feel, the market at Peace Square (Náměstí Míru), operating from 20 November to 24 December, offers handcrafted decorations, seasonal gifts, and live music in front of the beautiful St. Ludmila Church. Whether you’re strolling among Prague’s iconic architecture or browsing for handmade woodwork and glass ornaments, these markets are a highlight of Christmas markets in Europe 2025.
Paris, Strasbourg & Baden Baden
In Paris, the season offers a sophisticated, urban twist on festive traditions. From 15 November 2025 on, the Tuileries Christmas Market transforms the historic Jardin des Tuileries into a charming holiday carnival. Expect over 100 wooden chalets filled with artisan crafts, regional delicacies, and stylish gifts, set alongside ice-rink fun and a nostalgic Ferris wheel bathed in lights. For a more modern, metropolitan experience, the La Défense Christmas Market (13 November – 28 December 2025) stretches beneath the Grande Arche, boasting hundreds of stalls, international street food, and a wide-open esplanade that’s ideal for evening strolls. There are also smaller, more artisan-focused markets around the city including creators’ market and local designer pop-ups, giving visitors plenty of options for Christmas markets in a Parisian style. Don’t forget to try holiday-themed macarons!
Just a short trip over the border, Strasbourg lives up to its nickname as the “Capital of Christmas.” From 26 November to 24 December 2025, the city comes alive with eight interconnected Christmas markets spread across its most iconic squares: Place Kléber, Place Broglie, the Cathedral Square, and more. More than 300 traditional chalets invite you to browse handcrafted decorations, regional delicacies like Bredele (Alsatian cookies), and thoughtful gifts, all framed by centuries-old half-timbered facades. The centerpiece is a majestic 30-metre winter tree on Place Kléber, glowing with thousands of lights each evening, paired with a sound and light show that truly amplifies the fairy-tale atmosphere. For a socially conscious twist, the OFF market (Marché OFF) features eco-friendly artists, recycled creations, and local producers, while the nearby Villages de l’Avent host family workshops, storytelling, and live performances.
New York City & Washington, DC.
In New York City, the holiday season glitters across iconic winter markets, and none more so than the Bryant Park Winter Village. Open from 24 October 2025 through early January, this open-air market is a classic New York holiday tradition, with more than 180 artisan stalls, private heated igloos, and a beautiful free-admission ice rink right in the middle of Midtown. For a more local, creative shopping experience, head downtown to the Union Square Holiday Market, which runs from 13 November to 24 December 2025 and features over 185 independent designers, handmade jewelry, home décor, and limited-edition artisan products. And for a refined, indoor alternative, the Grand Central Holiday Fair in Vanderbilt Hall (inside Grand Central Terminal) offers about 35+ high-quality artisan vendors in an elegant, historic setting. Stay in ultimate luxury at The Peninsula New York, which places you just moments from Fifth Avenue, Bryant Park, and all the festive action, a chic and restful base from which to explore the city’s Christmas magic.
In Washington, DC, the DowntownDC Holiday Market is one of the season’s most beloved events. From 21 November to 23 December 2025, more than 115 vendors line F Street NW (between 7th and 9th), offering art, crafts, jewelry, décor, and thoughtfully curated gifts. The market, organized by The Makers Show, is deeply community-focused, showcasing local artisans and creative talent in a fun and socially conscious way. Live entertainment punctuates the evenings with musicians and performances Thursday through Sunday and a “Dream Wall” invites visitors to share their holiday wishes in chalk as part of the immersive experience. For a sophisticated stay nearby, Four Seasons Hotel Washington, DC provides the perfect luxurious retreat: elegant rooms, refined service, and proximity to the Smithsonian museums, Penn Quarter, and the festive market itself.
London & Edinburgh
In London, the festive spirit sparkles most grandly at Hyde Park Winter Wonderland. Running from 14 November to 5 January 2025, this iconic festive extravaganza transforms the park into a sprawling winter spectacle filled with over 200 wooden chalets overflowing with artisan crafts, designer gifts, and luxurious seasonal treats. Beyond market stalls, you’ll find thrilling rides (like a giant Ferris wheel), ice skating, live shows, and family-friendly entertainment, all wrapped in elegant, illuminated fairytale charm. For a taste of royal elegance, the Buckingham Palace Christmas pop-up shop in the Royal Mews runs from 14 November to 5 January 2025. While not a traditional market, the shop offers exquisitely crafted royal-collection gifts, heirloom-style ornaments, and seasonal keepsakes in a beautifully historic setting.
Up in Edinburgh, the winter magic begins in East Princes Street Gardens, where from 15 November to 4 January 2026 the traditional market returns, with around 70 beautifully decorated chalets selling local crafts, festive décor, and artisanal Scottish gifts. Towering above the market, the Star Flyer, one of the world’s tallest transportable rides, offers breathtaking views over the city skyline from 80 meters up. Nearby, the LNER Big Wheel also spins nightly, giving a panoramic look at Edinburgh Castle and the glowing gardens. On George Street, a covered ice rink returns with themed skating sessions, from relaxed toddler hours to late-night music-skate events, and an elegant Polar Ice Bar adds atmospheric charm to the winter landscape.
Tokyo
In Tokyo, winter brings a dazzling blend of European-style Christmas charm and uniquely Japanese elegance. The Tokyo Christmas Market returns for 2025 at Meiji Jingu Gaien from 21 November to 25 December, with a fantastical fairy-tale atmosphere inspired by Grimm stories, a towering 14 m German Christmas pyramid, live performances, and chalet-style huts offering crafts and gifts. This year, there’s a second venue too: Shiba Park, open from 5 to 25 December, channeling a more traditional German-style Christmas market experience.
Beyond the markets, Tokyo’s winter illuminations make the city glow in a refined, upscale way. For instance, Marunouchi Street Park (between Marunouchi Nakadori and Gyoko-dori) will host its winter market with 19 elegant huts, live street music, and gold lights that frame the historic architecture around Tokyo Station. Meanwhile, the area around Marunouchi, and nearby business districts, is transformed by hundreds of trees lit in a soft, golden hue, creating a magical evening stroll. While in Tokyo during the holiday season, staying at Aman Tokyo offers the perfect luxury base to experience it all. At Aman Tokyo, you can unwind in their serene minimalist interiors, enjoy the spa, and take in sweeping views over the city, all while being just a short ride from Tokyo’s most charming winter markets and illuminations.
Zurich & Lucerne
In Zurich, the winter holiday season glimmers in several iconic locations. From 19 November to 24 December 2025, the city’s markets light up from the Main Station (HB) to Sechseläutenplatz, the Old Town, and Münsterhof. One of the most spectacular is the Christkindlimarkt at Zurich HB, where more than 100 stalls cluster under the station’s vaulted ceiling around a towering Christmas tree adorned with thousands of Swarovski crystals. Meanwhile, the Wienachtsdorf at Sechseläutenplatz offers around 100 beautifully decorated chalets, an ice rink, and a nostalgic carousel, all set against the serene backdrop of Lake Zurich and the Opera House. For a more intimate, historic feel, the Old Town (Niederdorf) market winds through narrow medieval alleys, showcasing local craftsmanship, sweet treats and giving visitors a truly romantic stroll beneath twinkling lights.
Not far away, Lucerne weaves its own winter magic during the festive season. The main market on Franziskanerplatz runs from 4 to 21 December 2025, where wooden chalets overflow with handmade ornaments, Swiss crafts, and thoughtful gifts. On Kapellplatz, the Venite International Christmas Forum (18–21 Dec) blends global traditions, cultural performances, and food from around the world. Meanwhile, Rudolf’s Christmas (Inseli Park) extends from 15 November to 23 December, focusing on festive dining, cozy lakeside atmosphere, and seasonal treats, rather than just typical market stalls. A highlight not to miss is Ice Magic at Europaplatz, running from 12 November through 4 January 2026, with a free ice rink, pavilions, and views over Lake Lucerne and the surrounding mountains. The magical “Christmas Train” also runs from 23 November until the end of December, offering a charming loop around the city bathed in holiday lights.
Singapore
In Singapore, the holiday season sparkles under tropical skies, and even without a “traditional” European market, there’s plenty of magic to discover. One of the crown‑jewels of Singapore’s year‑end festivities is Christmas Wonderland at Gardens by the Bay, running from 29 November 2025 to 1 January 2026. The event features spectacular light installations, daily “Blizzard Time” snow‑effect shows, carnival rides, an enchanted forest, and a charming Mistletoe Alley packed with artisanal stalls.
Another festive highlight for 2025 is Togetherland, the World Christmas Market at Marina Bay’s Bayfront Event Space, taking place from 11 December to 4 January. This immersive fair spans nine magical zones, each themed around a reindeer host, and offers live musicals, performances, and a curated boutique market filled with handcrafted gifts and socially conscious creations.
—
Wherever your travels take you for the winter holiday season in 2025, these carefully curated city pairs and individual destinations are designed for luxury travel lovers seeking more than a quick visit. From boutique hotels and historic inns to world-class spa retreats like Brenners Park-Hotel & Spa, Claridge’s, Aman Tokyo, and Raffles Singapore, each destination offers comfort, elegance, and easy access to the season’s most enchanting markets.
With the 79 team by your side, you can go beyond simply visiting holiday markets. We craft your itinerary, uncover hidden gems, and guide you through the artistry, lights, and festive traditions that make each destination extraordinary. Let us turn your winter holiday journey into a seamless, luxurious, and truly memorable adventure.
