Visiting European Christmas Markets: What You Need to Know

Are you looking for all the details to ensure that you have a wonderful visit to the European Christmas markets? Look no further because I have the ultimate guide to the European Christmas markets.

Planning & Timing Visits to European Christmas Markets

Opening/Closing Times

Before booking your trip, make sure you check the opening and closing dates of the markets you want to visit. Many markets open in late November and close around Christmas Eve, but some run as late as New Year’s Eve.

Also confirm that the markets will be open on the days you plan to visit. A few markets operate only on weekends. One of the most famous weekend-only markets is Ravenna Gorge. While I haven’t visited it yet, I’ve heard it’s absolutely magical.

Operational Hours

The markets close earlier than I expected, to be honest. I’ve learned this the hard way more than once—arriving excited, only to discover the stalls had already closed for the evening. Always check market hours in advance so you don’t miss out. Many markets close between 8–9 pm, even on weekends, which surprises a lot of travelers.

Best Time to Visit

Personally, I love visiting in the evenings when the markets are abuzz with both locals and tourists. That said, evening crowds aren’t for everyone. If you’re traveling with children, heading out earlier can make the experience much more enjoyable. During our first Christmas market visit, our kids were younger, and we walked straight into a market packed shoulder to shoulder with people. Navigating that crowd—especially with a stroller—felt overwhelming, and we constantly worried about losing track of our kids.

If you arrive earlier in the day, you can still enjoy the twinkling lights at sunset and leave just as the crowds begin to swell.

Driving Tips

If you are planning on driving, which is what we always do, here are some important tips. I usually book my cars with Expedia.com or CostcoTravel because you can cancel both up until the rental day.

First make sure you know if you need a special sticker to enter into the city. Some cities require you to have an emissions sticker to enter the city. If you do not have it you can be fined heavily. We had to park right outside of the emissions zone last year because we didn’t have the sticker and then take a bus into the city. It just added to our day.

Also some countries require a vignette which is essentially a sticker that allows you to pass between the borders. If you are traveling into Austria or Switzerland they are required. You can buy them at a gas station right on the border. You will usually see a sign that says ” Zwolle” or something about “Vignette”. Some cars already have them when you rent them, but you need to ask. Also some rental places will not allow you to take a car into places like the Czech Republic.

In Europe you pump your gas BEFORE you pay in most cases. And then you may need to pay in cash, so just make sure you know how you need to pay before getting gas. Or you have to pre pay and then pump your gas. I have never seen where you pay at the pump. Also gas stations can close early or be completely closed on a Sunday so make sure you account for that before returning the rental car.

Another important note-make sure you have an AWD or 4WD vehicle because there are areas where it is absolutely necessary. You can also rent chains at most of the rental places, but make sure you know how to use them before you leave the rental location. Winter tires are required by law in Germany from late fall through the winter but you will need more than just winter tires sometimes especially if you are headed into the Alps.

“Make sure you have an AWD or 4WD vehicle because there are areas where it is absolutely necessary.”

Download EasyPark or Parkopedia before you land in Europe to find legal spots to park or garages. Parking can be difficult in the cities. The garages are tight and the machines are not easy to navigate. You typically pay when leaving a garage. They will give you a ticket upon entry (do not lose it) and before you leave you find the machine and insert the ticket. It will proceed to tell you how much you owe. After you pay, it should stamp your ticket or essentially validate it. We ran into an issue a few years ago where we had attempted to pay and the machine would not work. We tried multiple different cards and finally pushed the “help” button. They told us we could pay as we were leaving. Unfortunately that wasn’t the case. The attendant then tried to tell us we had to go back. Mind you at this point we had a whole line of cars behind us so we couldn’t just go back. One of us ended up having to run back down to get it fixed. We had several Swiss yelling at us in German. It was a nightmare. If you are parking in an open lot, make sure you know your license plate number as you are sometimes asked to enter it. Other times you will get a ticket to put on your dashboard. Always drop a pin or take a photo of the garage where you have parked…don’t ask me how I know this tip. Yes, we once walked for well over an hour trying to find our garage.

What to Bring to European Christmas Markets

Cash is King

Most European Christmas markets still operate on cash. In my experience, Switzerland and France commonly accept cards, but Germany definitely prefers cash. Withdraw euros before you start wandering the markets. We once ordered drinks and only then realized the vendor accepted cash only. One of us had to stay behind while the other sprinted off to find an ATM.

If your bank card doesn’t work at one ATM, try another. Some banks don’t consistently work with every machine. Also, if your bank still requires travel notifications, make sure you alert them before leaving. We once had our card flagged abroad and couldn’t withdraw any money at all.

Carry €0.50–€1 coins for restrooms. While some markets offer free facilities, many charge a small fee. I keep my change in a small zip-top bag. Euro coins range from €0.01 to €2, so they add up quickly. Toward the end of the trip, I usually spend my smaller denominations to avoid flying home with a pocket full of coins.

Avoid large bills whenever possible. Most vendors won’t have change for denominations greater than €50.

What to Bring

• Be prepared so you can shop, snack, and stroll hands free.
  • A resuable Tote-this is a great one.
  • A backpack-Here is my favorite travel backpack
  • Handwarmers
    • Either rechargeable Or these ones!
  • Tissues or Wipes to wipe out your cup if you plan to keep them.

What to Wear to European Christmas Markets

If you are not sure how to dress check out my LTK where I have lots of boards dedicated to European Christmas Markets.

Eat like a local at European Christmas markets

Pro Tip! You will pay a deposit for your mug (whether it is Gluwein or Kinderpunsch or Cocoa). If you turn your mug in they’ll refund you the cost. But you can keep it as well and these make great souvenirs. I carry either a wipe or tissues to wipe my cup out because sometimes I’ve wandered too far from the original stand. If I haven’t I can just ask for a new cup and they’ll give you a clean one.

Also when you’re visiting a European Christmas market it is not like the US, while most people will stand at the stall and enjoy their drinks, it is not uncommon to see people walking wit their drinks which is allowed.

Gluten Free at European Christmas markets

We have found quite a few places that offer gluten free while at the markets. In Zurich last year we found the most amazing fries at place Zurich Haupbahnhof market which is located in the train station. The stall (if it’s in the same place) was near the big Christmas tree. They were truffle fries! If you have never tried fries in Europe you must because they know how to make them! Simply ask for “glutenfrei” which means gluten-free. Many bratwursts are naturally gluten-free but always ask. We have found that this area of Europe is very honest on whether the item will be safe or not. They will tell you if they are worried about cross contamination.

European Christmas Market Etiquette & Safety

Be mindful of what is going on around you! While pickpocketing isn’t usually a concern in Germany it has been on the rise lately, therefore be vigilant about your items. I suggest using a belt bag like this one because you can keep it under your coat.

Download your maps before you lose wifi because wifi can be spotty in the cities. I highly recommend Arlo as an e-sim because it is cheaper and more reliable but if you opt not to do this, Google Maps allows you to download the maps to your phone which is super helpful. If you are taking public transportation make sure you understand how you will be paying. We ran into this in Munich in 2024. We didn’t have cash and the ticket machine was on the bus and only in German. While we all speak a little bit of German it was nearly impossible to understand it.

Where to Stay on your European Christmas Market Trip

Personally, we try to book trips that are coordinated to hit a few cities on each trip.

Here are an example of some of our former trips:

Zurich-Garmisch-Munich-Innsbruck-Nuremberg-Rothenburg-Zurich

Zurich-Garmisch-Zugspitz-Munich-Innsbruck-Mittenwald-Kempten-Zurich

Zurich-Strasbourg-Hohenzollern-Freiburg-Zurich

Paris-Metz-Mainz-Frankfurt-Paris

Frankfurt-Ramstein AFB-Saarbrucken-Strasbourg-Freiburg (If you are staying at Ramstein make sure you read this blog post about all of our favorite cities!)

Book a hotel in advance, but if you are flying standby to the European Christmas markets make sure you book something that can be cancelled. We have also waited until we had a seat before booking but this is risky. I highly recommend using Booking.com because you can narrow it down to the city, refundable places, and places for families which can be tricky in Europe. If you’re a military family I highly recommend the Edelweiss!

Final Tip

Soak it all in! European Christmas markets are truly magical! They make the Christmas season so much more fun!