Christmas market dates 2019: The best Christmas markets in Europe

At the Chrismas markets in Moscow, Russia.

“Christmas?!” I hear you say.

It’s mid-July, the schools are breaking up for summer holidays and people are jetting off from the grey and gloomy British Isles in search of sun, sand and sea. So why would I write a blog post about Christmas markets - an event which takes place at the height of the winter season?

Well, it’s prime time to book your December getaway. While people will frantically be looking for last-minute summer escapes, there are plenty of bargain fares to be had across November, December and January, and you could take advantage, flying out to one of the European cities that host an annual Christmas market.

I was there to see the switching on of the Wroclaw Christmas lights in 2016.

Christmas is my favourite time of year, and I’ve visited markets in places such as Hamburg, Wrocław and Moscow - all of which have helped me get in the festive spirit and left me wanting more.

But do you know where the best and brightest festive market are held? If not, don’t worry, as I’ve rounded up a list of the best Christmas markets in Europe for 2019 as well as the dates they’ll be taking place, where you can fly to them from and which airlines you can fly with.

Austria

Vienna

14 November - 6 January

Fly to Vienna from: Birmingham (Eurowings, Jet2, Lauda), Dublin (Aer Lingus, Lauda, Ryanair), Edinburgh (easyJet, Jet2, Lauda), Leeds-Bradford (Jet2), Liverpool (Lauda), London Gatwick (British Airways, easyJet, Level), London Heathrow (Austrian Airlines, British Airways), London Luton (easyJet), London Stanstead (Lauda), Manchester (Austrian Airlines, easyJet, Jet2), Newcastle (Jet2)

Belgium

Brussels

30 November - 6 January

Fly to Brussels Zavantem from: Birmingham (Brussels Airlines), Dublin (Aer Lingus), East Midlands (Loganair), Edinburgh (Brussels Airlines), London Heathrow (British Airways, Brussels Airlines), Manchester (Brussels Airlines), Newcastle (Loganair)

Fly to Brussels South Charleroi from: Dublin (Ryanair), Edinburgh (Ryanair), Glasgow (Ryanair), Manchester (Ryanair)

Croatia

Zagreb

29 November - 1 January

Fly to Zagreb from: Dublin (Croatia Airlines), London Heathrow (British Airways, Croatian Airlines)

Czech Republic

Prague

30 November - 6 January

Fly to Prague from: Belfast International (easyJet), Birmingham (Czech Airlines), Bournemouth (Ryanair), Bristol (easyJet), Dublin (Ryanair), Edinburgh (easyJet, Ryanair),  Liverpool (Ryanair), London City (British Airways), London Gatwick (easyJet, Smartwings), London Heathrow (British Airways), London Southend (easyJet), London Stansted (easyJet, Ryanair), Manchester (easyJet, Ryanair)

Estonia

Tallinn

24 November - 5 November

Fly to Tallinn from: Edinburgh (Ryanair), London Gatwick (AirBaltic, easyJet), London Luton (Wizz Air), London Stanstead (Ryanair)

France

Metz

20 November - 29 December

Fly to Luxembourg (for Metz) from: Dublin (Luxair, Ryanair), Edinburgh (Ryanair), London City (Luxair), London Gatwick (easyJet), London Heathrow (British Airways), London Stansted (Ryanair), Manchester (Flybe)

Strasbourg

22 November - 30 December

Fly to Strasbourg from: London Stansted (Ryanair)

Germany

Aachen

22 November - 23 December

Fly to Cologne Bonn (for Aachen) from: Bristol (Ryanair), Dublin (Eurowings, Ryanair), Edinburgh (Eurowings), London Gatwick (British Airways), London Heathrow (Eurowings), London Stansted (Eurowings, Ryanair), Manchester (Ryanair)

Berlin

25 November - 31 December

Fly to Berlin Tegel from: Birmingham (Flybe), Dublin (Aer Lingus), Edinburgh (easyJet), London City (British Airways), London Gatwick (easyJet), London Heathrow (British Airways, Eurowings), London Stanstead (British Airways), Manchester (easyJet)

Fly to Berlin Schönefeld from: Belfast International (Ryanair), Bristol (easyJet), Dublin (Ryanair), East Midlands (Ryanair), Edinburgh (Ryanair), Glasgow (easyJet), Leeds-Bradford (Jet2), Liverpool (easyJet), London Gatwick (easyJet), London Luton (easyJet), London Stansted (Ryanair), Manchester (Ryanair)

Cologne

26 November - 23 December

Fly to Cologne Bonn from: Bristol (Ryanair), Dublin (Eurowings, Ryanair), Edinburgh (Eurowings), London Gatwick (British Airways), London Heathrow (Eurowings), London Stansted (Eurowings, Ryanair), Manchester (Ryanair)

Dresden

27 November - 24 December

Fly to Dresden from: London Stansted (Ryanair)

Hamburg

25 November - 30 December

Fly to Hamburg from: Birmingham (Flybe), Dublin (Aer Lingus, Ryanair), East Midlands (easyJet), Edinburgh (Ryanair), London Gatwick (easyJet), London Heathrow (British Airways, Eurowings), London Stansted (Ryanair), Manchester (easyJet, Ryanair)

Nuremberg

29 November - 24 December

Fly to Nuremberg from: London Gatwick (British Airways), London Stansted (Ryanair), Manchester (Ryanair)

Stuttgart

27 November - 23 December

Fly to Stuttgart from: Birmingham (Flybe), Edinburgh (easyJet), London Gatwick (easyJet), London Heathrow (British Airways, Eurowings), Newquay (Eurowings)

Hungary

Budapest

22 November - 1 January

Fly to Budapest from: Birmingham (Jet2, Wizz Air), Bristol (Ryanair), Doncaster-Sheffield (Wizz Air), Dublin (Aer Lingus, Ryanair), East Midlands (Jet2), Edinburgh (Jet2, Ryanair), Leeds-Bradford (Jet2), Liverpool (Wizz Air), London Gatwick (easyJet, Wizz Air), London Heathrow (British Airways), London Luton (Wizz Air), London Stansted (Ryanair), Manchester (easyJet, Jet2)

Lithuania

Vilnius

1 December - 7 January

Fly to Vilnius from: Belfast International (Wizz Air), Doncaster-Sheffield (Wizz Air), London City (LOT), Leeds-Bradford (Ryanair), Liverpool (Ryanair), London Luton (Ryanair, Wizz Air), London Stansted (Ryanair)

Poland

Krakow

30 November - 6 January

Fly to Krakow from: Belfast International (easyJet, Ryanair), Birmingham (Jet2, Ryanair, Wizz Air), Bournemouth (Ryanair), Bristol (easyJet, Ryanair), Doncaster-Sheffield (Wizz Air), Dublin (Ryanair), East Midlands (Ryanair), Edinburgh (easyJet, Ryanair), Glasgow (Jet2, Ryanair), Leeds-Bradford (Jet2), Liverpool (easyJet, Ryanair), London Gatwick (easyJet), London Heathrow (British Airways), London Luton (easyJet, Ryanair, Wizz Air), London Luton (Ryanair), Manchester (easyJet, Jet2), Newcastle (Jet2), Shannon (Ryanair)

Poznan

16 November - 22 December

Fly to Poznan from: Cork (Ryanair), Doncaster-Sheffield (Ryanair), Dublin (Ryanair), Edinburgh (Ryanair), Liverpool (Ryanair), London Luton (Ryanair), London Stansted (Ryanair)

Wrocław

22 November - 31 December

Fly to Wroclaw from: Belfast International (Ryanair), Birmingham (Wizz Air), Bristol (Ryanair), Cork (Ryanair), Doncaster Sheffield (Wizz Air), Dublin (Ryanair), East Midlands (Ryanair), Edinburgh (Ryanair), Glasgow (Ryanair), Leeds-Bradford (Ryanair), Liverpool (Ryanair), London Luton (Wizz Air), London Stansted (Ryanair), Manchester (Ryanair), Newcastle (Ryanair), Shannon (Ryanair)

Romania

Cluj-Napoca

23 November - 30 December

Fly to Cluj-Napoca from: Birmingham (Wizz Air), Doncaster-Sheffield (Wizz Air), Dublin (Blue Air), Liverpool (Wizz Air), London Gatwick (Wizz Air), London Luton (Wizz Air), London Southend (Ryanair)