The 10 best value Christmas markets
Christmas shopping can be a real chore. Tramping down the high street on a grey Saturday afternoon and being forced to listen to endless renditions of Jingle Bells is many peoples idea of hell. Rather than enhancing the experience, even the twinkly lights only serve to remind you that you would rather be anywhere else. Bah Humbug!
But combining your Christmas shopping with a short-term break in a beautiful European city may be all you need to restore your festive cheer. Who knows, you might even get to see some real snow rather than the fake stuff that clogs our high streets.
The downside: it can be pricey. However, help is at hand. Virgin Money Travel Insurance has compared the cost of a two-night stay in a four star hotel close to the major markets. It has added in the price of entry to a local attraction, for example, Krakow's Princes Czartoryski Museum, which boasts Leonardo da Vinci's Lady with an Ermine.
Here are the ten that it claims are the cheapest for a short-term break. The cost does not include the price of flights, although many of these cities are serviced by budget airlines.
|
City, country |
Hotel cost |
Attraction cost |
Total cost* |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Krakow, Poland |
£129.36 |
£2.20 |
£140.18 |
|
Budapest, Hungary |
£128.66 |
£5.55 |
£142.83 |
|
Berlin, Germany |
£141.92 |
£6.86 |
£157.40 |
|
Barcelona, Spain |
£193.28 |
£9.44 |
£211.34 |
|
Valkenburg, Holland |
£204.36 |
£6.44 |
£219.42 |
| Trento, Italy |
£219.54 |
£6.44 |
£234.60 |
|
Cologne, Germany |
£235.08 |
£2.30 |
£246.00 |
| Brussels, Belgium |
£231.01 |
£7.35 |
£246.98 |
| Zurich, Switzerland |
£242.88 |
£8.57 |
£260.07 |
| Vienna, Austria |
£266.02 |
£8.74 |
£283.38 |
*includes insurance of £8.62. Does not include the cost of flights.
By David Budworth
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Christmas should be a time of prayer and contemplation, not of shopping.
Posted by: Mrs. Gladys Batt | 9 Nov 2009 22:47:07
What about Prague?!
Posted by: James McMordie | 9 Nov 2009 23:03:09
If the fact that Brussels is number eight is anything to go by then don't bother. I lived in Brussels for three year and the Christmas market was consistently dreadful.
Posted by: Helen | 10 Nov 2009 00:33:48
Try your local Lidel... much the same stuff.
Posted by: Ivan Mykytyn | 10 Nov 2009 01:32:50
I live in Brussels and can't understand the attraction to the Christmas market. Skip Brussels and go to Brugges if you must come to Belgium. Brussels is nothing to get excited about.
Posted by: dj | 10 Nov 2009 05:54:55
The Valkenburg market is interesting because it's underground in tunnels below the town centre. It can be easily combined with the outdoor Christmas market nearby in Maastricht.
I live in Brussels and think visitors to Brussels really enjoy its holiday market! Maybe if you LIVE in Brussels like Helen and DJ, you grow tired of it year after year, but for a tourist I believe it is a great destination.
Also, don't let DJ's opinion about Brugges (although it is a beautiful town, a nicer place overall than Brussels) confuse your Christmas market-visiting plans too much: the Brussels market is large, the Brugges one quite small (friends I took to both preferred the Brussels one). Why not do both if you're in Belgium anyway?
Posted by: Mary | 10 Nov 2009 07:08:01
Sorry, Mary, but when it comes down to a charming city, Brugges wins hands down over Brussels. I have lived in Brussels for 3 years and find nothing appealing about it. I can't WAIT to leave next summer. Brugges Christmas market is much better than Brussels. They have the wonderful "ice sculputure cave". Brussels has a bunch of hoakey flashing lights on their city hall.
BORING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: dj | 10 Nov 2009 08:02:16
I can't believe that our own dear Birmingham isn't mentioned here!
Posted by: Pommard | 10 Nov 2009 08:31:03
I agree with the poster who mentioned Lidl - Stollen, Dominstein - those lovely little cubes of choc covered marzipan and a layer of jelly - as well as the gingerbread liebkuchen, proper German mulled wine - it's a little Christmas treasure, and without the air taxes...
Posted by: Gwen | 10 Nov 2009 08:37:02
In a time of recession shouldn't we also be highlighting the excellent Christmas markets our country has to offer? I grew up on the doorstep of the much-renowned Lincoln Christmas market which annually welcomes a large number of European visitors, mostly Germans.
Posted by: David | 10 Nov 2009 08:54:30
Why not visit the oldest one in Germany, in Dresden? You get to see all the historic old town too, and if you're up early the amazing Green Vault.
Posted by: Ian SMITH | 10 Nov 2009 10:18:05
Germany's Christmas markets win by a milestone!
Posted by: dj | 10 Nov 2009 10:21:23
What about Munich? We're staying for a 3 night break in a lovely city centre hotel for £280 each including flights with BA (hopefully!). Marienplatz has an absolutely amazing atmosphere and really puts you in the mood for Christmas. Looks like we might get snow this year too!!
Posted by: Debbie Rayner | 10 Nov 2009 11:01:34
Lets look to the local markets - York, Bath, Lincoln, Winchester and, my favourite, the up and coming Truro Victorian Market.
Posted by: Lily Davies | 10 Nov 2009 12:05:08
I live in Zürich and there really isn't a Christmas market worth talking about and shopping here is frighteningly expensive especially as the pound is so weak. Why not try Nuremberg in Germany - far more charming!
Posted by: Helen Hanimann | 10 Nov 2009 12:21:31
I clear off 90% of it online on eBay/Amazon/Ebuyer etc..
A quick dash to the shops is still required for wrapping paper..
Posted by: Rex Lester | 10 Nov 2009 13:18:04
yeah where's birmingham and dudely??
Posted by: steve | 10 Nov 2009 17:30:55