Christmas markets

Dreaming of a green Christmas: an eco-friendly trip in festive Strasbourg

From sustainable gifts to energy-efficient fairy lights and hotels using only local products, here’s how to have yourself an eco-friendly Christmas in France

Carolyn Boyd

16, Dec, 2022 @8:53 AM

Santa shops here: 10 of Europe’s coolest Christmas markets

Eerie caves, gorges and open-air theatres set the scene for this year’s festive shopping sprees, with plenty of ethical stocking fillers up for grabs

Michelle Tchea

23, Nov, 2022 @7:00 AM

Leeds is latest city to cancel Christmas market, citing budget pressures

Council cannot afford Bonfire Night events and German market hit by rising travel and visa costs

Robyn Vinter

06, Oct, 2022 @12:18 PM

German Christmas markets face second year of closures as Covid rates soar

Many markets have already announced they will not be going ahead amid record case numbers

Kate Connolly in Berlin

10, Nov, 2021 @3:59 PM

UK cities plan Covid-safe festivities as Christmas markets are cancelled

Many seasonal events have been axed, but light displays and trails will go ahead illuminating cityscapes, stately homes and gardens

Phoebe Taplin

20, Oct, 2020 @11:23 AM

‘Tacky’ Christmas market inflames battle for the soul of Edinburgh

A huge festive market in genteel Princes Street Gardens has angered residents who feel their city is being lost to tourism

Kevin McKenna

23, Nov, 2019 @2:35 PM

A brief history of Christmas markets

Festive markets have only become a fixture on the UK’s Christmas calendar in recent years but the tradition stretches back centuries

Antonia Wilson

29, Nov, 2018 @2:20 PM

Seasonal city breaks: 10 of the best pre-Christmas European getaways

From a bedecked Zagreb to twinkling Turin, here are the best places to spark your festive spirit

Joanne O'Connor

25, Nov, 2018 @7:00 AM

Tallinn, Estonia: A very Baltic Christmas

For an authentic Christmas market, Tallinn is hard to beat. But it’s not the only reason to go

Louise Roddon

10, Dec, 2017 @7:00 AM

The best Christmas days out 2017

Our pick of great days out this December ranges from skating on London’s rooftops to Santa steam train rides, fairy-lit gardens and carols by candlelight

Will Coldwell, Rachel Dixon

09, Dec, 2017 @7:00 AM

10 of the best Christmas shopping cities in Europe

Put some sparkle into your festive shopping with our guide to the best boutiques, gift stores and markets in Europe

Gemma Bowes, Jane Dunford, Will Coldwell

18, Nov, 2017 @7:00 AM

Winter town and city breaks: readers’ travel tips

A party vibe, sunshine, snow, shopping … our tipsters look beyond the major capitals to recommend idyllic seasonal breaks from Madeira to Romania. And yes, of course there’ll be glühwein

Guardian readers

16, Nov, 2017 @10:53 AM