Christmas Markets in Other Central European Cities

Created April 2006

中文版 (Chinese)

In addition to Krakow's Christmas Market in Rynek Glowny, I also visited several other cities' Christmas markets in 2004 and 2005. Of course, all roads led to Berlin, Germany eventually. It is said that there are more than 50 Christmas markets in Berlin.

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The Christmas Market at Hlavne Nam (vaguely translated to "Town Hall Square") in Bratislava, Slovak Republic. Though Bratislava's popularity has long lagged behind its Czech older sibling, Prague, it has become more and more popular in international tourism scene.

My lunch at Bratislava's market: A big flat piece of potato pancake (it's a little greasy for me) and a glass of mulled red wine (wine doesn't come in those cute souvenir mugs as in Germany..)

Christmas Market in Gyor, Hungary (a nice small town near Austria-Hugary border). Again, it is located in a central town square. But the weather was very bad that day (with icy rain), there were not many people around.

Christmas Market in Vienna, Austria. It is a very large and fun-filled Christmas Market, right outside of Vienna City Hall. Unfortunately, all the pictures I took there came out badly (too much mulled wine?), this is the only (barely) usable one for posting...

Christmas Market in Munich, Germany. It is located in Marienplatz. You can even see the Glockenspiel (the one with jostling knights and dancing coopers show) on the Neues Rathaus (New City Hall) here, also with the beautiful twin domes of Frauenkirche at the background.

Even Munich International Airport (One of my favorite in Europe because it is really spacious and clean) has its own Christmas Market, featuring a skating ring. Germany is really a winter wonderland.

A Christmas Market at the Operplatz (Opera Plaza) in Berlin.

A more child-oriented Christmas market at Schloss Platz, Berlin. It is just across "Unter den Linden" Boulevard from Berlin Cathedral (blocked in the picture by the ugly building with orange windows at right). I am not sure if they eventually got rid of that ugly building (They said they would by the end of 2005).