European Christmas Markets Luxe Tour: 5 Must-See Destinations

The Top Luxe Christmas Markets in Europe

London, UK – Timeless Elegance Meets Festive Magic

Winter Wonderland

Winter Wonderland is an annual fair held in Hyde Park from mid-November until 1 January. Despite the name suggesting that it's aimed at children, this spectacular celebration is perfect for a family day out or a post-work get-together with friends. Expect to be immersed in a labyrinth of wooden huts, thrilling rides, and a plethora of food and drink pop-ups. From handmade gifts and delectable Christmas treats, to exquisite ornaments, you will find everything to usher in the Christmas season. If you opt for the Festive Favourites Package, access to the ice-skating rink and Bar Ice is included.

Covent Garden

Covent Garden feels especially festive in the lead up to Christmas. Expect luxury pop-ups, window displays exuding elegant excess, and artisanal stalls stacked high with all manner of trinkets and treats. The trick is to go early, before the Instagram-loving crowds arrive. Secure a coffee from a cosy café and immerse yourself in the festive lights, live music, street theatre, and boutique shopping.

Southbank’s Winter Market

Southbank’s Winter Market stretches along the Thames until 4 January. Stroll through clusters of huts and prepare to sip on mulled wine in between mouthfuls of warm churros, Dutch pancakes, duck wraps, and much more. There really is something to suit every craving! The soundtrack, meanwhile, is a mix of jazz, laughter, and the slow hum of the nearby river.

Luxury in London is not restricted to Christmas markets. It’s how the city frames the experience itself. It’s the sort of place where you can step into an opulent hotel for a spontaneous afternoon tea or visit Fortnum & Mason intending to window shop, but leaving with a decadent tin of biscuits.

Where to Stay: If you want to savour a morning coffee beneath glittering chandeliers, The Savoy is the place to be. The Lanesborough, meanwhile, looks like a snapshot from the 1800s during Christmas, while Rosewood London leans into quiet luxury.

Insider Tip: The crowds gather fast. If you want to see the city centre before it becomes overly busy, head there at around 8am, maybe even earlier. Stop for coffee somewhere quaint and sit by the window. You’ll catch London mid-transformation, before the day decides to unfurl in a riot of colour and chaos.

Paris, France: Noël in the City of Lights

Tuileries Garden Christmas Market (La Magie de Noël)

If Christmas had a catwalk, it would be here. Located near the famed Louvre, the Tuileries Garden Christmas Market stretches for almost half a mile long and boasts stalls selling the likes of foie gras, perfume, and toys carved to perfection. The air smells like butter, sugar, and something faintly expensive, while the carnival aspect transports you back in time to the funfairs of a bygone era. There's no better place in Paris to embrace the yuletide spirit.

Hôtel de Ville Christmas Market

Set in the 4th arrondissement near the Hôtel de Ville, this market has more of a local, low-key feel. Children are skating everywhere, someone’s selling crepes, another is handing out cups of mulled cider, and the whole square appears to hum like a well-rehearsed orchestra.

La Défense Christmas Market

While La Défense is renowned for being Paris's business hub, the towering district transforms into a glowing Christmas village come festive season. Squeezed between skyscrapers, this gem of a market really is like nothing you've encountered before. Head here for the striking architecture, the dazzling lights, and the quirky stalls selling truffle cheese, silk scarves, and ornaments that scream luxury.

Luxury in Paris: A night might start with a private dinner cruise on the Seine or with a decadent meal at Alain Ducasse. Even the window displays on Avenue Montaigne look like they belong in a museum. You don’t plan for luxury here, you stumble across it at every corner.

Where to Stay: Opt for Plaza Athénée if pure theatre is your thing. Decked out with red awnings and fairy lights, the hotel is virtually the epitome of Christmas. There’s also Le Meurice and the Shangri-La for a quieter version of Paris, the one where you see the Eiffel Tower from your window, close enough to count the lights as they sparkle.

Insider Tip: Go to the Tuileries market just as it opens. Get a hot chocolate from a nearby stall, and walk towards the Louvre while it’s still quiet.

Strasbourg, France: The Capital of Christmas

Christkindelsmärik (Place Broglie)

This market has been around for centuries - and it feels like nothing's changed since. There are rows of wooden stalls adorned with haphazard fairy lights, the air is laced with cinnamon and mulled wine, and the surrounding architecture makes you feel like you're fully immersed in a fairytale.

Place Kléber Market

Place Kléber has the most enormous Christmas tree, glowing against the magical night sky. The square is louder and fuller, with everyone moving in hypnotic circles. Stalls here sell bredele biscuits, foie gras, and steaming cups of vin chaud. It’s messy, a little too bright, and absolutely impossible to dislike.

Luxury in Strasbourg can be found in the calm between a glass of Riesling by the fire, a private walk through Petite France when the bridges are empty, or an old inn that smells faintly of antique wood.

Where to Stay: Hôtel Cour du Corbeau - it feels like it was designed specially for the festive season. Across the river, Régent Petite France sits among canals, with reflections trembling in the water every time a boat passes. Both places feel close to the markets but far enough that when you close the door, you can only hear the gently lull of the river.

Insider Tip: The markets are busiest during the daytime, so wrap up warm and head out in the evening when the crowds have dispersed and the lights have softened. Secure a glass of mulled wine and walk towards the cathedral, uncovering a plethora of festive delights along the way.

Brussels, Belgium: Grand Place Spectacle in Style

Winter Wonders (Plaisirs d’Hiver)

Winter Wonders takes over the city centre and the Grand-Place before and during the Christmas period. The programme for this includes more than 200 chalets, merry-go-rounds, an ice rink, a ferris wheel, and a dazzling sound and light show at the Grand-Place.

Place Sainte-Catherine & Marché aux Poissons

Part of the Winter Wonders event, the market near Place Sainte-Catherine and Marché aux Poissons is a straight-up street party. There are seafood bars (unusual for the Christmas season, yes, but it feels right), Champagne flutes clinking next to paper cones of fries, people huddled around heaters arguing about which chocolatier does it best. To top it off, there’s also a Ferris wheel turning lazily in the background.

Luxury in Brussels is chocolate-making workshops where you end up covered in cocoa dust, or dinner at fine dining restaurant Comme chez Soi where classic and modern dishes reign supreme.

Where to Stay: Hotel Amigo is located right next to Grand Place but somehow stays calm, all warm wood and quiet hallways. Elsewhere, opt for the luxurious Steigenberger Wiltcher’s or The Dominican - a swanky design hotel located in the city centre.

Insider Tip: Go around five, maybe earlier, when the sun’s just dipped below the horizon and the buildings still hold onto that last bit of golden light.

Bruges, Belgium: A Fairytale Christmas by the Canals

Markt (Market) Square Christmas Market

Located in Bruges' main square, this fairytale-esque market feels like it's been around for centuries. Head here for a majestic Christmas tree, cosy bars and cafés, and festive lights draped around gingerbread house-like buildings. It's wonderfully traditional, quaint, and steeped in history.

Simon Stevinplein Market

A few streets away, Simon Stevinplein Market is smaller with bucket loads of charm. There are no loud Christmas carols, no Christmas frenzy, and fewer crowds. Here, the emphasis is on handmade crafts. Swoon over jewellery items, praline treats, and wooden toys galore.

Luxury in Bruges feels accidental. For the perfect fairytale experience, take a horse-drawn carriage ride through the old streets or drift along the water on a private cruise.

Where to Stay: If you want to feel like an integral part of the fairytale, choose Hotel Dukes’ Palace. The former residence of the Burgundian aristocracy, this five-star hotel boasts high ceilings, velvet details, and opulent rooms decked out with modern flourishes. Alternatively, there's also Relais & Châteaux Heritage Hotel, which sits closer to the heart of the old town square and effortlessly combines history with modern luxury.

Insider Tip: Go early to avoid the crowds and walk along the canals while the water’s still flat as glass.

What Makes a Christmas Market Luxe-Worthy?

The setting usually makes all the difference. Luxurious features include grand squares, old cathedrals, charming stalls, local delicacies, and quiet corners that still glow after the crowds have dispersed. At luxe-worthy Christmas markets, the stalls aren’t crammed with souvenirs but filled with artisanal goods, lovingly made by someone who really cares about the finer details.

How to Book Your Luxe Christmas Experience

Booking a luxury Christmas trip isn’t complicated, but it does help to know where to look. You can book a luxury Christmas tour through agencies (Virtuoso, Abercrombie & Kent, Scott Dunn) and they’ll give you the glossy version, all slick transfers and five-star check-ins. But there's also the other kind - the more curated route from experts who know which hotels offer the best experience and which of the "best" Christmas markets are worth a detour.