There’s a certain alchemy that transforms Europe in the winter. City streets glow under strings of fairy lights, and the scent of cinnamon fills the air as shoppers bustle from doorway to doorway. Few places do the holidays better than London and Munich, two capital cities that approach the season with their own distinct flair.
London sparkles with theatrical displays and festive teas, while in Munich, medieval squares host storybook markets and beer halls echo with brassy oompah music. Together, they offer two different but equally irresistible windows into Christmas in Europe. Even better—both cities are a nonstop flight away from Charlotte.
LONDON, ENGLAND
Most Famous Christmas Markets
London sparkles with holiday markets, the most iconic being Hyde Park’s Winter Wonderland, which combines rides, food stalls and festive performances. Southbank Centre Winter Market and Covent Garden Christmas Village also offer twinkling lights, crafts and seasonal treats. This year, the Royal Mews at Buckingham Palace, the equestrian stables of the royal family, will offer a Christmas pop-up shop for the first time.
Unique Festive Experiences
The city brims with holiday-only traditions, from ice skating at Somerset House to Harrods’ lavish Christmas displays. Christmas at Kew (an illuminated trail through the Royal Botanic Gardens) is another London favorite.
Most Festive Afternoon Teas and Pubs
Hotels like Claridge’s, The Ritz, and The Connaught transform their classic afternoon teas into festive indulgences with Christmas cakes and themed pastries. For pubs, The Churchill Arms will be decked out with more than 300,000 Christmas lights, while the fireplace at The Holly Bush in Hampstead is a perfect place to toast the year’s end.
Local Seasonal Delicacies
Do as the Londoners do and indulge in mince pies, mulled wine and Christmas pudding served flaming with brandy butter. Festive roast dinners with turkey, stuffing and pigs in blankets are also staples.
More Time? Extend your itinerary to Scotland or France:
EDINBURGH: The Scottish capital makes up for early sunsets with its Christmas market on the East Princes Street Gardens in the valley below Edinburgh Castle. The New Year’s Hogmanay celebrations blend medieval charm, including a parade with lit torches, and lively festivities.
PARIS: The City of Light glows even brighter with Christmas markets along the Champs-Élysées, magical window displays at Galeries Lafayette, and Bûche de Noëls in every patisserie.
MUNICH, GERMANY
Most Famous Christmas Markets
Munich is home to the world-famous Christkindlmarkt at Marienplatz, which has existed since the 14th century and is set against the neo-gothic Town Hall. But the city is peppered with other, smaller markets as well, including the Medieval Market at Wittelsbacherplatz, where stall owners wear historical garb as they roast sausages over an open flame.
Unique Festive Experiences
Visitors can watch traditional woodworking demonstrations, attend fairy-tale performances like Hansel & Gretel, and admire the life-sized nativity scenes across the city. Or grab your mug of mulled wine and hop aboard the Christkindlt Tram as it runs through the Old Town.
Most Festive Beer Gardens
Many of Munich’s beer gardens transform for the season, with Hofbräuhaus, Augustiner-Keller, and Paulaner Bräuhaus offering cozy interiors and hearty, spiced seasonal brews. Soak up the beer with a plate of Käsespätzle (akin to mac and cheese) or an intimidatingly-sized pork knuckle.
Local Seasonal Delicacies
In the markets, German specialties like roasted almonds, beautifully iced lebkuchen (gingerbread) and stollen, German fruit bread, contribute to the magical smells that waft through the city’s streets. Hearty fare such as bratwurst and mulled wine (glühwein) keep visitors warm as they explore.
More Time? Extend your itinerary to Austria:
SALZBURG: Mozart’s hometown glistens with its own set of Christmas markets, and music seems to pour from every doorway. This is where Franz Xaver Gruber composed “Silent Night” in 1818.
VIENNA: Austria’s capital is famous for elegant Christmas markets at Schönbrunn Palace and Rathausplatz, where, in addition to mulled wine, you can dip into a variety of seasonal punches with rum, gin, or brandy.
Elizabeth Walsh of The Local Foreigner contributed to this feature.
German specialties like roasted almonds, beautifully iced lebkuchen (gingerbread) and stollen, German fruit bread, contribute to the magical smells