Here are four great Christmas market city breaks you can book today

Prague

Visit the Czech Republic for Prague’s Christmas Markets which run between 30 November 2024 to 6 January 2025. The free-to-enter markets open daily at the Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square, and they’ll be folk music and carols, hand-crafted goods, festive food and drink, and a ‘winter wonderland’ atmosphere encapsulating the magic of Christmas.

Food-wise you’ll find hams, sausages, smoked meat dumplings, as well as traditional Christmas fish soup made from carp, vegetables, cream and brandy. There’ll be cakes and sweet treats, including the sweet pastry ‘trdelník’, which is rolled dough wrapped around a stick and baked on an open fire, then topped with sugar and walnuts, served with ice cream or chocolate sauce.

As for drinks, you’ll find Prague’s own Staropramen and other Czech beers, alongside winter warmers including mulled wine, honey wine or ‘grog’ - made of hot water, rum, lemon and sugar.

If all this sounds good, you can book a five-star break at the Grandior Hotel Prague with lastminute.com - with two nights and flights from £182pp during the festive season. It’s a 15-minute walk to the Christmas markets, and in the heart of the Old Town, with plenty of bars and restaurants nearby.

Vienna

Festive markets have been held in Vienna since the 18th century, and the tradition is alive and well with more than half a dozen Christmas markets in the Austrian capital.

All the major markets are up and running by the end of November, including the most famous on the Rathausplatz, in front of the City Hall, where you’ll find more than 100 stalls, ice skating, reindeer rides, festive music and the park is decorated with trees and hundreds of twinkling lights.

Stay at Flemings Selection Hotel Wien-City from £246pp for a two-night stay in December. It’s a short seven-minute walk to the Rathausplatz, so right in the heart of the Christmas market scene. There’s also a sauna and fitness centre on-site so you can unwind after a busy day shopping.

Berlin

You can’t have a Christmas market round up without including Germany, and you can visit the capital, and stay at the four-star Novotel Berlin Mitte in December from £179 for three nights. The hotel is close to the city centre and this is a great place to explore the city’s history. Unwind in the sauna and spa centre at the end of the day, and enjoy Mediterranean cuisine on-site.

You can experience the magic of Christmas at any of the 100-plus markets in Berlin over the festive season - whether it’s the Gendarmenmarkt - just a 15-minute walk from the Novotel - with traditional market stalls and a huge Christmas tree in the market square - or the winter fair on Landsberger Allee, with rides, stalls and a carnival atmosphere.

You won’t want to miss the Medieval Christmas Market at the RAW Compound, where you can purchase traditional items from blacksmiths, woodcarvers and pottery makers, and you drink mead and even visit the troll forest.

Krakow

Enjoy the run up to the festive season in Krakow, Poland, with a huge Christmas market in the city’s Main Square - with mulled wine, grilled meats and spiced beetroot soup - a Polish Christmas Eve tradition.

Buy hand-painted baubles, wooden toys, sheepskin coats and other Polish treasures - and sample some of the countless spirits and liqueurs on offer.

You can stay at the Aparthotel Cracovia Residence in December for three nights from £159. It’s in the Old Town district, so just a stone's throw away from the main building of the National Museum and the 'Błonia' city meadow, a favourite stroll and recreation area. A short walk will take you to the Main Market Square where you’ll find the Christmas market, as well as the Royal Castle and the Vistula Boulevards - so explore the city while you enjoy the festivities.