The BEST Christmas market in Europe

If you’re interested in visiting the best Christmas market in Europe, go to Cologne!

Cologne’s Christmas market had street vendors selling raclette. Raclette is a large wheel of creamy French cheese. It can be poured over bread, roasted potatoes, meats, and more. This vendor served theirs over a freshly baked baguette with garlic and butter. Are you drooling yet?

Want more raclette content? Here’s a video of raclette in action.

Raclette over baguette

Raclette

Apfelwein in mug

Apfelwein (apple wine) is a warm mulled cider. At Cologne’s market, it was served in adorable ceramic mugs for maximum coziness. You pay for the mug up front and then are given your mug deposit back when you return the cup. I love this concept because it reduces waste and the use of Styrofoam. Plus, a cute German mug is much better for the ~aesthetic~ than a disposable cup.

Latkes and applesauce

These latkes are served straight out of the deep fryer and are piping hot! Sweet applesauce cools them down.

Baby shoes

These felt baby shoes were so cute I couldn’t even handle it!

Rather than trying to hold your latkes in one hand and use a fork with the other, you can rest your Christmas food on these precious star tables. They’re located all over the market for convenient snacking.

Cologne’s Christmas market was the only one I came across that offered ice skating. What a fun way to beat the winter blues!

Once again, Cologne’s Christmas market goes above and beyond by offering curling! It was fun to watch and everyone playing was having a blast!

This Christmas market was so legit that it even had a Ferris wheel! For safety reasons, the petite Ferris wheel was for children only.

Watching these funny trolls whiz around above my head just made me laugh.

View of the Cologne Cathedral from the Christmas market

The Cologne Cathedral is Germany’s most visited landmark. It is the *second* tallest church in Europe and the *third* tallest church in the world. Its famous towers survived fourteen separate bombings during WWII. The cathedral is a source of pride for the people of Cologne, a symbol of strength and resilience.

The National Socialism Documentation Center was formerly a prison run by the Gestapo. It has since been transformed into a museum. Visitors can see prisoners’ writing etched into the walls of the former cells. Like many museums in Europe, it’s closed on Sundays.

Admire the mighty Hohenzollernbrücke (Hohenzollern Bridge), an iconic landmark along the Rhine River. You can go on a river cruise to see the city from a different vantage point and learn about Cologne’s history. I always recommend a riverboat ride, and I think it’s one of the best ways to experience a city. Of course, I’m a bit biased because I used to work as a tour guide on a riverboat in Boston, MA.

Which European city do you think has the best Christmas market? Let me know in the comments below!

Thank you for reading! 🙂

– Travel Alli