The Charming And Less Crowded Christmas Markets To Seek Out In Europe, Per Rick Steves

The holiday season is the best time to enjoy good food, festive lights, and shopping for one-of-a-kind gifts for the people you love. One of the most popular places to do this is at an artisanal Christmas market –– and nowhere in the world does these better than Europe. All over the continent, you can find adorable markets that look like they're straight from a fairy tale with their wooden "ski chalet" style stalls, twinkling lights, and gobs of holiday cheer. After all, these places have been around for many years (even centuries). Of course, one drawback is that some of the best Christmas markets in Europe are also the most overcrowded.

Travel writer Rick Steves knows a thing or two about these charming pop-up winter destinations. According to his blog, you can still find some delightful Christmas markets that aren't overrun with tourists if you know where to look. When deciding on where to go, keep in mind that the bigger markets do offer a lot of things to do and products to shop for, but the smaller ones can give you a more laid-back experience and even rarer gifts to bring home. Steves recommends researching the markets you're interested in and consider avoiding them at night or on weekends (if possible) if you're concerned about crowds. Once you go, always wear appropriate clothing (since these markets are almost always outdoors) and be wary of pickpocketing. Also remember to bring cash and be aware of possible extra fees for things like bathrooms, food and drinks (especially if they aren't served in to-go containers), and more. A lot of Christmas markets extend into January, so that is also a great time to go while avoiding crowds.

The most popular Christmas markets are largely in German-speaking countries. The largest and possibly most famous ones are in Cologne and Nuremberg, with hundreds of stalls, winter activities like ice skating, and, of course, lots of crafts and traditional foods to enjoy. You can also find comparable markets in Frankfurt, Munich, and Dresden (among others), and many places have more than one. Similarly, Vienna is home to several Christmas markets throughout the city. Just on the Franco-German border is Strasbourg, which is one of the oldest Christmas markets in Europe and attracts thousands of visitors every year, so it can be very crowded.

But if you're looking for something a little smaller, it would be difficult to not find a Christmas market in practically every town in Germany, perhaps the only exception being extremely small communities. Trier hosts a lesser-known Christmas market that many travelers know about but isn't as crowded as Cologne, and Esslingen was named one of the most underrated Christmas markets in Europe by a study from travel company WizzAir. If you're in Vienna, you can try visiting a market that's a little further from the main town squares like the Am Hof Christmas Market (which has had a champagne bar in the past), or consider a trip to Graz, Austria's second-largest city. In Switzerland, the largest markets to visit are in Bern, Lucerne, and Zurich, which also has an indoor market, but Basel is also considered supremely underrated. And if you're avoiding crowds, you can also find smaller markets around the city. Anywhere you go, you're likely to find delicious chocolate, gourmet foods, wool goods, ornaments, and hot mulled wine.

But it's not just the Germanic countries that get in on the Christmas fun. According to Rick Steves, you can find similar markets with the same charm all over western and southern Europe (with slight differences depending on which country you're in). Cortina d'Ampezzo, the "Queen of the Dolomites" ski town, also has a lovely Christmas market every year. However, Cortina is also extremely popular in winter, so you might be more interested in places like Bologna and Bolzano, or traveling down to Tuscany to visit the Montepulciano Christmas Market. If you're looking for an alternative to Strasbourg, Colmar (which is just an hour away) is smaller and less crowded (with the same French appeal) or Lille, which is one of the smaller markets with only about 90 stalls. Bruges, Belgium is also home to two markets that can be very busy but not as overwhelming as the markets in Brussels.

In northern and eastern Europe, one of the most beautiful markets can be found in Wroclaw, Poland, which is becoming increasingly popular, but has fewer crowds than Krakow. In the Czech Republic, Prague still reigns supreme, but you can also find an underrated one in the Svornosti Square in Cesky Krumlov. Tallinn, Estonia has also been gaining some recognition for its Christmas market, featuring Europe's oldest Christmas tree in the town square. Tallinn is also notable as an alternative to the massive Copenhagen Christmas market in Tivoli Gardens. The United Kingdom is home to several massive and overcrowded Christmas markets in London and Edinburgh, but if you're dreaming of European Christmas vibes in the U.K., you can find alternative markets like the Blenheim Palace Christmas Market (which is between Birmingham and London) or the Dundee Christmas Market (about 90 minutes north of Edinburgh).