0.cached.png
By Elisa Mala
Share
Newsweek is a Trust Project member
See more of our trusted coverage when you search.Prefer Newsweek on Googleto see more of our trusted coverage when you search.
Lucky for reluctant shoppers, outdoor outcroppings of stalls spring up each year at this time, proferring handcrafted tchotchkes, unique apparel, housewares, beauty products, toys and exotic delicacies. Featuring 300 vendors adjacent to a skating rink, the Strasbourg market is the largest in France and has been around for almost half a millennium. Situated in the shadow of the Strasbourg Cathedral, it includes a series of charming timbered buildings housing shops and a gingerbread bakery (through Dec. 31; strasbourg.com). Cologne, Germany, boasts six Christmas markets, including the Floating Christmas Market, held on a boat moored on the Rhine alongside the Old Quarter (through Dec. 23; germany-christmasmarket.org.uk).
Town Hall Square in Tallinn, Estonia, is home to one of the youngest Christmas markets in Europe, established in 2001. Unlike others in the region, it doesn't close until New Year's Day, giving visitors extra time to peruse the selection of felt hats and slippers, wreaths and handmade candles, as well as toy animals handcrafted from sea grass (tallinn-life.com).
Read More on World
Craftworks are plentiful at the expansive Liseberg market in Göteborg, Sweden, which is located on the grounds of a giant amusement park strung with 5 million lights. At the Liseberg Ice Gallery and Bar, the walls, furnishings and even drinking glasses are all made of blue ice (through late December; liseberg.se).
If you still can't find the perfect gift, there's always Santa.
Submit Correction
View Editorial & AI Guidelines