Festive fan who’s visited 100 Christmas markets reveals why London isn’t the best
CHRISTMAS markets are a well-loved winter pastime in Europe, but it can be difficult to pick the right one to go to.
Luckily, one woman, who has been to more than 100 Christmas markets in Europe, has revealed her top ten picks.
Instagram user Helene Sula, who is known as Heleneinbetween on the social media platform, uploads videos about her life in Europe.
Since moving to Europe seven years ago, Helene has visited more than 100 Christmas markets.
While the English capital is home to plenty of festive attractions, Helene placed London at the bottom of her top ten.
In the video caption, she wrote: “While I adore London and the Christmas decor is insane, the markets aren’t comparable to Germany or France.
“It’s great for shopping and festive! But nothing in this world beats the central European Christmas Markets.
“But the lights on Regent, Oxford, and Bond Street are insane!”
Despite being ranked in 10th place, London still made it into the top ten per cent of Christmas markets Helene has visited.
And there are plenty of festive attractions to visit in London too, including Winter Wonderland.
Set in Hyde Park in Central London, Winter Wonderland is a sprawling maze of high-octane rollercoasters, funfair rides, wooden stalls, food vans, and other activities.
Sun Online Travel recently visited London’s Winter Wonderland, and revealed the rip-offs visitors should try to avoid.
Other festive attractions in London include the Regent Street Christmas Lights and Wishmas – a brand-new immersive experience from the makers behind Secret Cinema.
Meanwhile, Helene also included places like Aachen in Germany, Tallinn in Estonia, and Basel in Switzerland in her top ten.
Vienna Christmas market took third place, while Strasbourg in France nabbed second.
At the end of her video, Helene crowned Cologne’s Christmas market in Germany as her favorite festive spot.
She wrote: “[Cologne is] my all-time favorite Christmas Market, hands down.
“Not only are there multiple themed markets throughout the city, but each one is unique and special, with the best decorations, hand-carved wooden stalls, and the Cologne Cathedral towering over it all.
“But the angel market, Heizel’s Market, and more are equally as lovely. This is the best.”
And it’s easy to see why, during the Christmas season, Cologne transforms into a festive wonderland.
Cologne’s Cathedral market is its most famous, with a massive Christmas tree placed in front of the iconic cathedral.
There’s also Stadtgarten Christmas Market, a local favourite, thanks to its medieval theme, stalls, live music, and cosy atmosphere.
At both markets, you’ll find Christmas-decorated huts with fairy lights and over 100 stalls selling art, jewellery, baked goods, and more.
Ryanair, Eurowings, and British Airways operate direct flights to Cologne in December, with fares starting from £ 46 for a one-way ticket.
In addition to Europe’s most well-known Christmas markets, there are plenty of other unusual spots vying for attention.
One of those is Kerststad Valkenburg in the Netherlands.
The award-winning Christmas market covers every corner of the town, with events at several locations, including several underground caves.
Earlier this year, a Christmas market expert revealed five tips for navigating the festive markets.
TikTok user Casey, who is known as Life in Vienna on the social media platform, posted a video where she shared her top five Christmas market tips.
In the video, she said: “Bring cash, pretty much every market stall is cash only, so you’re going to need some Euros to buy all the things you’re 100 per cent going to want.”
She also reminded holidaymakers about the mug deposit, which is implemented by most stallholders.
Casey added: “You pay a deposit of €2 to €4 for each drink. You can either get that deposit back when you return the mug, or keep the mug as a nice souvenir.”
The TikTok user also encouraged festive holidaymakers to visit smaller Christmas markets, to arrive early, and to try and go to the markets during the week.
We’ve rounded up the nine best Christmas markets that are taking place across the UK this winter.
And here’s the time-warp Christmas market you can visit this December – but it’s only open for four days.