12 Best Christmas Markets In Amsterdam, Cologne, Maastricht, Dusseldorf & More

Thousands of lights, braziers, carol singers, Christmas-decorated stalls with mulled wine, local winter food and hot chocolate … The warm atmosphere of Christmas markets and winter fairs make a cold December a lot more pleasant. We have made a selection of the best Christmas markets in the Netherlands and just across the border. Discover these special Xmas markets with your date, partner, friends or family

Top 12 Christmas Markets in 2022

1 | Christmas Market in Amsterdam

When: 14 t/m 26 december 2022

Ice Village

Ice Village is a Christmas market in Amsterdam that is definitely worth checking out! It features a skating rink, which is perfect for people who love to skate or just want to try something new.

Ice Village can be found on Museum Square, just next to Rijksmuseum, Moco Museum & Vincent Van Gogh Museum.

There are also plenty of stalls selling festive food and drink, so you can warm up with a cup of hot chocolate or a mulled wine. The market is open until late, so you can enjoy the festive atmosphere even if you don’t skating. And if you get tired of skating, you can always go explore the rest of Amsterdam – it’s a beautiful city, especially at Christmas time.

What is nice to do in Amsterdam is to combine your visit to this Christmas market with a visit to the Red Light District. This area represents Dutch liberalism and there are many great restaurants to eat too. Be sure to bring warm clothes!

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2 | Christmas Market Maastricht

When: 1 t/m 31 december 2022

Magical Maastricht

Maastricht is a city in the southern part of the Netherlands. It is the capital and largest city of the province of Limburg. Maastricht is located in the southeastern part of the Netherlands, near the Belgian and German borders. It is known for its rich history, vibrant culture, and beautiful architecture. At the end of the year, a visit to the Vrijthof in South Limburg’s capital takes on a nostalgic edge.

The Dutch downtown square is then the scene of wooden chalets with red roofs and garlands, an illuminated Ferris wheel and a large skating rink; this is Magical Maastricht.

There is plenty to do at the Christmas market in Maastricht. Make pirouettes or fiddle around on skates, sink your teeth into an oliebol, drink mulled wine, score handmade gifts for under the tree, take photos from the top of the Ferris wheel.

And your kids will have fun on the carousel or on the indoor giant slide.

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3 | Largest Christmas Market in Benelux

When: 17 t/m 20 november 2022

Country & Christmas Fair in Heemskerk

Heemskerk is a town in the province of North Holland in the Netherlands. It is located in the northwestern part of the country, about 20 kilometers north of Amsterdam. The town is known for its picturesque views, historical buildings, and recreational opportunities, such as hiking and biking trails.

Castle de Haar, the oldest castle in the country, has been destroyed and rebuilt several times over the centuries.

What stands there now is fairy-like in terms of its location in the greenery, size and neo-Gothic architectural style, and the Country & Christmas Fair adds a big dollop of fairy dust to it.

Hundreds of thousands of lights and braziers illuminate this Christmas market, the largest in the Benelux. Large Christmas trees adorn the market with stalls where you can buy colorful baubles, handmade hats, jewelry, antiques, art, clothing and cosmetics; succeeding for exclusive Christmas gifts seems like a breeze here.

Feast on a portion of old Dutch poffertjes, a sausage roll or soup in the surrounding English gardens. Unlike many other Christmas markets that descend somewhere for a month, this winter fair lasts six days.

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4 | Christmas Market Valkenburg

When: November 18, 2022 to January 8, 2023

Christmas City Valkenburg

Valkenburg is a city in the southeastern part of the Netherlands, in the province of Limburg. It is located about 10 kilometers southwest of Maastricht, and is known for its historical buildings, thermal baths, and outdoor recreational opportunities. Some of the city’s highlights include its castle ruins, the Gemeentegrot caves, and the Thermae 2000 spa. Valkenburg is also a popular destination for tourists and travelers looking to explore the surrounding countryside and enjoy outdoor activities such as hiking and biking.

Valkenburg in Limburg is of course known, among other things, for its caves. Consequently, the Christmas market does not only take place above ground.

The centuries-old corridors under Valkenburg’s castle ruins are now the backdrop not only to historic charcoal drawings and other cave art, but also to an intimate winter wonderland.

With live music, life-size marl sculptures, the Christmas story by the Sand Wizard and a 30-meter-long diorama of miniatures depicting the Christmas story. With cozy stalls, warm mood lighting, Christmas trees and a catering square: and all under the ground.

Tip: take a ride on the cable car to Limburg’s largest illuminated “Christmas tree”: the Wilhelmina Tower. Please note: this year, buy a ticket in advance for the activities of Christmas city Valkenburg.

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5 | Christmas Market in Twente

When: 11 to 13 November 2022

Winter Heerlyckheid

In fairy-tale Diepenheim on the winding Regge in the middle of Twente’s coulisse landscape, Warmelo Castle is the perfect setting for a country & winter fair.

From homemade dishes to fine wines and from atmospheric antique and brocante home and garden decorations to art presentations and warm winter fashion: you’ll find it all at Winter Heerlijckheid.

Thousands of twinkling lights, hot mulled wine or hot chocolate with whipped cream and the crackling braziers complete the ultimate winter feeling.

Tip: Put on boots or sturdy shoes. This is because the three-day fair takes place partly on paved terrain and partly in the meadow and old orchard.

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6 | Christmas Market in Den Bosch

When: November 25 to December 1, 2022

Margriet Winterfair

Christmas shopping!!! That’s the Margriet Winterfair.

No idyllic outdoor event on the cobblestones of an old city, no shaky hands around mugs of hot chocolate, but just dry and warm in the Brabanthallen in Den Bosch.

But this fair is more than just a Christmas market. You can watch catwalk shows in a winter atmosphere to catch the latest fashion trends, listen to musical stars or interviews with writers and columnists, play (bingo) games for a chance to win an e-reader or attend a creative workshop.

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7 | Christmas Market in The Hague

When: December 8 to 23, 2022

Royal Christmas Fair

During the Royal Christmas Fair, the stately Lange Voorhout in the Hofstad will be completely enveloped in winter atmospheres. Under 100,000 LED lights there are stalls with fresh syrup waffles, coconut balls and pea soup.

There is singing by (children’s) choirs and gospels, Christmas actors play their roles on the streets, there are live performances and cozy fires are burning. Everyone can participate in the Christmas bingo – and there are great prizes to be won.

By the way, the Christmas atmosphere goes beyond just this part of The Hague; from a wooden terrace you can look out on a beautifully lit Binnenhof, among other things.

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8 | Christmas Market at Schloss Moyland

When: December 7 to 11, 2022

Moyland Castle

Just past Nijmegen, a traditional arts and crafts Christmas market takes place in the historic gardens of the neo-Gothic Slot Moyland.

Here you stroll among many cozy Christmas stalls and score bags full of handmade works of art made of wood, glass, paper, clay, felt, metal or wool. Need another beautiful painting for your wall? You’ll find the finest works by contemporary regional artists, in all price ranges.

Live music will liven things up and we have to recommend some snacks and drinks: Moyländer Winterpunsch, herbal liqueur, nougat, taaitaai and chestnuts. Geniessen.

Tip for parents: children can roll up their creative sleeves at the open art workshop.

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9 | Christmas Market in Düsseldorf

When: November 17 to December 30, 2022

Altbier & Attractions

Many Christmas fans have known the way to beautiful Düsseldorf for years. The many pubs gave the city the nickname längste Theke der Welt, longest bar in the world.

But in addition to Altbier and other delicacies, in the run-up to Christmas you will find many scenes befitting a winter wonderland.

The scent of almonds and Christmas spices finds its way into your nostrils at the Christmas market. Buy the most original Christmas gifts at the hundreds of stalls, take rides on the illuminated merry-go-round, glide around the ice skating rink and view the city and its surroundings from the Ferris wheel.

Tip: Also look for the quieter streets where you can see how charming Düsseldorf really is while walking under blankets of lights.

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10 | Christmas Market in Cologne

When: November 18 to December 24, 2022

Altstadt-Heumarkt

If you love Christmas markets, a weekend in Cologne starting in mid-November is not a bad idea. The whole city is full of them then.

For example, in the charming streets near Altstadt-Heumarkt, you can take your gift list to hundreds of stalls and artisans.

There is an artificial ice rink and a mini Ferris wheel, and on the Neumarkt, “real” angels adorn the decor. Near the Schokolade Museum, a Christmas market has been set up on the water, the Kölner Hafen-Weihnachtsmarkt.

But the showpiece of Cologne remains the Dom, surrounded by thousands of lights, hundreds of Christmas stalls with many regional products and a large stage where live bands play (Christmas) music night after night.

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11 | Antwerp Christmas Market

When: December 9, 2022 to January 8, 2023

Grote Markt in Belgium

Turning a city into one big winter wonderland is something our southern neighbors have mastered. Normally about 1.4 million people visit Antwerp’s Christmas market every year to stroll along endless rows of stalls with Christmas items.

Most of them do so with a mulled wine or Belgian beer in hand. And just shopping, and just tasting. You’ll get plenty of ideas for dinners during the holidays.

The market with more than a hundred stalls spreads over several squares. There is an ice rink for children where they can put on their own skates or rent a pair.

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12 | Christmas Market in France

When: November 25 to December 30, 2022

Colmar: North-East of France

Medieval half-timbered houses, plasterwork painted pink and purple, delicious wines: in Colmar in northeastern France, you get all this all year round.

In the last month of the year, perhaps Alsace’s most beautiful city does it up a notch. You stroll through the maze of streets from one cozy mini Christmas village to another during the Christmas market.

There are six of them and the setting is fairytale-like. Artisans toiling away on original Christmas gifts, carol singers and Santa Clauses, illuminated boats, Advent wreaths on windows and balconies, organized city tours and wine tastings: at Christmas, this city completely unpacks.

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Conclusion

As soon as November comes around, markets start to pop up all over the big cities in The Netherlands, Germany and Belgium.

Christmas markets are a great way to get into the festive spirit and do some early holiday shopping. If you’re looking for traditional German Christmas markets, quaint Dutch ones or unique Belgian locales, make sure to check out our list of the best Christmas markets in each country.

And if we’ve missed any of your favorites, be sure to let us know in the comments below!

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4 Comments

  1. avatar
    Posted by Diana| October 27, 2022 |Reply

    Hello! Do you know how i can participate to a christmas fair in Netherlands? To rent a space and sell my artcrafts there. Thank you !

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