Holiday markets pop up in many major European cities every fall, across Austria, Germany, Belgium, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Italy, Spain and other countries. Most feature a broad assortment of craft vendors, lots of local and traditional food and drink, entertainment and a kind of outdoor conviviality and festivity that is hard to find in other ways—especially when it gets cold out. Strolling around with a glass of warm wine or local schnapps, shopping, grazing and taking it all in is a great way to explore a place like Vienna, Brussels or Prague.
I’ve been, and they are fun, festive and can easily be worth the trip. Many Americans travel to Europe just for the holiday market season, and there are tour operators and river cruise lines that link great holiday market cities together into a single itinerary. But you don’t have to fly across the ocean to get a taste of what big cities can offer in the run up to Christmas, Hannukah and New Years.
Several American cities have carved out a niche with big annual holiday markets closer to home. Some have multiple major markets, all are free admission and family friendly, and these are the most notable. Denver, CO Goes Crazy For Lights Denver is one of my favorite cities to visit at any time, low rise, low key, and easy to get around, with great food and arguably the best craft brewery and craft distillery scenes in the entire country.
It also has the best public transportation connectivity of its airport and downtown of any U.S..