The most beautiful Christmas markets in Europe by train

Dresden is said to be home to the oldest Christmas market in Europe, making it a must-visit destination for any travellers who wish to connect with Saxony’s authentic holiday traditions. With roots dating back to 1434, Dresden’s 590-year-old Striezelmarkt highlights local foods and crafts from the region.

The best part? On our Thursday visit to the market, crowds were manageable, leaving us with plenty of opportunities to chat with vendors as we shopped our way across the market.  

• The Striezelmarkt is full of mouth-watering foods available to purchase – but no visit is complete without stopping by the Showroom Bakery, where travellers have the chance to sample the city’s famous Stollen. It’s said Stollen, a sweet bread dusted with powdered sugar, has been enjoyed in Dresden since at least the 1300s. Take time to watch the Stollen bakers use the on-site, wood-fired oven to create the city’s beloved Christmas treat.  
• Next door to the Showroom Bakery is a workshop space dedicated to showcasing traditional handicrafts from the Ore Mountains. On our visit, a woodcarver showed us how she and her family members create intricate figurines of trees, animals, and people for visitors to purchase at the market.  
• Though the Striezelmarkt is Dresden’s most famous market, there are plenty of others to explore along the city’s "Christmas mile.” Blast back to the Middle Ages with a visit to the Stallhof Advent Festival, a medieval-style market outside the Dresden Royal Palace. Catch a juggling act, enjoy a piping-hot meal from the tavern-like vendor booths, and don’t forget to take a photo while wearing the suit of armour hanging on display near the entrance of the market.  

Dubbed the “capital of Christmas,” Strasbourg lives up to every bit of its Yuletide hype. The Alsatian city’s glittering light displays surround the jaw-dropping Cathédrale Notre-Dame-de-Strasbourg and branch out to markets around the city. To avoid the heaviest crowds at this popular market, we recommend visiting on a weekday and taking time to slow down and relax in the market’s quieter corners. 

• Not sure where to begin? We recommend visiting Les Irréductibles Petits Producteurs d' Alsace, located in Strasbourg’s postcard-perfect Petite France district. There, you’ll find holiday decorations and cuisine produced entirely in Alsace, such as glass Meisenthal ornaments and bredele (a regional take on Christmas cookies). This market, carefully curated with Alsatian food and local crafts, feels like a love letter to Strasbourg and its surrounding areas. 
• Strasbourg’s OFF Market provides a thoughtful, unique spin on the traditional Christmas market. Using shipping containers and geodesic domes as booths, more than 30 vendors sell responsible and sustainable products, such as vintage clothing, organic chocolate and beyond. 
• While the majority of Strasbourg’s holiday decorations can be found inside the city’s canal ring, don’t miss a chance to venture beyond the centre. We spent a morning walking around the city’s stately Orangerie district and eating couscous and other dishes at Le Jasmin, a Tunisian restaurant beloved among locals in Strasbourg. 

Restaurants and shops bedecked with mistletoe and twinkling lights. Carols echoing down the Grotestraat. Santa Claus statues around every turn.  

Take it from me: wandering around Valkenburg’s illuminated Altstadt feels like being dropped into the set of a Christmas movie. But despite the town’s charmingly classic holiday decorations, Valkenburg has a particularly unique claim to holiday fame: it’s home to four “Christmas caves,” which lead visitors into a festive, underground wonderland. 

• Each year, the maze-like corridors of Valkenburg’s Municipal Cave, which guide visitors 72 metres into the earth, host Europe’s largest underground holiday market. In addition to the Municipal Cave, travellers shouldn't miss the town's winding Velvet Cave, a corridor from the 11th or 12th century hidden underneath Valkenburg’s castle ruins. As you shop your way through the market, you’ll see drawings and sculptures left by previous visitors over the centuries. 

• After exploring the subterranean reaches of Valkenburg, travellers can experience the town from a new perspective with a ride on its cable car. The short ride leads to the Wilhelminatoren, where thrill-seekers can ride a toboggan down the hill — or simply relax with a cup of tea and enjoy the view. Fun fact: You can see both Belgium and Germany from the Wilhelminatoren.  
• Need to warm up? The Gasterij de Koffiemolen, a cafe and restaurant in a converted windmill, is the cosiest place in town to sip a coffee before heading out into the cold again. 
• While you’re in Valkenburg, spend at least a few days exploring nearby Christmas markets in the Netherlands, Germany and Belgium. After our time in Valkenburg, we took Arriva’s new “three-country train” to Maastricht’s market. A ride on its 45-metre-tall Ferris wheel was the perfect ending to a magical Christmas market adventure.  

Rachel Schnalzer is a senior writer at Eurail, based in Utrecht, the Netherlands. This winter, she travelled to Saxony, Alsace and Limburg with two of her colleagues to discover the ultimate European Christmas market itinerary.