Christmas Markets Outside Holland
Expats may be surprised just how affordable a day trip or weekend excursion can be to Christmas markets outside Holland, including Belgium, Germany, France or England, traveling by train or bus…
VISITING CHRISTMAS MARKETS OUTSIDE HOLLAND
What better way to jump start the holiday spirit than a festive trip to a Christmas market in one of our neighbors, whether that be Germany, France, Belgium or the UK. Here are some international Christmas market options along with sample train fares, bus fares and hotel rates.
BERLIN
Berlin is not just the Deutsch capital, it is practically the epicenter of German Christmas markets with 25 to choose from. Among the most popular is the Berlin City Hall Christmas Market (25 November – 30 December 2024) which takes place on and around the adjacent square. Aside from traditional market stalls selling seasonal foods, decorations and unique gifts, there is an ice skating rink, 50-meter high Ferris wheel, train ride through a fairytale forest, organ grinders and street performers.
| AMSTERDAM to BERLIN | THE HAGUE to BERLIN | ROTTERDAM to BERLIN | UTRECHT to BERLIN | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Train Fares | €159 RT | €155 RT | €150 RT | €150 RT |
| Travel Time | 6 hrs 20 mins | 6 hrs 30 mins | 6 hrs 51 mins | 5 hrs 58 mins |
| Bus Fares | €65 RT | €76 RT | €71 RT | €53 RT |
| Travel Time | 10 hrs 35 mins | 10 hrs 55 mins | 11 hrs 15 mins | 10 hrs 12 mins |
Hotel rates Berlin: €320 for 2 nights, double occupancy at a 4-star hotel in Berlin city center
COLOGNE
Renown for its enormous Gothic cathedral, this city along the Rhine river is especially charming when decorated for the holidays. The Christmas Market at Dom (18 November – 23 December 2024) takes place on the Roncalliplatz in walking distance of the main train station. Traditional market stalls, a massive Christmas tree and live entertainment are all on offer. Also visit Cologne’s Heinzel’s Winter Fairytale Market at the Heumarkt (25 Nov 2024 – 05 Jan 2025) for ice skating and the Nicholas Village on Rudolfplaatz (18 Nov – 23 Dec 2024) in front of the picturesque 13th-century city gate Hahnentorburg. In fact, they even have a Christmas Market Express shuttle which runs in a loop and makes it easy to visit multiple Christmas markets in Cologne
| AMSTERDAM to COLOGNE | THE HAGUE to COLOGNE | ROTTERDAM to COLOGNE | UTRECHT to COLOGNE | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Train Fares | €45 RT | €45 RT | €39 RT | €45 RT |
| Travel Time | 2 hrs 38 mins | 3 hrs 20 mins | 2 hrs 58 mins | 2 hrs 10 mins |
| Bus Fares | €51 RT | €49 RT | €50 RT | €50 RT |
| Travel Time | 3 hrs 45 mins | 6 hrs 30 mins | 5 hrs 55 mins | 4 hrs 5 mins |
Hotel rates Cologne: from €190 for 2 nights, double occupancy at 3-star hotel in Cologne Messe
PARIS
There’s never a bad time of year to visit Paris, but a trip during the holiday season is certainly extra special.
The Tuileries Gardens Christmas Market (16 November 2024 – 05 January 2025) takes place along the Seine river near the Louvre Museum. Over 120 chalets offer food, gifts and seasonal wares, most of which are produced in France. Sample cuisine and culinary treats from France’s 20 different regions. There are activities and entertainment for both children and adults including festive musical performances, puppet shows, ice skating on a 1,400 m² rink and enjoying the incredible views of the ‘City of Lights‘ from the 50-meter high Ferris wheel.
| AMSTERDAM to PARIS | THE HAGUE to PARIS | ROTTERDAM to PARIS | UTRECHT to PARIS | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Train Fares | €229 RT | €266 RT | €219 RT | €274 RT |
| Travel Time | 3 hrs 38 mins | 3 hrs 06 mins | 2 hrs 37 mins | 3 hrs 32 mins |
| Bus Fares | €36 RT | €53 RT | €44 RT | €41 RT |
| Travel Time | 6 hrs 25 mins | 8 hrs 20 mins | 7 hrs 30 mins | 7 hrs 30 mins |
Hotel rates Paris: from €211 for 2 nights, double occupancy at a 3-star hotel in the Paris city center.
LONDON
London is always bustling in the lead up to Christmas and there’s no better place to experience holiday excitement as Winter Wonderland Hyde Park (21 November 2024 – 05 January 2025)!
The event is a virtual smorgasbord of seasonal delight for all ages with the Zippos Christmas Circus, Magical Ice Kingdom, Cirque Beserk, ice bar, ice skating, ice sculpting workshops and lots of food in the Arctic Lodge, Bavarian Village, Carousel Bar, The Fire Pit and Thor’s Tipi. There’s also Santa Land featuring the man in red in a scenic grotto, a fun fair with giant Ferris wheel, roller coasters and Christmas Tree Ride, a 45-meter long ice slide and an ice trike trail. And if that’s not enough, there is a traditional Christmas market with 100 stalls.
| AMSTERDAM to LONDON | THE HAGUE to LONDON | ROTTERDAM to LONDON | UTRECHT to LONDON | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Train Fares | €401 RT | €280 RT | €270 RT | €280 RT |
| Travel Time | 4 hrs 13 mins | 4 hrs 28 mins | 3 hrs 41 mins | 4 hrs 54 mins |
| Bus Fares | €70 RT | €80 OW | €69 RT | €58 RT |
| Travel Time | 12 hrs 40 mins | 11 hrs 10 mins | 11 hrs 20 mins | 13 hrs 35 mins |
Hotel rates London: from £258 for 2 nights, double occupancy at a 3-star hotel near Kensington
ANTWERP
The Antwerp Christmas Market (06 December 2024 – 05 January 2025) covers a good portion of the old town, stretching from Groenplaats to Steenplein with nearly 100 stalls selling Belgian chocolates, artisan crafts and seasonal food and drink like mulled wine and ‘smoutebollen’ (donut fritters). Find lots of Christmas gift options including handmade jewelry. The stalls are open daily until 22:00 and midnight on Friday and Saturday.
In addition to shopping, there are lots of activity and entertainment options including ice skating (a 1,200 m² ice rink), ice tubing (at Koningin Astridplein) and riding the 55-meter high Ferris wheel (at Steenplein) for a panoramic view of Antwerp.
| AMSTERDAM to ANTWERP | THE HAGUE to ANTWERP | ROTTERDAM to ANTWERP | UTRECHT to ANTWERP | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Train Fares | €52 RT | €42 RT | €34 RT | €42 RT |
| Travel Time | 1 hr 51 mins | 1 hr 21 mins | 1 hr 5 mins | 1 hr 58 mins |
| Bus Fares | €22 RT | €19 RT | €15 RT | €20 RT |
| Travel Time | 2 hrs 25 mins | 2 hrs 15 mins | 1 hr 45 mins | 1 hr 55 mins |
Hotel rates Antwerp: from €90 for 1 night, double occupancy at 3-star hotel in Antwerp city center
BRUSSELS
The Winter Wonders fair (29 November 2024 – 05 January 2025) takes place in the heart of Brussels, at the Grand-Place and around the Bourse. In addition to 200 Christmas market chalet stalls, there are festive activities, live performances and fun rides for young and old. There is ice skating (at Place de la Monnaie), a holiday light-and-sound show (at Grand Place), parade of lights, Christmas carolers and a giant Ferris wheel.
| AMSTERDAM to BRUSSELS | THE HAGUE to BRUSSELS | ROTTERDAM to BRUSSELS | UTRECHT to BRUSSELS | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Train Fares | €62 RT | €56 RT | €48 RT | €56 RT |
| Travel Time | 2 hrs 46 mins | 2 hrs 18 mins | 1 hr 57 mins | 2 hrs 53 mins |
| Bus Fares | €22 RT | €23 RT | €18 RT | €22 RT |
| Travel Time | 2 hrs 45 mins | 3 hrs 15 mins | 2 hrs 40 mins | 3 hrs 10 mins |
Hotel rates Brussels: from €144 for 1 night, double occupancy at a 3-star hotel near Grand Place
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