Hamburg boasts around 30 different Christmas markets. The Bergedorf Christmas market is a cozy affair, set in fairy tale–like grounds with live music, children’s workshops, and sweet snacks aplenty. Over in St. Pauli, you’ll find an adults-only fir-tree forest offering frivolous festivities well into the night. Then there’s the LGBTQ+-friendly Winter Pride Market in St. Georg; Gingerbread Village in Gänsemarkt; and Rathausmarkt, where Santa himself can be regularly seen flying overhead.

Germany’s enormous capital city boasts a variety of markets to match its scale. Over 100 Christmas markets take place across the city each December, the most famous being the WeihnachtsZauber at Gendarmenmarkt, which features live concerts, handmade crafts, and gourmet dining. Other highlights include the Charlottenburg Palace market, with stalls and rides backdropped by Baroque architecture, as well as the Japanese Christmas Market at Festsaal Kreuzberg.

Begun in 1434, the Streizelmarkt on Altmarkt Square is today best known for its enormous Erzgebirge pyramid, candle arch, and vast selection of Pflaumentoffel (edible plum-based figurines). Other notable markets include the Winterlights of Dresden market on Prager Strasse, complete with Santa’s Grotto and 49-foot (15-meter) Christmas tree, as well as the traditional markets around Frauenkirche, the Zwinger, and Dresden Castle.

Arguably one of the most famous Christmas markets in the world, the Nuremberg Christkindlesmarkt is visited by millions each year. A complex of stalls, canopies, and a Christmas pyramid fills the square in front of the iconic Frauenkirch, where you can buy trinkets, gingerbread, and Nürnberger Rostbratwurst (Nurenberg grilled sausage). There’s also a children’s fairground on the adjacent Hans-Sachs-Platz, featuring a multistory carousel, steam train, and ferris wheel.

Munich’s oldest market, the Christkindlmarkt at Marienplatz, dates back to the 14th century. Here you’ll find folk musicians, crafting stations, and Germany’s largest selection of Nativity figurines for sale. Over at the Munich Residence, a charming Christmas Village offers a glimpse of traditional Bavarian life with Alpine horn players, carol singing, and glühwein flowing by the mugful.

Stuttgart’s Christmas scene is made up of several sections of stalls. The main hubs are around Marktplatz and Schlossplatz, where you’ll find ornaments, glühwein, and sweet treats for sale against a backdrop of mechanical reindeer, giant baubles, and towering teddy bears. On adjoining Karlsplatz, there’s a Finnish market selling glögi (Finnish mulled wine), salmon, and Yule goats, while just out of town in Esslingen you’ll find a live-action medieval market.

Cologne’s largest Christmas market takes place directly beneath the city’s iconic cathedral. It’s made up of some 150 unique stalls, plus a giant fir tree, carousel, and traditional Christmas Pyramid. Other Christmas crackers around the city include the Heinzels Wintermärchen market in the Old Town, known for its woodland fairy tale theme; the Harbour Market at the Chocolate Museum; and the Angel Market on Neumarkt.