Mom's European Christmas Market Tips

The spirit of Christmas can definitely be felt in the European Christmas Markets! The twinkling lights, aroma of delicious local foods, beautiful handicrafts, and festive decorations all come together to create a magical Christmas experience. I have had the pleasure of exploring Christmas Markets in France, Germany, Switzerland, Belgium, and Austria. Whether small or large, surrounded by city or countryside, each market provides a beautiful and unique experience. If you are wondering if you should take a trip to Europe to see the Christmas markets, the answer is yes!

To help you plan your trip to the Christmas Markets, I have created a list of helpful, practical tips. Consider it advice from mom!

“He who would travel happily must travel light.” – Antoine de St. Exupery

Luggage

Take only a small carry-on rolling bag and a personal item. On our last Christmas Market trip, I decided to take the medium sized suitcase and check it. It didn't look that much bigger than my small carry-on bag, so I thought it wouldn't make too much difference. Wrong! When we arrived, I instantly regretted taking the medium sized checked bag. Not only did it take a very long time to get the bag from baggage claim, but when we boarded that first train I knew I made a mistake. When you are getting on and off the trains in Europe you must move quickly in a crowd. There are often steep steps and a big gap between the steps to get on and off the train. It is not an easy task with a big, heavy suitcase. Trust me, I learned that the hard way! Also, there are often stairs (not escalators) in the train station, so a heavy bag is much more difficult to carry up the stairs. Once you arrive, you will probably walk to your hotel and many of the cities have cobblestone streets and sidewalks. It is not easy to pull a suitcase a distance on these streets! Please take mom’s advice and pack a small carryon and do not overload it! Lighter is better. You also want to make sure you have a suitcase with good wheels—four good wheels to be exact. A personal item that has a luggage sleeve that goes over your suitcase handle is recommended so you can sit the bag or backpack on top of your suitcase and keep your hands free.

My favorite suitcase is the Away bigger carry-on. It has a good amount of space and a built in compression feature on one side. The wheels are excellent, it rolls smoothly, and can stand up to the bumpy cobblestone streets.

This backpack from Amazon was great as my personal item. It had plenty of room and even expands if you need a little more space.

What to Pack

Pack light!! I know what you are thinking because I thought it too…

I need big, thick sweaters for the cold weather.
I need different outfits for every day because I will be taking pictures.
I need extra clothes in case I get dirty.

Wong, wrong, and wrong! Take it from someone who overpacked and learned the hard way. Do not overpack! Although they may be cute, you do not need those big, bulky sweaters. A warm, waterproof coat and some light sweaters or flannel shirts will be enough. Also, I often wore thermal tops and pants (long johns) under my clothes for extra warmth. For leggings I absolutely recommend fleece lined leggings (I love my Old Navy fleeced lined leggings). I know you want to have a cute look for every day, but honestly, you will be bundled up in a coat and nobody will ever see what you are wearing in your pictures. Also, since you are wearing a coat and layering, your top is not very likely to get dirty. Many rental properties also have a washer so you might be able to wash your clothes if needed. Pack things you can layer and mix and match and plan to possibly wear some things twice. It will be okay. I promise.

Shoes

I know what you are thinking… Mom, I love all my cute boots. Can I take them? My answer: No. Choose a pair of comfortable, waterproof boots. Waterproof is a must because there is the possibility of rain or snow in December. Do not worry about having multiple pairs of shoes or boots to match your outfits because as stated before, your pictures will not show what you are wearing under that coat and it will not matter if you have cute matching boots. The most important thing is that your boots/shoes are comfortable! We walked an average of six to eight miles every day. Comfort is more important than fashion. If you want two pairs just to make sure you have a back up in case they get wet or turn out to be less comfortable than you thought or you just want two colors, then wear one pair and pack one pair, but you do not need more than two pairs maximum. They are heavy and make your luggage heavier plus they take up a lot of room that you just don’t have to spare.

Coat

It will most likely be very cold and you will be outside a very long time. A warm, waterproof or water resistant coat is a must. I recommend a puffer style jacket. They are usually light weight, yet warm. I also recommend a hood which comes in handy in the rain. Look for a coat that is longer--not a cropped puffer jacket. Keep in mind your coat will be too bulky to pack, so plan to carry it on the plane. We were able to put ours in the overhead bin on top of our suitcases. You will want to put it on when you arrive anyway, so it is better to just carry it on rather than try to pack it.

Other must haves

I highly recommend wool socks, gloves, a beanie/stocking cap, and a scarf. These are all necessary to stay warm. I also recommend a small travel umbrella. The markets are open even in the rain and when you have limited time in each city, you don’t want to have to miss out on the markets because of weather.

Travel bag/Purse

If you want to take a purse, make sure you look for a small, crossbody style. The reality is, when visiting tourist attractions (not just in Europe, but anywhere), there may be some pickpockets. A crossbody style will allow you to keep your purse in front of you. Choose a small purse and carry only the essentials. Make sure you keep your purse zipped. You may also opt to wear your purse under your coat.

Shopping bags

Pack a foldable, waterproof shopping bag for your market purchases. Some of the booths (but not all) did offer a plastic bag, but you don’t want to try to carry a bunch of little bags or loose items. A reusable shopping bag (preferably a shoulder bag) works great to hold all your purchases. I love this shopping bag from Amazon.

Getting your purchases home

Since you are going to Christmas markets, you will most likely buy plenty of souvenirs and gifts and a lot of it (like Christmas ornaments) will be fragile. You will need a plan to get it all home. Although we do not like to check a bag on the way there, we don't mind checking on the way home, so we took two foldable duffle bags in our suitcases. Coming home, we put clothes and shoes in one of the duffle bags and checked that bag along with my suitcase filled with clothes and some non-breakable purchases. We put fragile items (wrapped in shirts, scarves and hats) and chocolates in my husband’s carry on suitcase and other purchases in the second duffle bag and then we carried those on. I’m not going to lie, it was a lot of luggage to take on and off that last train, but we were able to get everything home safely and did not have to mail anything or buy extra luggage. This foldable duffle bag from Amazon worked great for us.

Other Helpful Things to Know

Get some local currency when you arrive. They do not take the US dollar anywhere. Some of the booths took a credit card, but many did not. It is recommended to use an ATM machine at a bank in the city. Your bank may charge you fees, but you will get a better exchange rate there than you will getting money at your bank in the United States before you leave.
You will not always find free public restrooms in Europe. Some of the markets did have free bathrooms (usually like a portable building), but others charge a small fee to use them. The cost was anywhere from .50 Euros to 1 Euro. So you will want to have some coins on hand for that. If you eat at a restaurant, make sure you go to the bathroom there where it is free!
Many people in Europe speak English and most of the vendors in the markets speak at least enough English to complete your transaction without trouble, but you should learn a few polite greetings and a few words related to shopping and try to speak the language. At the very least, learn hello, goodbye and thank you. They appreciate you trying to speak the language and it helps if you know some basic phrases if you do come across a vendor who doesn’t speak English. I found that some of the locals were also willing to help out and translate if needed.