5 European Christmas markets you can visit by Eurostar

Skip the airport and take the train on your next festive city break. Not only are you less likely to encounter disruption and Entry-Exit System checks, but you’ll also get a better luggage allowance as part of the price.

It’s a good time to book. There are currently plenty of cheap tickets for £39 one way from London to Paris, Amsterdam, Brussels and Lille – just browse the Eurostar cheap fare finder.

To help you get planning, we’ve rounded up six European Christmas market cities you can get to on a single Eurostar train, including one new direct destination for 2026, and another that’s quicker to reach than Manchester from London.

We’ve also rounded some iconic Christmas market destinations you can visit by hopping on a second train, all within one single Eurostar booking.

Read on to plan your festive city break.

Christmas markets to visit direct  

You’ll only need to board one direct Eurostar train from London St Pancras to get to the Christmas market destinations below.

Antwerp

Dates: 4 December 2026 – 3 January 2027

Antwerp is Eurostar’s newest destination direct from London. It launches on 14 December and cuts the outbound leg to a convenient 2-3 hours. Make sure to factor in some time to appreciate Antwerp’s enormous glass-roofed, neo-Baroque central train station when Eurostar’s direct train from London drops you off. It’s commonly regarded as one of the most impressive train stations in Europe

On arrival, you’re just a 20-minute walk from the city centre, where you’ll find Grote Markt with its enormous Christmas tree and the main Christmas market area. But Antwerp’s 70+ wooden chalets are also spread across other markets, including Suikerrui (which includes a light tunnel), Groenplaats (where you’ll also find an ice skating rink), Handschoenmarkt, with its nativity scene and musical performances, and Operaplein, your best bet for festive food and drink. All the markets are free entry apart from rides and attractions.

The whole return journey from London to Antwerp is bookable via Eurostar, but just keep in mind that your return leg will start with a SNCB train from Antwerp to Brussels Midi before going through passport checks and boarding the Eurostar back to London.

Amsterdam

Dates: Museumplein market open from 3-27 December, Winter Paradise open from 12 December - 2 January 2027

The Netherlands starts celebrating from mid-November, when Sinterklaas is said to arrive from Spain by steamboat, ahead of the Dutch gift-giving celebrations on 5-6 December. You’ll find different fairs and wintry attractions across the city, but the most famous Christmas market is located on Museumplein (free entry, 3 December-27 December) with an accompanying ice rink (open until 5 February 2027). 

Over at RAI Amsterdam convention centre there’s also Winter Paradise, which costs around £17-£30 for a ticket and offers food stalls, fairground rides and games, photobooths and performances from Dutch artists (12 December 2026 - 2 January 2027).

Or, if you prefer to stick to homemade Dutch hospitality, you can head to Westergas, where the weekly Sunday Market (12pm-6pm) transforms into ‘Funky Xmas Market’ on 20 December, with gifts and food and drink from local sellers. There’s also the Nostalgische Leidse Kerstmarkt (11-13 & 17-20 December). Both are free to enter.

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Brussels

Dates: 27 November 2026 - 3 January 2027

Last year, the massive Plaisirs d'Hiver or ‘Winter Wonders’ market in Brussels drew in 4.3 million visitors, with over 250 illuminated stalls across an almost 3-kilometre stretch in the city centre, from Grand-Place to Marché aux Poissons (Vismarkt) and Place de Brouckère.

The entire market is free to enter, though you’ll also find all the usual rides, attractions, ice rinks and even the opportunity to try your hand at curling, which cost extra. There’s plenty of traditional Belgian fare to fill up on, from comforting alpine dishes like tartiflette washed down with glühwein or warm spiced gin, to sugar-dusted deep--friend smouteballen and world-class hot chocolates. 

If you’re looking for souvenirs or stocking fillers, prioritise Place de la Bourse. There, you’ll find over 20 chalets with official artisan-producer accreditation, so you can trust the ceramics, jewellery, home decorations and textiles are truly handmade.

Lille

Dates: 18 November 2026 - 30 December 2027

Though Lille’s Christmas market is more modest, with around 90 stalls, it’s also far quicker to reach by Eurostar – just 1 hour 20 minutes from London St Pancras. 

You could visit for the day, browse gifts and souvenirs at the chalets, take a photograph under the magnificent tree at the Grand Place, grab a glass of vin chaud and be back in the UK in time for supper. That is, unless the aroma of raclette, braised beef stew (or ‘carbonnade flamande’), crêpes and mulled wine compels you to stay a little longer.

Paris

Dates: several markets running between 12 November 2026 - 6 January 2027. Check individual markets’ running dates and opening hours

When wandering Paris from mid-November, it’s tricky not to stumble into one or two Christmas markets. There are 15-20 spread across the city, some right up until early January. But keep in mind that they’re a more modern affair – don’t expect the same medieval roots as markets in Germany and Eastern France. In fact, the biggest, and arguably best, is in the suburb of La Défense, against the cityscape of Paris’s business district. You’ll need to hop on Metro line 1 or an RER train to reach it, but once you’re inside there are hundreds of makers selling their wares, grottos, fairground rides and festive French dining.

Back in Paris proper you’ll also find chalets in more historic settings – opposite the Notre Dame, beneath the Eiffel Tower, and outside the church at Saint-Germain-des-Prés.

Christmas markets worth a changeover

Aachen

Dates: 20 November - 23 December 2026

A 53-year-old market, where more than 120 illuminated chalets transform the Cathedral and town hall into a twinkly Christmas village. While you’re there, make sure to try printen — spiced gingerbread biscuits made in the city.

How to get there: Book a Eurostar ticket from London St Pancras to Aachen, which includes a changeover in Brussels onto a second Eurostar train. The whole journey takes around 3 and a half hours, including changeover time.

Strasbourg 

Dates: 26 November 2026 - 24 December 2027

One of Europe’s oldest Christmas markets, Strasbourg’s Christkindelsmärik was established in 1570, and for a long time was France’s only Christmas market. You’ll find hundreds of stalls across around eight markets in the city, impressive light displays and plenty of opportunities to shop for gifts and enjoy Alsatian specialities.

How to get there: Book a Eurostar ticket from London St Pancras to Strasbourg-Ville, which includes a changeover in Paris onto a TGV INOUI train. The whole journey takes 5-6 hours, including changeover time.

Cologne

Dates: several markets running between 13 November - 23 December 2026. Check individual markets’ running dates and opening hours

Perhaps the most famous of Cologne’s many Christmas markets is its 150-stall market outside the enormous Gothic Cathedral. But there are at least six more official markets to choose from, including another along the banks of the Rhine (conveniently next to the Chocolate Museum), the atmospheric Market of Angels and the immersive fairy-tale style Heinzel’s Wintermärchen. All of these are connected by a ‘Bimmelbahn’ Christmas Express steam train (a round trip costs €12 for adults and €6 for children).

It’s also worth a trip to Rudolfplatz for the Village of St. Nicholas, not just for a hot winter cocktail in a mug shaped like Santa’s boot, but also to gawp at the medieval Hahnen City Gate, which provides a historic backdrop against the twinkling fairylights. All markets are free to enter.

How to get there: Book a Eurostar ticket from London St Pancras to Cologne, which includes a changeover in Brussels onto a second Eurostar train. The whole journey takes 4-6 hours, depending on changeover time.

Bruges

Dates: 20 November 2026 - 3 January 2027

Bruges has revamped its yuletide plans for 2026 – this year there will be a months-long winter ‘Wintergloed’ (winter glow) festival running until mid-February with street theatre, light shows and winter bars. Christmas markets will run from late November until early January.

How to get there: Book a Eurostar ticket from London St Pancras to Bruges, which includes a changeover in Brussels onto an SNCB train. The whole journey takes around 3-4 hours, including changeover time.