Philadelphia’s Christmas Village, modeled after traditional Christmas markets in Germany, sets up shop outside City Hall and in Love Park from Nov. 19 to Dec. 24. Vendors are selling a variety of holiday gifts, a German-style beer garden, and traditional European treats like waffles, Belgian fries, bratwurst and mulled wine. Attractions include a train ride, Ferris wheel, double-decker carousel, and Santa’s Village.
At Chicago’s Christkindlmarket, the smells of fresh pretzels, bratwurst, and hot spiced wine will be in the air, along with the sounds of festive holiday music, as you stroll through downtown’s Daley Plaza. Dozens of vendors sell unique gifts, including toys, clothing, and ornaments. Activities for children include a Lantern Parade. The market runs from Nov. 18 to Dec. 24.
Fans of Charles Dickens can step back in time at the Great Dickens Christmas Fair and Victorian Holiday Party, held on five weekends from Nov. 19 to Dec. 18 at the Cow Palace Exhibition Hall in Daly City, California, about 10 miles north of San Francisco. The elaborate holiday party features hundreds of costumed players, music halls, pubs, dancing, and festive shops.
One of the biggest London markets is Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park. In addition to vendors selling all kinds of gifts, there’s a skating rink, a giant observation wheel and holiday performances. Other popular markets include the Covent Garden Christmas Village, decorated with glittering lights; and the Southbank Centre Winter Market, where global cuisine and artisan vendors come together along the River Thames. London’s holiday markets are usually open through the first few days of the new year.
Vienna has a tradition of Christmas markets dating back hundreds of years. A tall, gated arch with candles welcomes visitors to the market on City Hall Square, where you’ll find gifts, Christmas tree decorations, handicrafts, Viennese sweets and warm drinks. The Old Viennese Christmas Market, on Freyung, a historic square in the city center, dates from 1772. For a taste of royal Vienna, head to the market in front of the Schonbrunn Palace, once the main summer residence of the Habsburg dynasty. Christmas markets usually stay open until Dec. 26. In Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic, the main Christmas markets are about five minutes apart, Old Town and Wenceslas Square. They’re open from late November through the first week of January. There are brightly decorated wooden huts stocked with handicrafts like embroidered lace, jewelry, wooden toys, dolls and puppets. In Old Town Square, centuries-old buildings surround the market stalls. A giant Christmas tree decorated with hundreds of lights is lit up each evening and carolers perform. The Wenceslas Square market takes place in the shadow of the grand Czech National Museum.
