When I proposed we go on a European Christmas market roadtrip adventure I thought I’d quickly be shut down. Instead, Mike prepared a near impossible journey for us – 8 cities in 8 nights. Whilst I adored the Christmas spirit, I knew I wouldn’t survive the constant travel. I’d quickly become his very own Scrooge. We came up with a more manageable alternative– three countries, five cities, 20 Christmas markets, 10 days.
Here’s our European Christmas market roadtrip from Prague to Dresden to Poland. I hope this is the first of many Christmas road trips to come.
A European Christmas market roadtrip
We started our roadtrip with one night in Prague. Then we took a train to Dresden and spent two nights there. And lastly, we carried on to Poland, a new country for us both. We spent five nights in Poland splitting the time between three places – Wroclaw, Poznan and Gdansk.
Prague: A Crowded Start
First, we flew from Amsterdam to Prague with KLM. Our first setback, bad weather. Our flight was canceled so we traveled a day later with a stopover in Vienna. In the end the trip took us seven hours door-to-door, when our original flight would have been just 1 hour.
The funny part? Vienna was on our original list of Christmas markets to visit. It’s too bad we couldn’t extend our layover to explore the Vienna Christmas markets too.
Unlike the other cities we’d visit, we’d both been to Prague before and loved it. Sadly, Prague was our least favorite Christmas city on our trip.
Why? There were two or three moments where we were completely jammed arm to arm with other tourists in narrow streets and atop bridges. If you don’t like crowds, definitely avoid the center of Prague during Christmas time. It was hard to admire the city with so many people flooding the streets.
As overwhelming as the crowds were, the Prague Christmas markets were underwhelming.
The Prague Christmas markets
Prague has three main Christmas markets. The biggest and most impressive is in the Old Town Square. There was a decently diverse selection of food, drinks and shops. It was just too crowded to really enjoy, especially in the evenings. The other markets are much smaller and tend to have similar stalls repeated one after another. Nothing too creative or memorable.
Best dishes: The ham and the potato pancakes! And of course, the Trdelnik, or Chimney Cakes. Fun fact, the chimney cake is not actually Czech, it’s Hungarian. No matter where it’s from, it’s absolutely delicious, especially on the chilly winter streets.
Should I visit the Prague Christmas markets?
Personally, I wouldn’t recommend making the trip. And if you plan to, go on a weekday and during the day. We were there on a Saturday night in early December. There was snow melting and there was some cheer in the air, but compared with Dresden and Poland, Prague was the worst stop on our Christmas list. We did enjoy a cute cafe and a quieter part of the city on Sunday that I definitely recommend, Cafefin.
For a little more of Prague, see my Instagram reel.
Dresden: The Christmas Market Capitol
Dresden is the Christmas market capital of the world, claiming to in fact host the oldest Christmas market in the world. From Prague, we took a direct train to Dresden, Germany. The train was two and a half hours and cost about 20 euro per person. Definitely book your tickets in advance, as during this time of year, seats can sell out. Trainline is a great site to compare prices and times.
In Dresden alone, Christmas lovers can find 11 separate Christmas markets, all brightly lit and unique in their own right. From the famous Striezelmarkt, to the medieval market to the one with a Finnish twist, we loved them all. Two nights in Dresden felt right, but we could have stayed even longer.
Our favorites were of course the Striezelmarkt and a close runner up was the Medieval market.
Everything you need to know about the Dresden Christmas markets.
Wroclaw: A Stunning Setting
From Dresden we took a bus to Wroclaw, Poland. The bus was a direct 3 hour and 50 minute journey and cost 11 euro per person (book in advance with Flixbus).
Many asked us, why Poland? Well one, neither of us had been to Poland before and two, the German Christmas markets are the most well known. Going off the beaten path could help us avoid the crowds and tourist traps. We were right!
We arrived in Wroclaw around 7pm and found two nights to be plenty of time to enjoy Wroclaw at Christmas time. The first night we found our place, explored a section of the markets and went to bed early. The next day we worked remotely and set out for the market around 5pm. If you have a full day, you could definitely see all of Wroclaw in one night, but with work and the long bus journey we preferred a slower pace.
The setting for the Wroclaw Christmas market is absolutely stunning. The market is not too big or too crowded, the people are friendly and there are lots of activities. Going from Dresden to Wroclaw, the market is of course much smaller, but the Christmas spirit is very alive. Add Wroclaw to your list.
Read all about my experience at the Wroclaw Christmas market.
Poznan: The Charming and Unexpected
From Wroclaw we took a train to Poznan, Poland. We knew we wanted to end our journey in Gdansk and Poznan was the perfect middle stop to split up our journey. From Wroclaw to Poznan the train is just one and a half hours and costs about 10 euro per person. If you want to guarantee a seat, book in advance.
Poznan is a smaller and lesser known city. For some reason Poznan kept popping up as one of the most beautiful Christmas markets in Poland, so of course, I had to check it out for myself. We found one night in Poznan was plenty. The market and the old town are small. We had plenty of time to explore.
In 2023 the main town square was under construction. Therefore the Poznan Christmas market was in a nearby square and a second market was just by the train station at the Poznan International Fair. Both were very small, and the latter we didn’t like so much, minimal food and lots of craft stalls. They did have an ice rink though.
Despite the size, the Poznan Christmas market had the best mulled wine we tasted. Not too sweet and heavily spiced.
Read all about my experience at the Poznan Christmas markets.
Gdansk: An Impressive Finale
Last stop, Gdansk. From Poznan we took a train to Gdansk, Poland. The train is about three hours long and costs about 15 euro per person. Again, be sure to book in advance to confirm you’ll get a seat assigned. We nearly had to stand for the full journey.
I found Gdansk to be the most impressive city of those we visited in Poland. The buildings are distinctly Dutch by design. Heavily built up by the wealthy merchants who visited Gdansk for trade. Much of the city was destroyed in WWII but rebuilt to replicate its original grandeur and beauty.
The setting for the Christmas market is picturesque. There are diverse food options, both local and international dishes, savory and sweet. And plenty of activities and gifts to buy. Again, one night would have been okay at the markets, but we really enjoyed our time in the city itself.
Read all about my time in Gdansk at Christmas.
Your turn to plan a European Christmas adventure
So, three countries, five cities, 20 Christmas markets, 10 days. Looking forward to another European Christmas Market roadtrip next year and hope you consider Poland in your own plans.
For specifics about each destination, check out the individual articles for Dresden, Wroclaw, Poznan and Gdansk.
