ZB ZB
Live now
Start time
Playing for
End time
Listen live
Listen to NAME OF STATION
Up next
Listen live on
ZB

Mike Yardley: Christmas market magic across Europe

Author
Mike Yardley,
Publish Date
Sat, 26 Oct 2019, 9:39AM

Mike Yardley: Christmas market magic across Europe

Author
Mike Yardley,
Publish Date
Sat, 26 Oct 2019, 9:39AM

As we gear up to bask in the summer sizzle of a Kiwi Christmas, have you dreamed of experiencing the Christmas card imagery of the Northern Hemisphere? Europe’s Christmas markets are a multi-sensory thriller, yet the cherry on top is a stop in twinkling, tinsel-laden London. Few world cities apply the same degree of verve, sparkle and time-honoured traditions quite like London. Even the iconic Eros Statue, which graces the centre of Piccadilly Circus, is encased in a giant glass shell, transforming the pretty little landmark into a seasonal snow-dome.

Holiday shoppers are confronted with endless retail sale options in the illuminated golden mile of Oxford Street. Don’t miss the House of Fraser and Selfridges, who have turned their respective store decorations and window displays into a wondrous tour de force. Pop into Floris, the royal household’s fragrance purveyor, who offer complimentary gift wrapping throughout the festive season. In the heart of Piccadilly, London’s most fashionable purveyor of fine groceries since 1707, Fortnum & Mason, is a hive of seasonal cheer with Christmas wine tastings, story-telling, cake decorating, carol-singing and my favourite – personalised chocolate lollipops.

Swing by London’s most spectacularly dressed Christmas hotel, The Ritz, which hosts Traditional Christmas Tea throughout December, although you should book in advance. Glorious Royal Albert Hall hosts a month-long programme of Christmas concerts, mixing sing-along carols with readings from Dickens and the Scriptures, featuring the Mozart Festival Orchestra and performers splendidly attired in 18th century costume. And what about a pantomime, integral to London’s Christmas calendar? Check with your hotel what local shows are on. Ice-skating has been a staple festive feature in London, since the Chelsea rink was unveiled in 1876.

Nowadays, you can get your Christmas skates on at a spoil of landmark locations including the Tower of London, Somerset House and Hyde Park’s Winter Wonderland. Alongside the rink, the annual fairground extravaganza includes a stack of Christmas market stalls and a grotto. But Christmas in London would not be complete without savouring the atmosphere within the most famous department store in the world. Harrods Christmas grotto, a fantastical mini- Disneyland, is so insanely popular, you need to book ahead, several weeks in advance.

Europe’s traditional Christmas markets are chocca-block with unique gifts to take back home for your loved ones, delicious local delicacies to sample, and a magical, twinkling atmosphere to charm even the most cold-hearted of humbugs. So if you’ve dreamed of experiencing these festive pop-ups one Christmas, where should you head? Prague is a fairy-tale destination, regardless of the time of year. Medieval Wenceslas Square and Old Town Square provide perfect backdrops to the classic markets, where local traditions are kept alive in food form with Christmas cookies, cooked dough sprinkled in cinnamon and Christmas fish soup.

Prague handicrafts include delicate straw decorations, hand-carved Bohemian crystal, wooden toys, marionettes and ceramics. The city’s Baroque architecture makes for a wonderfully picturesque backdrop as you potter around the colourful wooden huts. Hop over to Austria and surrender to Vienna’s festive elegance - the city that invented the snow-dome in 1900. The striking backdrop of the Burgtheater and City Hall gives the market sparkle a charm of its own, while the delicious aroma of punch, traditional gingerbread, roasted almonds and honey is sure to lull you into the seasonal joy. Its market origins stretch back to 1294 and you can trawl over 140 stalls. Here’s a festive fact for you: Vienna is home to the snow globe. The first one was created in 1900 by Erwin Perzy and Edwin Perzy III still makes them.

Dating back to 1570, Strasbourg hosts France’s oldest Christmas market with enchanting stalls selling handicrafts, mulled wine, spicy hot orange juice, traditional bridle cakes and other delights from the magical medieval square beneath the city’s imposing pink sandstone Gothic cathedral. But Germany remains the market king, with the world’s biggest affair staged in Nuremberg. Look out for the Christkind, a local teenage girl dressed in a gloriously Wagner-esque crown and golden robe. Selection criteria for the role include a “willingness to work in any weather.” Festooned with lights, trees and decoration in the Old Town Square, over 200 market stalls, dressed, in red and white cloth offer a plethora of traditional toys, gifts and ornaments.

Just an hour south of Nuremberg is my favourite Christmas market, staged in the Bavarian capital of Munich. Reputed to be Germany’s oldest Christmas market, tracing its origins as far back as 1310, the Munich Christmas Market is held on the storied Marienplatz, dwarfed by a 100ft tall Christmas tree. It sports traditional Bavarian treats including Oberammergau wood carvings, local gingerbread (lebkuchen) and exquisite glassware from the Bavarian Forest. Other time-honoured gifts include crib figurines, bee wax candles, Star paper lamps and chimney sweeps made of plums and almonds.

I enjoyed far too much of the super spicy and piping hot gluhwein, which I noticed had a spectacularly insulating powers from winter’s bite, as the snowflakes tumbled down, on queue. The gluhwein mugs can be used and kept, as collector’s items, for a mere 4 Euro. Don’t miss the adjoining Rindermarkt, a dedicated manger market providing all the elements to create a dreamy Nativity scene.

Further east, I adore the Estonian capital of Tallinn, and its medieval town square provides the perfect backdrop for a Christmas market. It is said to be the site of the world's first Christmas tree, which formed part of a ritual begun in 1441, when unmarried merchants sang and danced with local girls around a tree, which was then burnt. Boutiques and galleries provide additional shopping opportunities, while cosy, candlelit restaurants and cafés offer respite from the cold. The Tallinn Christmas markets run from November 29 to January 7, and you’re virtually guaranteed snow in Tallinn at Christmas. Estonian crafts like hand-knitted hats, sea-grass animals, wickerwork and wood carvings are top buys.

Finally, for something a little different, festive tragics can go sky-high to the Christmas market on the summit of Mount Pilatus. Not only are the Mt Pilatus Christmas markets in Switzerland the highest in Europe, you have to ride the world's steepest cogwheel railway to get to them. Perched above Lake Lucerne, the mountaintop market boasts stalls selling beeswax candles, nativity figurines, gingerbread and other stocking fillers. An added bonus is the chance to make the return journey by sled, airboard or snow bike. Their market is one of the first to open in Europe, on November 15.

Mike Yardley is our Travel Correspondent on Jack Tame Saturday Mornings.

Take your Radio, Podcasts and Music with you