When it comes to naming the best Christmas markets in the world, often British ones don’t get much of a look-in. Up against the German titans like Nuremberg’s vast, quirky Christkindlemarkt and Cologne – which pretty much turns the entire city centre into one massive festive town – UK markets can get a little overlooked.
But that isn’t the case with one new ranking of the planet’s best Christmas markets. Travel company Planet Cruise has ranked festive markets around the world based on factors ranging from the number of stalls and amount of Google search volume to TripAdvisor reviews – and two British Christmas markets made the cut.
Blenheim Palace was the top-ranked British Crimbo market, coming in at sixth overall. The Oxfordshire market features a dazzling light trail and apparently has 75 stalls. Planet Cruise said it also has a high TripAdvisor score.
The other UK market to make the cut isn’t exactly a market – it’s more of a land. A wonderland, to be precise. London’s Winter Wonderland came seventh in the list, no doubt due to its sheer size. Find out more about this year’s Winter Wonderland with our official guide here.
Elsewhere in the list, top spot went to the market at New York’s Bryant Park. Second was the Marienplatz market in Munich, while third was Cologne.
Christmas markets at Time Out
Whether you’re on the hunt for some prezzies or just looking to soak up some festive vibes, Christmas markets have plenty of appeal. We at Time Out have our own lists of the best Christmas markets in the UK, Europe and the rest of the world. Ours aren’t based on data, either – they’re curated by experts. So yes, they’re superior.
Stay in the loop: sign up to our free Time Out UK newsletter for the latest UK news and the best stuff happening across the country.