Exploring the best Christmas markets Europe can offer.

There comes a point every December when most town centres begin to look achingly familiar, from the same strings of lights appear overhead to the booming of Paul McCartney or Wham! festive feelgood songs. And yet, all it feels is a bit… samey.

That’s why more and more people are heading to the Christmas markets elsewhere. Many have been around for centuries, and they weren’t created to attract weekend visitors or fill social media feeds; they began as places where local people stocked up for the long winter ahead.

That history is still there, and a visit can restore all the magic you’ve been missing. You’ll also not hear a Slade record within a hundred yards!

Take Vienna. The Austrian capital has no shortage of grand buildings, but in December they seem to melt beneath thousands of lights. Outside the City Hall, families drift between stalls with mugs of warming punch, choirs perform beneath illuminated trees and the aroma of roasted chestnuts permeates the cold evening air.

Further west, Strasbourg likes to call itself ‘The Capital of Christmas’. As self-appointed titles go, that’s a punchy one, yet after a visit it’s difficult to argue. Half-timbered houses lean over narrow streets, every balcony seems decorated with fir branches and red ribbons, and the towering Christmas tree in Place Kléber draws people together throughout the day. It’s a city that embraces the season wholeheartedly, yet never feels overdone.

Prague offers something altogether different. As dusk falls, the Gothic spires and cobbled streets become the perfect backdrop for one of Europe’s most atmospheric festive markets. The Old Town Square buzzes with life, but wander a few streets away and you’ll find quieter corners where musicians play traditional carols and cafés offer welcome refuge.

If food is your measure of a good Christmas market, then try Cologne. Germans take festive eating seriously, and rightly so. With Bratwurst sizzling over open grills, gingerbread being sold by the tin, and glasses of glühwein warming cold hands, it’s special.

Finally, how about Bruges? Easy to get to on Eurostar, it has an intimacy that’s hard to resist. Horse-drawn carriages, richly adorned shop windows and the wafting smell of fresh waffles make this a very special place to begin a very special season.

The good news also is that if you book early, these amazing cities are not only reachable, but affordable too. And that’s got to be an improvement on Jedward turning on the Christmas lights again back home!