3 Christmas Markets in 3 days: Strasbourg, Colmar, Basel 2024

3 Christmas Markets in 3 days: Strasbourg, Colmar, Basel 2024

[Music] in just 3 days we visited three of Europe’s Most enchanting Christmas markets from the capital of Christmas in strawsburg to the storybook charm of colar and the Swiss Elegance of Basil we’ll take you on a holiday Adventure full of festive lights holiday yummies mold wine and Unforgettable Christmas spirit we’ll show you what each of these markets unique share tips to help you plan your own trip and of course sprinkle in plenty of holiday magic so grab your hot chocolate get cozy and let’s jingle all the way [Music] happy holidays everyone we’re continuing our European Christmas tradition and this year or if the city that is known as the capital of Christmas strawberg France yes there are 14 Christmas markets throughout eight neighborhoods and we’re hoping to explore them all but what makes this extra special is our son Devon is here with us this time Bon we are super happy to do this as a family and experience the festive spirit that fills this city during the special time of the year we’re going to try different traditional foods although we don’t eat as much as we used to Deon here is going to help us taste as much as we can and try lots of old wine cheers [Music] we set out to attend most if not all the markets in what is known as the capital of Christmas and it’s easy to see why strawsburg transforms into a magical Wonderland twinkling lights and festive decorations Adorn every street the city’s half timbered houses are draped with sparkling garlands teddy bears and colorful ornament ments hanging above the Cobblestone alleys let me tell you this place looks like it’s a straight out of a Christmas fairy tale keep in mind Christmas markets don’t open until 11:30 in the morning so if you enjoy history like us and want a quick view of the city while sheltered from the cold the best way is sitting inside a cozy scenic boat tour down the river IA we purchased tickets in advance for 10:30 in the morning and finished a little after 11:30 right when the Market’s [Music] open this City’s Christmas Market dates back to 15 1970 making it one of the oldest in Europe it’s also the largest with over 300 stalls spread across multiple squares to make it easy for you we’ll break down our path throughout the eight neighborhoods in strawsburg and highlight what to see eat and enjoy they’re all within easy walking distance of each other it gets cold in December a 24-hour bus pass comes in handy to avoid the rain and move from Market to Market we were able to get a trio pass for 1 to three persons for 24 hours that only cost around €10 the Christmas markets are so close to each other it was tricky to tell where one ends and another begins we begin at the Chris Kindles Mark at PL roadley one of the oldest Christmas markets in Europe it’s a great place to find decor ations buy a souvenir Christmas Market mug and try delicious crunchy cheesy potato pancakes [Music] next we head South toward strawsburg notredam Cathedral there are multiple markets around and in front of this stunning piece of architecture you’ll come across a cluster of stalls offering the typical festive [Music] Goods it’s the perfect spot to savor a warm cup of mold wine while soaking in the stunning backdrop the main attraction in these markets is a visit inside the cathedral there’s an incredible nativity scene and an astronomical clock that is a must SE and it costs nothing to enter but to see the astronomical clock in action around midday you will need a ticket we going to enter the cathedral but here’s the line let’s see I mean they’re moving that is a long long line [Music] lots of people dying unfortunately with a long line and being a little short on time we didn’t make it inside you TI Carol choirs angels in the snow chestnuts open fires rid from long ago hark the herald All Ye Faithful Golden Days of your listen to the same old songs a thousand times and more ding dong Bells they chime for now it’s Christmas time [Music] we bre of slow and stolen kisses the to Cate that to the 2,000 years ago ding Bells they CH for now it’s Christmas [Music] time ding dong ding them Bells Are Ringing clear and bright just west of the cathedral tucked in the corner there’s this popup Christmas shop from Germany with beautiful decorations their main location is in the little town of rotenberg O derob and is considered one of the finest shops in the [Music] world gingerbread and Christmas suets have been the focus since the Middle Ages at the Christmas markets and at these you can indulge traditional treats try different varieties of alaan wines and admire the views of the river [Music] I the St Thomas Market in Leti France is one of our favorites it’s next to the St Thomas Church with quain stalls full of hot drinks and will weet try the potatoes with a creamy sauce a typical alashan comfort food that is so filling one portion was enough for all three of us make sure to have cash on you a few stalls do not take credit cards or have a minimum spend of €10 to use a credit card we tried the M white wine this time [Music] but like the white I’ll be much [Music] [Music] [Applause] better Benjamin 6 neighborhood is a cool mix of Local Charm and everyday life it’s a laid-back spot with cute half timbered houses and cozy cafes Market stalls were filled with beautiful homes and holiday Decor the vibe here feels super authentic and it’s the kind of place where you can really see how people live in strawsburg [Music] at Square Louis Vice you’ll find the Advent Village small producers Market with farmers and Artisans offering local products that are 100% made in Elsas it’s nicely decorated with golden lights and soothing live music throughout the [Music] evening we try reasing wines from domain low a renowned Winery located in the commune of West hufen in alus [Music] and last but not least we arrive at the neighborhood of grand sapan the centerpiece is the Majestic 30 m High Christmas tree at PL Claver truly a sight to behold that lights up every hour in the evening with music starting at 4:00 [Music] [Music] [Music] the air is filled with a delightful sense of mold wine and roasted chestnuts making it a truly enchanting experience [Music] [Music] the food is absolutely mouthwatering it’s best to buy one portion and share that way you get to taste everything hands down our favorite dish was this scrumptious pork shank with spatel a definite must [Music] try yeah much really good yeah amazing we love the theme of this Market the village of sharing is represented by 90 Charities another little temp is that when you purchase your hot mold wine persisting ability they’re putting them in plastic pups in most of the markets and you can turn them in and get your € deposit back or you can deposit them in a recycling area and they will donate that €1 to one of these Charities that’s such a great Calla so it it’s a really good idea we’ never seen anything like that anywhere else so Kudos it to the Village of Sherry cheers [Music] Che as night falls the city lights up with magnificent illuminations creating a truly festive atmosphere we’re excited to see even more the next day as we head to the neighbor in town of kar on day two we’re headed to Kar still in France and only a 30-minute train R away from sturn from the Geto on the way to the markets we run into this kids Christmas family park a place WRA here we found the largest wooden horse Carousel in France unfortunately it was closed but no worries they had a bar carousel across the way where we happily enjoyed a spin or [Music] two hmar is a picturesque town in the allu region famous for its storybook charm and Rich history the markets are smaller than strawsburg but what it lacks in size it more than makes up for in charm pmart is a true holiday dream come to life it’s been called the most beautiful Christmas Market in the world and we absolutely agree there are six different markets scattered throughout the town each with its own theme we really couldn’t pinpoint the exact location of each market we just went along the path of the decorated half timbered homes smell in the Aromas of Christmas in the air and guided by sparkling lights and tons of people [Music] our favorite was the petite veness Market where you can find adorable gifts and take dreamy photos by the canals [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] walk [Music] [Applause] [Music] spent quite a while at the gourmet food tent near the ferris will for the ultimate foodie experience there’s a delicious selection of alaan cuisine at the Stalls run by local small [Music] producers we had mojito sangria and delectable escargo drenched in butter and [Music] garlic plus a variety plate of delicious alaan cuisines [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] our final stop on our day three was Bassel Switzerland a little less than an hour from colmart by train bassel’s markets are known around the world for elegant decorations featuring a combined total of approximately 180 stalls across their main locations estimates suggest that they welcome over 1 million visitors during the Advent period and they’re not only Switzerland’s largest but also its oldest dating back to the late 20th century welcome to Bassel Switzerland it is a wonderful Market but man it is raining and it is super crowded but we’re here we’re devote Christmas fans right not in the perfect conditions this time hey Santa what up what [Music] up the bausers plats Market is the largest and the Heart of Bassel Market scene here you’ll find Charming wooden chalets filled with local food drinks and unique gifts [Music] Swiss chocolate is in abundance and dangerously temped but we chose to start with fun doing St this little Alpine cabin was the perfect spot to dry up and take a rest while enjoying a good fondue we were a bit surprised at the 29 Swiss Franks prize per person though it was delicious but next time we would up for the fondue dog for a third of the price at one of the stor [Music] surrounded by the stunning basil Minster a centuries old Gothic Cathedral moonster plats is a picturesque Market that comes alive with twinkling lights and beautifully decorated wooden Chalet we didn’t waake long to get our cold hands on some delicious glute wine and we unanimously agreed that our favorite potato pancakes and glute wine were at the basil Market with around 40 stalls offering handmade crafts ornaments and even a little something from back home in Lisbon [Music] what a kind surprise a little Portugal representation here in Bassel in the little pastan at [Music] merry we also walked across the bridge to the foodie mile at Advent gas a cozy local focused Market in the Klein basil District here’s where you find a more intimate Vibe with handmade crafts gourmet food stalls and more mold wine perfect for warming up on a chilly Swiss night unfortunately we were full and didn’t try any of the food there but we did see cute little gondolas set up to serve fondue and plenty of nice Hangouts too bad it rained on us this day we made the best out of it Christmas makes everything better and we hope your day in Bowser is dry and as much fun as ours so that’s how we experienced three of Europe’s Most magical Christmas markets in just 3 days each market had its own unique charm strawsburg was Grand and historic colar was intimate and romantic and basil was elegant and festive which of these Christmas markets would you love to visit let us know in the comments below happy Hol holidays

In just 3 days, we visited three of Europe’s most enchanting Christmas markets: From the ‘Capital of Christmas’ in Strasbourg to the storybook charm of Colmar and the Swiss elegance of Basel, we’ll take you on a holiday adventure full of festive lights, mulled wine, and unforgettable charm!

Discover what makes each city’s Christmas markets unforgettable. Whether you’re planning your next holiday getaway or just want to soak in the festive vibes, this guide will inspire you to experience the magic of European Christmas markets!

Itinerary:
📍 Day 1: Strasbourg – The “Capital of Christmas” with over 300 stalls and a breathtaking Christmas tree at Place Kléber.
📍 Day 2: Colmar – A fairytale town with six themed markets, glowing canals, and Alsatian treats.
📍 Day 3: Basel – Swiss elegance with artisan crafts, Swiss fondue and Barfüsserplatz magic.

💡 Helpful Links:
👉 Strasbourg Christmas Market Visitor Guide:
https://noel.strasbourg.eu/en/welcome
👉 Colmar Christmas Market Visitor Guide:
https://www.noel-colmar.com/en/colmar-the-magic-of-christmas/practical
👉 Basel Christmas Market Visitor Guide:
https://www.basel.com/en/events/christmas/christmas-market

🏨 WHERE WE STAYED:
Strasbourg Apartment:
https://www.booking.com/Share-WQSvSO

📑CHAPTER LIST:
00:00 Intro
01:15 Day 1: Strasbourg – The “Capital of Christmas”
13:58 Day 2: Colmar – A fairytale town
17:53 Day 3 Basel – Swiss elegance
23:07 Outro

🔗LINKS MENTIONED IN VIDEO:
👉Strasbourg River Boat:
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