Which Scandinavian Christmas Markets To Visit?
Combine your White Christmas in Lapland trip with a visit to one of these exquisite Christmas Markets. Read our updated guide to the 2021 festive season.
Our Guide to the 2021 Christmas Markets in the Nordic Capitals.
Helsinki Christmas Markets
St Thomas Market
This is the biggest Christmas market in Finland. Red wooden stalls selling crafts, baked goods and other Christmas specialities. On weekends, Santa Claus visits the market, which is open throughout December.
Helsinki Christmas Guide, Date: Senate Square: approx. 7 Dec - 22 Dec
Christmas Market at the Old Student House
Over 160 vendors offering handicrafts and other unique products including candles, knitted goods, ceramics, cards and clothes. Modern spin on the traditional market.
Helsinki Old Student House Market, Date: Old Student House: 15 Dec - 22 Dec
Seurasaari Christmas Path
A lovely pre-Christmas event for families with children. It gives children, as well as adults a possibility to have a look into the world of fairytales and to learn old Finnish Christmas traditions. Plenty of activites will entertain you and your kids.
Seurasaari Open-Air Museum, Date: Mid December (dates vary a little)
Copenhagen Christmas Market
Tivoli Christmas Market
The traditional Christmas market contains about 50 stalls along the pathways of Tivoli selling gifts, decorations, hot drinks to keep you warm, sweets and food.
Tivoli Christmas Market, Date: 17 Nov - 31 Dec, good in the evenings and New Year's Eve.
Nyhavn Christmas Market
Along the water in Nyhavn, this market focuses more on jazz music, traditional Christmas brews and entertainment. Of course, there is plenty of lovely Danish designer crafts on sale.
Nyhavn Christmas Market Facebook link, Date: approx. 15 Nov - 23 Dec
Oslo Christmas Markets
Spikersuppa Market
Right in the centre of Oslo you will find a cosy Christmas market for adults and children - with food and drinks, presents, Christmas delicacies and Christmas decorations, as well as arts and crafts.
Oslo Christmas Markets, 20 Nov - 22 Dec (11am - 7pm), located between the Parliament and the National Theatre.
Folk Museum Christmas Market
This market is incredibly beautiful, set among the traditional Folk houses at Oslo's Folk Museum. Local children dress up and dance & sing traditional songs.
Oslo Folk Museum Christmas Market, Date: Oslo Folk Museum (near the Viking Ship Museum): First two weeks of December
Stockholm Christmas Markets
Christmas Market In The Old Town
In the Old Town Christmas Market you will find Swedish Christmas sweets smoked sausages, reindeer, elkmeat and other delicacies. There is also Glögg (mulled wine), a range of Swedish handicrafts and decorative arts of high-quality workmanship.
Christmas Markets in Stockholm, Date: Old Town, approx. 19 Nov - 23 Dec (11am - 6pm)
Skansen Historic Market
Historic and very traditional, see how a Christmas market looked in Sweden during the 1800's. Skansen is an outdoor cultural museum (as well as zoo) and has, in fact, had a Christmas market since 1903. Plenty of homemade mustards, jams, sausages, marzipan, breads and cakes as well as traditional handicrafts. Very family-friendly with song & dance and activities for children.
Date: Island of Djurgården, 24 Nov - 16 Dec
Tallinn Christmas Market
Tallinn hosts a daily Christmas Market in the medieval Town Hall Square that evokes a special atmosphere with its delicious local foods and a wide range of local crafts.
Town Hall Square: Held 20 Nov - 8 Jan (check exact dates as they are set late in the year).
NOTE: as well as these traditional Christmas markets, most Nordic capitals have ice-skating rinks in the centre of town to enjoy and in many city suburbs, people will hold their own markets or traditional events, such as dancing around Christmas trees. Carol singing is also common to hear around town.
Our Christmas Lapland tours can all be combined with these Nordic capitals. Be sure to double check the Christmas Market dates as they slightly change each year. Some of these markets close around 6pm so again, check for opening and closing times. One of our best selling tours, Scandinavian Capitals by Rail and Ferry offers a convenient way to visit our beautiful winter markets.
Images: Tuukka Ervasti/imagebank.sweden.se, Morten Brun from the Norsk Folkemuseum, Tivoli Gardens.