The Most Beautiful Christmas Market in the World is Just 2 Hours from Spain: One of the Oldest in Europe You'll Want to Visit This Year

The calendar indicates that there is still time until Christmas arrives, but the Christmas market season is closer than it seems. Around November 20, many cities will open their markets, such as Colmar in France or Warsaw in Poland. All of Europe will be adorned with lights, garlands, and wooden stalls, attracting millions of visitors.

But if there is one destination that becomes truly beautiful during this time and whose Christmas market is among the most beautiful in the world, it is Strasbourg, France (opening on November 26). It is considered the "Christmas capital" and the best part is that it's only a two-hour flight from Spain. "For over a month, Strasbourg is infused with a festive and spiritual essence that is unparalleled in Europe," as stated on the Visit Strasbourg website.

Magic fills its streets and has done so since the Middle Ages. Around December 6, the St. Nicholas market was celebrated, offering gifts to children. When the city became Protestant in the 16th century, it became the market of the Christ Child, and since 1870 has maintained the same location, Plaza Broglie. In the 1990s, it expanded throughout Strasbourg to include the current over 300 stalls.

In addition to being one of the most beautiful in the world, it is also one of the oldest in Europe - and the oldest in France - with four centuries of tradition that continue to dazzle both visitors and locals. The city turns into a true spectacle for four weeks, from sunset until well into the night. Shop windows, streets, squares, and small plazas shine brightly and connect with beautiful light garlands.

In Plaza Kléber stands the majestic fir tree as a highlight of the Christmas spirit. It measures 30 meters in height and commemorates the Alsatian tradition of over five centuries. Furthermore, it's a perfect moment to enjoy Strasbourg and its places of worship, whether Catholic, Protestant, or Orthodox, which are open to the public during this time and host concerts, exhibitions, and carol recitals.

In the cathedral, beautifully lit, one can admire the collection of tapestries that narrate the life of the Virgin Mary, among the most valuable in the country, made at the request of Richelieu for King Louis XIII and originally intended for the choir of Notre-Dame de Paris. But since the 18th century, they have been part of the treasures of Strasbourg cathedral and are displayed only between Advent and Epiphany.

Many other towns and cities in Alsace celebrate a magical, intimate, and cozy Christmas, such as Ribeauvillé, Riquewihr, Kaysersberg, Colmar, Eguisheim, Mulhouse, Obernai, or Haguenau. But Christmas in Strasbourg is experienced differently. Perhaps due to its antiquity, or perhaps because the magic has truly transcended all limits of imagination and has taken root here, with no intention of leaving.