Christmas Markets Report 2025

Key findings include:

• Vilnius, Lithuania offers easily the best overall value, with a total cost of £509 for two people 

• Riga, Latvia ranks second at £555, with cheaper meals, drinks and airport transfers than Vilnius 

• Bratislava, Slovakia drops to third place from first last year. Meal, drink and airport transfer costs are up 8.5% and accommodation is up 12.9% 

• Gdansk, Poland holds fourth place, with costs down 1.7% since last year’s survey 

• Also in Poland, Warsaw enters the chart in fifth place and Krakow features seventh 

• Berlin is the best value Western European city. It rises to eighth after a 21.8% drop in costs, the biggest of all cities surveyed, particularly on flights and accommodation 

• Prague falls to 13th place after prices rose by almost 50% due to fewer flights and hotel options. It’s still one of the cheapest in the list for meals and drinks 

• Copenhagen is the most expensive city at £1,056. Food and drink costs more than double those in the cheapest cities 

• Vienna, Austria is the second most expensive at £926, though its overall cost has dipped slightly since 2024 

• Despite a weaker pound, prices have dropped in half the cities surveyed 

European Christmas Market dates and locations 

Here’s where and when the Christmas markets are happening in the places we surveyed. 

• Berlin, Germany: 24 November to 31 December, Gendarmenmarkt 

• Bratislava, Slovakia: 21 November to 31 December (excluding 24-26 December), Main Square 

• Budapest, Hungary: 15 November to 31 December, Vörösmarty Square 

• Copenhagen, Denmark: 14 November to 4 January, Tivoli Gardens 

• Gdansk, Poland: 21 November to 23 December, Coal Market 

• Krakow, Poland: 28 November to 26 December, Rynek Square   

• Lille, France: 20 November to 29 December, Place Rihour 

• Prague, Czech Republic: 29 November-6 January, Old Town Square 

• Riga, Latvia: 28 November to 4 January, Dome Square 

• Stockholm, Sweden: 28 November to 21 December, Old Town and Skansen 

• Tallinn, Estonia: 21 November to 27 December, Town Hall Square 

• Vienna, Austria: 14 November to 26 December, City Hall Square 

• Vilnius, Lithuania: 29 November to 28 December, Cathedral Square 

• Warsaw, Poland: 23 November to 6 January, Old Town Square  

• Zagreb, Croatia: 29 November to 7 January, Zrinjevac Square 

Your travel money checklist

From long-haul holidays to weekend breaks, it’s important to get your travel money sorted before you go. Remember, you’ll often get a better exchange rate if you buy in advance rather than at the airport. 

• Get a Post Office Travel Money Card: A safe and simple way to spend and budget abroad, our Travel Money Card allows you to load up to 22 currencies, lock in the exchange rate and keep track of your spending while you’re away 

• Take out foreign currency: It’s always a good idea to take a little cash for tips, smaller purchases or to spend in places that don’t take cards. You can buy foreign currency in 7,000 of our branches or buy online for collection in any branch or delivery to your door 

• Check the exchange rates: Don’t forget that exchange rates change all the time. Check the exchange rate for where you’re going and buy when the rate is good 

Other holiday checks and essentials

• Check your passport: Make sure your passport won’t expire soon. Some countries want it to be valid for at least 6 months after you come back. If it’s running out, renew your passport early as it can take time 

• Get travel insurance: Travel insurance may help cover costs if something goes wrong on your trip, like emergency medical assistance, cancelled flights, lost bags or delays, depending on the cover level. If you're going to the EU, a Global Health Insurance Card (Ghic) can help with some medical costs, but it doesn’t cover everything 

• Save money on phone use: Using your phone abroad can be expensive. You can get an eSIM that keeps you connected for your holiday essentials like contacting people back home, maps, apps and more. Choose your destination and how much you want, from 1GB to unlimited data bundles, valid for up to 30 days 

• Check travel advice: Before you go, check the latest official travel advice. Rules can change quickly, and if you ignore them, your insurance might not be valid