Cheap Christmas market breaks from the UK
Updated October 2026 · by the HopCheap team
A Christmas market weekend doesn't need to cost a fortune. The best value is usually in Central and Eastern Europe, where flights from UK airports are plentiful and food and drink cost less.
Best-value markets
- Kraków: Main Market Square market; one of the cheapest city breaks from the UK.
- Budapest: Vörösmarty Square and St Stephen's Basilica markets, plus the thermal baths.
- Prague: Old Town Square — beautiful but busy; stay outside the centre to save.
- Vienna: several markets; pricier, but compact and easy.
- Germany (Cologne, Berlin, Nuremberg): classic markets — check flights to nearby airports.
Timing
Most markets open from mid-to-late November until around Christmas (some run into early January). Dates vary by city each year, so check the official city sites. Weekday trips in late November and early December are usually cheaper than mid-December weekends.
Money tips
- Book early — Christmas-market weekends sell out.
- Many markets charge a mug deposit; return it or keep it as a souvenir.
- Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic use their own currencies — pay in local currency, not pounds, when card machines ask.
- Go hand luggage only, and check the entry rules for Europe.
We don't quote fixed prices in our guides because fares change constantly — the search buttons fetch current fares. Entry rules can change: always check GOV.UK before you travel.