If a trip to a European Christmas market has to remain on the bucket list for another year, there are lots of places in the U.S. where you can get a similar experience with no passport or long plane flight needed. You’ll find Glühwein flowing, handcrafts to buy, and holiday vibes that feel straight out of the streets of a German, Dutch, or Scandinavian village.
These are my top picks for the best European-style Christmas markets in the United States. Taking place in both big cities and smaller towns across the country, they’ll get you in the holiday spirit and give you a taste of some of that Old World Christmas magic.
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1. Carmel Christkindlmarkt
Carmel, Indiana
Founded in 2017, the nonprofit Carmel Christkindlmarkt draws almost half a million visitors each year to Carter Green in Hamilton County, Indiana. Open from November 23 through December 24, 2024, the market hosts German woodworkers and glassblowers and other artisans selling their wares from traditional wooden huts.
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Festive foods and beverages are easy to find, including a new-this-year German cocktail (feuerzangenbowle) topped with a flaming rum-soaked sugar cone. Make time for a spin around the outdoor ice rink and to admire the 33-foot-tall traditional Glühwein Pyramid.
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