Exploring Europe’s enchanting Christmas markets has never been more accessible, both in terms of time and cost. Whether this is “thanks” to rising prices within the UK or simply some strategic travel planning, you can reach some of the most festive Christmas markets on our continent quicker and more affordably than those in the UK!
Stockholm’s Christmas markets are spread across the old town, the central park, an open-air museum and the historic squares around the city. These markets boast local delicacies, traditional Swedish handicrafts and festive decorations, as well as a particularly festive ambiance from live performances and even an ice skating rink.
If this sounds like your kind of festive celebration, you’re in luck as flights from London Stansted to Stockholm are as low as £15!
Compare this to the price of a train ticket on the same day, the last Wednesday in November, from London Euston to Manchester Piccadilly, where the best UK Christmas markets are considered to be. This comes out at £34 for the very cheapest ticket, but it is later in the day and with limited availability. The time of travel comes out very similar at 2h 11m on the train in the UK compared to 2h 25m flights to Stockholm!
Travel experts at FareCompare keep an eye on the times that flights are best to book to get the best value, and Julian Gurfinkiel has shared his tips on how to find these elusive cheap flights:
“If you have the opportunity to be flexible with days, times and destinations for last minute flights, your options open up hugely! Have a list of locations for the festive fun ready and use our Getaway Map which will help you secure the cheapest flights.
“My top tip is to search for flights on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, especially in the lead up to Christmas. These days are known as “dead zones”, the cheapest times to fly as the airlines have a lot of empty seats to sell.
“For example, Budapest has a fantastic Christmas market that’s just a 2h 30m flight from Luton. By opening up the dates to any time before Christmas, we found a Tuesday flight at the end of November for just £31. Compare this to a trip from London to Edinburgh that takes over 6 hours and costs a minimum of £70 for a train ticket.”
However Julian does warn against jumping the gun on flights and forgetting other costs:
“It’s not always as good as it seems though! Once you’ve found the cheapest flight to your intended destination, make sure to weigh up other costs such as accommodation, food and any additional travel required. You may need to take public transport from the airport to the Christmas markets, and you will likely need somewhere to stay overnight so you can enjoy the festive atmosphere at night too. Even taking this into account though, you’ll likely find destinations across Europe that come up cheaper (and more enjoyable!) for an entire trip than within the UK!
“Don’t forget to factor in exchange rates in the destination too, as Stockholm has come out surprisingly well in part thanks to the Swedish kronor’s value dipping compared to the GBP, meaning that once costly food and drink there is now much better value.”
Total Costs for Christmas Market Destinations
To more accurately compare how cheaply you could do a one night Christmas market trip within Europe or the UK, FareCompare looked at the best prices available right now for the following: travel to the destination (flights or train), shared accommodation in a hostel dorm, an average cost for public transportation for a single day (from the airport and within the city), and an average cost for breakfast, lunch and dinner with drinks.
- Stockholm (29th November)
- Flight: £15
- Hostel dorm: £17
- Public transport: £24
- Food & drink: £33
- Total: £89
- Manchester (29th November)
- Train: £34
- Hostel dorm: £29
- Public transport: £5
- Food & drink: £32
- Total: £98
- Budapest (28th November)
- Flight: £31
- Hostel dorm: £7
- Public transport: £3
- Food & drink: £18
- Total: £59
- Edinburgh (28th November)
- Train: £70
- Hostel dorm: £15
- Public transport: £5
- Food & drink: £35
- Total: £125
