If you’re already thinking wistfully of Christmas, then markets are probably on your mind. However, lots of the most popular markets can hit your wallet hard.
Many of them are expensive to get to, and some of the cities with the more popular markets have sky high accommodation prices. However, there is one gorgeous market that has been around since the Middle Ages and won’t bankrupt you. Dresden’s Christmas market dates back to 1434 and is the oldest in Germany.
The Striezelmarkt has 240 stands, perfect for a winter’s evening browsing. Located in the heart of the city at Altmarkt square, it is renowned for its Stollen (fruit bread) and mulled wine.
This market will begin on November 26 and run through until December 24.
You can also visit Dresden’s Medieval Christmas market, which is just a short walk from Altmarkt Square and tucked away inside the royal palace.
This market is one of the only originally preserved jousting sites in the world. Here, visitors will be enchanted by knights, medieval themed stalls and traditional crafts. All the food is locally sourced, and the whole market is plastic free.
There are more than 40 stallholders who practice their trade using tools and materials from the late medieval period.
The market takes tremendous pride in its beautifully hand-crafted kitchen utensils, wrought-iron lamps, tailor-made leather belts and bags, jewellery, candles, animal skins, felt slippers and more.
One of the selling points of this market is that Dresden is a very affordable place to visit. If you’re looking to book a trip, you can secure a private twin bedroom near the city centre for as low as £26 per person.
To get there, direct flights leave from London daily. You can also fly to Berlin and catch a train further inland to reach Dresden.