The Underrated Christmas Markets of Europe

There’s nothing better to get you into the spirit of the season than a good Christmas market in Europe. Brian Johnston finds Switzerland is an oft overlooked gem when it come to festive stalls.

Nothing captures the season of good cheer more than the light-twinkled Christmas markets that enliven Swiss towns throughout December. They’re an atmospheric alternative to shopping malls, tempting with handicrafts, candles and Christmas-tree ornaments.

They set your stomach growling with the scent of roasting chestnuts, mustard-slathered sausages and hot wine, and make your toes tap to the sounds of carolling buskers. If snow falls, you’ll feel as if you’ve stepped into a pop-up Christmas card.

Best of all, Christmas markets bring warmth to the winter in a lovely slice of European tradition that has survived since the Middle Ages.

Every city and town in Switzerland has its Christmas markets great and small, but Zurich is a good place to start your tinsel tour.

christmas switzerland festivals — This decorated tree at Basel’s Christmas market looks like it came straight out of a fairy tale.

You don’t even have to go beyond the train station, whose market is the largest indoor Christmas market in Switzerland, with some 150 mini-chalet stalls presided over by a Swarovski-decorated tree.

There are also markets in old-town Niederdorf and Sechselaeutenplatz, and on Buerkliplatz you can make your own candles: popular both with kids and adults, who give them as gifts. But my favourite might be the little market on Werdmuehlerplatz with its ‘singing’ Christmas tree of carollers.

Basel spills its biggest Christmas market across Barfüsserplatz and around the nearby church, adding to the appeal of an already lovely old town.

As well as small gift and food stalls there are usually craft workshops for children and pop-up bars for adults decorated with chandeliers, disco balls and lights.

It’s a short walk to a smaller, very atmospheric market on Münsterplatz beside the cathedral, presided over by one of Switzerland’s largest Christmas trees.

Kids can make gingerbread in the Fairytale Forest, though the traditional nibble is actually a Graettimann, a man-shaped brioche studded with almonds and raisins.

Christmas markets are generally more modest in French-speaking destinations such as Geneva, Lausanne and Morges, where you can swap your Glühwein for vin chaud.

Montreux is an exception, with half a million people each season flocking to 150 stalls spread along the town’s Alp-gazing, lakefront promenades.

It’s particularly good because there are other seasonal activities nearby too, including a Christmas village in Caux; a mountain-train ride to Santa’s lair atop the spectacular Rochers-de-Naye; and medieval mummery at Chillon Castle.

St. Gallen is swathed in star-shaped lights and has a market jammed into its old town beneath its famous abbey.

Another famous monastery and its baroque church supplies the backdrop to a Christmas market in Einsiedeln, whose higher altitude makes it likely that snow will provide the true winter wonderland feel.

Stein am Rhein themes its market on a different fairytale each year, and the market in Lucerne’s Franziskanerplatz resounds with oompah bands.

And in the capital of Bern the delightful market is held beneath the cathedral, where rounds of gingerbread the size of platters offer sustenance to push on until every last bauble has been browsed.

Wellbeing means different things to different travellers. Here’s how to pick a hotel that gets it right for you.

The best wellness holidays aren’t necessarily spent wrapped in a spa robe. Sometimes they’re found around a dinner table in Cambodia, on a hiking trail in New Zealand or after finally beating jet lag on the other side of the world. The hotel you choose is what makes them happen.

1. Easy access to good food

meals from Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20 — Taste delicious meals at Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20.

One of the quickest ways to derail healthy habits on holiday is to spend half of it working out where to eat instead of digging into the culture around you. Thankfully, Novotel has done much of the hard work already, with chefs building menus that lean into the flavours, ingredients and traditions of each destination.

In Sihanoukville, Cambodia, Korkor soup – often dubbed ‘Cambodian ratatouille’ – sits alongside raw blue crab dressed with lime and chilli, best enjoyed with views across the Gulf of Thailand.

In the lovingly chaotic city of Bangkok, the presence of food cranks up the sociability. At Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20, you can settle in with mango sticky rice and stranger-turned-friends beside the pool at Sky on 20 rooftop bar, or bring them along to tackle river prawns and stir-fried crab with holy basil at the buzzing Crab Paradise Dinner Buffet.

Then Novotel Dubai Al Barsha welcomes you with a laidback twist on the level of indulgence the Middle Eastern city is best known for up on Deck Se7en. Looking towards Burj Al Arab, the rooftop lounge has everything from Mediterranean-style dishes like seabass ceviche to Italian prosecco sundowners.

At the other end of the scale, in the hills that surround the Novotel Bali Ubud Resort, calm comes from nature. At Siralada restaurant, Balinese traditions shape the menu while thunder rumbles over the surrounding jungle – proving the setting is as nourishing as the food itself.

While at Novotel Nha Trang, chef Kieu Thi My Hanh and her team showcase Vietnam’s knack for balancing freshness, texture and fragrant herbs. Pho remains a favourite, while seafood salad with pomelo and mango brings those flavours together in one bright dish.

It’s all an approach backed by partnerships with expert food creators such as Alfie Steiner, whose plant-forward recipes prove healthy food should never taste plain.

2. Better sleep options

Novotel Bali Ubud Resort room — Sleep deeply with Novotel.

There are few travel experiences more disappointing than arriving in a new country, determined to seize the day, only to fall asleep fully clothed by 3pm.

For Australian travellers, jet lag is often an unavoidable part of the journey. That’s one reason Novotel runs sleep-focused initiatives that help guests adjust quickly without compromising on health. We’re talking partnerships with Sydney-based sleep specialist Olivia Arezzolo, known for her advice on everything from better sleep habits to beating jet lag, alongside features like pillow menus, in-room yoga content and tailored sleep guidance.

The sooner you’re operating on local time, the sooner you can get back to more pressing matters – like deciding which spa treatment to book.

3. More ways to move

woman hiking around queenstown new zealand — Stay at Novotel Queenstown Lakeside and explore local hiking trails. (Credit: GettyI mages/ naruedom)

Every place in the world has its own way of getting you moving: whether that’s hiking up ice-bitten mountains before a sauna or gentle stretching by the pool before a facial. From fitness centres to spas, Novotel recognises that wellbeing rarely looks the same.

At Novotel Queenstown Lakeside, activity is inescapable. Here, hiking trails, ski fields, bungee jumps, and white-water rafting have made the region famous. The hotel’s location on the shores of Lake Wakatipu means less time spent organising yourself and more time out there experiencing them. To top it all off, you can book a private hot tub for the evening before heading back into the wilderness tomorrow.

Bali, of course, takes a softer approach. At Novotel Bali Ubud Resort or Novotel Bali Nusa Dua, movement is less about conquering a mountain and more about a dance class between the tropical gardens and lagoon pools. Afterwards, the spa takes over, with traditional treatments like a Lulur body scrub: a combination of rice, turmeric, sandalwood, ginger and jasmine that’ll soothe muscles already relaxed by the Balinese heat.

4. Better connections

Kids will love a stay at Novotel Sharm El Sheikh.

One of the best things about travel is that it gives your family stories you’ll be telling for years. Novotel helps create them with activities that bring everyone together, whether that’s trying something new, learning a local skill, or simply spending more time together.

Go for a distinctly Thai twist at Novotel Phuket Vintage Park, where many of the family activities draw on local culture. Kids can try everything from beginner Thai boxing and language lessons to umbrella painting and – a pastime beloved by children the world over – pool foam parties. Everyone is welcome to join in, whether that’s getting splashed, covered in paint, or simply watching their children discover a new side of Thailand during the dedicated Family & Kids Day.

A different adventure awaits at Novotel Sharm El Sheikh. Kids could be perfectly content with discos, drawing classes and new holiday friends, but the Red Sea has other ideas. Sitting on the edge of Naama Bay, days here might involve snorkelling colourful reefs, taking a boat trip to Ras Mohammed National Park or heading into the desert by quad bike or camel for a Bedouin-style dinner beneath the stars.

5. Location is everything

Surin Beach, Choeng Thale, Thalang District, Phuket, Thaiföld — Explore Phuket’s gorgeous beaches. (Credit: Bence Biczo)

Everyone’s idea of wellness looks a little different. With more than 600 hotels across 65 countries, Novotel gives guests the freedom to choose the destination that suits them best. Whether that’s a beachside escape in Phuket, an alpine expedition in Queenstown or a city break in Bangkok, there’s a good chance a Novotel isn’t far away.

All that’s left? Choosing your version of wellbeing.

Discover stays to inspire your everyday at novotel.accor.com.

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