The most beautiful Christmas markets in the Netherlands

Twinkling lights, atmospheric stalls, and the scent of hot chocolate and fresh waffles: during the winter months, cozy Christmas markets pop up all over the Netherlands. But what are the most beautiful Christmas markets in the Netherlands?

From celebrating Christmas in the caves of Valkenburg to strolling past hundreds of Christmas stalls in Haarlem: we’ve lined up the best Christmas markets in the Netherlands for 2026 for you. Put on your scarf, your gloves, and go!

Welcome to Christmas City Valkenburg, the Christmas market that has been named 'Most Beautiful Christmas Market in the Netherlands'. For those who want to experience the most beautiful Christmas market in the Netherlands, Valkenburg is the destination. During the winter months, Valkenburg transforms into a fairytale setting full of lights, music, and wintry scents.

While you enjoy the sparkling Christmas Parade above ground with dancers, floats, and cheerful Christmas melodies, a completely different Christmas world awaits underground.

An underground Christmas

In the mysterious Velvet Cave and Municipal Cave, you wander past illuminated stalls, artisanal products, and miniature villages stretching for meters, meticulously detailed down to the last detail. The scent of mulled wine and warm waffles fills the corridors, while the candlelight makes the marl walls glisten.

Meanwhile, above ground, Valkenburg continues to buzz merrily. Expect cozy terraces, illuminated routes, and Christmas shows that complete the picture. It is precisely this combination of Christmas both above and below ground that makes the Christmas market in Valkenburg so special. Valkenburg is the ideal place for a romantic Christmas getaway in Limburg.

Anyone who loves a touch of elegance during the holidays will feel right at home in December at the Royal Christmas Fair in The Hague . Every year, you will find one of the most famous Christmas markets in the Netherlands on the stately Lange Voorhout, featuring atmospheric Christmas stalls, thousands of lights, and crackling fires. The monumental buildings and tall trees surrounding the avenue complete the wintry picture.

Christmas shopping on the Lange Voorhout

There is plenty to discover among the many Christmas stalls. Stroll past stalls featuring jewelry, clothing, Christmas decorations, handmade products, and unique gifts for under the tree. Meanwhile, the lights and festive decorations ensure you naturally get into the Christmas spirit. The nice thing about this Christmas market is the combination of the cozy stalls and the unique location. From the Lange Voorhout, you can easily walk right into the center of The Hague. Ideal for those who want to continue their Christmas shopping.

Nostalgia in the heart of the city! That is what you can expect at the Haarlem Christmas Market. The Christmas market winds its way through the historic city center, taking over various streets and squares. The heart of the city forms the backdrop for one of the most beautiful Christmas markets in the Netherlands.

The Christmas market attracts thousands of visitors every year who immerse themselves in the pure Christmas atmosphere, and not without reason.

Tradition and conviviality

Scattered throughout the city center, at no fewer than twelve locations, you will find stalls with delicacies, Christmas gifts, and artisanal products. The Grote Markt forms one of the atmospheric focal points, with the impressive St. Bavo Church in the background.

Back to the 19th century

But the Christmas spirit doesn't stop there. In the Schagchelstraat, you step back in time during the Christmas market. The atmospheric *Straatje van Emma* takes on a nineteenth-century touch, complete with historical decorations, old-fashioned shop windows, and characters in matching costumes. You really feel as though you are at a 19th-century Christmas in a medieval style.

Celebrating Christmas amidst canals and monumental buildings? Leiden has exactly the right setting for it. During the Winter Wonder Weeks, the Nostalgic Christmas Market Leiden sets up shop around the Hooglandse Kerkgracht. Christmas stalls, lights, and wintry scents temporarily take over this historic part of the city.

Scoring gifts between the canals

There is plenty to browse at the stalls. Perhaps you will find that one gift for under the tree, a nice Christmas decoration, or, above all, something tasty for yourself. With the Hooglandse Church in the background, the market naturally takes on that nostalgic atmosphere the name already suggests.

And after that? You are already in the heart of Leiden. The charming shopping streets and canals are just around the corner, so a stroll around the Christmas market certainly doesn't have to be the end of your day.

Ice skating with the Rijksmuseum in the background and then straight to the Christmas market: two winter favorites come together on Museumplein. During Christmas Village Amsterdam, dozens of atmospheric Christmas stalls are scattered across one of the capital's most famous squares.

Ice skating on the Museumplein

What makes this Christmas market so popular is the combination of skating, shopping, and enjoying winter treats. The outdoor ice rink at Ice*Amsterdam forms the winter heart of Museumplein. Put on your skates for a few laps on the ice, or simply watch the winter scenes from the sidelines with something warm in your hands.

Even more Christmas markets in Amsterdam

It doesn't stop at just one Christmas market in the capital. Scattered throughout Amsterdam, even more markets and events pop up during the winter. For instance, you can visit the Funky Xmas Market and the Pure Markt Wintermarkt, while the Amsterdam Winterparadijs offers plenty of winter activities and entertainment.

You don't have to travel all the way to the far north for Scandinavian Christmas vibes. During the Swedish Christmas Market in Groningen, Swedish traditions and Groningen coziness come together in the old Sugar Factory. For two days, the industrial setting is home to more than a hundred Scandinavian pop-up shops.

Scandinavian Christmas shopping

Among the wooden stalls, you will find plenty of beautiful things from the North. Think handmade Christmas decorations, wool scarves, ornaments, and original gifts that seem to come straight out of a Scandinavian Christmas movie. Warm, atmospheric, and often delightfully simple.

And then those smells... It is almost impossible to miss the freshly baked cinnamon rolls and warm glögg, the Swedish version of mulled wine. Sample various Scandinavian delicacies along the way and let yourself be surprised by music and Christmas choirs. For a moment, Groningen feels suspiciously like Sweden.

In December, Gouda is transformed into a true wonderland filled with the glow of lights, music, and winter scents. During Winterfair Gouda, various stalls are set up in the historic St. John's Church and on the squares, where you can browse through gifts, unique products, and delicacies.

Gouda by Candlelight

What makes the Christmas market in Gouda so special? The first day of the Winterfair coincides with Gouda by Candlelight. The historic city center is atmospherically illuminated and is dedicated to music, light, and coziness. There is no place in the Netherlands where the Christmas atmosphere is so romantic. As soon as evening falls, the streetlights go out, and the windows of the town hall, the churches, and the houses around the Market Square are lit by more than a thousand candles.

So be sure to combine the Winter Fair with a walk through the city center. Chances are you'll automatically head home with a healthy dose of Christmas spirit.

For a creative Christmas market, you’ve come to the right place in Arnhem in December. During the Zeldzaam Mooi Christmas Market Arnhem, Jansplein and the surrounding streets are filled with stalls from local and regional artists, designers, and creative entrepreneurs offering handmade and self-designed products, unique vintage finds, and artisanal treats. Anyone who loves products with a story will find plenty of inspiration here for the most original Christmas gifts.

Atmospheric Christmas activities

Live music and Christmas acts create atmosphere on various corners of the shopping streets, while the countless restaurants and cafes in Arnhem serve hot chocolate or mulled wine for those who want to warm up in between. The cozy market is located around Jansplein, from Koningstraat to the 7 Straatjes.