European Christmas Market Trip Checklist: Everything to Do Before You Go
There is nothing quite like a European Christmas market trip, but bringing it all together takes some serious planning. Whether you're months away or weeks out, you need a solid plan to make sure nothing slips through the cracks. We've built this countdown checklist to keep you totally organized every step of the way. Bookmark this page, check off the tasks as your trip gets closer, and get ready for an amazing winter getaway.
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Bruneck / Brunico, Italy
50-75+ Days Out: Confirmation Station
This is the time to lock things in and make sure you have your big tickets and most important documents covered!
Double-check your passport validity: Most European countries require your passport to be valid for at least six months beyond your departure date. Check the expiration date right now.
Verify your flight information: Confirm your flight details, seat selections, and make sure your name matches your passport exactly. Haven’t booked your flights yet? Book that flight, silly goose! You can sometimes find last-minute deals here.
Double-check market dates: Christmas market opening dates shift slightly every year. Verify the exact dates for the cities you're visiting to make sure they align with your travel days. Search “(whatever destination name) Christmas Market Dates 2026 Tourist Visit Tourism” (Why so many random words? Modern tourism boards and convention and visitors bureaus often go by names like “Linz Tourism,” “Visit Berlin,” or similar. Scroll past any AI recap that is sometimes full of randomly pulled-together information, and go to the official tourism websites for official dates. That’s the only place we pull our information from! Other tour operators, hotels, blogs, or websites might not. This search is more likely to bring official websites to the forefront.)
Confirm all accommodations: Your hotels should absolutely be booked by now. If you're still looking for the best spots, check out our curated guide to Christmas Market Hotels.
Coordinate pet care: Good pet sitters book up fast around the holidays. Reach out to friends and family, or book a highly rated sitter through platforms like Rover or TrustedHousesitters so you don't have to stress about it later.
Purchase travel insurance: Winter weather can easily cause flight delays, and it's always better to be protected against cancellations or unexpected medical emergencies abroad. You can find travel insurance here!
Frankfurt, Germany
30-50 Days Out: Transport, Tickets, & Events
With your flights and hotels booked, it's time to plan how you'll get around and what you'll do once you're there.
Finalize all transportation plans: Whether you're taking high-speed rail or renting a car, it’s time to get it booked. If you're relying on small regional or local trains that don't require advance booking, at least make a plan for them and map out your routes.
Create a transit backup plan: European train strikes happen. Review our guide on Alternative Transportation During Train Strikes so you know exactly what to do if your primary route gets canceled.
Research local pop-ups and events: Christmas time brings so many special concerts, holiday parades, and regional festivals to these towns. Check local tourism boards or event calendars for the cities you're visiting so you don't miss unique, one-off seasonal experiences.
Book must-try dining reservations: Popular restaurants in well-visited areas book out weeks in advance. Make your reservations accordingly!
Plan for holiday closures: If your trip dates include December 24, 25, or 26, be aware that many elements of European cities completely shut down. Grocery stores, restaurants, and even most markets will be closed. Book dining reservations for those days ASAP, and confirm whether your hotel has any open restaurants on those days.
Book tours and attraction tickets: Secure your spots for guided walking tours, museum entries, or special excursions through platforms like GetYourGuide or Viator.
Order your festive cozy layers: You're likely going to be outside for hours at a time, so warm clothes are non-negotiable. We’ve created a cute, festive line of Christmas-market-ready clothes for any Christmas market world tour! Grab a sweatshirt from our Vacation Starter Pack: Christmas Market Collection so you stay warm and look great in your market photos. Because everything is made to order, shipping times vary depending on where you live and what you order, and can take 7-24 days.
Crowd Favorite Christmas Markets
Wondering which markets are the most popular with past travelers? Check out which ones are the favorites!
Salzburg, Austria
30 Days Out: Mapping Your Days
Now you can focus on the fun part: mapping out your daily explorations!
Build your more detailed itinerary: In addition to a general itinerary that's easy to reference at a glance, you’ll want to nail down any details to make sure the flow of your days and your trip make sense. Now that you’ve booked dining reservations, transportation choices, tour times, and attraction tickets, add those times to your itinerary, then find out what else you might have time for!
Make a Google My Maps: Pin all of your trip destinations, accommodations, and points of interest into a custom map so you can visually see how close things are to each other. Save your "nice to do" spots, like interesting cafes, shops, and secondary sights, to Google Maps or Google Keep. Not everything has to be super scheduled, but keeping them saved in an easy-to-reference place means you won't forget them when you have a free hour.
Plan your cash strategy: Some European Christmas markets are heavily cash-based, especially for small food stalls and the mug deposit system (the Pfand). Check your bank's international ATM fees or order some local currency in advance.
Start breaking in your shoes: You'll be walking miles every day of your trip, often on uneven cobblestones. If you bought new winter boots or walking shoes, start wearing them around your house or neighborhood now to avoid blisters on your trip.
Strasbourg, France
14 Days Out: Prep, Packing & Logistics
You're two weeks away. It's time to get your gear in order!
Make your packing list: Write out everything you need, focusing heavily on warm, water-resistant layers and excellent walking shoes. Need tips for what to pack? Check out our packing list essentials here!
Order missing items: Buy any extra items you might need for your packing list at least two weeks in advance. Of all the things to bring, be sure to order and test a portable charger! The cold temperatures will kill your phone battery much faster than you expect. We love this MagSafe one so we can stay hands-free and wire-free, and we shop and bop around the markets and cities.
Check your prescriptions: Make sure you're good to go if you need any medications specifically for traveling, or if you need to request refills before your trip.
Figure out your data plan: Decide if you're purchasing an international plan through your cell phone provider or downloading an eSIM. We use Airalo for eSIMs on our trip!
Plan your souvenir space: Between the handmade ornaments, local treats, and the ceramic mugs you'll inevitably keep, you need extra room. Pack a foldable duffle bag in your suitcase to use as a carry-on for the flight home, or leave one side of your suitcase completely empty. For more tips on safely bringing home souvenirs, check out this blog!
Check your luggage trackers: Make sure you have your luggage trackers like the AirTags ready to go. If you’re reusing ones you’ve used for a while, ensure the battery is fresh so you know exactly where your bags are at all times.
Villeneuve, Switzerland
7 Days Out: The Final Details
You're in the home stretch! Just a few final security measures and last-minute tasks.
Get a VPN: A week or so before you leave, make sure you download a VPN. You never want to use unprotected public Wi-Fi in cafes, hotels, or on trains as you travel.
Freeze your credit: Speaking of unprotected wifi, another great way to protect yourself, your credit score, and your identity is to freeze your credit before you leave home. You can temporarily freeze your credit with the three credit bureaus so that if your passport or identity is stolen, you can rest easy knowing no one else can open a line of credit in your name. This doesn’t stop fraud charges on cards you already have; it prevents anyone from opening new lines of credit in your name, which is one less thing to be concerned about while you’re traveling! The Points Guy has a great blog explaining more about this.
Print two (or three) passport copies: Put them in different bags you're bringing so you're never without some variation of a photo ID if you need to find an embassy because your official passport is lost or stolen. Things happen!
Pack an emergency credit card: Put one emergency credit card in a different bag. If your wallet is ever lost or stolen, it’s a great idea to keep an extra credit card in a bag that’s not with your wallet, in an unassuming pocket. This way, if something terrible happens, you still have at least one form of payment you can use to check into accommodations, buy food, or pay for your luggage at the airport.
Make sure your Apple Wallet is up to date: In addition to an extra physical credit card, make sure you have at least one or two active debit or credit cards on your Apple Wallet that are ready for use. Much of Europe uses tap to pay, so this is a quick, easy solution that doesn’t even require you to pull out your wallet. Or, if the worst happens and your wallet is lost or stolen, you'll still have backup payment methods on your phone. (Sorry if you’re an Android user; there’s probably another word for this, but as a (nearly) lifelong iPhone owner, this is what I know!)
Notify your bank: This isn’t applicable to all, but some need to know this tip! Some credit card companies and banks require a travel notice to ensure your cards aren't flagged for fraud when you make purchases. If this applies to you, let your bank know you plan to travel soon.
Enroll in STEP: If you're American, download the Trusted Traveler App and enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP).
Download offline maps: Cell service can be unpredictable in crowded markets. Download Google Maps for offline use so you can navigate without needing cell service.
Download your travel apps: Have all the apps you need for your trip downloaded onto your phone. Here are the 10 Apps to Download Before Your Christmas Markets Trip!
Share your itinerary: Make sure a friend or family member has a copy of your detailed itinerary, hotel addresses, and flight information just in case of an emergency.
Pause your mail: Make sure no deliveries are scheduled to arrive at your home while you're gone to prevent holiday porch pirates, or make sure someone can coordinate care of your packages.
Pack! Lay everything out, double-check your list, and get everything zipped up. You're ready to go!