The 12 Markets of Christmas

The 12 MARKETS of Christmas 6 Traditional & 6 Alternative Traditional Liseberg| Gothenburg Located in the charming city of Gothenburg, Sweden's Liseberg Christmas Market offers a truly thrilling festive experience - that's because it's set in a theme park! It's particularly suited to families - children can enjoy the Lapland area, explore a medieval village, meet real reindeer, and there are lots of family friendly rides to try. Plaisirs d'Hiver Brussels Brussels certainly goes big during the holidays, with the Plaisirs d'Hiver Market. Festive attractions include a fabulous 60-metre ice rink, 250 market chalets, an interactive iceberg(), sound and light installations and fairground rides. The market even features a 54-metre-long ice monster taking children on an educational journey with sound effects and laser beams. Fira de Santa Llúcia Barcelona Situated by the striking Catedral de Barcelona, a visit to Fira de Santa Llúcia Christmas Market is the perfect pit stop on a festive trip to this Spanish city. Dating back to 1786, the market boasts over 270 stalls selling classic Christmas decorations, trees, gifts and delicious Spanish food. Yum yum. Natalis Lisbon Portugal's biggest Christmas market is found in its cultured capital city, Lisbon. Enjoy Christmas choirs, live music, festive theatre shows and exclusive book launches. Plus, to fill those Christmas stockings, visitors will find plenty of stalls selling everything from handicrafts to home decorations and toys. Cologne Cathedral Market Cologne The mother of all Christmas markets sits in front of the stunning Cologne Cathedral in Germany's fourth-largest city. Join the estimated 4 million visitors to admire the tallest Christmas tree in Rhineland and find a festive treat among quaintly-decorated huts in this self-proclaimed 'Christmas Capital of Europe'. Union Square Market New York New Yorkers do Christmas in style, so why not join them to celebrate this year? Union Square Holiday Market certainly doesn't disappoint when it comes to festive frivolities. Splash some Christmas cash across 150 red Union Square and white shopping stalls brimming with exciting gifts. No wonder this popular market attracts more than 1 million visitors each year. Alternative Christmas Festival Dubai Who says you can't have winter sun and snow? Despite being 26°C in December, at Dubai's Christmas Festival you won't miss out on festive traditions. Visitors can participate in workshops such as gift-wrapping, ornament personalising and gingerbread house making. For those missing the chill back home there is even an artificial snow fight zone - snowball fans, get rolling! Santa Pauli Hamburg The Santa Pauli Christmas Market in the atmospheric German city of Hamburg is perhaps the epitome of an alternative Christmas Market. Anne Summers meets Santa. Dubbed 'Germany's Most Frivolous Christmas market', visitors can enjoy erotic sex shows, a drinks service from topless 'angels', 'porn karaoke' and select sensual gifts from a variety of stalls. Licques Festival Licques The town of Licques, otherwise known as 'Turkey town' celebrates the holidays in a rather unique way. The festival includes a Sunday morning parade of hundreds of turkeys, while spectators pick a bird for their Christmas table and sip a glass of local liqueur. Factor in their enormous regional food market selling local produce and you'll come back with Christmas dinner in the bag - literally! ChristkindImarket Chicago Although it is described as a 'Traditional German American Holiday Market', the Christkindlmarket in Chicago sets itself apart from more classic markets by holding a 'McDonald's Thanksgiving Parade', hosted by the fast food giant. The procession features marching bands, giant helium balloons, horses and appearances from Santa Claus and Ronald McDonald himself. Christkindimarket Chicago Medieval Fayre Wales Take yourself back in time at Caerphilly's medieval themed Christmas Fayre. With everyone dressed up, and colourful stalls lining the town centre and historic castle, this fayre is fantastically atmospheric. See traditional wood carving demonstrations, coo over the animals in the farm displays (including reindeer!) and have a chuckle at the jesters clowning about. Hyper Japan Market London The Hyper Japan Christmas Market in London's Olympia is the go-to event for a celebration of Japanese culture and cuisine during the festive season. Soak up the exotic Japanese experience with martial arts shows, J-pop music performances and Japanese drumming. There's also a huge variety of interesting Christmas gifts and decorations available to buy. Brought to you ly dealchecker.couk we search, you save O Image Credits Liseberg, Gothenburg - Press Photo - Stefan Karlberg Fira de Santa Llúcia, Barcelona - Maria Rosa Ferre - Flickr Union Sq. New York - Erin Kestenbaum Santa Pauli, Hamburg - © Röer Christkindlmarket, Chicago - Timmy Samuels