Christmas markets transform town squares and city streets into winter wonderlands filled with holiday cheer. Originating in Europe, offering a magical atmosphere complete with twinkling lights, charming wooden stalls of handcrafted gifts, seasonal decorations and the scent of mulled wine and roasted chestnuts wafting through the air.
Visiting Christmas markets is one of the ways we love to celebrate the season and this year, I embarked on a Christmas Market tour in places I have always wanted to visit – Riga, Vilnius and Warsaw. And little Lulu came with me – as I can fly with only one dog. And she is the lighter of the two!
We flew from Heathrow on LOT Airlines to Riga, Latvia.
The capital of Latvia, is a city steeped in history and culture, known for its stunning architecture, vibrant arts scene, and charming old town. It sits along the Daugava River and it’s a blend of medieval charm and modern sophistication. It’s a walkable city, making it easy to explore.
The Christmas market in Dome Square offers traditional crafts, hot wine (that’s what it’s called in Latvia), and festive cheer.
Where we stayed: Hotels Bergs Suites is a four-star boutique hotel offering spacious suites for both short-term and long-term stays. It is located in the heart of the historical city centre. Elizabetes iela 83/85, Centra rajons, Rīga, LV-1050, Latvia
Next day, we took the four-hour train from Riga to Vilnius.
As the days are short, we really couldn’t see much of the countryside.
Christmas in Vilnius, Lithuania‘s capital, is a magical experience that transforms the city into a winter wonderland filled with festive charm. The UNESCO-listed Old Town, with its cobblestone streets, baroque architecture, and hidden courtyards, feels especially magical during Christmas. A stroll through its picturesque alleys, illuminated by festive lights, is a highlight of any visit.
Vilnius is famous for its spectacular Christmas trees. Located in Cathedral Square, the tree becomes the centrepiece of the city’s holiday festivities, adorned with dazzling lights and unique decorations that draw visitors from all over the world.
Surrounding the Christmas tree in Cathedral Square is the festive Christmas market.
Where we stayed: Hotel Pacia. Set in the heart of Vilnius Old Town, it perfectly echoes this quarter’s 17th-century Baroque grandeur, while augmenting it with a contemporary twist. Famous for being the most magnificent mansion in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, the stately building has been reborn thanks to the inspired efforts of a passionate team of local architects and designers. We booked it because we thought it is dog-friendly but apparently they made an exception for us. That meant we could not dine in their restaurant with Lulu.
But we found that The Grand Hotel, a Curio Collection Hilton hotel, across from the Cathedral Square is the most dog friendly. We took refuge there when we were too early after the vet visit and the Christmas market wasn’t quite ready for us.
After a quick 36 hours, we hopped on the next LOT Airlines plane to Warsaw.
We arrived late afternoon, and we were there for about 18 hours. We checked into our hotel and took a taxi to the Old Town Market Square. As we drove along the Royal Route, including Krakowskie Przedmieście Street, the street was alight with dazzling lights and festive decorations.
The heart of the Warsaw Christmas Market is in the UNESCO-listed Old Town Market Square. Its historic streets and squares are transformed into a wonderland of lights, music, and seasonal treats.
The square is beautifully illuminated, and a massive Christmas tree stands as a centrepiece, perfect for festive photos.
Wooden stalls decorated with garlands and twinkling lights create a cosy ambiance where visitors can shop for handcrafted ornaments, ceramics, and traditional Polish crafts.
And Lulu had her photo taken with Santa – albeit a scary one. LOL!
He had a cigarette in his hand and he only spoke Polish. He happily obliged but after taking the photo he asked for some money, of which I had none. He held onto Lulu and had no intention of handing her over. I was truly worried. He kept calling out to a colleague of his who eventually came over – he wanted a photo with Lulu. And couldn’t wait to get her back.
Where we stayed: PURO Warsaw Downtown, nestled snugly in the centre of Warsaw.
We can’t go on a tour of Christmas Markets without stopping in Germany.
Düsseldorf’s Christmas celebrations span across the city with several unique markets, each offering a different atmosphere. We stopped at the one in Schadowplatz.
But this time it was also to visit friends. Manuela and Sylvia are some of my oldest friends from when I lived there. And it is always special to meet up with them. And my godson also came into town for a work event.
I also wanted to introduce Lulu to Dusseldorf, this is where Darcy spent her first Christmas. And in Sylvia’s garden one of Darcy’s tags hang on the tree, and we buried some of her hair in the soil.
And a visit to Dusseldorf is never complete without a visit to Dog’s Deli, a dog shop that sell their own baked treats and very curated range of food, toys and accessories. They have seen us through the years, with Darcy and then George. This time they met Lulu.
It was much too short a visit. It reminded me how much I miss being there – and we are going to visit whenever we can.
And after four days on the road, we started on our journey back home.
It’s been an amazing few days on the road with Lulu and my friend, Janet (we worked together at De Beers). Latvia (95) and Lithuania (96) are two countries I have wanted to visit for awhile. I went to Estonia, the third Baltic state, with Darcy back in 2018.
I didn’t know what to expect and was pleasantly surprised at how lovely they are. Maybe some day we will re-visit the three states in the Summer.
