Planning a December trip around the best Christmas markets in the Balkans? We walked the markets in Craiova, Sofia and Bucharest last season, by day, at night and in heavy rain, so what follows is what we saw. The markets run from mid-November through December, and Craiova carries on into January.
The Short Answer
Craiova is the one to do if you only do one: whole streets roofed in lights, and a big food scene.
Sofia is the easy add-on to a city break, with an ice rink, craft stalls and a market in the park in front of the NDK.
Bucharest has the biggest single square, set in front of the Palace of the Parliament, and it is the one with the Parliament as a backdrop.
At a Glance
| Market | Where | Best for | Time needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Craiova | City centre, around Mihai Viteazul square | Light-covered streets, food, atmosphere | About 3 hours |
| Sofia | Park in front of the NDK | City break, ice rink, crafts | About 2 hours |
| Bucharest | Constitution Square, facing the Parliament | Size, Parliament backdrop, food stalls | About 2 hours |
Swipe sideways to see all columns.
Cities change opening days and hours at short notice, so check the organisers’ pages in Useful links before you go.
Craiova: the one to do if you only do one
Craiova is a mid-sized city in southern Romania that turns its whole centre into a Christmas market, and it is the one we would book first.
Most Christmas markets are one square with chalets in it. Craiova’s runs through the centre: the main square around Mihai Viteazul, the pedestrian streets that lead off it and the area by the theatre. After dark the streets are roofed in gold light, and the main square has a canopy of lights that covers the whole crowd.
The market square has an ice rink, a Ferris wheel and carousels, plus a funfair by the theatre with a Christmas road train. The Ferris wheel, rink and rides are charged separately, and fees are usually posted on site.
The longer version of our walk is on the Craiova Christmas market video page, and a second winter walk is on our Craiova Winter Walk page.
What to eat and see
Food is the other reason to go. The grills run all day: mici (Romanian skinless sausages), skewers and flatbread, with sarmale (cabbage rolls) and polenta in big pots at the covered food stalls. We also saw chimney cakes cooked over coals, mulled wine and stalls full of palinca and tuica, the local fruit brandies.
The decorations go well beyond the market itself. One palace-style building in the centre is covered in wreaths and flanked by giant nutcrackers, and it looks just as good in daylight as the lit streets do at night. If you want to see the town without the crowds, go in the afternoon and come back after dark for the lights.
Crowds are the one warning. We walked Craiova on a Sunday, in the afternoon and again in the evening, and both times it was packed. A weekday evening will give you more room.
Getting there and where to stay
How to reach Craiova:
- Train: around 3.5 hours from Bucharest, with CFR Intercity and regional services
- Bus: services run from Bucharest and other Romanian cities
- Car: the A1 motorway and the DN65 road are the usual routes
- In town: a Bolt or Uber from the station to the centre is reported to take 5 to 10 minutes
We did not stay in Craiova, so we cannot review a hotel. Ramada Plaza by Wyndham Craiova is a 4-star in the city centre, listed about an 8-minute walk from Prefecture Square. One local guide reports that central hotels run above 95% occupancy over the Christmas and New Year weeks, so book early if you plan to travel then.
Sofia: the easy add-on to a city break
Sofia’s market is the one most people can fit around a weekend in the city, because it sits in the park in front of the National Palace of Culture (NDK), at the end of Vitosha Boulevard.
From the air, the NDK market looks like a Christmas tree laid along the park: rows of chalets under strings of lights, leading to a big lit tree at the far end. On the ground, there is a Ferris wheel, an ice rink, a stage with live music and a photo spot with a Santa and light-up reindeer. Last season there was also a red vintage truck among the light sculptures.
The Art Bazaar is the best part for gifts. We found handmade jewellery, embroidered folk clothing and glass baubles, with prices marked in EUR. The glass baubles carried tags of around 9 to 16 EUR last season.
Sofia’s walk is on our Sofia Christmas market video page, and the video is below.
The city had more than one market last season: a German-style market in City Garden, an art market on Slaveykov Square and the main tree on St Alexander Nevsky Square.
Getting there and where to stay
Sofia Airport is linked to the city by metro, and NDK has its own metro station at the edge of the park, so you can arrive without a taxi (check the metro map for any change). If you want to stay within a short walk of the market, Grand Hotel Millennium Sofia is a 5-star listed about 300 m from the NDK, and VIKO Boutique Apart Hotel is a 4-star about 500 m away. We have not stayed at either. If you have a spare day, our guide to the best day trips from Sofia covers 11 places.
Bucharest: the biggest square
Bucharest holds its market in Constitution Square, directly in front of the huge Palace of the Parliament, and it is the largest of the three.
We walked Bucharest at night in the rain, with wet cobbles shining under the lights. The square holds a giant lit tree, a wooden Christmas pyramid with candles and a Ferris wheel, and the chalets run in long rows towards the Parliament.
The food stalls are the highlight. Cooks wear folk costume, and the counters are piled with sausages, grilled meat, flatbread and stews. According to the market rules, everything sold has to be made or cooked by the stallholder.
Themed pavilions, including a Santa house with a glowing arched door, break up the rows of chalets. Wear waterproof shoes, because wet cobbles can be slippery.
Our full Bucharest market walk is on the Bucharest Christmas market video page, and the video is below.
Getting there and where to stay
From Bucharest Henri Coandă Airport, the drive to the centre takes around 30 to 45 minutes depending on traffic, and holiday traffic can be heavy. If you land late, book an airport taxi in advance and check the fare before you get in. The nearest metro stop is Izvor (lines M1 and M3).
For a hotel, La Boheme is listed about 650 m from the Palace of the Parliament and is highly rated on travel sites, but we have not stayed there. For the rest of the city, our Bucharest Old Town walk shows the streets you will pass on the way.
Useful links
These are the organisers’ own pages and the transport operators we would use, so you can check the current programme, opening days and tickets yourself.
Craiova
- Craiova City Hallofficial city site with news and announcements
- Craiova tourist attractionsthe city hall's visitor information
- CFR Calatoritrain timetables and tickets from Bucharest
Sofia
- Sofia Municipality visitor portalofficial information for visitors
- Visit Sofiathe city's tourist site
- Sofia Metropolitanmetro lines and maps
- Sofia Airportflights and transfers
Bucharest
- Bucharest Christmas Market on ARCUBthe programme and updates
- Bucharest City Hallofficial city site
- Bucharest AirportsHenri Coanda airport information
Planning tips for the Christmas markets
Pack for cold and wet. Evenings in Romania and Bulgaria in December are usually around or below freezing, and our Bucharest walk was in steady rain. Waterproof shoes matter more than a heavy coat.
Check the official pages before you go. Opening days, hours and programmes change from year to year, and the organisers’ own pages are the source. We list them in Useful links.
Money. Romania uses the lei, while Bulgaria uses the euro, so you will not need to change money in Sofia.
Flights. Bucharest is the gateway for Bucharest and Craiova, and Sofia has its own airport. You can compare flights on Kiwi.com for your dates.
More from us. Our Romania pages are on our Romania travel guides hub, and the Bulgaria pages are on our Bulgaria hub.
FAQ
Are the Christmas markets free to enter? Yes, entry to all three is free. You pay for food, drinks, rides, the ice rink and the Ferris wheel.
Is Romania part of the Balkans? It depends on who you ask. Romania sits on the northern edge of the usual Balkan map, but Craiova and Bucharest run on the same Christmas market calendar as Sofia and share its food and traditions, so we include them.
Are the markets open on Christmas Day? Holiday hours change from year to year and are often announced late, so check the official pages in Useful links before you plan a visit on 24 or 25 December.
