Europe Christmas Markets: Budapest to Zagreb - 8 Days



Who is this trip for
Age range
15 - 99Start / End
- Budapest
- Zagreb
Physical rating
Group size
1 - 12Meals included
8Highlights
- This trip takes you to a variety of Christmas markets across central Europe. Contrast the various traditions, cuisines and of course, mulled wine, in several amazing cities.
- Hungary’s intoxicating capital becomes even more magical when draped in fairy-lights and dusted with snow at Christmastime. Try delicious local specialties like chimney cakes and potato dumplings at its main market at Vorosmarty Square.
- Why settle for one Christmas market when you could have 14? Visit Graz’s main market at Hauptplatz Square, then make your way through as many as you wish.
- Bled’s fairy tale-like scenery – which includes an 11th-century cliff-top castle, a stunning lake and a picturesque island topped with a church – is a dream to explore. See it for yourself.
- Zagreb transforms into a glorious illuminated winter wonderland during its month-long Advent Festival. Spend two days savouring the sights, taking in acres of fairy-lights, huge Christmas trees, nativity scenes, ice-rinks, mulled wine stalls and igloo-shaped rakija (a potent local drop) bars.
Talk to a travel expert
Our experts are ready to perfect your trip with personalised advice on itineraries, transfers, and local tips.
Email UsCall Us: 0208 004 8886
Free Brochure
Uncover insider tips, see a packing list and view a detailed itinerary and accommodation information.
Summary
It’s the most wonderful time of year, particularly when its set in some of Central Europe’s prettiest and most historic cities. Get in the Christmas spirit exploring festive markets in cities decorated in full Christmas splendour, browsing local handicrafts from traditional wooden stalls, sampling delicious regional specialties and taking in endless winter scenes along the way. Indulge your senses in intoxicating Budapest, browse Austrian handicrafts hopping between Graz’s 14 charming markets, and be immersed in spectacular winter scenery in Ljubljana and fairy-tale like Lake Bled. Finish up in Zagreb, which transforms into a magical illuminated wonderland for its month-long Advent festival.
Itinerary
Day 1
Budapest
Szia! Welcome to Budapest, Hungary's intoxicating capital. Make your own way to the hotel, where your trip begins with a 6 pm welcome meeting. There are no planned activities for today, but if you arrive early, there is plenty to do and see. This historic city, complete with hilltop castle overlooking the Danube, is beautiful any time of the year, but it becomes even more magical at Christmas time when it's draped in lights and dusted with snow. Perhaps get a first impression of the city on an afternoon stroll, taking in its charming mix of Roman, Gothic and Turkish architecture, or head to Fishermen’s Bastion – a white-stoned, seven-towered structure that looks straight from a fairy tale – for the best view of Budapest. After your important evening meeting, perhaps head out with your new travel buddies and tour leader for dinner, then take a night walk along the Danube River to see the surrounding buildings and bridges lit up in lights. Not to be missed are Budapest's funky 'ruin pubs'.
Day 2
Budapest
Get acquainted with Budapest on a morning orientation walk with your tour leader, finishing with a visit to the Budapest Christmas Fair at Vorosmarty Square. Not only is this the oldest and biggest Christmas market in Budapest, it is frequently cited as one of the most beautiful Christmas markets in the world. Discover why as you browse wooden stalls selling local handcrafts, as your senses are treated to wafts of fresh Hungarian pastries (like chimney cakes and home-made strudel), dodolle (potato dumplings), grilled sausage, paprika-infused goulash and other various street foods fill the air. Don’t miss sampling a freshly baked chimney cake (Kurtoskalacs) or dough shaped as a cone, covered in sugar and cinnamon. Enjoy an included food tasting and a warming glass of mulled wine in the market. Afterwards, you have a free afternoon to further explore on your own. You might want to check out some of the smaller markets scattered around the city – head to Deak Ferenc Steet (frequently called Fashion Street), Varoshaza Park, St. Stephen’s Basilica, Erzsebet Square and Gozsdu Udvar to find just a few – or jump on a tram and make your way to City Park for outdoor ice skating in front on the gorgeous Vajdahunyad Castle. Follow this is a warm soak in the Budapest baths. Keep the Christmas spirit going in the evening, taking in festival music at one of the many venues in town.
Day 3
Graz
Travel by train to Graz (about 6 hours). Austria’s second largest city has no less than 14 Christmas markets open over the holiday season. Start off with a visit to the main one at Hauptplatz square in front of the town hall. Find vendors selling a mix of traditional Austrian handicrafts and culinary treats, a towering Christmas tree decked in lights and a carousel for the young at heart.After take a spectacular funicular ride up to The Schlosberg Castle for a visit and to experience some high-altitude Christmas Markets that are right inside. On your way down you can choose to either go on food, via the WW2 tunnel or as an optional activity, should you feel more adventurous, via the tallest indoor slide in the world. The slide is 64m tall and more than 170m long. In the evening, an advent calendar is projected on the town hall to great effect. Afterwards, enjoy free time to explore a few more of the markets scattered around town; all 14 are within easy walking distance.
Day 4
Ljubljana
Travel by train to Slovenia’s capital, Ljubljana (about 3.5 hours). Set amongst grand lakes and mountains, Slovenia’s picturesque towns offer an idyllic backdrop at any time of year. But in winter, the spectacular scenery becomes even more captivating with a dusting of snow and frost-covered trees. Upon arrival, set out to explore the town with your leader and visit the main Christmas market on the banks of Ljubljanica river. Perhaps head out to Metelkova Mesto in the evening to experience the local nightlife.
Day 5
Bled / Ljubljana
Today you’ll take a one-hour bus ride to the lakeside town of Bled. Gifted with immense natural beauty, Bled ranks among the most beautiful alpine resorts in the world; its fairy tale-like scenery – which includes an 11th-century cliff-top castle, a stunning lake and a picturesque island topped with a church – is a dream to explore. Depending on the weather, you can choose to visit Bled Castle, join your leader on a 6-kilometre/4-mile walk around the lake or climb to Ojstrica viewpoint for some amazing vistas. Warm up with coffee or hot chocolate and a slice of kremsnita (Bled’s famous cream cake) before taking the public bus back to Ljubljana.
Day 6
Zagreb
Travel to Zagreb this morning (about 2.5 hours by train). Nestled below Mt Medvednica, Croatia’s thriving capital is an exciting winter destination. A month-long Advent festival transforms the city into an illuminated winter wonderland, complete with acres of fairy-lights, huge Christmas trees, nativity scenes, temporary ice rinks, mulled wine stalls and igloo-shaped rakija (a potent local drop) bars. The Christmas market here is considered among the best in Europe. Head out on an evening walking tour to see the city in full Christmas splendour. A local guide will provide an insight into Croatian Christmas tradition, such as why Croatian’s used to keep their turkeys out on their balconies before Christmas dinner.
Day 7
Mt Medvednica / Zagreb
Take in the panoramic view of Zagreb on the cable car ride to Sljeme, the summit of Medvednica mountain. If you weren’t fortunate enough to see snow at previous destinations on this trip, you’ll likely get the chance to experience a true winter wonderland here in the mountains, which always see a fair bit of snow during the winter. Savour the snow-covered sights on a short walk with your tour leader, before enjoying a traditional Croatian lunch. Feast on local specialties like soup, meat stew or sarma (cabbage rolls stuffed with meat), then return to Zagreb for your final night.
Day 8
Zagreb
Your festive adventure come to an end after breakfast. There are no planned activities for today.
What's Included
Accommodation
Hotel (7 nights)
Meals
Breakfasts: 7, Lunches: 1, Dinners: 0
Vegetarian options are available on all meals throughout the adventure.
Vegetarian options availableLocal Guide
GuidedThis adventure is led by a local guide throughout. The main language of this adventure is English. Please contact us for other languages available.
Wifi
Wifi is available during the adventure. In some areas and / or accommodation / transport Wifi may be free.
Dates & Prices
Nov 25
from £1,396Dec 25
from £1,544Nov 26
from £1,509Dec 26
from £1,607Nov 27
from £1,509Dec 27
from £1,509
- Save 2%Wed 26 Nov 2025 > Wed 3 Dec 2025🔥2 spaces of 12 left£1,745£1,710
- Save 2%Sat 29 Nov 2025 > Sat 6 Dec 2025£1,425Best offer£1,396Book for£250 today, pay the rest later
Customer reviews & ratings
This trip was amazing!!! Loved seeing the Christmas markets of Eastern Europe and it was an absolutely unforgettable trip. Beautiful sites, well-organized tour and an amazing, helpful, friendly and kind tour guide named Duje. What more could you ask for? :)
Brigitte Feb, 2020 VerifiedOverall, the trip was okay. It's nice to travel along with a small group of people, especially if you're a solo traveler. However, I felt like that specific tour did not include enough and it would have been easily done without a tour group at more than half the price. Especially since only two hotels (Budapest and Ljubljana) were centrally located. With the price we paid, the other two, in both Graz and Zagreb should have also been centrally located without having to take trams to reach an area where you can actually do or see something. It would have also been appreciated if we had been given the information that the accommodation in Zagreb is more of a Hostel than a Hotel, which was not mentioned on the trip information. It's also a shame that Vienna isn't included (especially since we stop in Vienna on our way to Graz). It would have been nice to have one day in Vienna and a day less in Zagreb. One day in Zagreb was more than enough. I also recommend having more local guides telling us about the cities we visit. We only had one in Zagreb (which was nice). It would have been good to learn more about Ljubljana and Lake Bled, but I'm out of my trip having to watch YouTube videos and do my own online research to learn about these places. The tour leader Duje was nice, friendly and always ready to help. The highlight of the trip is definitely the time spent in Budapest, which is the first city visited on the tour!
Past Dec, 2019 Verified
Essential trip information
Our Important Notes and Packing List cover all essentials, from necessary equipment to inclusions, ensuring you're fully equipped and informed for this extraordinary adventure and more.
Still have questions?
Can't find the answer you're looking for? Please chat to our friendly team.
Why book with us
Help Change The World
We collaborate with local businesses and communities.
Best Price Guaranteed
We won't be beaten on price. If you find this adventure at a lower price please get in touch!
You're In Good Hands
We work with trusted tour operators around the world.
You're spoilt for choice
We have the best choice of adventures on the market.