Zurich

Atmosphere: 🎄🎄🎄🎄

Zurich is full of Christmas markets, and each of them has a different vibe (mostly correlated with their size). They all come in the same flavor—little wooden shacks with vendors, large Christmas trees and string lights, little iron balls holding burning logs for warmth, etc.

Despite the fact that the markets are temporary installations, the facilities seem sturdy and permanent in the city center that blend in surprisingly well with the modern surroundings. Especially the sprawling market in front of the Opera house, which is the most expansive and maze-like, feels like it should exist year-round. The lights, the tinsel, and the other decor seems professionally strung, and it makes the entirety of these public spaces very picturesque. Even if you don’t end up buying anything at these markets, you’ll still be very satisfied with the cozy, relaxing aesthetic environment the city has created.

My favorite markets were the one in the Opera plaza (the biggest and like a sprawling vilalge) and the one just outside of the train station (much more linear, along a major high-end retail street).

Food: 🥘🥘🥘🥘

Both the quality and the variety of food and drink at the Zurich markets was quite good. The fare is what you’d expect from a German-esque Christmas market—sausages and sauerkraut, waffles and crepes, gluhwein and cider, and more. Nothing tasted especially homemade or unique (and it seemed like many vendors sourced their products from the same places), but it also didn’t taste mass-produced, cheap, or low-quality.

Crafts: 🛠️🛠️🛠️

I didn’t peruse too many of the craft stalls in the markets here, but I saw quite a few high-end winter luxury options. From knit hats, gloves, and scarves, to soaps and oils, to chocolates, there was quite a wide variety of craft stalls in the main markets (the smaller ones had mostly food). The products, however, seemed to be mass-produced (even if they were branded as luxury products with price tags to suit that branding). Not many local artisans and hand-made things (which is my preference for market shopping—if I want mass-produced quality goods, I’ll look online).

Affordability: 💶💶💶💶

Switzerland is notoriously one of the most expensive countries in the world, and their Christmas markets are no exception. Expect to pay least 6 or 7 euros for a drink, 9 to 12 for a snack, and 20 or more for a meal (at the time of my visit, the Franc and the Euro are about the same). Given the country’s reputation, I actually spent less here than I thought I would, but it was still far overpriced.

Extras: ⭐⭐⭐

I encountered a few hidden “extras” in Zurich which were worth mentioning.

One was the “singing Christmas tree”, a market with a platformed stage at the center with fewer and fewer chairs on the higher rows such that the structure resembles a Christmas tree. The carolers and musicians performing on it all wear funny hats that make them look like ornaments.

Another was a parade down the Banhofstrasse. Filled with families and small children, much of the floats catered to a younger audience, but the energy the parade created was Christmas-y and nice. Points off for causing a major traffic jam in the center of old town and making me take a 20 minute detour to get to the Opera.

Overall: 🎅🏼🎅🏼🎅🏼

I enjoyed the Zurich markets, and the city was nicely covered with them, but there wasn’t anything that really stood out to me, especially given the Swiss prices (both those at the markets and those associated with a trip to Switzerland). I’d recommend it if you have a very liberal budget or you want a very solid, safe, and atmospheric option, but if you want an unforgettable, magical Christmas experience, keep looking.