Christmas Markets: Switzerland
This Christmas Market exploration brings us to our current home country of Switzerland. In this run-down, we venture to Montreux, Basel, Saint-Ursanne, and Zürich. These four villages each offer a very different personality, culture, and experience. Since this country is small and surrounded by larger countries with different languages and varying cultures, each market tends to have a very different feel. The northern villages of Basel and Zürich can have a German influence whereas the west border and further south have a very French feeling as this is the common language in the area.
We will visit more villages in the future and will expand this compilation to fit your itinerary should you find yourself in various parts of Switzerland! I have heard that the markets in Einsiedeln, St. Gallen, Zofingen, Bern, Neuchatel, and Morges are also quite noteworthy!
Montreux
Welcome to Montreux Noël! To say that this Christmas Market is memorable is an understatement as Montreux is nestled on Lake Geneva along the foot of the Alps and is rich in French culture. It's important to note that this market differs significantly from those reviewed in Christmas Markets: Alsace Region of France as this does not have the heavy influence from Germany, and the foods and crafts are very different. The market itself is situated along Lake Geneva, which I found to be the perfect set up.
We were just at a friend's chalet up in the snowy mountains for the weekend and dropped into Montreux with the hope we would miss the rain. Coming down the hill and past the Chillon Castle with the sun peeking through the clouds was surreal, as many views are in the Alps. We were fortunate that the skies parted and we graced with a few hours without rain while we were there, which also provided insane views across Lake Geneva to the Alps. The water was choppy and crashing against the banks, splashing to the back of the stalls. I narrowly escaped getting soaked when taking a picture by the bank! It rained for about 10 minutes while we were there, but we ducked into a Sausage chalet, had a quick bite, then went back out to sunshine!
Most villages have sections set up in various parts of the town, which can often lead you to wonder if you have covered all that there is to include. Montreux Noël has a lakeside stream of stalls that not only makes it easy to navigate, but it offers an incredible backdrop.
In its 24th year, Montreux offers 160 stalls of crafts, food, and beverage, as well as several common areas for dining. These vary from open-air to tent-enclosed, so depending on your mood and the weather, you have options! They are having these common areas set aside made for a steady flow by the stalls instead of walking around people standing while dining and drinking.
The culinary specialties of the region ranged from Fondue, Raclette, Rösti, Foie Gras, and of course, Mulled wine and Christmas beer. We enjoyed terrific sausages, Chocolate Chaud (Hot Chocolate), a Nutella Crêpe, and Toblerone Churros. You read that right… Toblerone Churros - hot and fresh cinnamon-dusted churros with a cup of melted Toblerone. Going in a group makes it so much easier to try various things as long as your group shares it with you!
If you are in the Vaud region of Switzerland between the 22nd of November and the 24th of December, you can't miss this one! While there, stop by the Chillon Castle, an island castle very close to the market.
2019 Stall Opening Hours
From 21 November through 24 December
Artisans and Merchants: 11am-8pm on Monday & Tuesday, 11am-9pm on Wednesday & Thursday, 11am-10pm Friday & Saturday, 10am-8pm on Sunday
Food and Beverage: 11am-10pm on Monday & Tuesday, 11am-11pm Wednesday through Friday, 10am-11pm on Saturday, 10am-10pm on Sunday
Basel
Our home village of Basel is often mentioned among some of the best in Europe, and it’s for a good reason! The environment is very festive each evening and offers an incredible selection of foods and shopping. Admittedly, I’m a bit biased since it only takes me 10 minutes via Line-6 to get to the market!
Basel’s market is held in three sections. The section at Barfüssertplatz can feel a little cramped, but it’s partly because of all the great food and Glühwein. Go ahead and dive in and enjoy the scene! Visitors and locals alike flock here in the evenings for hot Swiss specialties, so there are less movement and more socializing and enjoyment. Enjoy regional fares such as Raclette (melted cheese served with small hot potatoes, tiny pickles, and pickled onion), various Sausages and bread, and the Alsatian favorite, Flammkuchen (a flatbread with Fromage blanc, crème fraîche, thinly sliced onion, and lardons(cubed fatty bacon)). There are also rides available in this section for the kiddos!
Next, stroll up across Freie Str. and up to Münsterplatz, you’ll find more space to roam, more delicious foods and of course more shopping. You’ll know you’ve arrived when you see the beautiful twin spires of Basel Münster, a red sandstone Romanesque-Gothic Church. German favorite Kartoffelpuffen (Potato Cakes with Apple Sauce) are available here, and I’m a bit addicted.
If you are attending the official opening night, it’s a great way to start the season. The lights in the stalls turn off for 20-30 seconds leading up to Basel’s Governing President, Elisabeth Ackermann, turning on all of the Christmas lights in Münsterplatz. The large tree at Münsterplatz, the snowflakes in the trees, and the city’s lighting illuminated and is incredibly magical.
There is also a smaller section at Claraplatz just across the Mittlere Brücke (Middle Bridge) with a little more food and shopping. If you have time to stroll through Altstadt (The Old Town) as well as Marketplatz as it’s well worth it and quite beautiful!
2019 Stall Opening Hours
Open Daily from 11:00 am until 8:30 pm*
*23 December: Munsterplatz will be open from 11:00 am until 6:00 pm
*23 December: Barfüsserplatz will be open from 11:00 am until 8:00 pm
Sennenhütte on Claraplatz is open from 11:00 am until 8:30 pm
Saint-Ursanne
In a scenic 1-hour drive from Basel, you’ll find the quaint medieval village of Saint-Ursanne. If you are hoping to enjoy the Christmas market in this tiny village, you’ll need to plan ahead as it’s held for just one weekend annually! I had not planned on venturing to Saint-Ursanne this year as we typically only travel via bus or tram around the Basel region, but a couple of friends invited us to enjoy this limited-time market with them, so we jumped on the opportunity! I’m thankful we did!
Saint-Ursanne’s market felt exceptionally authentic. The locally-sourced foie gras, sausages, wine, and beer provided an excellent feel and just felt simpler. The smaller and more local theme became more apparent when you realized there were no duplicate stalls. There was one location for Flammkuchen (a flatbread with fromage blanc, crème fraîche, thinly sliced onion, and lardons), one area for Sausages and Glühwein, and numerous stalls with individual themes.
We spent 2-hours in the Saint-Ursanne market and were preparing to leave when we saw Switzerland’s Santa Claus. This was something we had heard of and seen on the internet but never in person, so it was very new and entertaining! In Switzerland, Samichlaus (Switzerland’s Santa Claus) has a darker and quite sinister feeling side-kick, Schmultzli, who is equipped with twigs to distribute to children whose behavior may be in question for the year! As a bit of a Christmas freak, this was incredible to see! I will dig into this duo in a couple of days!
If convenient for you to visit I would highly recommend this market as it is easily conquerable in a couple of hours without missing a beat!
2019 Stall Opening Hours
Saturday 2 December from 1:00 pm until 8:30 pm
Sunday 3 December from 10:00 am until 7:00 pm
Zürich
It should come as no surprise that Zürich, the largest city in Switzerland, hosts a variety of Christmas Market options. It’s an incredible city known for its excellent food options, tons of cultural diversity, and great markets and events. Due to the size of the town, it can offer various locations and settings for festive celebrations such as the annual Christmas Market.
If you are arriving by train, you’ll be greeted immediately with the Zurich Main Station market featuring a massive 50-foot tall Christmas tree with thousands of sparkling Swarovski crystals. There are 150 stalls in this location alone hitting all of the high points of food, shopping, mulled wine, beer, and more!
Head south to Werdmühleplatz where you’ll find the infamous Singing Christmas Tree featuring layers upon layers of Christmas cheer from choirs that are from the region.
Following the Singing tree experience, head down into Zürich’s Old Town. Here you’ll find the city’s older market in the heart of the Niederdorf quarter. Get lost in the numerous stalls of shopping and mulled wine!
Finally, follow the scents of mulled wine and food down to Zurich’s Weinachtsdorf at Sechseläutenplatz. This will be the most significant section and boasts an incredible backdrop of the Zürich Opera House. Here you’ll find around one hundred stalls, incredible food and beverages, a Fondue Chalet, and an Ice Rink (4-6CHF Entry, 6-9CHF for skate rental). We spent the majority of our time in this section with friends as we are quite guilty of being fans of the food and beverage stalls. These are abundant here, and there is plenty of room to relax and socialize!
With Zürich being one of Switzerland’s primary destinations this is incredibly easy to access, and if you are nearby in Basel or Bern, it’s a quick train on the incredibly reliable SBB Train system.
2019 Stall Opening Hours
Zurich Main Station: 21 November through 24 December
Sunday to Wednesday 10:30am to 9:00pm, Thursday to Saturday 10:30am to 10:00pm, Ending Monday 24 Dec at 4:00pmSinging Tree: 21 November through 23 December
Market: Monday to Thursday 4:00pm to 9:00pm, Friday 4:00pm to 10:00pm, Saturday 1:00pm to 10:00pm, Sunday 1:00pm to 9:00pm
Choir Performances: Monday to Friday at 5:30pm and 6:30pm, Saturday and Sunday at 2:30pm, 3:30pm, 5:30pm, and 6:30pmOld Town: 21 November through 23 December
Monday to Saturday from 11:00am to 9:00pm and Food stands remain open until 10:00pm.
Sunday from 11:00am to 7:00pm and the Food Stands remain open until 8:00pm.Opera House: 21 November through 23 December
Market: Monday to Saturday from 11:00am to 10:00 pm, Sunday until 8:00pm
Fondue Chalet is open Monday to Thursday from 11:00am to 11:00pm, Friday and Saturday until 12:00am, and Sunday until 10:00pm
The Ice Rink is open Monday through Friday from 11:00am
Additional Christmas Market Posts
I'm a US expat, blogging photographer and world-traveler who may or may not like tequila a bit too much.