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As the days grow darker lots of Brits are looking for something exciting to do to feel cosy and festive.
Thankfully, while its cold and dreary it’s also the beginning of the most magical time of the year!
Christmas markets are set to throw open their gates and welcome tourists in across the UK and Europe.
READ MORE: World's best Christmas markets – two UK winners and California beats Germany
Meaning anyone looking for a break away can get stuck into the special sounds and smells of the season.
While the UK has plenty of world-class Christmas markets from Winter Wonderland in London to St Nicholas Fair in York, you might wish to go further afield.
The Post Office has released new data showing the cheapest European Christmas markets to visit in 2022 so you can feel festive without breaking the bank.
While you might think about Berlin or Prague when thinking of festive cities you can save a tonne of cash heading to cheaper alternatives.
The Post Office calculated a total price for a two-night break at each European Christmas market city during the winter months.
It looked at the cost of: four cups of coffee, two three course meals for two with wine, two return bus or train transfers from the airport and two nights at a B&B and direct flights or trains for two.
So you can celebrate fully, the data also included the cost of four glasses of mulled wine, punch or gluhwein and four pieces of cake, gingerbread or stollen at a market.
Sounds like a great weekend to us!
The research found that Riga in Latvia was the cheapest out of all of the options.
It would cost you just £507.19, on average, for a two night trip to the Riga Christmas market including your flights and hotel.
A B&B and flights will cost as average of £319 while trains and snacks will cost around £7 for two.
The small city is stunning thanks to its historical buildings and the market is set in the main square with another smaller section by the Orthodox Cathedral.
It’s teeming with wooden huts, twinkling lights and a large central Christmas tree.
Pick up gifts from local craftsmen and listen to the music while riding the carousel or meeting Santa Claus.
Plus, make sure you tuck into sausages, sauerkraut, local meals like cooked peas with bacon sauce and karstvins (mulled wine).
The market will open on November 27 and close on January 2.
Cheap Lapland holidays are going from £229pp – with a trip to Santa's village
Zagreb in Croatia was found to be the second cheapest location at a total price of £541.19.
A B&B and flights for two will cost just £362 all in while bus or train transfers are incredibly cheap at £3.90 for two.
Four glasses of wine will set you back around £12.17 and two three course meals just £136.20.
Zagreb is filled with gorgeous Austo-Hungarian architecture, gothic cathedrals and streets lined with cafes and museums.
The Christmas market transforms the city into a wonderland with carols sung from balconies, snowy weather and nativity scenes.
Pick up Christmas garlands, gift boxes and baubles and then snack on the tasty gingerbread and Kobasice pork sausages or Fritule dough balls.
The market will open on November 26 and close on January 6.
In third place was Krakow, Poland, which would cost a total of £648.83 with average flight and hotel costs coming in at £478.
Meals are especially cheap in this city with two three course meals with wine costing around £136.20.
Mulled wine is cheap too at just £7.78 for four glasses!
The medieval buildings and gorgeous walls of old town will take you back in time as you duck into snug cellar bars when it turns dark.
Christmas markets add a cosy glow with twinkling lights and traditional wooden decor, delicate jewellery and enormous meat-laden sandwiches.
The market will open on November 25 and close on December 26.
The fourth cheapest Christmas market to attend was Tallinn in Estonia – at a total cost pot £683.73 on average.
Two bus transfers to the airport will cost just £5.32 while a two three course dinners will set you back just £131.12.
Flights and a B&B for two are the biggest expense at £464.
Beautiful Tallinn is based on the Baltic Sea and has a walled, cobblestoned Old Town filled with rich history.
It’s filled with gothic buildings, centuries old walls and the St Nicholas Church.
The Christmas Market is world famous with a huge central tree, fairy lights and wooden stalls radiating out from the centre of the square.
You can meet a multilingual Santa, enjoy a warming cup of glogi, pick up handmade mittens and jumpers and listen to the live MC.
It’s frosty and cold outside in the winding medieval streets but you can tuck into traditional roast potatoes, pickled pumpkin and lingonberry jam.
Or head to the many local cafes, wine bars or hot drink stalls to stay warm.
The market will open on November 25 and close on January 8.
The final city in the cheapest five found by the Post Office is closer to home in Lille France.
You can hop on the Eurostar to reach this gorgeous hub in just one hour and 22 minutes!
Based in Northern France, near the Belgian border, there’s plenty of Christmas cosiness in this Flemish-influenced city.
Your hotel and train tickets will cost an average of £537 for two while two three course meals with wine will cost around £131.12.
Head to the Christmas market in Place Rihor where 90 stalls willed with goodies to buy and foods to nibble on spread out before you.
A huge tree, pony rides and Friday night concerts sit under the shimmering lights of the city.
So get stuck into the mulled wine, chocolate pralines and French cheese as the night grows dark.
The market will open on November 24 to December 30.
Other cheap options on the Post Office’s Christmas markets list include Prague in the Czech Republic, Stockholm in Sweden and Budapest, Hungary.
You can check out the top 10 below…
Top 10 best value Christmas markets in Europe
- Riga
- Zagreb
- Krakow
- Stockholm
- Vienna
- Budapest
- Prague
- Berlin
- Lille
- Tallinn
What's your favourite Christmas market? Let us know in the comments below.
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