Christmas market on Waisenhausplatz

For more than 20 years, Waisenhausplatz in the heart of Bern's old town has hosted one of the city's classic Christmas markets. Over 50 individually decorated wooden huts stand behind a fence of fir branches, selling candles, wooden toys, jewellery, socks, leather goods, tea and spices alongside Christmas decorations.

For food and drink there's mulled wine, apple punch, fondue, raclette and gingerbread, which children can decorate themselves. The Märitbeiz restaurant has a first-floor view over the Berner Bärenbaum, the city's official Christmas tree. Candle-dipping runs from 29 November to 6 December, and on two weekends, 5–6 and 19–20 December, a craft market adds makers' stalls.

Unlike most Christmas markets, this one carries on after Christmas: it reopens between the holidays and runs until 9 January, so it's still worth a visit when the others have closed.

Good to know: it's closed on 25–27 December and 1–3 January, with shorter hours on the days around the holidays. Bern has a second market nearby on Münsterplatz.