My two biggest tips for visiting the Christmas Markets in Europe: 1) bring cash, and 2) dress for cold weather! You never know what kind of weather will hit – for us it was raining in Vienna and record-breaking freezing in Munich. So many factors, not just the temp, will affect what it really feels like: location, temperature, wind, precipitation, and let’s be honest…how much Glühwein was consumed. Here is how to dress for European Christmas markets so you can stay warm and stay awhile.
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Table of Contents
Women’s Snow Jacket
While I have a lot of tips for dressing to stay warm and dry, but the most important is that the outer layer must be waterproof (or at least water resistant), like this one:
My husband surprised me with this insulated snow jacket, which is actually much better quality than it appears online. We were surprised. I’m a wimp with cold, and this jacket kept me warm and dry at the top of the highest mountain in Germany! But I also liked all of the pockets, especially the zipped pockets on the inside of the jacket to protect my phone and hotel key. And you can’t beat the price for that quality!
Men’s Weatherproof Boots
A good pair of boots are crucial for staying warm and knowing how to dress for European Christmas markets. These men’s weatherproof boots were a steal and look great with every one of my husband’s outfits.
Timberland. Weatherproof. Under 100 bucks. Sexy. Stylish. Sold.
And so versatile, whether you’re trekking through 3 feet of snow or eating the most delicious steak dinner at the best hotel ever (in Austria!).
Women’s Gloves
These gloves have a thermal lining that kept my hands warm but probably not enough to stay at the top of Zugspitze for very long.
They are compatible with touch screen but after about a week I think they lost their “touch” and it was easier to just take them off to take photos.
They look pretty fancy as long as you keep them away from velcro, so they don’t get snagged or fuzzy.
Women’s Snow Pants
Finally, an item I’ve had for years! I actually wore these women’s insulated snow pants over my fleece workout leggings to some of the colder Christmas markets for extra warmth. But they are more intended to be insulated weatherproof snow pants.
They have adjustable velcro on the sides of the waist to allow for a little pre-and-post-baby body changes. Gotta love that.
For some reason these look weird and frumpy in the photo on Amazon. They don’t fit like that at all, unless they have changed since I got them a few years ago. Mine are pretty form-fitting in the XS… see the picture above, the one at the top of Zugspitze!
Kids Snow Bib
This insulated snow bib was such a great deal, less than $20 bucks when I bought it, and you’d never know it because it’s such a good quality. I was pleasantly surprised when we opened the package.
Kids / Toddler Thermal Socks
Our five-year-old’s feet stayed warm and dry with these insulated thermal HOT FEET socks.
Half of the toddler socks have grips on the bottoms. Safety first!
When Amazon delivered these, the kids were so excited, trying on all of the colors. You’d think we need to get out more, but then you see the trips we take, right?!
Kids Weatherproof Boots
These kids weatherproof boots not only did the job in the snow, but also were comfortable enough to wear on travel days so to avoid taking up room in the suitcase. Again, I was surprised how good these look in person, just like the pic.
The description says they are knee-high, I would say right above mid-leg on our tall five-year-old.
Toddler Weatherproof Boots
My daughter has the London Fog lined snow boots in, get this…
GLITTER PINK.
Needless to say, loves ’em.
Two Things I Wish We Had:
Hand Warmers
Our kids’ hands were still cold at times when they had their gloves off for too long and couldn’t get them warm again. These hand warmers would have been helpful.
Snow Boot Covers
These are actually called gaiters. Our daughter’s hand-me-down pants weren’t long enough when she had to hike in snow that was up to her hips, go figure. These gaiters would have helped protect her lower legs from getting cold from the ice that seeped in eventually.
Luggage Tips
Not sure how to fit all this in your luggage (oh and rental car that you had to upgrade in size when they saw all of your luggage (guilty))? You can use a SpaceSaver vacuum sealed bag to compress the bulkier items. Don’t forget to weigh your suitcase to keep it under your airline’s allowance.
And lastly, don’t forget a travel umbrella like this one that saved us in Vienna as we braved a rainy 30-minute walk to Rathausplatz – it was so worth it!
Stay tuned for the itinerary and lowdown on our Christmas market trip to Germany and Austria, including how our second stay at our favorite resort managed to surpass our first stay. Can’t wait for the third!!!
