Guide to Enjoy the Christmas Markets in Istanbul

By Justin Mays:

December has already begun and, with it, countries around the world have been flooded with lights, red colors and a Christmas spirit that, sometimes, is difficult to feel genuinely. In Europe, Germany, Austria and Belgium stand out as the perfect capitals for Christmas lovers, followed by Poland, the Czech Republic and France, among others.

Although Christmas is primarily a Christian holiday, over the past few decades, for many, that identity has become more of a 'Christmas mood'. In some homes, it's not just about religion but has become more of a time to spend time with loved ones, look back to the past 11 months and join any plan that could be done in any typical Christmas movie.

Drinking hot chocolate, ice skating, doing last-minute shopping, baking cookies, decorating the Christmas tree... These are just a few of the dozens of activities that some think about when New Year's Eve approaches. To this extensive list, we add visiting a Christmas market. And although this is not a traditional holiday in Turkey, Istanbul does host some Christmas markets.

Below, we present four Christmas markets that will get you into the perfect 'mood' to end the year as if you were Santa Claus himself. 

Istanbul Wonder Village

Without a doubt, the Istanbul Wonder Village market is the most important in the metropolis. It is dreamy and perfectly similar to any of the markets that can be organized in cities like Berlin. This market is located in Küçükçiftlik Park, in Şişli, and will take place between the 21st and 30th of December.

This Christmas market will have an ice skating rink, food stands and Christmas objects shops, among many others. Moreover, it will also host six music concerts, between the 23rd and 29th of that same month.

All those who want to visit this market should take into account that there is no age limit to access the venue. Also, it is worth mentioning that the entrance has a price between 80 TRY and 290 TRY. If you are already decided to enjoy this market, you can buy tickets at this link.

Four Seasons Hotel

The second option that we propose is the Christmas market organized by the popular Four Seasons hotel, located in Beşiktaş, which has beautiful views of the Bosphorus. If you want a more Christmas atmosphere, save the dates!: this event will take place between the 16th and 25th of this month.

In addition to stands with Christmas gifts, in this market, you will also find typical street food dishes from other European cities, such as the mythical frankfurter sausages and German gingerbread cookies.

But this is not all! The Four Seasons hotel market will also have concerts with the most acclaimed artists. One of the most anticipated performances is that of the KÖFN duo, who will perform on 17th December. You can look at the tickets to access the concerts in this market at this link.

Zorlu Center

Last but not least, the Zorlu Center, a shopping mall located in Beşiktaş, usually also has its popular 'New Year's Village'. It is much smaller than the previous two markets, but still, it has its charm. Year after year, this establishment sets up several stands at its entrance, all of them decorated with Christmas motifs, full of lights and red colors. It's the perfect place to stop after doing some last-minute Christmas shopping.

Stay tuned!

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