Europe's Christmas markets have been out of bounds for the past two years, so now that travel restrictions have lifted, Newmarket Holidays has witnessed a strong return in demand for 2022. Product manager Phillipa Butcher recommends three that are less well-known, but offer magical experiences.

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TRENTO & BOLZANO, ITALY
Italian and Austrian Christmas traditions combine in the mountainous Dolomites, where the festive markets of Trento, a former Roman settlement, specialise in foods that bring together flavours of the north and the Mediterranean south. The seasonal spirit is taken up a notch at Bolzano, known as Italy's capital of Christmas, where there are two more markets and local craftspeople, including glassblowers and woodcarvers, showcase their skills on brightly-lit and vibrantly-decorated streets that are filled with the sound of Christmas music.

How: Four nights' half-board from £785pp, including flights from Manchester on 12 December, tour manager and transfers. Other departures available, newmarketholidays.co.uk, 0333 060 3384.

Deeplink: https://www.newmarketholidays.co.uk/holidays/europe/italian-dolomites-christmas-markets 

RIGA, LATVIA
Riga is said to have started the tradition of decorating Christmas trees more than 500 years ago, and the charming Latvian capital still puts a brightly dressed tree at the centre of its celebrations. The festive market in the Old Town Square is less commercial, more traditional and intimate than many of Europe's best-known events, with stalls selling traditional gifts including handmade clothes, Latvian hats and colourful mittens, wooden toys and beautiful ornaments, with sausages, sauerkraut, gingerbread and karstvīns (mulled wine) to warm visitors. A group trip with Newmarket Holidays includes a guided tour of the capital, with the lovingly reconstructed 'House of the Blackheads', the towering Freedom Monument and two magnificent cathedrals among the highlights. There's also the option to visit Gauja National Park, which is a refuge for elk, European bison and brown bears.

How: Three nights' bed & breakfast from £453pp, including flights from Leeds Bradford on 15 December, a tour manager and city tour. Other departures available, newmarketholidays.co.uk, 0333 060 3384.

Deeplink: https://www.newmarketholidays.co.uk/holidays/europe/riga-christmas-markets 

MONTREUX, SWITZERLAND
Snow is a certainty in the Swiss Alps, and the colourful festive market at chic Montreux, on the banks of Lake Geneva, makes the most of this wonderful setting, with cosy wooden chalets selling gifts from across the Alps, and Swiss treats like vin chaud and cinnamon crepes proving irresistible, and there are more creators to discover behind the battlements of the island castle Château Chillon.

How: Three nights' half board from £499pp, including flights from Bristol on 28 November, tour manager and transfers. Entry to Château Chillon payable locally. Other departures available, newmarketholidays.co.uk, 0333 060 3384.

Deeplink: https://www.newmarketholidays.co.uk/holidays/europe/swiss-christmas-markets 

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About Newmarket Holidays
Newmarket Holidays is a multi-award-winning, independently owned British tour operator, providing a portfolio of escorted trips, resort-centred stays, and event-focused tours throughout the world. Founded in 1983, Newmarket Holidays has steadily grown and expanded to become one of the UK's leading and most respected travel companies. High standards of customer care and value are integral to Newmarket Holidays' operations and this is reflected in the meticulously-designed tours, from accommodation to on-the-ground experiences.

Offering a vast selection of escorted, air-inclusive tours within the UK, Europe, Americas, India and South-east Asia, Newmarket Holidays also presents a range of ocean and river cruises. Additionally, the tour operator is a popular provider of concert and event experiences such as Lapland Santa Experience, the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships and performances by classical violinist and orchestra leader André Rieu.

For more details, please contact: E dan@humewhitehead.co.uk T: +44 (0)7429 256 670