Travel to 7 atmospheric Christmas markets by public transport
Christmas lights, delicious treats, handicrafts and the charm of old towns. We have rounded up seven Christmas markets in Finland, Tallinn and Stockholm where you can get into the festive spirit without a car.
The run-up to Christmas is a good reason for a change of scenery. A trip does not have to mean a week-long holiday or spending Christmas away from home. Sometimes a day in another city or a weekend a little further afield makes the wait for Christmas feel special.
Image: Dorit Salutskij, Tuomaan markkinat
Helsinki: Christmas spirit in Senate Square
Helsinki Christmas Market, 27 November–22 December 2026
You do not always have to travel far. In the heart of Helsinki, Senate Square once again fills with little market stalls, festive treats and lights in the run-up to Christmas. Whether you arrive at Helsinki Central Railway Station or Kamppi Centre, head to the nearest tram stop and you will be there in no time. You can find detailed route and stop information in the Matkat app.
At the heart of Helsinki Christmas Market are the familiar carousel and the food and café courtyard. Browse the stalls for distinctive Christmas gifts, or simply visit to enjoy festive treats and soak up the anticipation of Christmas. The market is open every day from 27 November until 22 December.
If you are coming from further away, it is easy to turn your Christmas market visit into a whole day in Helsinki. From the market, you can continue to the city centre’s Christmas lights and boutiques, or even head to the waterfront.
Lohja: step into a Christmas of days gone by
Old-Time Christmas Market, 12–13 December 2026
In Lohja, the search for Christmas spirit takes you to a slightly different setting. The Old-Time Christmas Market is held on the medieval church hill, where the surroundings alone transport you to another era.
As well as shopping for Christmas gifts and tasting festive treats, you can enjoy dance, music and craft demonstrations. The warmth of an open fire and the aromas of Christmas food add to the atmosphere.
This is a good choice if you specifically want to make your Christmas market visit a day trip.
Image: Niko Laurila, City of Porvoo
Porvoo: Christmas markets and old-town lanes in one trip
Art Factory Christmas Market, 11–13 December 2026
Porvoo is one of those towns worth seeing in winter, too. The Art Factory’s traditional Christmas Market brings together craftspeople, festive treats and visitors enjoying the Christmas atmosphere. The 2026 market takes place on 11–13 December, and admission is free. Hop on a bus from Kotka, Hamina or the Helsinki metropolitan area, and from Porvoo bus station it’s about a ten-minute walk to the Christmas market.
But do not rush straight home from the market. In Porvoo, it is worth continuing your Christmas outing towards the old town and the riverside. There is plenty of other festive programming in town, and the Porvoo Christmas Trail, for example, is open from 4 to 22 December.
Image: City of Rauma
Rauma: Christmas in a town of wooden houses
Christmas in Lace Town, 21 November 2026–6 January 2027
What does Christmas look like at a UNESCO World Heritage Site? In Rauma, you can experience it for yourself.
Christmas in Lace Town spreads through Old Rauma, where the historic wooden-house quarters are joined by Christmas lights, decorated shop windows and a festive programme. There is a Christmas market in Market Square, and the Christmas season offers events from late November until Epiphany.
The lanes and little boutiques of Old Rauma give you a good reason to stay a little longer. Instead of a day trip, you could make this a festive mini-break. You can easily reach Rauma by bus from Turku, Pori or further afield. The bus brings you right into the heart of the Christmas atmosphere, less than a 10-minute walk from the Christmas market.
Image: Marko Paakkanen
Kuopio: sparkling lights at the Christmas market
Kuopio Christmas Market, 11–23 December 2026
In Kuopio, Christmas spirit can be found right in the heart of the city. Kuopio Christmas Market fills the square with lights, little Christmas huts, treats and activities from 11 to 23 December.
The square’s spectacular lighting is an important part of the atmosphere: the area will feature a canopy of lights, illuminated entrance gates and various lighting installations. Special Christmas guests will also appear in the weekend programme.
It is easy to combine a Christmas market visit with a walk around Kuopio city centre. Along the way, you can stop to warm up over a cup of coffee. You can easily reach Kuopio by train or bus. From the bus station, you can walk to the Christmas market in less than 15 minutes.
Tallinn: a Christmas fairy tale in the heart of the old town
Tallinn Christmas Market, 20 November 2026–6 January 2027
In Tallinn, you do not have to look far for Christmas spirit. Town Hall Square, in the heart of the medieval old town, transforms into a Christmas town built around lights, little market huts and a Christmas tree.
The stalls offer local handicrafts and Christmas gifts, as well as all kinds of festive flavours, from gingerbread to hot meals and mulled wine. This year, the Christmas market opens on 20 November and runs until Epiphany on 6 January.
As well as visiting the Christmas market, make time for the old town’s lanes, cafés and little boutiques. Tallinn is just as suitable for a day trip as for a whole weekend’s Christmas getaway. Let the Christmas spirit carry you away and buy tickets for the whole journey from Finland to Tallinn – buses, trains and ferries included. It is as simple as that.
Image: Sara Kollberg, Skansen
Stockholm: an old-fashioned Christmas at Skansen
Skansen Christmas Market, 27 November–20 December 2026, Fridays to Sundays
If you would like a touch of Swedish Christmas tradition on your festive trip, head to Stockholm and Skansen. Getting there is easy: buy public transport tickets for the whole journey, all the way to Stockholm, in the Matkat app.
Skansen’s Christmas market traditions date back to 1903. The stalls offer local handicrafts, festive treats, marzipan and Christmas bread, and as you explore, you can warm up with mulled wine or stop for a waffle. In 2026, the market takes place over the four Advent weekends, from Friday to Sunday.
The Christmas market is also a good reason to spend a weekend in Stockholm. The journey itself is part of your little Christmas holiday as you cross the Baltic Sea by ferry, with Stockholm’s Christmas lights waiting at your destination.
Where would you go in search of Christmas spirit?
A Christmas trip does not have to mean a long holiday. It could be a day trip to Helsinki, Lohja or Porvoo, a weekend in Rauma or Kuopio, or a little ferry getaway to Tallinn or Stockholm.
For some, Christmas spirit is found in market lights and little boutiques; for others, in old-town lanes or festive treats. Perhaps the most important thing is simply to give yourself a good reason to go.
So plan your journey in the Matkat app by bus, train, ferry or a combination of them. Perhaps this year, you do not have to wait for Christmas spirit to arrive. You can go and find it. More than once, even. Find more travel tips here.
Author: Ella Paimander, Matkahuolto
Ella works with marketing and content at Matkahuolto. She is inspired by overland travel in Finland and abroad, experiences that are easy to reach and new destinations you can explore without a car – including by bus.
Cover image: Wille Markkanen
