Christmas Markets In Madrid

One thing I have learned spending the early Christmas season in Madrid is that Christmas Markets in Madrid are much more impressive to Americans than they are to Europeans. I am part of an Erasmus club, where I have met students studying in Spain who are from Italy, France, the UK, Austria, and Germany. I have been told from these students that the Madrid markets do not compare to the Berlin or London Christmas Markets. However, I was still heavily impressed with them. Where I live in the United States (in Idaho) nothing close to these Christmas Markets exists.

Inicio Mágicas Navidades (Start Magical Christmas) in Torrejón de Ardoz

I was especially impressed by the Inicio Mágicas Navidades in Torrejon de Ardoz. The community of Madrid is actually quite wide, and even though Torrejon de Ardoz is in Madrid, it is about a half hour by car or an hour by public transport outside of Madrid Center. But I think this journey is worth it to see this Christmas fair. 

Of this entire list, this market is probably the most child-friendly activity because it is a fair in addition to a market. There are rides, a Ferris Wheel, food trucks, food stands, a forest of stars, arctic animal lights, penguin lights, and more.

In 2021, this fair opened on November 19th and it will remain open until January 7th, 2022. It is located at the Recinto Ferial in Torrejón de Ardoz. Due to the pandemic, you have to buy an entrance ticket in advance. These tickets only cost 1 or 2 euros, depending on if you go on a weekday or the weekend.  

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Pista de Hielo (Ice Rink) and Naviluz Christmas Bus in Plaza Colon

Plaza Colon is an excellent location to visit during the Christmas season in Madrid in 2021, because this year it has an ice rink in addition to being the starting point for the Naviluz Christmas bus.

The Naviluz Christmas bus is a double decker bus that you can take to see the Christmas lights around Madrid. The bus ride lasts 50 minutes and costs 6 euros, although there are discounts for children and adults over 65 years of age.

In 2021, the Naviluz Christmas bus began running on November 26th and is set to go until January 6th, 2022. This is a very popular Christmas activity in Madrid, so the bus runs every 10 minutes between 6 pm and 11 pm during the weekdays and between 6 pm and midnight on the weekend. During winter in Madrid, nightfall is sometime between 7 pm and 8 pm, so the best time to book your Naviluz Christmas bus ride would be after nightfall.

Mercado Navideño (Christmas Market) in Alcalá de Henares

The Alcala de Henares Christmas Market has to be on this list because I live in Alcala de Henares and this fair is only a five minute walk from my apartment. But there is another reason this market should be on the list: Churros…all sorts of churros. Stuffed churros, chocolate churros, Kinder Bueno churros, Nutella churros, and of course churros con chocolate.

In addition to having an amazing churro stand, this market also has a Ferris Wheel with an amazing night view of Alcala de Henares plus vendors selling food, clothing, and trinkets.

Normally this market is set up at the fairgrounds, but in 2021 it has been set up in the city center, in Plaza de Cervantes. The market opened on December 3rd and will remain open until January 5th, 2022. 

Mercadillo de Navidad (Street Christmas Market) near El Corte Inglés

This Christmas Market is hosted by a massive El Corte Inglés department store near the Nuevos Ministerios metro. I was very surprised by the upbeat vibe and variety at the market. There were food trucks, toy stands, ornament stands, gift stands, and a nativity scene. But best of all: There were live carol singers that sang a variety of both English and Spanish Christmas songs for everyone in the market to dance and sing along with.

This Christmas market opened in late November and is set to stay open until January 5th, 2022. It is open from noon to 11 pm each day. 

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Comunidad de Madrid Feria Mercado de Artesanía (Community of Madrid Artisan Craft Fair Market)

This Christmas market is focused on selling the products of local craftsmen. The market spans several blocks between the entrance to the Renfe Recoletos train and the entrance to the Colon metro. 

This market spans almost the entire month of December, from the 1st to the 30th. The market is open from 11 am to 9 pm, except for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

Mercado Navideño (Christmas Market) in Plaza Mayor

This is probably the most famous Christmas Market in Madrid. It is located in Plaza Mayor, which is easily walkable from the Sol metro. During the Christmas season, this plaza has a massive Christmas tree and many vendor stands selling toys, trinkets, as well as Christmas trees and ornaments.

This market has been running for over 100 years, with roots dating back to the 17th century. In 2021, this market opened on November 26th and it is set to run until December 31st. It is open from 10 am to 9 pm on the weekdays, and from 10 am to 10 pm on the weekend.

Feria de Dulces de Navidad (Christmas Sweets Fair) in Plaza de Isabel II

For being a Christmas Sweets Fair, this market had surprisingly little food. It was a collection of just a few stalls selling anything from candies to trinkets and Christmas ornaments. On its own, this market may not be worth the trip. However, it would be good to pair a visit to this market with a visit to the above-mentioned Plaza Mayor Christmas Market as they are within an easy walkable distance from each other — about 5 minutes.

In 2021, this market ran from November 28th to December 22nd. It was open each day from 10 am to 10 pm.

Other: Beefeater Xmas Market

I wish I could give you a review of this market, but it was so crowded that I could not even get in. First off, same as me, you might be wondering why it is called Beefeater Xmas Market. Well, Beefeater refers to Beefeater London, which is a type of gin. And this Christmas market was really created to sell gin in two new forms: hot Ginger Apple gin and Pineapple Mint gin.

However, this market has turned into a British food experience, offering other classics like Fish n’ Chips. It is so popular you can even Glovo a food and drink order from the market, which is one of Spain’s most popular food delivery services. 

In 2021, this market was only open from December 3rd through the 18th, and only for 4 hours each of those days — from 6:30 pm to 10:30 pm.

Other: Parque Retiro

Technically, this is not a Christmas market. However, Parque Retiro is a must-see site in Madrid during the Christmas season because of its amazing array of Christmas lights. This large park is an easy walk from the Retiro metro station. It is one of the biggest parks in Spain, so there are plenty of lights scattered throughout its grounds, but you will be sure to see at least some lights as each entrance has a light display.

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