Every winter, tourists from the UK flock to Germany’s famous Christmas markets in cities like Munich and Cologne, or to Austria’s magical Vienna Christkindlmarkt, to soak up the festive cheer. But while these traditional favourites draw huge crowds, other European countries are home to Christmas markets just as enchanting – and often with cheaper flights and smaller queues.
While Italy may be heralded as a top summer holiday destination, with Tuscany’s rolling hills, the white sand beaches of Sardinia, or the Amalfi Coast offering a taste of luxury, a whole new world awaits visitors who choose to visit in the colder months. Tucked away in northwestern Italy in the Piedmont region lies the pretty city of Asti, just 34 miles southeast of Turin. It is famous for its sparkling wine, its medieval towers, and historical sites like the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta and the Palio di Asti horse race. However, at Christmas, the city is transformed into a wonderland so spectacular it has been named one of Europe’s best.
In fact, Asti Christmas Market is the only one in Italy to be included in the Top 10 of the best markets in Europe for the European Best Destinations ranking 2025, named the “Best Fairytale Christmas market” of the year. It was ranked alongside the likes of Poland’s Gdansk market, as well as Brussels’ Winter Wonders and Riga market in Latvia.
From 10am to 8pm, open from this Saturday, November 15, to December 21, “Piazza Alfieri comes alive with over 140 wooden stands where you will find handcrafts, gastronomy and street food,” said Il Magico Pasese di Natale’s website.
For the first few weeks, the market will be open only on weekends. However, from December 6, it will be open from Thursday to Sunday, as well as exclusively on Monday, December 8. Entry to the Christmas Market is completely free and does not require booking.
The food side of the Asti market is impressively strong, with regional Piedmontese cuisine, local wines and street-food style stalls featuring.
As if this were not enough to lure tourists, flights for early December are currently on sale for exceptionally cheap in comparison with destinations in Germany and Vienna. While flights to Berlin are upwards of £35, for this time of year, Brits could be on a one-hour 55-minute flight from London Stansted with Ryanair to Turin on December 5 for just £19, according to Skyscanner.
Turin (TRN) is the nearest major airport to Asti, only about 43 miles away. Once in Turin, the easiest way to reach the city is by train. Trains run from Torino Porta Nuova or Torino Lingotto stations to Asti roughly every 30 minutes and last between 35 and 50 minutes. For a one-way ticket, the cost is usually around €6-10 (£5.30-£8.80). You can buy tickets at the station or in advance via Trenitalia’s website.
Alternatively, if you rent a car, the drive from Turin to Asti takes about 50 minutes via the A21 motorway.