Best Christmas market destinations in Africa

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One southern African country's colonial history has left a genuine Christmas market tradition in its capital, complete with mulled wine and stalls reflecting a specific European heritage rather than an imported novelty. Elsewhere on the continent, the tradition remains genuinely rare.

The destinations on this list range from markets rooted in specific colonial-era heritage to newer hotel and mall-based events in major cities that have adopted the format more recently. Both reflect a tradition still considerably smaller in scale than its European origins.

Checking exact dates and locations in advance matters here, since these markets tend to run for a shorter, less publicised window than their European counterparts. Dressing warmly for evening visits also matters considerably given how quickly temperatures drop after dark.