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Methodology

How the ChristmasWanders Index works

Every market gets five scores from 1 to 10, and those five become one number out of 10. This page shows what goes into each score, where the facts come from, and what nobody can pay to change.

Applies toThe 2026 Index
Scale1 to 10, one decimal
Last updated1 October 2026
30Atmosphere
25Stalls
20Food & drink
15Value
10Getting there

Score = Atmosphere × 0.30 + Stalls × 0.25 + Food and drink × 0.20 + Value × 0.15 + Getting there × 0.10

The five measures

What each score looks at

Each measure has a written rubric and a list of facts we check before scoring it. The bands below are what separate a 9 from a 6 from a 3, so two markets with the same score really are in the same league.

30%

Atmosphere and setting

The feel of the place

The setting, the lights and decorations, the music and traditions, and what it feels like once it gets dark. It carries the most weight because it's the reason most people book the trip.

What we check
  • Where it is and what's behind it, from an old town square to a cathedral, castle or riverside
  • The published programme, like choirs, nativity scenes, the Christkind or a Krampus run
  • How much of it is traditional and how much is fairground
  • What visitors say in reviews, as a cross-check
9–10The setting alone is worth the journey, with a real programme and traditions you won't find anywhere else
6–7Festive and pleasant, but it could be in any city
3–4Thin decorations, a generic layout and not much going on
25%

Stalls and what they sell

What's actually for sale

How many stalls there are, how much of what they sell is handmade or regional, and how much variety you get as you walk round.

What we check
  • The organiser's own stall count
  • Exhibitor rules, since some markets only allow traditional goods
  • Published exhibitor lists, where they exist
  • How much is craft and how much is imported souvenirs
9–10Big, vetted and mostly handmade or regional
6–7A decent mix, with some repetition
3–4Small, or mostly mass-produced
20%

Food and drink

What you'll eat and drink

Regional specialities, how much choice there is, and whether the food is a reason to go or just something to grab between stalls.

What we check
  • The food and drink stalls the organiser lists
  • Regional dishes and drinks on offer
  • Choice beyond red mulled wine, including alcohol-free
  • What visitors say about the food
9–10A real local food tradition, with things worth the trip on their own
6–7The classics, done well
3–4Limited, generic or poor for the price
15%

Value for money

What it costs you

What the classics cost, whether you pay to get in, and how that compares with normal prices in that country.

What we check
  • Published prices for a cup of mulled wine and the mug deposit
  • The price of a sausage or the local equivalent
  • Entry fees and timed tickets
  • The general price level of the country
9–10Free to get in, with prices at or below the local norm
6–7Typical prices for the country
3–4Paid entry or clearly inflated prices
10%

Getting there and around

How easy the trip is

How easy it is to arrive, and to get between the markets once you're there.

What we check
  • Walking time from the main station
  • The nearest airport and its direct flights
  • How many separate sites there are, and how far apart
  • Step-free access, where it's published
9–10Under 15 minutes' walk from the station, with the markets close together
6–7A short tram or bus ride away
3–4A long transfer or a car needed, with sites spread out
+

Elbow room

Outside the Index

A crowd score from 1 to 10, where 10 means room to breathe even on a Saturday night. It doesn't count towards the total, because a market shouldn't lose points for being loved. It's there to tell you when to go, not whether to go.

What we check
  • Official visitor numbers, where they exist
  • Visitors per resident
  • How much space the market has to spread out
  • Peak times reported by organisers and visitors
The process

How a score gets made

01Collect the factsDates, hours, stall counts, prices and the programme, from the organiser and the city tourism office first, then everything else.
02Score against the rubricEach measure gets a number from 1 to 10, using the bands on this page.
03Cross-checkVisitor reviews and recent coverage, to catch what the official material leaves out.
04Add what we sawEvery market with a full guide on the site has been visited in person, and those notes go into its score.
05Check again every seasonDates and prices get re-checked each autumn, so a score can move from one year to the next.

We use software, including AI tools, to gather and organise the research. Every score is set and checked by hand against this rubric.

Worked example
Vienna 8.6
MeasureScoreWeighted
Atmosphere × 0.3092.70
Stalls × 0.2592.25
Food & drink × 0.2081.60
Value × 0.1581.20
Getting there × 0.1080.80
Index score8.55 → 8.6

Elbow room 6 out of 10, shown separately on the market page. Totals are rounded to one decimal.

Independence

What nobody can change

Nobody pays to be on it

There are no paid placements, no sponsored rankings and no fee to be included. Nobody pays to move up either.

It isn't a vote

You can't campaign for a better score. How many followers a city has, or how hard it pushes, doesn't move the numbers.

Facts yes, scores no

Organisers and tourism boards can send corrections to dates, hours and prices. They can't change a score.

Ties go to atmosphere

If two markets end up on the same score, the one with the higher Atmosphere score ranks first.

Where the facts come from

Organiser and city tourism websites come first, then national tourism boards and visitor figures published by cities and their partners. Walking times and visitor ratings come from Google Maps. Getting-there data comes from airline and rail timetables.

Dates and prices are checked at the start of each season and marked as estimates until the organiser confirms them.

Spotted a mistake?

Email hello@christmaswanders.com with the market and where you saw the right information. Fixes to dates, hours and prices go live as soon as they're checked, and any change to a score is logged below. Journalists, the press page covers how to use the data.

1 Oct 2026Methodology published for the 2026 Index.