Over the weekend, we had a day trip to Craiova to visit the recently opened Christmas market, which is considered the best in Romania and the second-best in Europe.
And yes, all the praise is real, as you can see in the photos I will attach to this article.
As soon as you step in, you can feel the magic of Christmas. Although extremely crowded (especially if you visit during the early evening on the weekend, as we did), it still feels relatively airy and you can fully enjoy all the attractions there without having to wait a lot.
This year’s Christmas market in Craiova is divided into four areas, each with a unique theme:
- Beauty and the Beast – the main area, with a large Christmas tree, themed lights, and decorations, along with projections on the city hall’s walls inspired by the movie.
- Santa’s Village – the “fun fair” part of the market, with the Ferris Wheel (which I enjoyed the most), and other attractions, as well as Santa’s sleigh, where kids can take free photos with Santa!
- Traditional Christmas Area – beautiful decorations and a choir singing carols.
- Star Wars Area – the most disappointing for the geek in me, as it has nothing to do with Star Wars. We have, instead, the solar system and plenty of lights in the area, so it’s still beautiful.
Here’s the map of the area, in case you want to visit. Walking around the entire area will not take long – maybe 15 minutes or so, if you don’t stop to take in all the attractions.
Insider Tip: Make sure to be in the main Beauty of the Beast area at 6:30 PM each day. That’s when Santa Claus will fly his sleigh over the fair area, but also stop a little to share a message (in Romanian language only) for everybody. Nice to see, but get there early as it gets crowded. So look up!
Where to stay in Craiova if you visit to see the Christmas Market?
My tip: visit during the week days, if possible! We visited during the weekend when the hotel room prices skyrocketed. But even so, we couldn’t find ANY free room one week before our arrival.
So plan your stay and try to book in advance, ideally during the week to avoid the inflated rates. I recommend three hotels below, all of them keeping you close to the Christmas Market area:
- Hotel 5 Continents (my favorite – we stayed there in the past and we’ll always return here).
- Hotel Bavaria (budget option, still good although a bit farther away)
- Hotel Splendid 1900 (perfect location, old building, good choice overall)
If you get there by car and wish to avoid paying the premium fees hotels charge during the winter season, I recommend booking your stay at Carul din Stele in Beharca (a 15-minute drive from Craiova’s Christmas market area).
And if you spend more time in the city, check out my recommended things to do in Craiova.
Craiova’s Christmas Market: Prices
Except for the inflated accommodation costs, other prices are decent at the Christmas market in Craiova.
Here are some of the costs for various things, both in Romanian Lei and Euros:
- Ticket for the rides: 20-30 lei/4-6 Euros (the small roller coaster, the Ferris Wheel etc)
- Santa’s Elevator: 50 lei (10 Euros) – the little ones can hear a message from Santa himself.
- Mulled Wine: 10 Lei/2 Euros
- Coffee/Hot Chocolate: 10-15 lei (2-3 Euros)
- Chimney Cake – 25 lei (5 Euros)
- 1 mic (traditional Romanian sausage) – 7 lei (1.4 Euros)
- Sarmale – 8 lei (1.6 Euros) per 100 grams
- Beans with Pork Knuckels – 45 lei (9 Euros)
- Dubai chocolate – 30 lei (6 Euros) per 100 grams
All in all, the prices are higher than what you would pay in any of the nearby restaurants for similar products, with the main difference being that in a restaurant you’ll sit down in a hopefully heated place and your food will be nicely served by a waiter.
If you prefer to go this route, take a look at my recommended restaurants in Craiova (all of them are centrally located, in the Christmas market area).
You can also grab water/soda from any of the nearby stores, for half the price, or get a really good specialty coffee from one of the brick and mortar coffee places (also cheaper).
My Insider Tips for Visiting Craiova’s Christmas Market
Keep these in mind when preparing for your trip to visit the Craiova Christmas market:
- Arrive Early: Get there by 3 PM to find parking and enjoy the market before it gets too crowded.
- Parking spots: Stay away from the main area because it will be almost impossible to find parking (and even more difficult to get out). We parked on a small, lateral street some 5 minutes of walking away from the Market.
- Bundle Up: Temperatures can drop significantly after dark, so dress warmly and bring gloves.
- Have Cash on Hand: While some vendors accept cards, cash is faster and more widely accepted for small purchases.
- Plan for Photos: The Beauty and the Beast area makes for stunning Instagram shots, especially with the city hall projections in the background. Take your time – everybody does so.
- Have a few hours: We spent around 4 hours in the area, exploring, taking photos, riding a few of the attractions, and grabbing something to eat. Plan to spend a minimum of 1 hour there.
Craiova’s Christmas Market: Photos and Final Opinions
I intentionally left this area last, as I don’t want to mess up your surprise of getting there and experiencing the beauty of Craiova’s Christmas Market. But if you’re for a virtual visit instead, here’s what you will see:
As mentioned before, Craiova’s Christmas market is indeed beautiful and special, but with fewer traditional products sold than I had anticipated, probably because it’s located in an area that’s already filled with restaurants, coffee shops and stores.
But the place is amazing without a doubt. Visit after dark to fully enjoy the atmosphere. Stroll slowly through the area and take it all in. There are all sorts of small decorations (and large ones) that you can discover and enjoy.
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
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