Christmas market in Vienna is beautiful. But it’s old news. Even Prague’s Christmas market has been discovered. Everyone and their wrinkled-from-the-sun neighbour has been there. Plus, it’s no longer very cheap. And just wait when you see the crowds. Try not spilling your mulled wine in that mass of people!
Now, none of this is to say you shouldn’t go to Vienna or Prague or London at Christmas. There are so many magical cities out there, and if you want to see them, you absolutely should, whether they’ve been “discovered” or not.
But if you want something else, we are here to share a secret with you.
About a small town in the heart of Europe where Christmas still feels a bit like what it used to be.
Read on!
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First of all, why should you trust us?
Well, we know a thing or two about this small town. Mirka was actually born there and spent the first 19 years of her life living there. So over the years we’ve made number of visits to the town and are pretty knowledgeable about it.
So which town are we talking about?
It’s called Trnava and you can find it in the West of Slovakia, not far from the capital, Bratislava.
But why bother going all the way there?
Let’s see.
Do you want undiscovered and non-touristy, but accessible?
Do you want charming and magical?
Do you want to be able to drink your mulled wine without yet another Karen ramming her puffer-jacket elbow into you?
If you said yes to at least one of these, there is your answer.
The market is also ideal for anyone who is looking for a calmer experience. Older people, families with many children or neurodivergent people might appreciate the fact that you can still experience a Christmas market without any crowds. All you have to do is go earlier in the day or go during the weekday. While there are always some people there, unless a big event is on, the atmosphere is very peaceful and tranquil.
A little bit about the town
While a small town, when compared to the big cities in the world, Trnava is actually the 7th biggest town in Slovakia. Let’s put it this way. It’s small enough, that you won’t be bothered by crowds or feeling overwhelmed. But it’s big enough, that you can easily get here by public transport from the capital city, find cool cafes and even multiple shopping centres.
If you love history, you will love it here – the first record of the town comes from the 13th century – in fact, the medieval city walls which were built at that time still stand! It’s one of the reasons the town is an important cultural and historical gem of Slovakia.
One of the things the town is proud of? It was royalty-approved. Trnava was actually the first town in Slovakia which was granted the privileges of a free royal town, way back in 1238 by the king himself.
What to get at the Christmas market
Our main tip would be to get whatever you don’t recognise or you haven’t seen before. It’s a good way to try something new and you usually discover more about the country too.
Something that you will probably recognise at the market though, is the famous “chimney cake”, in Slovak “trdelník”. While its origin is debated (or more argued about), many claim it actually comes from Slovakia! Did you know that?
The obvious go-to drink of every Christmas market is mulled wine, so of course, you can buy it here too. You can also find punch and other novelty hot drinks.
The one to try though is mead – “medovina” in Slovak. You can get different flavours and it’s sooo tasty. Just be warned, it’s also quite sweet.
Bonus tip: If you want to buy some mead, there is a mead shop right next to the main square called APIMED. You can also find mead bottles in the supermarkets.
Okay but what else is there to do?
There are always many other events and activities in the town during the festive period, including special guided tours of the town tower, concerts, games etc. Check these websites for the programme: Zazi v Trnave and Region Trnava.
Town tower
Insider tip: even if you don’t want to do a guided tour of the town tower, get a ticket to go to the top (that is unless you are scared of heights. Cause it’s pretty high up). Seeing the town beautifully lit up, with people milling around as a band plays Christmas songs live – it’s a magical experience. Especially when you realise you are in a small town in the heart of Europe! How crazy, right?
Note: the entrance is just a few euros (€4 for an adult in 2024). Consider the stairs to the top though, it is a winding narrow staircase, so not very accessible for small children, prams or certain disabilities.
Medieval market
On one weekend in December, in addition to the traditional Christmas market, there is also a beautiful medieval market on.
It’s located on another small square, next to the Basilica of St. Nicholas. There are authentic stalls showcasing medieval crafts. You can buy traditional food and drink and, of course, there are amazing activities for children. The whole square has a much calmer and mysterious atmosphere than the main Christmas market, so if this is something that interests you, make sure to come during the weekend it’s on.
History
The town centre is very compact, so you can walk around the whole place to see all the Christmas decor and the beautiful old houses. Much of the main centre, the old town, if you will, is still surrounded by the medieval city walls – head to the Basilica of St. Nicholas where you can actually walk up on the walls and see a beautiful view of the church from there!
Trnava is famous for its numerous churches – despite being a small town, there are 13 of them! This is why it was nicknamed “Little Rome”. Check them out if this is something that interests you – many of them are decorated for Christmas.
Day trips
Amazing day trips can be done from Trnava too, using public transport or a car. Since this is a post about Trnava, we won’t go into more detail, but check out the stunning castle in the nearby village Smolenice or the “Red Stone” castle called Cerveny Kamen.
Events are on almost everywhere during the festive period, so always check the official websites of the places to see the programme.
How to get here
We know what you are thinking.
How am I supposed to get to a small town in a small country like Slovakia?
It’s actually a lot easier than you think!
One of the great things about Europe?
It’s pretty compact. In a few hours you can be in multiple countries. And Slovakia is right at the heart of things.
So if you do decide to travel to Trnava, here are your options:
Bratislava
Travel directly to Bratislava, whether by plane, bus or train.
Can you fly in? Great. After that it’s as easy as getting a bus from the airport (no. 61) to the train station and catching a train to Trnava (between 30-45 mins depending on the kind of train you get).
Of course, if you arrive to the country via a train, you can just continue your journey from Bratislava train station to Trnava.
There are also buses going from the Bratislava bus station (called Nivy – it’s below a big shopping centre – a really good bus station, actually) directly to Trnava, but they are not very frequent and many of them take 2 hours. It’s better to take a train. Jump on no. 40 from in front of the Nivy shopping centre to get to the train station in 10 mins (just make sure you are going in the right direction as no. 40 goes in two different ways).
Vienna
Vienna airport has a direct bus connection to Bratislava. It only takes an hour and you can choose from 3 bus companies: RegioJet, Flixbus and Slovak Lines.
All 3 are pretty much the same, in terms of the journey length and stops, so decide based on the schedule and price.
Make sure to book in advance though, as prices increase closer to the time and tickets are awfully expensive when bought directly from the driver.
If you’re in Vienna city centre, you can get a bus or a train directly to Bratislava, again it takes around an hour.
Budapest
While there isn’t a direct connection from Trnava to Budapest, you can get there easily via Bratislava. Choose between a train or a bus – it will get you there in around 3-4 hours.
Just be aware of the fact that the train station is located pretty centrally in Budapest, while the bus stations are on the outskirts. You can easily get public transport from there to the centre though.
Other options
If all of this isn’t enough, there are more options. Krakow is around 6 hours away from Trnava by bus or train. This involves 1 or more transfers, unless you catch the one direct Flixbus which goes directly to Trnava (once per day).
Another option is Prague – just 5hrs 30mins by train or bus (with a transfer in Bratislava). Don’t want to be transferring? There is one RegioJet train which goes directly to Trnava, from Prague!
The good thing? Because of the connections to these cities, you can easily combine your trip to Trnava with a visit to one (or more) of these cities too!
For all transport in Slovakia, use this website to see the schedule of buses and trains.
Good to know
- The Christmas market starts at the end of November and finishes just before Christmas. In 2024 it starts on 29th November 2024 and lasts until 22nd December 2024.
- Christmas is celebrated on the 24th December in Slovakia. The 25th and 26th December are public holidays.
- Another special date during the festive period in Slovakia is the 6th December – St Nicholas Day. Every year St Nick rides through the town on a sleigh and there is accompanying programme on the main square too. Note that this happens the evening before – on the 5th December.
- The days are short in winter in Slovakia. Plan accordingly – head out earlier in the day to make most of the daylight
- Winter can be proper cold and proper miserable. Check the weather forecast, but be prepared for rain, snow or ice. Pack accordingly. (But also don’t overdo it, if you are missing anything, there are shopping centres in Trnava so you can always buy more layers!)
- You can pay by card at the Christmas market – every stall has to offer this option, but it’s good to carry some cash with you (Slovakia uses the Euro so you don’t have to worry about having to exchange for some obscure currency).
- While the country is very safe, you should, as always, be careful when travelling. Another tip? Get travel insurance. Did you know we researched 23 different providers before we found someone we were happy with? If you are not sure who to choose, definitely check out SafetyWing or True Traveller. They are both great, both created by travellers for travellers, and both offer amazing value for money.
Going further
If you like the sound of Trnava, you might want to see more of Slovakia. There are so many undiscovered places that most tourists miss out on, when eating the traditional dumplings in Bratislava and sipping on the cheap beer (nothing wrong with that, but do venture further to find the real magic).
There are beautiful castles, crazy sledging tracks and mountain peak hotels.
We have created a simple guide with information on all these cool places AND all the useful tips for travelling Slovakia.
Check it out here.
Do you have any questions about visiting Trnava during the festive period? Or any other time of the year for that matter – there is always something cool happening! Ask us here or message us on our Instagram. We’re always happy to help.