Hot chocolate
Drink
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Hot chocolate
Hot chocolate is a drink of milk or water heated with melted chocolate or cocoa powder and sugar, served steaming in a cup, and it is the alcohol-free option at Christmas markets, most often offered at the same chalet as the mulled wine.
Spiced, Flemish or bicerin: the hot chocolates the chalets serve
In Brussels, it is served spiced. In Lille, Flemish hot chocolate has its name on the stalls. In Turin, the bicerin blends coffee, chocolate and milk cream in a small glass, which gives it its name, and it is linked to the Caffè Al Bicerin, opened in 1763 on Piazza della Consolata. Perugia, Trento and Empoli serve hot chocolate at the chalet. In Oslo, it is called kakao.
Where to drink hot chocolate at a Christmas market
In the Netherlands, Vught, Groningen and Elburg announce Glühwein and hot chocolate at the same stall. Wrocław and London, on the Southbank, serve it too. In France, Paris and Bordeaux, Rennes and Lorient, Clermont-Ferrand, Cannes, Évian-les-Bains and Villeneuve-d’Ascq offer it in a cup, and the Plopsaland and Sainte-Croix parks have it for their visitors.
For the history of hot chocolate and its variants, old-fashioned or from powder, read our article Hot Chocolate at Christmas Markets, a Story Going Back to the Aztecs.
Hot chocolate in pictures
Where to taste it
Opens on 27 November
Bordeaux Christmas Market
Bordeaux
From 27 November to 27 December 2026
Worth the weekend
Opens on 27 November
Brussels Christmas Market
spiced
Brussels
From 27 November to 3 January 2027
Worth the trip
Dates to be confirmed
Cannes Christmas Market
Cannes
Day out
Opens on 27 November
Clermont-Ferrand Christmas Market
Clermont-Ferrand
From 27 November to 27 December 2026
Worth the weekend
Opens on 11 December
Elburg Christmas Market
Elburg
From 11 to 12 December 2026
Day out
Dates to be confirmed
Empoli Christmas Market
Empoli
Day out
Dates to be confirmed
Évian-les-Bains Christmas Market
Évian-les-Bains
Local favourite
Dates to be confirmed
Groningen Christmas Market
Groningen
Day out
Opens on 18 November
Lille Christmas Market
Flemish hot chocolate
Lille
From 18 November to 30 December 2026
Worth the weekend
Opens on 2 November
London Christmas Markets
London
From 2 November to 4 January 2027
Worth the weekend
Dates to be confirmed
Lorient Christmas Market
Lorient
Day out
Opens on 11 December
Neuf-Brisach Christmas Market, the 1700 Village
Neuf-Brisach
From 11 to 13 December 2026
Day out
Opens on 7 November
Oslo Christmas Market
cocoa
Oslo
From 7 November to 3 January 2027
Worth the weekend
Opens on 20 November
Park
Parc de Sainte-Croix at Christmas: Lumières d’Hiver
Rhodes
Worth the weekend · Park
Opens on 22 November
Paris Christmas Market
Paris
From 22 November to 4 January 2027
Worth the weekend
Dates to be confirmed
Perugia Christmas Market
Perugia
Day out
Opens on 21 November
Park
Plopsaland De Panne at Christmas: Magical Christmas
De Panne
From 21 November to 3 January 2027
Day out · Park
Dates to be confirmed
Rennes Christmas Market
Rennes
Worth the weekend
Opens on 20 November
Trento Christmas Market
Trento
From 20 November to 6 January 2027
Worth the weekend
Dates to be confirmed
Turin Christmas Market
Turin
Worth the weekend
Dates to be confirmed
Villeneuve-d’Ascq Christmas Market
Villeneuve-d’Ascq
Local favourite
Opens on 12 December
Vught Christmas Market
Vught
From 12 to 20 December 2026
Day out
Opens on 20 November
Wrocław Christmas Market
Wrocław
From 20 November to 7 January 2027
Worth the weekend