Whether you go to buy gifts, replenish your Yuletide larder or simply to soak up the atmosphere, Europe’s Christmas markets weave a captivating spell.

While snowfall cannot be guaranteed, it is more likely. At the very least you can expect a Christmas-card setting with traditional handmade decorations, along with daytime and evening markets packed with festive flavors and, if you’re lucky, local choirs providing the requisite soundtrack.

It is possible to cruise by river or sea to enjoy Europe’s markets. The advantage with river cruising is the opportunity to visit not just one but several Christmas markets and, as you sail, to see towns and villages decorated for the festive season. The biggest concentration of Christmas markets lies along the banks of the Rhine and the Danube; there are also some on the Main and the Seine – many in Paris itself.

There are still some cruises to choose from, but you’ll have to be quick.