Santa's Village, Underground christmas market in Valkenburg aan de Geul, Netherlands.
Santa's Village is an underground Christmas market set within the marl caves beneath Cauberg hill in Valkenburg. Numerous stalls line the illuminated passages selling seasonal goods, decorations, handmade gifts, and local food specialties throughout the cave corridors.
The market developed within caves formed by centuries of marl extraction used for building materials in the region. What began as a local idea has grown into Europe's largest underground Christmas celebration.
Local makers and sellers display traditional Dutch holiday items throughout the caves, blending regional customs from Limburg into their shops. You'll see decorations that reflect how people in this area celebrate the season.
The site operates from November through early January with extended hours during peak days. Wear warm clothing as the caves stay cool and slightly damp year-round, and sturdy footwear helps navigate the stone passages safely.
The natural limestone walls you see were actually quarried for centuries to build houses and structures in the area. Walking through the market means walking through the very material that shaped how this region developed and built itself.
Location: Valkenburg aan de Geul
Address: Theodoor, Theo Dorrenplein, 6301 DV Valkenburg, Netherlands
Opening Hours: Monday-Tuesday 12:00-19:00; Wednesday 12:00-21:00; Thursday 12:00-19:00; Friday 12:00-21:00; Saturday 11:00-21:00; Sunday 11:00-19:00
Phone: +31654363500
Website: http://santasvillage.nl
GPS coordinates: 50.86504,5.83338
Latest update: December 6, 2025 17:49
Christmas markets are a long-standing tradition in many European cities during the Advent season. The markets take place on central squares and historic streets, where wooden stalls offer regional specialties, handcrafted goods, and traditional decorations. From roasted almonds to mulled wine to local handicrafts, each city presents its own culinary and cultural features. In Germany, cities such as Nuremberg, Dresden, Munich, Hamburg, and Stuttgart host their Christmas markets, while Austria welcomes visitors to Vienna and Salzburg. France is represented by Strasbourg, Metz, Montbéliard, and Lille. Belgium offers markets in Brussels, Bruges, and Leuven, the Netherlands in Maastricht and Valkenburg. In Poland, markets can be found in Wrocław, Kraków, and Poznań. Additional markets take place in Prague, Budapest, Zagreb, Basel, Bern, and in Scandinavian cities such as Stockholm, Gothenburg, Oslo, Rovaniemi, and in the Baltic capitals of Riga and Tallinn. London, Edinburgh, the Italian towns of Merano and Asti-Govone, and even Madeira are also among the locations of this winter tradition.
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