'Hidden gem' Christmas market town is just 3 hours from the UK with £68 flights

Europe has a wide choice of Christmas markets, and they tend to be bigger, and run for longer, than those in the UK. At this time of year, they make for a great weekend away. There's nothing like sipping hot chocolate and wandering around a beautiful historic town that's completely decked in Christmas lights.

But with so many amazing markets, which one should you choose from? European travel specialist Tollwayrrecently compiled a top ten list of the top Christmas markets, with heavyweights such as Strasbourg and Vienna heading up the list. However, one market that made the cit is in a town you may not have even heard of, and it could be a great option if you're looking for festive fun on a budget.

Craiova in Romania is just over three hours from London Luton, with flights on Wizz Air starting at just £68 each way. While you may not have heard of Craiova, it's one of Romania's largest cities and the capital of the country's southwestern region.

Craiova Christmas Market is one of the longest-running in Europe, opening on November 15 and running through to January 4, which gives visitors plenty of time to explore the whopping 280,000 square metres it covers.

The market is so large it's broken down into four 'worlds', each with its own style. There will be one world themed around Beauty and the Beast, a futuristic world called Galactic Christmas, one that represents a traditional Romanian Christmas, and of course, Santa's Village for that all-important visit to the man in red.

You can also take a ride on Santa's sleigh at the funfair, enjoy views across the city on a Ferris wheel, or take a twirl on an outdoor ice rink. Of course, it wouldn't be a Christmas market without the wooden stalls, which you'll find across the city centre selling handmade arts and crafts. In addition to the classic food stalls serving up bratwurst and roasted chestnuts, look out for traditional Romanian Christmas foods such as cabbage rolls called sarmale or kürtskalács, also known as spit cakes, made with sweet dough fried in a cone shape.

Craiova is the perfect backdrop for a Christmas market, with charming 17th-century architecture that gives the centre a fairytale-like vibe when it's lit up for the festive season. It's worth visiting the Craiova Art Museum, set in a former palace, which is decked out with giant chandeliers and trimmed with gold stucco. Oltenia's Museum of History and Archaeology is housed in one of the city's oldest buildings, and full of important artefacts from Roman treasures to intricate folk costumes. You can also learn more about rich Oltenian traditions that are kept alive in this part of Romania.

In the heart of Craiova, you'll find the Musical Fountain. Lit up at night and playing musical accompaniments, it's likely to be belting out the Christmas tunes when the market is on. And for Christmas shopping, visit the vast Promenada mall on the outskirts of the city centre. This shiny, modern mall is full of European favourites from Zara to Sephora, and will be decked out in decorations to get you in the mood for gift-giving.

Mid-price hotels in Craiova can be found for around £100 a night on average, and there are plenty of accommodation options to choose from. In the Centru (central) area, four-star Hotel Splendid 1900 has excellent reviews and is set in a converted store that dates back to, as you may have already guessed, the year 1900. The hotel has plush decor, with cosy rooms from £88 a night.

For a luxurious experience, book the Hotel 5 Continents, a five-star property with 16 individually designed guest rooms. The hotel has an upmarket feel, with dark wood and marble interiors, and rooms start at just £130 a night. It also has a restaurant serving up international and Romanian cuisine, which serves a well-reviewed breakfast to fuel a day of sightseeing.