Forget hopping on a plane to Germany and sampling some gluhwein and bratwurst to get in the festive spirit – this could be the year to beat the crowds and head to the city that is gradually but surely posing real competition to Berlin and Strasbourg – and that’s Zurich in Switzerland.

The historic shopping streets, cool arts and culture district and burgeoning foodie scene already make it a tourist draw year round – but it’s also beginning to attract attention for its traditional Christmas markets, which offer a wide range of comfort food and drink, with Swiss fondue a natural specialty.

It comes highly recommended by Sara Sherwood, travel writer for the Telegraph, who conjures up a veritable winter wonderland with her description of the “bustling” stalls and “call of mulled wine”.

Zurich has mini markets dotted all around the city during the winter months – with the centrally-located Europaallee offering “delicious food from around the world” and the Christkindlimarkt transforming a train station into one of Europe’s largest indoor markets for four weeks each year. Christkindlimarkt also, awe-inspiringly, boasts a 50-foot Christmas tree decked out in Swarovski crystals.

The most “romantic” festive shopping is to be done in Zurich Old Town, however, where stalls line the Niederdorfstrasse and spill out onto Hirschenplatz square, near the famous ‘singing Christmas tree’ near world-famous shopping street Bahnhofstrasse.

If that wasn’t enough, 100 more vendors can be found in Sechseläutenplatz, the city’s largest square, which specialises in gifts, jewellery and – of course – even more cheese and a ‘fondue chalet’.

“High quality and hyper-local” products can also be scooped up at Münsterhof market, where stallholders annually set up shop among “some of the city’s most beautiful buildings”.

There is other food on offer besides cheese, of course. The Zurich markets feature a wide range of festive snacks including the mulled apple drink glumost, local Öpfelchüechli pastries, crispy apple fritters served with custard, and raclette – melted cheese served with potatoes, pickles and other vegetables.

Zurich’s Christmas markets are open to visitors between November 21 and December 23 this year, with some variation in dates depending on their location around the city.