Christmas Markets

Christmas Markets

If there’s one thing to experience during the winter holidays in Europe, it’s the Christmas Markets! Every city in Germany has one in different sizes and flair. My two sisters in the US and their families joined us over here for two weeks during Christma. We traveled to several markets and had a blast! Below I’ll give the highlights of the markets that you won’t want to miss:

1. Heidelberg - this is a great city to visit for a day trip depending on where you’re staying. Heidelberg is a beautiful city on the Neckar river and features a magnificent Castle that you can tour. It has this massive wine barrel that you have to see in person to believe. 

1. Trier - this is the oldest city in Germany and by far my favorite Christmas market. The city is dripping with charm and has such unique items as their booths. I highly recommend you put this one at the top of your list.

1. Esslingen - We ended up taking 3 days to visit these next markets. We stayed in Stuggart and rode the train to the Medieval Market in Esslingen. This market ranks pretty high on the list as well. The downtown is charming and as you meander through the streets you enter into the Old Town with its amazing medieval architecture and there were more than just booths for shopping and eating. There was a bow and arrow booth where you could test your coordination for spearing a lemon. There was also knife and ax throwing and small rides for the little ones. Every time you took a turn down a dark corridor you found something new and fun! They also had the coolest mugs for your gluhwein.

1. Stuttgart - The next night was for Stuggart’s market. This is a bigger city so the market was in the downtown area with all the shops. This had more of a commercial feel, but it was nice to be able to get some retail therapy in as well as explore the booths. This wasn’t the favorite of the trip, but the city offers a lot of activities outside the Christmas market in case you are needing to get some traditional holiday shopping completed as well.

1. Strasbourg - last on the list, but certainly not least, was the magic of Strausbourg. This delightful city is just across the border from Germany in France. This is the market of all markets. It’s one of the largest in Europe and is known around the world. It’s smack dab in the center of the city and stretches out into different sections. I would suggest arriving earlier in the day so you have a chance to see all of the shops before the crowds build up. There is a huge Christmas Tree and they do a light and music show around it. This market is also surrounded by traditional retail shops which can be nice to dip in and out of when the weather isn’t fully cooperating. We had light rain for most of this trip, which is something to definitely prepare for.

The Christmas markets are always fun to attend with all the lights and unique items for sale. Below I’ve called out a couple of things to help you prepare:

1. Bring cash - you’ll want to be able to buy souvenirs and treats!

2. Prepare for cold and rainy weather - small umbrellas that are easy to carry and layers to help keep warm.

3. The main event of Christmas markets is the gluhwein - it’s a hot spiced wine. At each market you pay for a cup and also a deposit for the glass it comes in. Most of the markets have great mugs. You can either keep the cup and get it refilled or return it and get your ‘deposit’ back. They also have an alcohol free version called Kinderpunsch for the younger kids and anyone who leads a sober lifestyle.

4. These markets do close (typically around 9 p.m) so plan accordingly so you have enough time to explore and enjoy!