Christmas Markets: Germany
Now that we’ve reviewed some of what the Alsace, France Christmas Market’s have to offer, it’s time to look towards the home of the Christmas Market tradition… Germany! While Christmas Markets are very prevalent throughout Europe’s large cities and small villages, it all began in the German Kingdom. Munich’s first record of a Christmas Market was the year 1310, Bautzen in 1384, and Frankfurt in 1393. I would be remiss not to point out one of the oldest, if not the original, was held in Vienna, Austria in 1298, which was then part of the German Kingdom.
In this region, Christmas Markets are referred to as Weihnachtsmarkt or Christkindlesmarkt and feature similar themes of food, crafts, and warm beverages. The beautiful thing about these markets is they each have their own identity and are reflective of the region, the people, and the culture. Each market seems to have something different to offer, and it makes it just that much more special.
I hope to cover Berlin, Dresden, Frankfurt, and Munich in the future but thus far we have primarily been exploring through markets through Bavaria. I will post updates as we explore further north in the future!
Check out these market’s that occur annually in Germany!
Rothenburg ob der Tauber
Perhaps it’s my love and obsession with medieval movies and television shows such as Game of Thrones, Lord of the Rings, etc.… but these villages are magical for me. As you walk through the archways through large stone-walled villages like Rothenburg ob der Tauber you can feel the history radiating around you. They all tend to have a beautiful church, a spacious square for festivals, and a selection of very old stores and restaurants. This one features 42 towers, cobble-stoned streets, and the classic half-timbered architecture that I’m a sucker for! It’s a romantic vibe and quite awe-inspiring. This village resides along the famous route dubbed as ‘Romantic Road’ which spans through Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg.
A new food we ran into in Rothenburg ob der Tauber was the Schneeball! This is a favorite local pastry that is constructed with strips of dough that are formed into a sphere shape and then deep-fried — yes, deep-fried. These are then coated, sprinkled, dipped, or dusted in all sorts of delicious yumminess. If you can’t make it here during the Christmas market, fret not, they are available throughout the year.
Note… There are several ‘Rothenburg’ villages as names tend to repeat in various cantons. If you are traveling be sure you are getting your train and lodging in this specific village.
2018 Stall Opening Hours
From 30 November through 23 December
Monday - Thursday from 11 am until 7 pm
Friday - Sunday from 11 am until 8 pm
Nuremberg
While Nuremberg’s Christmas Market isn’t quite as old as some of the others, it still dates back over 400 years to the early 1600’s. This charming city is the second largest Bavarian city after Munich and has a massive yet not overwhelming Christmas Market. I far prefer strolling through vs. feeling rushed or pushed, and this was lovely.
We spent 48 hours in Nuremberg, and it was fantastic! The city has modernism that blended exceptionally well with the classic Bavarian Christmas atmosphere. We were able to enjoy fresh Bretzel (or Pretzel to the rest of the world), Drei im Weggla (3 Nuremberg sausage on a fresh bread roll), sweet roasted almonds, and Lebkuchen (local gingerbread recipe). It was all fantastic and everything you’d dream Bavarian Christmas food to be. I need to explain something about Nuremberg sausages. Most of us think of German sausage as the large bratwurst and knockwurst. It’s yummy, but a meal in of itself. Nuremberg sausages are similar to the American breakfast sausage links. They are small and full of flavor but not overly spicy or meaty like some others in Germany. This is a must try regional treat when visiting!
Nuremberg has one of the most plentiful supply of warm beverages to keep you toasty while celebrating and exploring. There’s a hint of mulled wine, rum punch, and spiced cider in the air!
The great thing about spending days in Nuremberg during the Christmas season is that you really can only do so much of the market. You’ll tire of street food and want to switch it up after a while, and the city offers a diverse selection including classic Bavarian, Indian, Vietnamese, and Italian offerings.
2018 Stall Opening Hours
From 30 November through 24 December
From 10:00 am until 21:00 pm
Christmas Eve: 10:00 am until 14:00
Freiburg
Freiburg, or Freiburg im Breisgau to be precise, is a village near the southwest corner where Germany, France, and Switzerland meet. It’s a quick train (30 minutes via ICE train, or about an hour on the standard train) north of our home city of Basel, Switzerland. It’s a fantastic city with around 230,000 population and a great selection of restaurants, shopping, and culture. As promised though, we went this time for the Christmas Market. This market was notably smaller than Nuremberg but was very fun and very popular.
This scene was more confined to a few smaller areas rather than larger squares, but it made for a beautiful festive visit. While we were only there for a few hours on a quick Saturday afternoon visit, we were still able to see and do all that we came for!
The Glühwein, or mulled wine, was exceptional at this market. When in bulk it just makes sense that you aren’t using the finest of wine, but I will note that some glühwein has given me a bit of a headache, yet this did not! It’s important to note that this area is no stranger to wine and are known to produce some of Germany’s best wines. The region’s great temperatures, many hours of sunshine, and excellent soil make for great production. It’s similar to the Alsace, France area that is just west of the region and is well known for their Riesling and Trollinger grapes.
Much of the food is similar to other markets, but you’ll find the Kartoffelpuffer here, and it’s an absolute must. It’s a regional fare that also pops up in other areas of the world and under different names but is similarly prepared. These are typically shallow-fried potatoes, generally grated or ground with a bit of flour and a binding agent such as apple sauce or egg. I always have it with the side of applesauce (as pictured), and it’s just incredible.
2018 Stall Opening Hours
22 November - 24 November, 26 November - 23 December, Closed 25 December
Monday to Saturday from 10:00 am until 8:30 pm
Sunday from 11:30 am until 7:30 pm
Additional Christmas Market Posts
I'm a US expat, blogging photographer and world-traveler who may or may not like tequila a bit too much.