Christmas Markets

Hi Barbara,

While we haven't visited your picks during the Chrsitmas market season, we have been at other times of the year. For the Christmas markets, we did trips in early December 2010 and again in early December 2013 and visited Berchtesgaden, Salzburg, the Salzkammergut, Ramsau am Dachstein/Schladming, Innsbruck, Rattenberg, Hall in Tirol and then Brixen and Sterzing in Italy, about an hour from Innsbruck. Our favorite at this time of year... Innsbruck and the area. For our 2010 trip we based 4 nights near Berchtesgaden and then another 4 nights in Hall in Tirol near Innsbruck. In 2013 we did the same but we added a few nights in Ramsau am Dachstein.

Paul

Here is one post that has some wonderful information and suggestions of favorite Christmas markets.

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/germany/best-christmas-markets

Here's a general rule of thumb for Christmas markets... they're mostly more of the same over and over again. Nice to visit a few if you space them out in time, but you quickly start seeing the same stuff repeated ad infitum. It's a nice bonus if the city/town where you're visiting happens to hold their market during your visit, but after seeing dozens of markets over several years living in Germany, I can't think of any that really stood out, except for a few near where I lived (mainly because I knew people there). So...pick your destinations that you want to see anyway, and enjoy the market if it coincides.

Been to all three of the locations you mentioned (although you didn't specify where in Switzerland). What's your question? I found Rothenburg very pretty, but not nearly as unique as the tourist literature would have you believe.

Tom is right, Christmas Markets in one country are similar. But if you see C.M. in different countries you get more variety but then the theme is still similar.

The markets can add to a Christmas holiday experience, but to plan a trip around them would be more than I could take.

We are in Strasbourg, France right now. I highly recommend this Christmas market. It's absolutely beautiful.

To each their own. We did our last two trips specifically to go to the Christmas markets. We liked it so much in 2010, that we did a nearly identical trip in 2013. We had been to all the places we visited on those two trips many times before at other times of the year.

Paul

The medieval Esslingen market (short train ride from Stuttgart) is much different and well worth a day. The markets in Alsace. Choose places you want to sight-see. There's plenty of time in the mornings and early afternoons.

We are interested in this as well....perhaps for Dec, 2017. I will be following this thread.

Photos or travel blog exerpts are very welcome :)

Hi Kathy,

If interested, we have some photos from 12/10 and 12/13 at:

www.flickr.com/photos/pjbassplyr/sets

Paul

We did our first Christmas Market trip in December, 2014. We rented an apartment in Colmar for five nights and went to the markets in Strasbourg and of course Colmar. Also did a day trip to Dijon and Beaune. From Colmar we went to Munich and stayed several nights. We did a day trip to Salzburg. We then went to Prague, staying three nights.

All of the markets were beautiful and very festive. Really puts you in the holiday spirit. The markets in Munich were the most crowded. We were there on a weekend and in the evenings it was packed. Prague was so wonderful.

It's true that you start seeing the same "stuff", but we thought it was a wonderful trip and would do it again, visiting different cities.

Enjoy!

Since you asked, here are some of my photos from 2012

What to wear and what to eat

Thanks Chani, now I'm hungry :)

Thank you for those photos Paul and Chani.

I cannot imagine a more festive time to be in Europe!

Hi Barbara -

I just got back on Wednesday. Still jet-lagged :). I went on AmaWaterways Christmas cruise. Started In Nuremburg, Regensburg, Passau, side trip to Salzburg, Linz, Vienna and last Budapest. It was awesome. I do agree, by the end I was shopped out, but they were all outstanding. It was cold, but I took the appropriate clothing was always stayed warm. We actually had a 50 degree weather on day. Did not go to places on your list.

I am planning on put a report trip out probably on Sunday. Have too much to catch up on here at home.

Kim (broken arrow, Ok)

Chani, I love your pictures! Now I want to go just for the hats. Loved the food shots as well, especially the local guys eating lunch. After looking at them, what I want to see is the decorations, the stalls, the folks dressed up...the whole scene!

Kim, glad you are back! Sounds like you had fun.

Nurnberg's market is very good. I went to Mainz today, had fun at the market, I am staying in Speyer and like its market even more (smaller town).

I like the Mainz Christmas market too. The one in Wiesbaden is almost as nice. Went to the one in Gelnhausen yesterday and it was so lovely there. Last weekend was Seligenstadt where they have part of it in the ancient abbey. This is all hand-crafted items and the artists are all there. Some of them were working while waiting on sales. Fascinating and so creative.

Speyer and Limburg both have markets that go on past Christmas. Would like to get down to Speyer this year.

I agree that you want to visit places that have interest to you in addition to the Christmas market. Of the ones you asked about, I have been to the Rothenburg one. Very small, but with a great half-meter bratwurst !

We were in Germany from Dec. 1-9, including travel days. Flew into Munich, trained to Nuremberg for three nights, then back to Munich for 4 nights. Loved the Christmas Markets. While in Munich, we trained over for the day to Salzburg. Each of the markets is slightly different. We had visited Munich and Salzburg many times before but not at Christmas. Loved the experience of the markets. We really enjoyed the festive spirit of the markets, especially Nuremberg with the Christkindt. The locals seemed to appear after work and having a cup of Gluhwein seemed to be a "happy hour". I did not buy many items because we have a lifetime of Christmas items but found the offerings to be very high quality, mostly made in Germany or Austria and reflective of their Christmas customs. The stalls selling Nativity items in Munich were especially beautiful. We will definitely return for a repeat. I highly recommend the Hotel Drei Raben in Nuremberg and the Hotel am Viktualienmart in Munich. Wonderful staff and close to the main squares in town. Definitely a repeat trip in our future!!

I spent a week in Prague mid-December two years ago. The main square was a Christmas market, with choirs from all over performing every hour on the hour on a little stage. Most of the people in the square seemed to be Czech, families with children predominating. A two story Christmas tree towered, and all around us that remarkable architecture which Prague center square is famous for. I stayed in the Old Prague Hostel very near the square.