We're looking to take a family vacation to Bavaria Germany (6 adults) in December 2021. We are expecting to all be vaccinated by then, and hope the same is true for most of Germany. We really wanted to be there for Christkindlmarkt, but we can only go after Christmas to the New Year. I understand that Christkindlmarkt is an advent celebration, but I was hoping there might be some that stay open past Christmas, to maybe the epiphany.
Does anyone know of any Christkindlemarkts that stay open after Christmas? Also, are there other closures during this time that would take away from the experience?
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Ed
Posted by
San Diego, California
4695 posts
Most of the German markets close around Dec 23. Many of the stores and restaurants could be closed Dec 25, 26, 27. Xmas 2021 falls on a Saturday.
I believe the markets in Vienna stay open until New Years. Perhaps folks here will have more info that I.
Good luck!
Posted by
Sweden
6374 posts
Christmas markets are at the core not a celebration of any kind, they are a place where people meet to buy and sell things. Mostly things needed for Christmas, decorations, food, Christmas gifts etc. That is the reason they usually close on the 22nd or 23rd or so. Few people buys their christmas decorations after christmas, so why stay open longer? There are a few that stay open longer, mostly for tourists. But while I've never visited them after Christmas I've heard complaints that they are too "touristy" then. If you really want a Christmas market that stay open later, I usually recommend looking at orthodox countries that celebrate Christmas in january. Especially countries that have been influenced by germanic customs (and hence has adopted the Christmas market tradition).
Posted by
NorthCarolina
933 posts
We go over every other year and the BEST markets are in Germany since that is where they originated. Vienna and a few other places do have some open after Christmas, but we have found they are smaller and some of the vendors have left. You can easily search for this on Google, but I'd wait till late Summer to search because at this point, we don't even know if the Markets will happen. We, too, are hopeful they will be open as we have a trip planned for November 26 thru December 11. Just know that the closure of the markets for this past year wasn't even announced till Mid October. Vienna, Strasbourg and Prague are gorgeous in December even if the Markets are scaled down. Saltzburg is also amazing. I'd focus on places you want to visit and NOT the markets as it's not as magical as PreChristmas. You'll have a great time either way.
Posted by
Frankfurt, Germany
8942 posts
In the last year or so, many towns have started extending their markets. It is a good way for people to make more money in the dreary days of late Dec. and early Jan. Some large cities do this as well as some smaller towns. Next year is anyone's guess though. Normally, though the markets will close on the 22nd or 23rd so that the people running the stands can tear down and be home on the 24th. If a market is open on the 24th, it will certainly close by 1300 or so. Everything shuts down by 1400 even in large cities and small towns either not open at all or possibly open til 12.
Many restaurants do a booming business on the 25th and 26th which are official holidays. Museums may or may not be open. For the 24th, it is best to find a nice hotel that is offering a Christmas Eve meal, otherwise, you will either go hungry or settle for some sort of ethnic food take-away.
City and town websites will have all of this information and museum websites too.
Posted by
Narberth, PA
1226 posts
Look to the south to the Tyrol and South Tyrol for markets open later than December 24 - Austria and northern Italy. I have not looked for 2021 dates, but I have seen quite a few in previous years.
Posted by
OP
PA
13 posts
Thank you everyone for your great advice. We will probably shift to the Vienna/ Prague area, or see if we can move up the vacation to before Christmas.
This is my fist Forum question, and I can't say thank you enough for the quick, helpful, thoughtful and wonderful advice. THANK YOU!!!
Posted by
Washington, DC
30 posts
We are planning our family trip to Berlin for Christmas. There are few markets (there are many in Berlin, from my research) that are open past Christmas Day.
Posted by
Germany
868 posts
We will probably shift to the Vienna/ Prague area, or see if we can
move up the vacation to before Christmas.
Just in case: two hours to the north of Prague, on the German side of the Czech/German border, is Seiffen, a village with nothing but Christmas shops. All the handmade wooden Christmas toys you see on every German Christmas market are made there (in the Ore mountains), and sold all year round in this village.
Here is a nice article about Seiffen:
Dreaming of an Artisanal Christmas
But you need a car to get there...
Posted by
Edmonds, WA 🌨 ☂
11177 posts
ph155 reported
Posted by
Northamptonshire, England
32745 posts
155's translator app doesn't work very well....