We are considering a trip to Germany in the first part of December, 2019 to visit the Christmas Markets along the Rhine River. We previously have spent time in Alsace (Colmar, Eguisheim, etc.), Paris, Nurnberg, Munich and Salzburg during the markets. Would those who spent time along the Rhine during the Christmas Market timeframe in the last couple of years share your thoughts on the best markets you visited? It is truly a magical time and worth persevering the cold weather! We will likely travel by train and base out of a couple of towns, doing day trips out from the base. Thoughts on base cities also appreciated.
Posted by
Berlin
2231 posts
Did you discover the Christmas website of Germany's tourism website already?
http://www.germany.travel/en/specials/christmas/christmas.html
Just scroll into map along river Rhine and explore the markets by photos and descriptions.
Normally tourism website of NRW state has a real good overview of markets but it seems currently under renewal. I post the link but I guess they will re-fill content next autumn.
https://www.nrw-tourism.com/christmas-markets
The markets of Cologne and Dortmund are the ones in Germany with the most visitors - which says nothing and may be also a little bit about quality :-) For sure matter of taste.
Posted by
Paradise
6638 posts
Not so long ago we paid a visit to the markets in Mainz, Rüdesheim, Koblenz and Trier (Mosel.) Mainz and Rüdesheim stood out nicely above the others.
Posted by
Frankfurt, Germany
8942 posts
Where on the Rhine are you interested in going? The middle part with the towns of Mainz, Wiesbaden, Rüdesheim, Bingen, Koblenz, Ober-Wesel, Bacharach, Eltville, and St. Goar or the lower part with Strasbourg, Speyer, Worms, etc, or the upper part with Cologne and Dusseldorf?
On the middle part, only Mainz, Wiesbaden, Rüdesheim, possibly Koblenz have markets for all of Advent. The other towns will only have markets on 1 weekend.
The rest of the Rhine, both upper and lower has the larger cities and their markets will be on during all of Advent.
Mainz may be your best choice for basing as it is fairly close to Worms as well as the rest of the middle Rhine towns. You could also visit some of the markets that aren't on the Rhine, but are charming and quaint. Towns like Idstein, Seligenstadt, Bad Homburg, Kronberg, Büdingen, Gelnhausen, Frankfurt Höchst. Again, those may only be on 1 weekend. I believe Limburg and Marburg are longer.