A friend recommended going to Dresden for the Christmas Market. I have read some articles on line that Dresden is very crowded and it felt unsafe. Has anyone been and what experience did you have?
The other markets we are considering are Nuremberg, Cologne and Strasbourg but are really uncertain of getting the best experience and having other sites to see as well.
Thank you,
How much time will you have?
Generally the markets get crowded once the locals get off work.
For real shopping, do it early in the day, and scope out interesting food stands. Return after dark, (about 4:30pm) for the lights, the energy, and to eat.
I'll attach my 2019 Trip Report from the Xmas Markets.
The highlights were Colmar/ Strasbourg and Esslingen, which is not to be missed. Stuttgart is also great, and very close to Esslingen.
Keep your travel area relatively compact so you don't spend too much time on trains. Have a magical experience!
PS - Book hotels asap!
Crowded is to a certain degree a feature of Christmas Markets - for some it is spending time together in a pre-Christmas atmosphere.
and it felt unsafe
Any details bout in which way did it feel unsafe? Normally people feel unsafe in certain situations / contexts, seldomly events do for all participants.
Out of more than 20 Christmas Markets, Dresden is still my favorite! I was there in 2022 and 2023. It has the best combination of decorated huts, food and drink, and decorations to buy (the Ore Mountains are nearby where wooden nutcrackers, etc. are handmade.) Be sure to get some of their famous Stollen. I brought a loaf home to have on Christmas morning. There are multiple Christmas Markets in Dresden. I recommend the medieval market also.
At no time did I feel unsafe.
Cologne, Strasbourg and Nuremberg are great too.
I have not been to the Christmas markets in Dresden, but overall the markets are crowded. Dresden, however, is very safe. I tagged along on one of my husbands business trips so I was on my own for a lot of the time and never felt uneasy at all, FWIW.
Nürnberg has several decent Christmas markets and one big, jammed, awesome market on the square in front of the Frauenkirche. Plus, Nüremburg is a great town to visit beyond the Christmas markets. My wife and I were there this past December and loved it. During advent, you are allowed to climb the winding stone staircase to the outside balcony, at the front of the Frauenkirche. This is a treat. Spend the four Euros to do this. We did it after dark while a choir was singing below us in the square. Magical.
Thanks for everyone's input.
I love reading your experiences about Dresden. I had hesitated as I read a few reviews on TripAdvisor that the excessive crowds felt uncontrolled and unsafe.
Also, I appreciate the other locations. It is certainly a lot to consider.
If anything else comes to mind I'd be excited to read about it.
