Christmas Markets that are open or plan to be open....

I don't mean to be negative, but I think it is quite risky to plan on these markets remaining open. I have not done much of a check, but I know that at least the market in Zweibrücken has been cancelled already, and I think there are some others in that have gone to 2G+ models (where you need to be both vaccinated/recovered and have a same-day test result).

These changes will continue to come in the next days and weeks, and the actions in Bayern and Sachsen, and those that seem on the table in Baden-Württemberg, demonstrate that the Bundesländer are quite ready to make this decision to close markets when they feel they need to.

I agree. It's not negative to be concerned or even skeptical about whether these markets will still be in place as the holidays approach. Wherever your plans were supposed to take you, you should keep a close eye on those destinations - and if you can be flexible about location, on alternative destinations (like those from my list above) as well.

I've listed market towns for only two states that are accessible from popular FRA airport. So this is a very incomplete list of all the currently available options. Hessen and Baden-Württemberg - often targeted by passengers flying into FRA - would also be obvious places to look for Christmas market alternatives.

This is my list that I check frequently to see if there have been any changes. Some small markets that opened, have already gone to the 2G rules to enter. You need to wear a mask all the time at the markets except when eating or drinking.

CityXmas Frankfurt – 29 Oct.-30 Dec. (roof of parking garage)
Offenbach – 15 Nov. – 23 Dec.
Darmstadt – 15 Nov. – 23 Dec.
Koblenz – 18 Nov. – 22 Dec.
Heidelberg – 18 Nov. – (now closed)
Worms – 22 Nov. – 23 Dec.
Frankfurt – 22 Nov. – 22 Dec.
Speyer – 22 Nov. – Now closing on 18 Dec.
Wiesbaden – 23 Nov. – 23 Dec.
Mainz – 25 Nov. – 23 Dec.
Rüdesheim – 26 Nov. -19 Dec. (this is not the international market)
Michelstadt – 26 Nov. -19 Dec. (closed on Mon. & Tues.) 3G
Hanau – 26 Nov. – 22 Dec.
Marburg – 26 Nov. – 23 Dec.
Fulda – 26 Nov. – 23 Dec.
Limburg – 26 Nov. – 29 Dec. (25 & 26 Closed) 2G
Bad Homburg – Fri, Sat, Sun only starting 26 Nov. – 19 Dec. 2G+
Höchst – 27-28 Nov.
Königstein – 3-5 Dec.

On the ground in Ludwigsburg now. Ludwigsburg and Esslingen am Neckar both cancelled their Christmas markets today.

Thanks for the update. Esslingen (state of Baden-Württemberg) apparently canceled on the grounds that the local hospital's intensive care beds were fully occupied.

Cologne Markets opened today, busy, but not packed crowds, but then it is a Monday. If they remain open, I think weekends will be crazy. Yes 2G is required (Vacc proof or recovery) but not to enter, just to interact at a stall (the vendors and roaming people will check, then put a stamp on your hand, saving to have to pull out proof again)

Stuttgart was cancelled on the basis that with Esslingen and Ludwigsburg cancelled, it would put too much pressure on their market and make it impossible to control crowds. Currently the "Wintertraum" ice skating rink and small gluhwein and food area is open with 2G (vaccinated or recovered) rules, went there tonight. I doubt it will stay open much longer, it was apparently packed last weekend. Supposedly some stalls on the Koeningstrasse were open as is the giant ferry wheel (new this year), and the light show at the Wilhelma zoo (bought tickets for Thursday - tickets are required).

All markets in Brandenburg are cancelled too, now. If you are coming from the states specifically to enjoy Christmas markets, I would seriously rethink your trip. Or perhaps try to reroute to Alsace, Italy, or Spain.

I wanted to buy presents for family at the markets this year so I'm going to try to get up to Heidelberg tomorrow, with the expectation that it also won't be open much longer. I can't speak for other regions, but I expect much of Baden-Wurttemberg markets to be canceled or close soon, except perhaps ones that require tickets in advance like the Ravenna Gorge which allow for more distancing.

In some towns they are planning Christmas markets on a 2G basis (open only to the vaccinated and recovered), but honestly, I wouldn't rely on anything at the moment. If you plan to travel at this time, you'll have to come prepared to just be satisfied with what happens to be open. Rules and regulations are changing so fast, a Christmas market that is open this week may have to close next week - who knows.

Be aware that Saxony has not only canceled its Christmas markets but is closed to all tourism.

Check this list. Some of the markets posted as happening may now be canceled. Go through each state. (you have to scroll down a bit)

https://www.t-online.de/leben/id_91187358/corona-welche-weihnachtsmaerkte-abgesagt-wurden-und-welche-nicht.html?fbclid=IwAR2XWc-wSQ34xkfwxeZzkoNkGjER7GsHySRP3MfE0cf0uRwgnxBlhisKzAg

I want to add that the remaining open Christmas markets attract also people from high-incident areas. So protect yourself as much as you can if you plan to visit one.

Example Berlin: since all Brandenburg markets will be closed today it is expected that a lot of people living in Brandenburg will visit the remaining open ones in Berlin. Likely also valid for markets in and around Frankfurt/Main and visitors from close Bavaria or even Thuringia (only 2 hrs by train).

Take care.

The list Jo has linked to above is helpful but keep in mind that it is a list of confirmed CANCELLATIONS only. To check on the market(s) that you are interested in...

• use your brower's "settings" pull-down menu
• click on "find on page"
• search for a given town by name.
  

If it's not on the "cancelled" list, there's a good chance that it may still be open as of the time of publication (23/11, 16:30) or that it may be opening later as scheduled. A disclaimer says that some cancellations may have been overlooked.

(I've found 2 cancelled markets in my original post for Rheinland-Pfalz; none for Nordrhein-Westfalen. I've updated it accordingly.)

People may also want to know that, from today until the warning level falls, markets in Baden-Württemberg are 2G+, meaning that those visiting need to provide BOTH proof of vaccination or recovery AND a same-day negative test result.

As Azra has mentioned - the test is indeed required. B-W has decided to handle Christmas markets in much the same way they handle "events" like the opera. No distinction is being drawn between indoor and outdoor events.

Most of us don't know our German states all that well. Baden-Württemberg is in Germany's SW corner where it hugs the German borders with France and Switzerland. Here's a map:

https://www.nationsonline.org/maps/BW1000.jpg

ALSO, B-W Christmas market staff must now keep attendance levels at 50% of normal - not sure how that number gets reached exactly since there's no attendance history for circumstances like this year's whereby many markets have been broken up into different areas. (So when capacity is reached, eager market visitors will be standing in LINES outside the market gates? And staff will need to be employed to keep them 2 meters apart??)

AND, B-W has decided that markets can now accept only DIGITAL documentation. CDC cards might have gotten you through FRA, but they now are not welcome if you want to stroll the streets with market stands. Market security detail will have to have scanners on hand to verify your digital docs and will be required to check your passport as well to make sure the docs are yours.

It seems clear to me that B-W market organizers will more often than not just give up under these new responsibilities. B-W appears eager for merchants and visitors to just stay home. I'd expect a rash of cancellations very soon. Kind of a wimpy way for politicians and bureaucrats to shut it all down, methinks - but I guess they figure it will minimize the public backlash.

https://www.baden-wuerttemberg.de/fileadmin/redaktion/dateien/PDF/Coronainfos/ZZ_Corona_Regeln_Auf_einen_Blick_DE.pdf

Russ, just an added thing: the rule about scanning QR codes does not just apply to markets, but to all service providers who are required to check ID--so, restaurants, museums etc. (I know this in person, as I have been occupied part of this morning figuring out who will be scanning codes for a sport club that I participate it).

I have not yet tested this today to see how widely it is being enforced, nor do I really understand whether non-residents are able to get German QR codes, but all of this could make it rather difficult for people without a EU-issued/compliant digital record, in BW at least.

Azra: Yes, you're right. Digitally-undocumented Americans in B-W, for example, despite having just gotten a thumbs-up to their CDC cards from airport security, won't be allowed to eat indoors or out, or even to walk past a Christmas-market sausage stand.

If they can manage to become digitally-documented for their vaccinations, they can dine in wherever they like. But that's still not enough to get a hot sausage at any Christmas market they find open. They'll need a PCR test for that as well - backed up with digital documentation.

Azra: Some states such as Berlin regulated that the Christmas market operators as event providers need to check all visitors for 2G status.

Source: article

This has been a question in many threads. I have not tried it with an American CDC card obviously, but I can only say this much: I have not been able to get that app to work on my cell phone, for whatever reason, so I have been using my paper vaccination certificate all along. Never once have I had any issues of that being accepted. So I really don't see why a paper CDC card shouldn't be accepted too.

I have not been able to get that app to work on my cell phone, for
whatever reason, so I have been using my paper vaccination certificate
all along. Never once have I had any issues of that being accepted. So
I really don't see why a paper CDC card shouldn't be accepted too.

Hi Anna, I paste below the rules that were published for Baden-Württemberg yesterday. These make clear that they no longer want us to use our Impfpass even. However, the form that you got from the Impfzentrum or your Hausarzt will still work, because it is still scannable/has the QR code. This new rule, if it is enforced, seems to rule out using other non-QR-compliant documentation inside of BW. (Not relevant to tourists, but my employer today also asked us all to submit our 3G documentation, with the proviso that we had to provide digitally scannable documentation, so it is being put into force in at least some contexts).

Wenn ein Test-, Genesenen- oder Impfnachweis erforderlich ist, sind die VeranstalterInnen/BetreiberInnen/DienstleisterInnen/AnbieterInnen verpflichtet, diese zu kontrollieren. Sie müssen die Angaben mit einem amtlichen Ausweisdokument abgleichen. Genesenen- und Impfnachweise müssen elektronisch, etwa mit der CoVPassCheck-App, geprüft werden. Source

Russ, just on the side and for what it is worth: An antigen Schnelltest from a test centre is sufficient for the 2G+ rules, it need not be PCR.

I can attest that Azra is correct. I don't know about the CDC card status - boy this is going to mess up a lot of US Service Members who live here but aren't exactly living a lot of their life off-base - but many Germans, particularly older ones, simply show the QR code from their physical paper German vaccination certificate and as Azra mentioned the schnelltest (antigent test) also has a QR code, which is how you get it into an app in the first place.

That said, they also want you to digitally record your visit to the markets and many other places with an app, such as the Luca app. In the past there was usually paper forms to write your name, address, etc to register your visit for contract tracing purposes. I am not seeing that very much now. My phone however believes it's in the US (i.e. I can only get apps valid in the US on the Google Play Store for my Android phone) and Luca works no problem. Unfortunately the Corona-Warn-App is not downloadable for me which is another alternative.

boy this is going to mess up a lot of US Service Members who live here
but aren't exactly living a lot of their life off-base

It would - but these folks have a special vaxx card - „Die sogenannte COVID-19 Vaccination Record Card“ - which is all they need to get a digital version from the pharmacy - see article below:

https://www.deutsche-apotheker-zeitung.de/news/artikel/2021/06/28/sonderfall-us-militaer-impfnachweis-auch-ohne-arztunterschrift-gueltig

More Baden-Württemberg dropouts "wegen strenger Corona-Regeln" - "due to more restrictive Corona rules" from the state of B-W.

Freiburg
Pforzheim
Konstanz
Friedrichshafen

the form that you got from the Impfzentrum or your Hausarzt will still
work, because it is still scannable/has the QR code.

That may be so. I have never once had my certificate checked electronically yet.

Not sure how they would want to enforce that. It would mean that every little place, every bakery that offers a seating corner or whatever, needs to have a device capable of digitally checking that.

I have been checked digitally frequently, and the app for checking can be on any phone. A buddy has it, and he demonstrated by "checking" my QR code.

All the military here are getting the QR code on their phone at their local Apotheke, so no worries about them. You have to show this all the time so this is so much easier. My husband had his vaccines done on base in Wiesbaden and easily got his QR code downloaded from our neighborhood Apotheke.
They are spot-checking these on trains now in the Rhein-Main region, you need it to go into restaurants, museums, any event, and lots of the Christmas markets. Heidelberg Market just went to 2G+ which means you need a negative test from that day as well as one of the other 2 Gs.

It would - but these folks have a special vaxx card - „Die sogenannte COVID-19 Vaccination Record Card“ - which is all they need to get a digital version from the pharmacy - see article below:

Yes Russ, as I said, we got CDC cards. I don't need an article because I'm living it? My point was simply that for many of the servicemembers who receive healthcare on base, they are not used to going to a Dr or a Apotheke for anything and many are scrambling and trying to figure out how to do this. Again, I know this because I am a member of the military community here. They will get it done, but not before a lot of whining and confusion.

And yes, every place is scanning the QR code now. I popped into a little kniepe last night and the elderly barkeep used her phone to scan us.

Just FYI, I had to do some shopping in a Northern German town that shall remain nameless which did not cancel its Christmas market. There were crowds on the central square where most of the booths were, and I certainly would not have felt comfortable mingling at so close a distance with so many people. Masks are required, but since most people were having food or beverages, hardly anyone was wearing them.

It was even worse on the outskirts of the town square, with a few booths here and there along the pedestrian zone. Social distancing was o.k. there - sort of - , but some of them explicitly advertised with "We are not on the central Christmas markets so we don't require a 2G check".

Well great. Standing together with unvaccinated people for drinks or food? No thanks.

Quite frankly, this was quite enough Christmas market for me for this year. I'll have a look again once the pandemic is over, and not a moment earlier.

What am I not seeing here, Sarah? US military personnel are apparently the only group of Americans - maybe the only non-EU foreign nationals in fact - who can walk into a pharmacy with their military vaxx cards and get a digital copy made. I mean, they may not be normal members of the local community, but many do go to local bars/Kneipen, and if there were no QR code requirements, they'd still have to walk through the front door with their analog vaxx cards - which is all they have to do at the pharmacy now to get a digital vaxx card.

Are our military personnel confused because they are not being informed?

You are member of the military and you "got" CDC vaxx cards from a military medical facility? How did you turn the CDC card into a scannable document for your Kneipe visits?

It's pretty simple for non-military and tourists/travelers (like the rest of us on this forum) - they just won't be visiting Christmas Markets and bars, it seems. But I'm not grasping why things are working for you and Jo's husband but unworkable for others.

My longtime German colleague, a microbiologist married to a virologist, lives in a northern German town that for now just opened its Christmas Market. She refuses to go near it. The local ICU is short on beds, and she and her husband are older. Many happy memories of that market atmosphere with friends will not tempt her to go to the square and side streets of her university town this year. She is going to food stores and essentials and staying home. Wise woman who knows all about viruses and infection spread.

Just spent the evening at the Frankfurt Christmas Market, seems like business as usual to me.

Hi all,

I trimmed a few replies here as they were more about one's personal response to the pandemic than they were about travel. Any replies involving the pandemic should directly apply to on-the-ground travel advice.

Looks like Baden Württemburg may be the next state to shut down all of their markets. It isn't completely official, but Heidelberg and Mannheim have it on their news like it is going to be a done deal after tomorrow.

Just walked through the Christmas Market at Kaiser Wilhelm in west Berlin, there was no check for vaccine, most people were wearing masks, unless drinking glühwein.

Went to the Gendarmenmarket in Berlin, yesterday, where they scanned my Q code from the CovPass app and verified it to my passport, with a one euro entry fee. This is much more upmarket, with higher quality sit down dining options, in addition to the food and merchandise stalls. Masks required, but most patrons eating and drinking. Was quite busy on a Thursday afternoon.

As of tomorrow, all Christmas markets in Baden-Württemberg will be closed. Additionally, eating in restaurants and visiting museums will fall under 2G+ rules, meaning that one will need to show BOTH immunisation proof AND a same-day negative test result. Full rules here.

Just adding a detail to Azra's post lest confusion result... The testing for dining/drinking establishments and museums which Azra mentions do not apply broadly to Germany but just the state of B-W.

Yes: Russ is quite right- my last post only applies to Baden-Württemberg. Travelers in Germany would be advised to check the local rules in the states they will be visiting: Rhineland-Palatinate also has for example from tomorrow 2G+ in restaurants, from what I recall.

Here's an overview in German.

What it boils down to is expect 2G+ in many places, not only Baden-Württemberg.

So I have family who were vaccinated in the US currently here in Hamburg with us. Most of our markets are open, though virtually all of them are 2G (and they check carefully, including IDs). Our family have had a few raised eyebrows but ultimately no problem with the CDC cards. The markets all require masks unless eating. People are quite good about masking unless eating or drinking, which is pretty much done in place, so it's a bit like outdoor dining. Today during the day the markets were also not at all crowded, so that was extremely pleasant, though evening markets can be a bit more crowded. I felt quite safe and able to mostly maintain distance--and when I couldn't, everyone was masked. But that's my personal feeling, so take that for what it's worth.

Hi Russ, is there any way to tell what is new changes? I keep seeing the thread having recent action but I can't see the news.

Nigel: admittedly, my approach is amateurish at best. I'm adding info to my original post as it comes to my attention. I will create a new post in bold print whenever I post an update.

See original post for recent updates

gotcha thx

That might be me, Nigel. When I read something about a market being 2G, 3G, or closing early, I just go change it so it is always up to date.