Home base for multigenerational group December 2024

Does it have to be Germany? Grindelwald, Switzerland meets all of your requirements.

What city or cities have you considered? It might come down to a location or neighborhood in whichever you have the most interest.

If you want the Xmas Markets, I'd say Vienna - lots of Xmas Markets to explore in the city - plus, the city has so many other things to see, cathedrals, architecture.

Germany has great Xmas Markets - Nurmberg is quaint with a huge market and easy day trip to Regensburg (another great town with one of the best Xmas Markets - Thurn & Taxis).

Munich isn't quaint - but full of history, good markets, trips to Salzberg, Nuremberg, Regensberg.

Strasbourg France is super quaint with a great market - with day trips to many places including Colmar.

I think the biggest problem might be housing 9 people as most flats in Germany can't handle that many people. Could you look ae two flats? Or else I might look to a close in suburb within walking distance to regional/suburban trains to the city. They are fast and efficient.

If you want sledding and coziness I might pick Austria. Germany is pretty modern in many ways where Austria has always seemed a bit more "old-world".

Friends of mine, just came back from Vienna. It was snowing and cold, but she had a winter jacket with a faux fur lined hood. The Xmas markets were open and well lit and had lots of customers. They stayed in an apartment or condo for the week. They took day tours to Salzberg, Budapest and Hallstatt. There are many museums and palaces to visit in Vienna where you can get out of the cold.

I would also suggest Vienna.

If you go to Vienna, look at Adina Serviced Apartments. I have stayed at their hotel a two minutes walk away a couple of times and like it. It's near the train station with two supermarkets and plenty of places to eat. (The markets have larger version on the lower level and smaller Mini-markets on the main level.)

It's less than ten minutes by Ubahn or Sbahn into the center of town. There is also the D tram.

They are a little more modern that "charming" but convenient.

If you definitely want Germany, you have plenty or choices....Berlin, Nuremburg, Munich and even Frankfurt. All have good train connections to nearby towns.

Thank you everyone!
We would love to do a Vienna trip, definitely, though it seems like a second trip would be in order since it's so far from the places in Germany/Alsace we might be interested in--Nurnberg, Wurzberg, Rothenburg, Strasbourg? We haven't thought of exact locations yet honestly.

We aren't skiiers, so don't want to pay ski town prices if we can avoid it--which it seems like Grindelwald might be.

How about Innsbruck? Easy transportation [I prefer train] to Salzburg, Bolzano, Munich, Garmisch and Mittenwald - even possibly to Zurich. Lots of Christmas markets, but not the overwhelmingly huge ones (Nuremburg or some in Vienna). You can easily access mountains - snow, sledding, the Alpenzoo. I have not travelled with this large of a group, but I think the location may offer lots of options. Grocery stores - yep.

I think I have talked myself into a visit next year!

Check this in Oberaudorf small Bavarian Tourist Village in the middle between Munich and Innsbruck

https://adventure-bavaria.com/adventurebavariafarmhouse

There is a christmas market on Saturdays in December in Oberaudorf

https://www.tourismus-oberaudorf.de/

and a Christmas Market end of November till 23 December in Kufstein/Austria 10km south from Oberaudorf
(10 minutes by train)

https://www.kufstein-altstadt.com/weihnachtsmarkt-kufstein/

https://www.festung.kufstein.at/en/

Oberaudorf is 85km south of Munich and 80km north of Innsbruck with good Autobahn and train connection (1hr each)

and a little video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sNrFW1_Aalg

When the Farmhouse seems to be too expensive then I can recommend the Hotel Gasthof Keindl in Niederaudorf a neighbouring village of Oberaudorf (Upper and Lower Audorf) 2km from each other

They do have large and comfortable rooms in the "Herrenhaus" part of the Hotel and a good restaurant

We stayed there on our way to Südtirol (Alto Adige) Italy

See https://www.hotel-keindl.de/en/

I agree with several people who have already suggested Nuremberg. It has the Christmas market and it is close to a number of other attractive smaller cities.

Just a couple of suggestions. First, it would be helpful in future planning if you decided whether you're using public transit or renting a van. Second, as a group you need to discuss whether you are doing everything together or if you will sometimes split up into smaller groups. Third, how long is the trip and are you looking for one place to stay, and is your plan to stay in a town or out in the country?

The image of a cozy rented house with room for 9 people will be difficult to find in most towns. Keep in mind that some rentals are not available for families with small children. In addition, the Christmas markets are very popular and rentals fill up quickly. Easy access to restaurants, grocery stores, and things to do probably means you need to stay in a town. You may find it easier to locate 2 apartments rather than a house. This sounds like a terrific family trip, but you'll need to do some early planning because you're going during the popular holiday season.

So when you say, "...the places in Germany/Alsace we might be interested in...," I am thinking you might want to post your request for help in the FRANCE forum as well, where the Alsace and STRASBOURG are.

Strasbourg of course is not a "small, cozy" place. Since the Alsace hugs the German border, you could actually stay nearby in Germany (as you are asking to do) but not in places so far away as Nuremberg, Würzburg and Rothenburg. Germany is blessed with Christmas markets and nice towns all over the place, including destinations near the Alsace.

What if you stayed in the old-world town of Gengenbach (which has its own market) and did day trips from there to the ongoing markets in Strasbourg, Freiburg, and Gengenbach's immediate neighbor, Offenburg? Basel and Colmar would be within day trip range as well, perhaps. Gengenbach is a gateway town into the Black Forest, where lots of cozy villages can be found, many along the scenic Black Forest Railway at higher elevations. Do outings to places like these by train:

Schiltach
Triberg
Haslach
Gutach
Hornberg

The railways in the Black Forest can be traveled free of charge if you stay in Gengenbach, one of the "KONUS" towns:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KkgzMXQ7blQ