Post retirement Christmas market trip

My wife and I have been to Europe twice during the Christkindlmarkt time and enjoyed it so much we're going again this year. (Different cities each time.)

The Christmas Markets don't open in Berlin until 26 November according to the Berlin website: www.berlin.de/en. Check each city because the schedule may be different. If you want to start earlier, you might want to consider Strasbourg's (https://noel.strasbourg.eu/en/les-marches-de-noel) which opens on 24 November. Strasbourg is an easy train ride from Frankfurt and a great place to visit (we had been there in the summer and changed our entire December plans to spend more time there during the market season). We arranged a day trip that took us to markets in Colmar, Riquewihr and Obernai that was fantastic and a highlight of the trip. The Frankfurt center market is pretty good too!

Munich is wonderful, I highly recommend staying as close to the Marienplatz as possible. Consider Hotel Platzl which we've stayed at multiple times. Nürnberg is a great day trip but again watch your schedule as the Nürnberg markets don't open until 30 November.

Vienna was my favorite. So many different markets across the city. If you can, stay within the city center as you can just walk between the markets. I've stayed at the Hilton Vienna Plaza for work and stayed there for the markets. The location (right on the Schottenring) can't be beat as you are a short walk to the Town Hall or city center.

If you can, seriously consider adding on a couple days in Bratislava. It is a short just over an hour train ride from Vienna and the markets there are very different. Much more intimate and family focused. We stayed at the Radisson Blu off of Hviezdoslavovo námestie (the main square) and you literally walk out the front door into the main market. One of my favorites.

Hope this helps, PM me if you want more details.

Hi. I took this trip for the Christmas markets in 2017. I am familiar with Munich, but there were quite a few things I wanted to do that there was no time for on the tour. It looks as if they have made a modification - for the better, I think - in that you go to Neuschwanstein and on to Salzburg. We had to take time out of our day in Munich to visit the castles. I went, but it was a toss-up.

In Munich, I went to the creche museum, the Medieval Christmas Market, the Viktualienmarkt, and was fortunate to see the Krampuslauf on the Sunday afternoon prior to our tour. Again, it was almost a toss-up if I was going to get to the meet-and-greet on time vs see the Lauf. I managed both, but the Krampuslauf was more fun.

Like you, I had planned to spend time in advance of the tour and had scoped out day trips from Munich. Plans did not transpire thanks to my work schedule and some plane difficulties, and in the end, I was happy to not be dashing away from Munich when there was so much to see and do there. There was plenty I did not fit in, so plenty of options for a return.

Oh, number 2 on my to-do list (number 1 was Nürnberger Bratwurst at the Viktualienmarkt) was a visit to Dallmayr for their special Christmas candy bars - by popular demand of friends and colleagues. I bought a bunch - small and transportable gifts! Note, Dallmayr and the Viktualienmarkt are not open on Sunday. Check closer till time if special holiday hours apply.

Have fun! Debbie

Belatedly, thank you for the replies. My focus on my trip has been stolen away by an impending computer system change at work. If I survive that, then I can focus on the trip again!