My son and I will be traveling to Paris to visit my daughter next month and would like to take a 5-day side trip to Germany and see some Christmas markets and just enjoy the German vibe as we've never been. Top cities that have been recommended to us (Munich, Nurnberg, Berlin) would require a LONG train ride (or a shorter plane ride). I guess I'm wondering if that is necessary or if we could find something closer to France (western side of Germany) that offers just as great of an experience for us and not require such long traveling time/energy. Ideally would like to stay in one city as our home-base and then go see other towns/cities for day trips. I don't like over-planning and over-doing and would like to find a nice mix of seeing some great historical sites, good German markets/foods/beer but also being able to relax. Would love any recommendations. Many thanks!
Posted by
Sydney, Australia
206 posts
I am going to suggest Mainz - it's not all that far from Paris and you have the advantage that you can base there and see all the other cities in the Rhein-Main district, as well as taking yourself up the Rhine. Rüdesheim, Wiesbaden, Frankfurt, Boppard, Koblenz, Cologne, Oberwesel will all have markets. There might be some smaller ones that I have missed. If it's still too far for you, there is Stuttgart, but it's not my favourite city. However, you could base there and see smaller markets like Esslingen.
Lavandula
Posted by
OP
2 posts
Thank you!!
Posted by
9457 posts
We lived in Augsburg and enjoyed its Christmas Market, but never visited other cities markets.
Aside from Christmas Markets, I would recommend Strasbourg, France (on the border with Germany) and nearby is the Black Forest (not sure. that is good in Winter).
Posted by
Paradise
7826 posts
You might like Heidelberg. Nice smaller city on the Neckar River, daily Christmas market, easy to reach from Paris...
Direct TGV trains from Paris into Germany reach Mannheim in 3 hours or less. From there it's about 15 minutes by connecting train to H'berg. Random date of 12/4 shows a current saver fare price of €44 (at the DB site) from Paris to H'berg at 9:06 if purchased now.
Day trip to Bad Wimpfen by train for Christmas market? Dates at site below:
https://weihnachtsmarkt-badwimpfen.de/
Speyer (direct train from H'berg) is an important historic town, less than an hour from H'berg by direct train. Daily Christmas market runs through Jan 6.