Please sign in to post.
Rick Steves Holiday Sale: 20% Off Storewide

Stollenfest, Miner's Parade or Festung Königstein market?

Posted by on

My daughter and I will be visiting Dresden and environs in early December for a Christmas market and more trip. There is not enough time to see and do it all, so we have been choosing priorities.

My quandary is over Saturday, December 6, what to choose to do. From morning to afternoon is the Dresden Stollenfest. The Stollenfest starts around 10 AM, with the parade ending about noon and then the cake cutting lasting a couple of hours until it is gone.

We have already bought tickets for the Christmas Market at Festung Königstein, which goes from 9 AM to 7 PM. The tickets aren't expensive if we miss it. We are not in Dresden any other weekend days to catch it.

Finally, there is the Miner's Parade in Freiberg, which starts around 5 or 6 p.m. I wasn't planning on going to Freiberg otherwise since it didn't pop out to me as being particularly unique. Their Miner's Parade is supposed to be the biggest one. But how crowded? I am 5'2" and I won't be able to see over any heads.

Besides Dresden we will visit Kassel, the Harz Mountains, Meissen, Seiffen, Bautzen, Görlitz and Wroclaw. I admit I am more of a Stollen fan than a mining fan, although I appreciate the history and the development of mining in the wooden toy industry. And my daughter is a real medieval/Renaissance fan.

We can undoubtedly take in two of these but not three. Has anyone been to all three of these events to compare them for me?

Thank you!

Posted by
1577 posts

6 December Nikolaus Tag. Meissen was nice years ago on the Marktplatz early evening. Horse and all. Goose dinner too. Lots of kids. If your daughter is young than make the most out of 5-6 December for her. Add Annaberg-Buchholz to the laundry list too. Glück Auf!

Posted by
71 posts

Thank you, mchpp, I am glad to hear a vote for Meissen. What is the horse? Gänseessen I know and have it whenever I see it. Do you have places to recommend?

My daughter is mid-thirties, but I hope to bring my six-year old granddaughter in the next couple of years. I tried to fit Annaberg-Buchholz in this year but couldn't make the days stretch. I hear it is really beautiful.
I definitely will put it on the list for when I bring my granddaughter.

Posted by
1577 posts

Sorry my mistake, getting old... St. Martin's Day November 11 and his horse. Bäckerei und Konditorei Ralf in Meissen for Stollen. We have been going to the Gaststätte Holzwurm in Seiffen for years, long before they expanded. The Erzgebirgisches Spielzeugmuseum is fun. Time and transportation check out Berggaststätte Schwartenbergbaude too (good views). Out of your way but Erfurt. Plenty of good Stollen there. Not a fan of the Harz Mountains. Bautzen the Senf city is nice. Was there before Covid. Going to Görlitz the first Advent. Maybe snow in Oberwiesenthal?

Posted by
620 posts

Just a minor correction: Stollen isn't cake, but a kind of sweet bread with lots of yummy additions.

Posted by
110 posts

I would probably skip Freiberg (which is a shame, I must admit - I totally love it and can tell you there is plenty to do and see there) and see the first bits of Stollenfest and then head out to fortress Königstein. I have been to the the fortress many, many times and to the Christmas market up there at least a half dozen times. It is a medieval themed market with employees dressed in historic costumes and historic craftwork (blacksmith e.g.) shows. The scenery alone is worth the visit, the fortress on the flat-top mountain is very interesting.

My suggestion is to time your visit so that you arrive in daylight but leave in the dark - most romantic with the lights. Transportation is a bit complicated. I recommend to take S 1 suburban train to Königstein, walk down the 200 m to the centre (Reißiger Platz) from where the red double-decker buses up to the fortress leave. Pay for round trip (should be about 8 Euro or so). You arrive at the foot of the fortress and can either take the elevator (inside the mountain) or walk up. The latter recommended if you have time and are in good condition.

The Christmas market in Meissen is nothing special IMO, but the town is of course picturesque, the museums/cathedral are absolutely worth seeing.

Bautzen is very charming, the Christmas market also interesting. Görlitz is even better IMO. Will visit both this year, too. My favourites are those in the Erzgebirge, though.

Posted by
71 posts

Thank you all for your replies, I appreciate the tips!

ibrenn, I am happy you recommended the Stollenfest and Festung Königstein, as I was leaning in that direction. I would like to go to Freiberg, and if it had lockers at the train station, maybe we could do it on the way back from Seiffen. But from my research I don't think it does, and the market isn't close enough to the train station to make schlepping our luggage a pleasant option for sightseeing.

Overall it sounds like we have made some pretty good choices. I think the area will deserve a second visit.

Add Reply

Please do not reply to violations of our Community Guidelines.