I'm looking into visiting Germany the week after Christmas ( Dec 24- Jan 1). All the pictures make it look like a Christmas wonderland and the markets sound like tons of fun. But I'm worried that everything will be closed and all the markets will be packed up by the time we get there. We are planning on flying in and out via Frankfurt and visiting Bavaria - Nuremburg, Rothenberg, and Stuttgart. What is there to do in this region the week after Christmas, are all the Christmas markets completely packed up? Is everything closed on Christmas day? Any suggestions for what to do on Christmas Day? Thanks
Posted by
Frankfurt, Germany
9222 posts
Most Christmas markets will shut down by the 22nd-23rd, though some may be open up until the 1st. Best is to check the websites of the cities as they will have those dates stated. I know Tollwood in Munich is open later. Speyer has a market open over Christmas and later. Cities will still be decorated though until 6 Jan. which is 3 Kings Day.
Businesses, stores and restaurants will almost all be closed by 1400 on the 24th and recommend making reservations at a nice hotel for a Christmas Eve dinner. Have heard that the Hofbrau Haus is going to be open on the 24th though. Head out to some churches for services, children's' nativity plays, organ concerts. The 25th and 26th are official holidays and stores will be closed. Restaurants do a booming business on those days if they are open. Museums may or may not be open, or they may trade off days being open. I would check their websites.
The 31st is not a holiday, but stores will close by 1400 if they are open at all. Many restaurants will also be closed or will be reservation only. Museums may or may not be open. The city will explode with fireworks at midnight, as they are legal to buy the 3 days leading up to the end of the year. These are good fireworks too, not just some rinky-dink old cherry bombs or sparklers. Get some at any dept. store or grocery store, but carry them in an extra bag, not in a back pack. People get really drunk and don't pay attention to where they are shooting those fireworks and a back pack can be dangerous if it gets hit. Any open plaza, river bank, or open space is fair game. The 1st is a holiday, with museums either being closed or opening a bit later in the day. Check their websites.
Walking tours and bike tours may or may not be taking place on any of these days, so check their websites.
Posted by
Danville, VT
12040 posts
"All the pictures make it look like a Christmas wonderland" I'm going to interpret this as meaning "covered in a beautiful blanket of snow". If this is what you want, you need to head south to the Alps. Snow cover, of some sort, is almost a guarantee. Elsewhere in Germany, though, it doesn't snow often or heavy enough to reliably expect it on a one week trip.