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Christmas markets from Cologne

I have a 10 night trip in early December. I plan to stay 4 nights in Paris, 2 in Brussels and 3 in cologne (the 10th night will be at a hotel near CDG). What would be a nice Christmas market to visit within an hour of Cologne? In past trips I have been to Heidelburg, Nurnburg, Munich and Rothenburg. All were nice all Nurnburg seemed too large. Thanks
Rich

Posted by
21269 posts

News Flash! Man bites dog story! Holland invades Germany and captures Aachen!
Seriously though, I hear Cologne has a big Christmas Market in the Dom Platz. and I suspect Aachen would have a good one too.

Posted by
12040 posts

"and Aachan which is in Holland." So, after 70 years delay, the Dutch have finally instituted the Bakker Schut Plan? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bakker-Schut_Plan Back on topic, if in Brussels, consider a daytrip to Hasselt. I would rank their annual "Winterland" as the most elaborate Christmas market in all of Europe. Actually, it's more of a combination Christmas market/carnival. Either way, it's worth a look.

Posted by
124 posts

Thank you for the suggestions including the one regarding Belgium. All sound nice. I do want to return one spring or fall and explore more of WW2 locales with a rental car. I would prefer not to get a rental car in the winter in a foreign country. Rich

Posted by
1001 posts

Cologne has at least six different markets, I think. The big one by the Dom has great vendors, but it gets really crowded on weekends. I like the one at Neumarkt, which is down one of the pedestrian streets from the Dom. Really like Aachen though. The town is lovely and the market winds throughout the old center.