{"id":14591,"date":"2018-12-01T12:13:33","date_gmt":"2018-12-01T08:13:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/aroxjblog.am\/?p=14591"},"modified":"2019-02-21T21:47:42","modified_gmt":"2019-02-21T17:47:42","slug":"13-best-german-christmas-markets","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/aroxjblog.am\/en\/13-best-german-christmas-markets\/","title":{"rendered":"13 Best German Christmas Markets"},"content":{"rendered":"

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While other countries\u00a0draw crowds with their holiday traditions<\/a>, no one does Christmas\u00a0quite<\/em>\u00a0like Germany. Its festive holiday season kicks off at the end of November and runs up until the beginning of January, and includes traditional cookies and cakes like\u00a0Lebkuchen<\/em>\u00a0and\u00a0Pfeffern\u00fcsse<\/em>sold in stores and markets, decorative trees and wreaths filling public spaces, and picturesque old towns given the\u00a0fairy-tale treatment<\/a>\u00a0with twinkling lights and glowing candles placed in the windows of shops and residences. (All that\u00a0Gl\u00fchwein<\/em>\u00a0no doubt has something to do with it, too.) One of the best ways to experience the holidays in Germany? A\u00a0Christkindlmarkt<\/em>, or Christmas market. Here, in no particular order, are 13 of the country’s best markets.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Ravenna Gorge Christmas Market<\/h2>\n
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Why we love it:<\/em>\u00a0The snowy Black Forest is picturesque enough come wintertime, but\u00a0this market<\/a>\u00a0in its midst\u2014at the base of the 130-foot-high viaduct\u2014manages to be even more Instagram-worthy. Get off at Hinterzarten or Himmelreich station and take a free shuttle bus to the market, where you’ll find stalls selling handmade Christmas wares and food like\u00a0Sch\u00e4ufele<\/em>\u00a0(smoked pork shoulder) and\u00a0K\u00e4sesp\u00e4tzle<\/em>\u00a0(egg pasta with cheese); even more can be found nearby at the Hofgut Sternen Inn, where the German poet Goethe once stayed.<\/p>\n

When:<\/em>\u00a0November 30 to December 23<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n

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Stuttgarter Weihnachtsmarkt<\/h2>\n
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Why we love it:<\/em>\u00a0Considered by many Germans to be one of the most traditional markets in the country thanks to its sparkling trees, local artisans, and location, the\u00a0Stuttgarter Weihnachtsmarkt<\/a>\u00a0has nearly 300 stalls set against the backdrop of the Old Castle, which dates back to the 10th century. Sip on the usual mulled wine, sure, but don’t miss the chance to sample some\u00a0Maultaschen<\/em>: large, ravioli-like noodles that are a speciality of the region.<\/p>\n

When:<\/em>\u00a0November 28 to December 23<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n

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Leipzig Christmas Market<\/h2>\n
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Why we love it:<\/em>\u00a0Second only to Dresden, Leipzig otherwise lays claim to the\u00a0oldest Christmas market in Germany<\/a>, tracing its origins back to 1458. Here, in front of the Old Town Hall where Johann Sebastian Bach signed his employment contract (he lived here for nearly 30 years), you’ll find everything from a Ferris wheel to a manger scene with live animals to a replica Finnish village\u2014smoked salmon included.<\/p>\n

When:<\/em>\u00a0November 27 to December 23<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n

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Erfurter Weihnachtsmarkt<\/h2>\n
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Why we love it:<\/em>\u00a0Erfurter Weihnachtsmarkt<\/a>\u00a0sits smack in the city’s well-preserved old quarter, with St. Mary’s Cathedral and the Church of St. Severus part of its backdrop. More than 200 stalls on and around Domplatz, Fischmarkt, and Willy-Brandt-Platz squares sell traditional handicrafts like blue-dyed fabrics and pottery, as well as Thuringian bratwurst roasted on a grill and Erfurt\u00a0Schittchen<\/em>, a trademarked fruit bread that dates back to the 15th century.<\/p>\n

When:<\/em>\u00a0November 27 to December 22<\/p>\n

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Berlin WeihnachtsZauber<\/h2>\n
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Why we love it:<\/em>\u00a0Location, location, location. The 13th-century German capital has about 60 Christmas markets, but the\u00a0WeihnachtsZauber<\/a>\u00a0draws nearly 60,000 annual visitors to the picturesque, white-top tented stands surrounded by a trio of historic buildings: the Franz\u00f6sischer Dom (or “French Cathedral”), the Konzerthaus (which houses the German orchestra Konzerthausorchester Berlin), and the Deutscher Dom, which has a five-floor exhibition on the changing history of Germany’s parliamentary system.<\/p>\n

When:<\/em>\u00a0November 26 to December 31<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n

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\u00a0Nuremberg Christkindlesmarkt<\/p>\n

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Why we love it:<\/em>\u00a0Head to the Hauptmarkt, the central square in the city’s old town, for\u00a0this market<\/a>\u2014one of the world’s most popular, with more than two million annual visitors. Each year, the celebrations officially open with a speech given by the\u00a0Christkind<\/em>\u2014the traditional gift-giver and symbol of the Christmas Market\u2014from the balcony of the Frauenkirche, a monumental Gothic church.<\/p>\n

When:<\/em>\u00a0November 30 to December 24<\/p>\n

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Dresden Striezelmarkt<\/h2>\n
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Why we love it:<\/em>\u00a0Founded as a one-day market in 1434, the\u00a0Dresden Striezelmarkt<\/a>\u00a0is Germany’s oldest. The annual focal points here are typically the 45-foot high Christmas pyramid and the\u00a0Stollen<\/em>, buttery fruitcake dusted with powdered sugar and packaged with a special seal depicting the city’s famous former king, August the Strong.<\/p>\n

When:<\/em>\u00a0November 28 to December 24<\/p>\n

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Du\u0308sseldorf Christmas Market<\/h2>\n
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Why we love it:<\/em>\u00a0Du\u0308sseldorf’s\u00a0Christmas market<\/a>\u00a0is actually made up of seven themed markets within walking distance of each other, which means that during the holidays, the city’s entire downtown core turns into a veritable\u00a0Weihnachtsmarkt<\/em>. One of the most popular is Engelchen-Markt on Heinrich-Heine-Platz, whose market huts feature wrought-iron angels and white lights, so that the entire area seems to glow. Another, Handwerker-Markt on Marktplatz, is known for its handicrafts; look for glass-blowers, pewterers, and brush-makers.<\/p>\n

When:<\/em>\u00a0November 22 to December 30<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n

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Rothenburg ob der Tauber Reiterlesmarkt<\/h2>\n
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Why we love it:<\/em>\u00a0Few Christmas markets are as incredibly beautiful as\u00a0the one in Rothenburg<\/a>, a walled medieval city in Bavaria dating back to 950. Come December, the town transforms into a winter wonderland with snow-dusted rooftops, glowing storefronts, and cozy taverns. The market\u2014which has been occurring since the 15th century\u2014is its jewel: Be sure to snag a\u00a0Schneeb\u00e4lle<\/em>\u00a0(or two), shortcrust pastry rolled into balls and coated with everything from powdered sugar to chocolate and nuts.<\/p>\n

When:<\/em>\u00a0November 30 to December 23<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n

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Konstanz Christmas Market<\/h2>\n
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Why we love it:<\/em>\u00a0This sprawling market runs from the town center to the shores of Lake Constance, Germany’s largest lake, with 170 stalls and more than 100,000 lights. Tuck in to traditional\u00a0Schupfnudeln<\/em>\u00a0potato dumplings, and spend some time on the ‘Christmas Ship,’ a long ship moored in the harbor with a bar. Just be sure to bring extra layers\u2014it can get pretty chilly down by the water.<\/p>\n

When:<\/em>\u00a0November 29 to December 22<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n

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Freiburg Christmas Market<\/h2>\n
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Why we love it:<\/em>\u00a0Freiburg is close to the Black Forest, and as such, its crafts and food reflect the region: You’ll find straw shoes and colorful wooden toy animals, as well as beeswax candles, which you can get made to order at the candle workshop on Franziskanerstrasse. Whatever you do, make sure to eat a\u00a0Nonnenseufzer<\/em>, or a freshly made doughnut filled with apples, under the 380-foot spire of the town’s iconic Gothic Freiburg Minster for a classic Christmas scene.<\/p>\n

When:<\/em>\u00a0November 22 to December 23<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

cntraveler.com<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n

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While other countries\u00a0draw crowds with their holiday traditions, no one does Christmas\u00a0quite\u00a0like Germany. Its festive holiday season kicks off at<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":14592,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1,2464,6],"tags":[2285],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/aroxjblog.am\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14591"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/aroxjblog.am\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/aroxjblog.am\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aroxjblog.am\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aroxjblog.am\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14591"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/aroxjblog.am\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14591\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":15570,"href":"https:\/\/aroxjblog.am\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14591\/revisions\/15570"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aroxjblog.am\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/14592"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/aroxjblog.am\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14591"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aroxjblog.am\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14591"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aroxjblog.am\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14591"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}