In Germany’s Luther Country, Advent means Christmas markets. The crisp winter air is filled with the smell of ginger and nutmeg, signaling the arrival of Stollen, a special Christmas cake, and Glühwein, mulled wine. Cobbled streets and squares, lined with half-timbered medieval houses, provide the backdrop for dozens of wooden stalls, selling wooden toys and Christmas decorations, handcrafted gifts and seasonal foods, such as Zimtsterne (cinnamon stars) and Lebkuchen (soft, spiced cookies).
Brass bands play and choirs sing carols, often written by Martin Luther himself. In fact, many Christmas traditions were supposedly instigated by the Protestant reformer 500 years ago. Legend insists one dark and starry night, Luther was touched by the beauty of the pine trees. On returning home, he cut down a tree, took it into his house and decorated it with candles. As well as the Christmas tree, Luther is credited with the idea of Christkind, the Christ child bringing presents. (Kris Kringle is still familiar in many U.S. homes). Concerned that Saint Nicholas, who delvered his gifts on December 6, was too popular, Luther came up with an alternative to “Santa Claus”: a golden angel, with wings and a crown.
Here are just some of Luther Country’s most authentic Christmas markets.
ERFURT November 27 – December 22 Although Erfurt’s 162nd Christmas Market spreads throughout the old town, the focus is on the Domplatz, the vast Cathedral Square. The 200 market booths sell everything from Thuringian bratwurst (Germany’s favorite grilled sausage) and Christmas cookies to handmade toys or traditional, handmade Christmas decorations. Children love the giant Ferris wheel,
the 90-foot-tall Christmas tree covered in candles, and the 40-foot-high wooden pyramid. Most of all, they love the nativity scene, set in a fairytale forest, complete with near life-sized, hand-carved figures. Gardeners should not miss the floral Christmas exhibition in the underground vaults of the cathedral.
Lutherstadt Wittenburg Christmas Market
LUTHERSTADT WITTENBERG November 28 – December 23 In the market square, a statue of Luther looks out across the Christmas market, with its stalls decorated with pine boughs, lights and Christmas ornaments. In the air is the scent of mulled wine and roasted almonds. Across the square is the Marienskirche (St. Mary’s Church), where Luther preached. Special are the town’s Adventshöfe, medieval courtyards, where local artists and craftsmen sell their wares. In the Cranach Courtyard, named for Luther’s great friend and painter Lucas Cranach, the weekend of December 8 and 9 features weavers and knitters, wood carvers and basket makers.
QUEDLINBURG November 30 – December 23 With more than 1,300 half-timbered houses, Quedlinburg is one of Europe’s most romantic cities. And during the Christmas Market, strolling along the cobbled streets is like walking through history. One unique event is the “Advent in den Höfen” (December 1-2, 8-9, 15-16), when some 20 private courtyards open to sell special Christmas gifts, often handmade. Another highlight is the world’s largest Advent calendar! At 4:30 p.m. every afternoon for 24 days, children look out for the star that marks the house where the next scene in the Advent calendar will appear. When the door opens, fairytale characters appear and dance, sing or play for spectators.
WERNIGERODE November 30 – December 22 Dominated by its 12th-century castle, Wernigerode’s annual Christmas market has a fairy story backdrop: a 15th-century town hall, half-timbered houses and a 35-foot-tall Christmas tree. The stalls serve traditional food and drink, hand-made toys and ornaments for the home; evenings are filled with concerts of seasonal music. From December 15 to January 8, 2013, the Castle hosts its own special Winter Market. Children meet a fairy at 3 p.m. and receive presents from St. Nikolaus (Santa Claus) at 4 p.m. They also love to ride the Christmas train in a historic carriage, pulled by a steam engine through the snow-covered countryside.
Wernigerode Christmas Market
LAUSCHA December 1-2 and 8-9 Each Christmas, this small town in a steep, wooded valley in the Thuringian Forest, plays a vital role in every American home. This is where the first glass Christmas tree ornaments were created in 1847. In 1880, F. W. Woolworth, the five-and-dime store pioneer, brought a batch of these glass balls to his store in Pennsylvania, and the rest is history. The tradition continues in Germany’s glassblowing capital, where you can watch artisans creating works of art at Lauscha’s Museum of Glass Art. At Lauscha’s annual Christmas “Kugelmarkt,” or glass bauble market, you can buy these handmade decorations in all shapes and colors.
Mead honey wine
WARTBURG CASTLE, EISENACH December 1-2, 8-9, 15-16 Wartburg Castle is where Martin Luther, the Protestant reformer, changed history when he translated the New Testament into German. And this UNESCO World Heritage Site just outside Eisenach is still a massively impressive fortress. At Christmas, however, a historic Christmas Market transforms the castle, with artists and street performers, craftsmen and knights. Meet candle makers and barrel makers, rope makers and lantern makers, minstrels and puppeteers. With cheerful booths and medieval decorations, this is a like a trip back in time. And the medieval food is delicious, from roast apples and honey to mead.
This holiday season, Royal Parks in London are celebrating with special events in places including Richmond Park, Greenwich Park, Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park.
Visitors to the parks can partake in the festivities by choosing their own real Christmas tree, wander through four of the Royal Parks following the Diana Princess of Wales Memorial Walk, visit the deer enclosure in Greenwich Park, or take a timeless winter horse carriage ride.
While in London, take in the Winter Wonderland Hyde Park, where you can hear live music, go ice skating and visit the Angels Christmas and Yuletide Markets.
Every year the magic of German Christmas Markets enchants millions of visitors. Crafts, culinary specialties like Gluhwein (mulled wine), baked apples and gingerbread biscuits (Lebkuchen) contribute to the traditional atmosphere.
Frankfurt (until Dec 22) Situated in the Roemerberg marketplace with St. Paul’s church as a backdrop, the Frankfurt Christmas Market is regarded as one of Germany’s most important. Organized events include the tower concert on the balcony of the Nikolai church, the Christmas Market of Frankfurt’s artists and the Frankfurt city peal of bells. Children can ride on multiple carousels, marvel at the gigantic Christmas tree and meet St. Nicholas on December 6. Guided tours of Frankfurt are also available. www.frankfurt.de
Mainz Christmas Market
Mainz (until Dec 23) The Mainz Christmas Market is set in the historic market square against the impressive backdrop of the 1,000-year-old cathedral of St. Martins. Highlights of the Christmas Market include the traditional fairy-tale performance in the city theater, the popular print shop of the Gutenberg museum and the 36-foot-high Christmas pyramid with its numerous figures and lights. Also, there is a wide choice of family programs at the Liebfrauenplatz. www.mainz.de
Wiesbaden (through Dec 23) “Twinkling Star Market” is the name of the Wiesbaden Christmas Market. Visitors enter the old castle square through four gates decorated with stars. Not to miss is the crèche with its life-sized wooden figures representing the Christmas story. www.wiesbaden.de/en
Wiesbaden Christmas Market
Aschaffenburg (through Dec 22) The Christmas Market is situated against the picturesque backdrop of the castle, with the Franconian Christmas crèche as its center. Also, during this festive season various other charming Christmas Markets can be found in the Aschaffenburg region. www.aschaffenburg.eu
Aschaffenburg Christmas Market
Bad Homburg (All advent weekends) One of the most beautiful Christmas markets in Germany is the romantic Christmas Market Bad Homburg at the Castle “Landgrafenschloss,” which is surrounded by an historical setting. Highlights include the traditional fairy-tale performances on the Kurtheater Bad Homburg. www.bad-homburg.de (German only)
Stuttgart Christmas Market
Stuttgart (through Dec 23) With its more than 280 decorated stands, is one of the oldest and largest Christmas markets in Europe. The Stuttgart Christmas Market is traditionally opened with a ceremonial concert in the inner courtyard of the Old Palace (Altes Schloss). Around the Altes Schloss, Schillerplatz, Kirchstrasse, Marktplatz and Hirschstrasse, small decorated wooden houses offer a range of Christmas items and gift ideas including Christmas tree decorations, crib figures, toys, woodcuts, puppets, lambskin shoes and candles. Culinary delights include hot chestnuts, German lebkuchen (gingerbread), roasted almonds, grilled sausages and mulled wine.www.stuttgart-tourist.de
Bremen Christmas Market
Bremen, on the River Weser close to the northern coast, puts a maritime twist on the classic Christmas market when the promenade along the river is transformed into Schlachte magic, a festive market offering historical, seasonal and maritime attractions. Another market with more than 160 beautifully decorated Christmas stalls are clustered in front of Bremen’s Church of Our Lady and the Roland Statue in the historical market square. www.bremen-tourism.de
Ruedesheim (through Dec 21) The Christmas market in Ruedesheim on the Rhine brings a festive feel to the romantic old town and its popular Drosselgasse Lane. More than 120 stands from 12 nations offer Christmas customs and traditions from around the world. Europe’s biggest Nativity scene can also be found in the market square. www.ruedesheim.de
Explore the Christmas Markets with this easy river and rail adventure.
By Marilyn Heimburger Photos by Don Heimburger
As the weather turns colder and stores begin playing Christmas music to heighten anxiety about getting everything done before Christmas, I yearn to spend the Advent season once again in Germany’s beautiful Christkindlmarkts.
Not long ago, a friend also expressed her longing to visit the famous Christkindlmarkts in Germany and Austria during Advent, but didn’t know where to begin. Which ones should she see? How do you find accommodations in each town, and arrange transportation from market to market? The planning seemed too daunting, and she just never got started.
European Traveler discovered the perfect plan to make that dream come true: last Advent we took a nine-day Christmas market tour by river and rail that was easy and convenient. We experienced more than a dozen Christmas markets along the Danube River in Germany and Austria, with guided tours in towns along the way.
VIKING AEGIR The river portion of our “Advent along the Danube” trip was on the Viking Aegir, a 1-½-year-old Viking River Cruise ship which sailed from Budapest to Nuremberg. One of the best perks of a river cruise is that you unpack only once for the week. Meals are provided for you, and the ship delivers you from market to market, with local tour guides waiting when you dock, and activities onboard while you leisurely cruise from market to market. What could be easier?
On board the Viking Aegir, passengers relax in comfort with a beautiful view of Germany and Austria through panoramic floor to ceiling windows.
Although the cruise began in Budapest the day before, we chose to fly to Vienna and board the ship there. We moved into our spacious stateroom, complete with private bathroom with shower, drawers and closet for clothing, queen-sized bed, mini-fridge, TV and sliding glass doors on the balcony, offering a non-stop view along the Danube as Austria and Germany glided by.
Comfortable cabins await the passengers aboard the Viking Aegir cruise ship.
VIENNA’S MAGIC OF ADVENT Since the boat dock is some distance from the city center, Viking provides bus transportation to and from Vienna’s largest Christmas market, which glitters in the shadow of Vienna’s City Hall. Named “Wiener Adventzauber,” or “Vienna’s Magic of Advent,” it features hundreds of vendors in wooden huts offering local pastry, sausage and hot drink specialties, gifts, decorations, candles and accessories. There are pony rides, story reading on the Celestial Stage, appearances by the Viennese Christkind, and even arts and crafts and baking stations inside the Rathaus so children can make their own gifts and Christmas goodies.
Located inside Vienna’s Rathaus is a baking workshop, where children can make their own cookies.
Within walking distance of the Rathaus market are several other Christmas markets, smaller but with their own local focus and definitely worth a visit. Markets in other parts of Vienna are on Maria-Theresien-Platz, in the Old AKH, on Freyung, the Am Hof Advent Market, at Belvedere Palace, on Karlslatz, on Spittelberg, at Stephansplatz, on Riesenradplatz, and at the Schönbrunn Palace. To see all of them would take an extra day or two! We saved some of our market visits for after the cruise, when we returned to Vienna by rail for our flight back home.
Vienna has several smaller Christmas markets each with their own style and specialties, and each worth a visit.
The local food experiences aren’t limited to the Christmas markets. Upon our chilly return to the ship, we were met with Lebkuchen and hot mulled wine, and Vienna’s famous Sachertorte for dessert after the onboard dinner.
900-YEAR-OLD MELK ABBEY The small Christmas market at Melk, Austria, our next port of call, is only open on weekends, and unfortunately not during our visit. But we enjoyed a guided tour of the beautiful 900-year-old baroque Melk Abbey, and bought the famous local apricot liqueur.
A “Taste of Austria” luncheon aboard the Viking Aegir featured plenty of sausage and a Lederhosen-clad accordion player.
Leisurely travel on the Danube with its many locks means plenty of time for relaxing. To add to our Advent experience during that time, local culture is brought onboard: “A Taste of Austria” lunch included music by a Lederhosen-clad accordion player. A strudel-making demonstration showed that a tea towel was the trick to rolling the paper-thin dough around the apple/raisin/rum filling. As we neared the Bavarian town of Passau, a traditional Black Forest cake was the featured dessert after dinner.
(left to right) The Simon family bakers demonstrate the art of making gingerbread in Passau.; A beautiful Advent wreath is easy to make, as demonstrated in Passau.
ADVENT TRADITIONS IN PASSAU Our stop in Passau began a complete day of Advent tradition, all within easy walking distance from the boat dock. We learned the history and art of making Advent wreaths and the famous Simon family gingerbread, and were treated to a midday Advent organ concert at Passau’s St. Stephen’s Cathedral on the world’s largest cathedral organ. The main Passau Christmas market boasts a Bavarian flair with crafts and regional specialties, sausages, Glühwein and gingerbread.
Back on board our Viking ship we enjoyed tea time with plum cake, apple cake and other regional dessert specialties.
HISTORIC REGENSBURG The next day’s stop in Regensburg included a town tour with visits to the Hutkönig, a world famous hatmaker; a cuckoo clock-making demonstration; and the oldest sausage kitchen in Germany, which has been serving sausages for 900 years, since catering to the workers who built the adjacent Stone Bridge.
(left to right) A cuckoo clock-making demonstration was a tour option in Regensburg.; Regensburg’s famous Hutkönig had very special hats to offer.
ROMANTIC MARKET AT THE PALACE OF THURN AND TAXIS Regensburg’s main Christmas market spreads out near the cathedral, but another Regensburg highlight is the Romantic Christmas Market set in the courtyard and surrounding park of the Palace of Thurn and Taxis. Here the pathways are lit by torches, lanterns and lighted ropes wrapped around wooden fences, and there are hay bales for seating and open fires for warming stations. The bough-covered wooden stalls offer unique products obviously chosen for their quality and beauty. Although there is a fee of 6 -7 Euros to enter this private market, it was one of our favorites, and well worth the price.
The beautiful Romantic Christmas Market is on the grounds of the Palace of Thurn and Taxis in Regensburg.
After a full day in Regensburg, the local Advent experience continued on board as we were greeted with hot Glühwein and heart- and star-shaped Lebkuchen.
Red- and white-striped awnings decorate this Lebkuchen stall at Nuremberg’s historic Christkindlmarkt. The Christkind stands high on the balcony of the church on the left to open the market.
NUREMBERG’S CENTURIES-OLD CHRISTKINDLMARKT Our ship’s last stop was at Nuremberg, which boasts a 400-year-old Christmas market tradition. Once again, Viking provided bus transportation to and from the Christkindlmarkt on the Hauptmarkt square, since the boat dock is some distance away. Nearly 200 wooden stalls decorated with red- and white-striped awnings invite visitors from all over the world – more than two million each year – to sample the traditional gingerbread, sweets, sausages, potato pancakes and Glühwein, to buy their ornaments, candles, toys and prune men.
(left to right) The Children’s Christmas market in Nuremberg has rides and booths with hands-on activities for children, and appearances by Nuremberg’s Christkind.; Nuremberg’s unique Handwerkerhof is located at the distinctive Königtor within the historic city walls.
A few steps away is a children’s Christkindlmarkt with colorful rides, booths with hands-on activities, hot punch and Nuremberg’s beloved Christkind.
Don’t miss the nearby “Sister City” Christmas market featuring wares from Nuremberg’s sister cities around the world, and yet another Christmas market setting in Nuremberg’s distinctive Handwerkerhof, located at the Königstor within the historic city wall.
Though the river cruise part of our trip was over, and it was difficult to leave the cocoon of comfort we experienced on the ship, we had more markets to visit on our way back to Vienna.
INTER CITY EXPRESS SPEED AND COMFORT With a first class Eurail pass in hand, we boarded the fast Inter City Express (ICE) train from Nuremberg to Vienna. The Eurail pass, which we had to purchase in the U.S., allowed us to hop on and off the train for more Christmas market visits enroute to Vienna. Sitting in a six-seat “quiet room” directly behind the engineer gave us a clear view of the tracks ahead, a rail buff’s dream. The track generally followed the Danube, busy with barge traffic, with snow-covered mountains in the distance and large balls of mistletoe visible in the bare trees along the route.
Through the panoramic windows we watched the snow-covered forests and villages speed by, looking like gingerbread creations sprinkled with powdered sugar. We saw firewood meticulously piled high in covered sheds in preparation for the long cold winter, and churchyard cemeteries somehow decked out with colorful plants: lavender, heather – where does all the winter floral color come from?
MORE CHRISTKINDLMARKTS AT LINZ Soon we arrived at Linz, the location of our next Christmas market experience. We left our luggage in lockers at the train station and bought a ticket for the Linz City Express which took us through the town’s main shopping area to the Christkindlmarkt near the river on the Hauptplatz.
Nestled between the town’s centuries-old Baroque townhouses, this market featured wares by artists and artisans, with traditional hot drinks, Bratwürstlein and pastries. At the nearby Goldmann’s Bakery we sampled the town’s famous Linzer Torte. Lights above the stalls are designed to look like river waves, and a specially-designed light display above the river depicts angels blowing bubbles through a straw.
(left and bottom right) Vendors at the Schönbrunn Christmas Market offer painted pewter decorations and beautifully detailed figures for Nativity scenes.; Hot Glühwein in generous mugs, and stick-to-the-ribs comfort food hit the spot at the Schönbrunn Palace Christmas Market
Another short City Express ride delivered us to the Christmas market at the Folksgarten, which featured rides for children, stalls offering warm hats, scarves, decorations, and more hot drinks, pastries and comfort food.
Retrieving our luggage, we completed our train journey to Vienna, where one more very special Christmas Market beckoned.
SCHÖNBRUNN PALACE CHRISTMAS MARKET Vienna’s famous Schönbrunn Palace hosts its own large and very beautiful Christmas market. Situated on the grounds in front of the UNESCO World Heritage site, this unique market still has plenty of room to wander through the juried product stalls. Six food stands are centrally located, as is a towering lighted tree and a magnificently carved nativity scene. The Schönbrunn Market celebrates its 21st year in 2014, and has grown in size and popularity each year. This market easily sets a new standard with its attention to detail in set-up and design.
For those wondering how to experience the Christmas markets in Germany and Austria in comfort and convenience, this trip by river and rail is the answer.
Parisian bakeries sell many versions of the traditional Buche de Noel (Yule Log) Christmas cake.
Paris is a great city to visit any time of the year—for fine foods, outstanding museums, and romantic walks along the Seine in the pink glow that often suffuses the city at twilight.
Many tourists want to see Paris in the spring. Remember the song, “April in Paris”? Or the movie of that name, with Ray Bolger and Doris Day? And who could forget Gene Kelly dancing among the blossoms with Leslie Caron in An American in Paris? But did you know that Paris is also a wonderful place to spend the winter holidays?
WINTER ROMANCE Paris in winter has something for everyone. Open-air and indoor Christmas markets throughout the city. Nativity scenes and sacred music concerts in historic churches. Menorahs and special Hanukkah foods in the Jewish delis and bakeries. Strings of sparkling lights across the grand boulevards. Outdoor ice-skating rinks decorated with Christmas trees. Children’s noses pressed against the glass of department store windows animated with fanciful displays. Cheerful families toting wrapped packages in the subway. Smiling vendors at the food stalls. Even friendly waiters in the restaurants.
More than a dozen colorful Christmas markets brighten up the city, some open for only a few days in December, others lasting six weeks or longer, from the start of Advent (the fourth Sunday before Christmas) through Epiphany (Three Kings Day on January 6). Some Christmas markets specialize in products from a particular part of France, such as Alsace, whereas others feature handmade crafts by local artisans. Paris’s newest food fair, Noël Gourmand, is also held in December, at the Carrousel du Louvre, a glitzy underground shopping mall in the heart of the city. There you can taste French regional products such as artisanal cheeses from the Basque region, wines from the Loire, meats from the Ardennes, and sweets from Provence. And no Christmas market anywhere in Paris would be complete without roasted chestnuts, chewy nougat, and hot spiced wine.
CHRISTMAS DINNER If you want to enjoy a special meal at a restaurant on Christmas Eve, make reservations early. Many restaurants are closed on the evening of December 24, and even more are shut on Christmas Day. A fun alternative is to pick up some good wine, cheese, bread, and a traditional French Christmas cake, a bûche de Noël (Yule log), to take back to your hotel for a private holiday picnic in your room. Then head to one of the gorgeous gothic churches for a memorable midnight service by candlelight.
You can feast even more lavishly if you rent an apartment through Airbnb or one of the other agencies that offer apartments in Paris year round. Have fun (and save money) by purchasing foods and wines at little local grocery stores and big open-air markets, then bring them back to your apartment for a cozy dinner at home. Even if you don’t want to cook, you can buy excellent prepared foods such as pâtés, cheeses, rotisserie chickens, cooked seafood, Burgundy beef stew, Spanish paella, North African couscous, fresh breads, and luscious French pastries at the delis, department stores, bakeries, and pastry shops all over Paris. Wine shops will also recommend the best vintages to accompany your store-bought meal. And if you don’t feel like lugging all that food back to your apartment, some stores will even deliver groceries and wines free of charge or for a small fee.
RING IN THE NEW YEAR New Year’s Eve on December 31 is the time to party at a restaurant, with friends and strangers, until the early hours of the morning. Many Parisian restaurants offer a special Réveillon dinner, a fixed-price, multi-course, New Year’s Eve meal with champagne. Some smaller places charge as little as €50 per person (with wine extra), or you can splurge at the high-end eateries for several hundred euros apiece. Wherever you choose to eat, reservations are a must.
On a recent New Year’s Eve, my husband and I celebrated at Restaurant Polidor, a relic of France’s culinary heritage. Polidor still serves the same kind of simple, old-fashioned, very affordable comfort food like you could find in little Paris bistros half a century ago. Nothing trendy or minimalist-modern here—just small wooden tables covered with red-and-white checked paper tablecloths, bentwood chairs set close together, dark wood wainscoting, big mirrors on the wall, and plenty of nostalgia atmosphere. Filmgoers will recognize Polidor as the place in Woody Allen’s film, Midnight in Paris, where Gil Pender meets Ernest Hemingway back in the 1920s. And indeed, Polidor has been feeding the famous and the not-so-famous ever since it was established in 1845.
If you’re a cat lover and missing your own felines when you’re away from home, you can even celebrate New Year’s Eve in the company of 16 rescue cats at the cozy Cafe des Chats Bastille, one of Paris’s two cat cafes, where the furry friends roam free among the tables. And wherever you choose to party, you don’t have to worry about drinking that extra glass of champagne and staying out really late. From 6 p.m. on New Year’s Eve until 5 a.m. the next day, the Paris subway runs continually overnight, and it’s even free of charge.
GIFTS OF THE MAGI Finally, finish up your Parisian holiday with a special treat on January 6, Three Kings Day. In all the pastry shop windows you’ll see round, flat pastries with a gold paper crown on top. These are galettes des Rois, the traditional King’s Cakes of northern France. A small porcelain or plastic prize is baked inside the cake, which is made from layers of puff pastry often with a frangipane filling. Whoever gets the slice with the prize inside is crowned “king for a day.” At some Three Kings Day parties, the prize-winner also has to buy drinks for everyone around the table.
So let Paris wish you not only a bon appetit, but also a Joyeux Noël (Merry Christmas), a Bonne Année (Happy New Year), and a Bonne Fête des Rois (Happy Three Kings Day) on your next trip to France!
European Traveler 