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| the Marburg Weihnachtsmarkt, in front of the Rathaus |
Let's talk about Christmas in August. Specifically, Christmas markets, known as
Weihnachsmärkte ("vye-nachts-mehrk-teh") in Germany. These markets begin usually in late November or early December and run right up until Christmas Eve. Cologne alone has seven different markets, and there are smaller markets in villages all over the country (plus large markets in other major cities). We visited all seven markets in Cologne, as well as markets in Brussels, Hattingen, and Marburg.
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| "Happy Christmas" in Marburg |
The smaller markets in Marburg and Hattingen were delightful, with a much cozier, less commercial feel than the markets in Cologne. Marburg was especially beautiful, and I highly suggest visiting a market in a small town such as Marburg or
Bad Munstereifel. Spend the day wandering the cute Altstadt and exploring the city, and then spend the evening hanging out at the cheerily-lit Weihnachtsmarkt.
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| escargot & Swiss-style noodle bowls at the Brussel Christmas market |
The market is
Brussels was huge, and quite different from the markets in Cologne. Rather than discrete, themed markets, this market in Brussels ran 2km from the Gro
te Markt to the Place Sainte-Catherine (map). In the market square at
Place Sainte-Catherine there was the neatest carousel I have ever seen, called
La Manege D'Andrea (kids could sit in a rocketship that blasted up through the roof!). The food was also quite different, too --I got a delicious bowl of escargot, and Jeremy and I both ate really tasty Swiss-style noodles! Sometime in the future, I would love to make it to Christmas markets in other parts of Belgium and in the Netherlands, as well as in other parts of Germany. But in the meantime, here's what we learned about the markets in Cologne...
A Guide to Cologne's Wiehnachtsmärkte
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| it seemed like the entire city decorated for Christmas! |
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| the mug from the Hafenweihnachtsmarkt |
Best Of
- Best Food: Rudolfplatz--though most food vendors are the same across the markets
- Best Atmosphere: Heumarkt (ice skating!), Neumarkt, or the Dom
- Best Shops: they are all mostly the same shops--the market shops are pretty commercial in Cologne
- Least Crowded: Stadtgarden or Christophstrasse
- Must See: Dom, Altermarkt/Heumarkt, Neumarkt...but almost all of them are worth a visit!
- Local Favorites: Stadtgarden, Rudolfsplatz, Altermarkt/Heumarkt
Things to Do and Try
- Try some Glühwein ("glue-vine"), or mulled wine, and a glass of hot Eierpunsch ("eye-err-punsh"), or liquored up eggnog
- Taste all the interesting stand food! Kebabs, Pfannekuchen (similar white flat bread pizza), raclette, creamy mushrooms....Try it all!
- Collect mugs from all the markets--each one (except the Stadtgarden) has a unique mug design. When you get your drink, you'll pay a Pfand (deposit) of 1-2 Euros. If you return the mugs, you'll get your deposit back, or you can keep the mugs. The mugs are on sale for the same cost as the Pfand, so it really is okay to keep them! We only kept three mugs (the ones with our favorite designs), and they are souvenirs that we really enjoy.
Suggested Itinerary
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| Click here for an interactive version of the map. |
Morning: First stop, the Dom -- beat the crowds! Then stop by Heumarkt to ice skate and work up an appetite for lunch.
Lunch: Rudolphplatz. While you're in the area, stop by the Stadtgarden and have a mug of Glühwein under the leafy canopy.
Afternoon: Hot chocolate and shopping at Neumarkt -- stay to watch the lights in the trees come on
Evening: Drop by the Hafenweihnachtsmarkt at the Chocolate Museum to see the Dom and Alstadt lit up, then walk to the Dom to see the cathedral and huge tree lit up from a different perspective.
The Seven Markets
Situated right under the looming cathedral, this market features the largest Christmas tree in Nordrhein-Westfalen and a stage for daily concerts. The stalls themselves weren't anything special, but the setting can't be beat!
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| an Alpenhorn concert at the Dom Weinachtsmarkt |
Just a short walk from the Dom, this market is situated in a large plaza in the last remaining bit of Cologne's Altstadt. The the
me is Heinzelmännchen (gnomes), with mossy-roofed buildings and pretty wooden stands. There is also a huge
Eislaufbahn (iceskating rink, or literally "ice running path") set up--it runs down the length of the market and around the statue of the Pru
ssian King, Friedrich Wilhelm III. We didn't skate, but it looked so fun! This market can get pretty crowded, so go at off times if you want to skate.
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| moss covered roof with the historic Rathaus in the background. |
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| iceskating at Heumarkt! |
Located on and around the barge that is home to the chocolate museum (Schokoladenmuseum). This is one of the last markets we visited. They had some stands that we didn't see at other markets, and you get a nice view of the Dom and Altstadt from afar. After visiting the stands, grab a mug of hot chocolate and walk along the Rhine.
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| you can see the twin spires of the Dom in the distance |
Just outside the Schildergasse and Cologne's busiest shopping avenue, this market is pretty small, but the hanging Sternenlichter (star lanterns) in the tall trees made it feel secluded and magical. The theme of this market is angels, and I thought that the mug was the prettiest one.
This market is situated in the plaza in front of the old city gate, Hanhentor. Going to see the city gate alone is worth it as it is one of only a few left standing, but we found that it had the best food out of all the markets and was least crowded at lunch time. Its theme was
Märchen, or fairytales, of the Brothers Grimm variety.
We came upon this market from the rear entrance in the late evening, and it looked like a creepy circus from far away. But once we arrived, we saw that the stands were situated directly under a dense canopy of trees with lights strung in their branches. It began to sprinkle while we were there, but the trees kept us pretty dry. The only thing we didn't like was that the mugs were just clear glass and they were the same price as at other markets, but with no Pfand, so they were actually more expensive. However, the stand with
Swiss raclette made up for it!
This market is located right next to the Cinedom, a huge, 4 story movie theater. If you have small kids who like to ice skate, but you want to avoid the crowds at Heumarkt, I suggest catching a cheap movie here (Mon-Wed) and then skating. Otherwise, spend your time at the other more atmospheric markets.
More Information
http://www.koeln.de/tourismus/weihnachtliches_koeln/weihnachtsmaerkte
- See the website for opening dates and times, plus a schedule of events such as concerts and puppet shows.
http://www.koeln.de/tourismus/weihnachtliches_koeln/weihnachtsmaerkte/alternative_weihnachtsmaerkte_in_koeln_246852.html
- If you're looking for a really special hand-crafted gift, check out one of the alternative markets. These markets tend to have unique vendors, unlike the more commercialized mainstream markets.
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| Glühwein at the Marburg Weihnachtsmarkt |
Looking at all these photos has made me nostalgic for Christmas
and Germany! We can't wait to go back, and I hope that some day we'll get to return to enjoy a hot mug of Glühwein at a Christmas market again.
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