Germany has always been the heartland for Christmas markets, and they do it well. The origins can be traced back to medieval times when markets provided for Winter provisions. The Dresden Striezelmarkt is generally considered to be the first official Christmas market, documented in 1434 during the reign of Frederick II of Saxony.
In this chapter of European Christmas Market Vacation, I'll focus mostly on the Christmas markets of Esslingen , Stuttgart, Schwäbisch Hall, Bamberg and Dresden. I'll circle back in a future article about non-christmas activities.
Esslingen
We began this journey in France, where we boarded a train in Strasbourg bound for Esslingen, just outside Stuttgart, which turned out to be a great combination. Esslingen has a gorgeous little medieval Alt Stadt (old town), but at the same time is only a 10 minute train ride to the big smoke.
Happy beer seller
apprentice stonemason
Both have Christmas markets, of course, but Esslingen offers something a little different. The town had gone to great lengths to represent their medieval heritage. Stall holders dressed for the occasion, the gluhwein (mulled wine) mugs were fashioned in un-glazed pottery and the kids rides hand cranked. Plus medieval singers, and a muscle man (Eisen Hans) performing nearly amazing feats of strength.
I have been to the odd Christmas market or thirty, but this was a first for me, and I loved it. The market runs between the areas of the Marktplatz and Rathausplatz, both within the very compact old town.
Stuttgart
Being so close to Stuttgart, made it an ideal day trip for even more Christmas markets. There's never enough. Actually, the main reason for venturing into Stuttgart was to visit the Mercedes museum, but that's another story.
Marktplatz Christmas Market, Stuttgart, Germany
Schillerplatz Christmas Market, Stuttgart, Germany
The main markets, which are all within a few minutes walk of each other, are located here:
Each market has a different character and feel. The Marktplatz is quite modern, while the Schillerplatz market feels more old town, and the Schlossplatz market is an expansive parkland, which includes a miniature ride-on train.
If you take one of the local MEX trains, you can reach Stuttgart Hauptbahnhof (main station) in around 11 minutes. Schlossplatz and Karlsplatz are wthing 10-15 minutes' walk of the station.
Schwäbisch Hall
After we finished in Esslingen, we picked up car and headed for Schwäbisch Hall, which can also be reached by train in under 90 minutes.
Schwäbisch Hall is a historic medieval town that ranks among my favourites, especially this time of year. Beautifully situated along the Kocher River, the old town is a labyrinth of cobble stoned streets lined with half-timbered buildings.
The Christmas market, located in the Marktplatz, has an altogether different vibe to those of Stuttgart, and Alsace. It feels more relaxed and less commercial. That said, it's also a lot smaller which likely accounts for the difference.
Bamberg
Next up Bamberg. Located on the Regnitz River, and further dissected by meandering canals, Bamberg is a beautiful medieval town, well deserving of its UNESCO World Heritage listing. We're sticking with Christmas markets here, so I'll cover more of that down the track. While there are a handful of special interest events, the main market can be found in Maximiliansplatz. I guess it's a little small given the size of Bamberg, but all round an enjoyable experience in a picturesque setting.
Confectionary Stall in Bamberg, Germany
Gluhwein Stall in Bamberg, Germany
Erfurt
As we were meeting up with friends for this part of our Christmas holiday, we chose towns that offered a variety of experiences, a good selection of markets, were reachable by rail and had enough accommodation and dining options to suit everyone. Bamberg and Dresden were selected first, but the third location proved more difficult.
In the end, we settled on Erfurt, which may not have the lustre of more well known German towns and villages, but turned out to be a masterstroke… if I do say so myself.
With a beautifully preserved old town, a generous helping of Christmas markets, and a good cross section of interesting attractions, Erfurt proved to be a worthwhile destination.
Christmas Market Container Lounge Erfurt, Germany
Street in Erfurt, Germany
While the main market was located in the Domplatz (Cathedral Square), there were several other pockets of market action scattered around the city. In fact, there was a very intimate enclosed market area in the vicinity of the Krämerbrücke (Merchants Bridge) and close to our hotel, which featured cosy lounging areas, built into shipping containers.
Dresden
Since Heiligabend (Christmas Eve - the German Christmas) was approaching fast, it was time to make our way to our final (German) destination - the city of Dresden.
Dresden proved to be the perfect choice for a Christmas Eve celebration with friends, but before that, there was still time to wring out the last cheer from Dresden's Christmas market offerings, of which there are many:
- Striezelmarkt (Altmarkt)
- Advent auf dem Neumarkt
- Taschenbergpalais
- Finnvillage (Postplatz)
- Stallhof Advent Festival
- International Christmas Market
The markets here are on a much larger scale than those of Erfurt or Bamberg, but with the exception of the International Christmas Market (Augustusmarkt), most are confined to a 500m radius - about 20 minutes' walk to cover all of them.
Christmas Market in Dresden, Germany
Dresden, Germany
As well as being known for its exquisite Baroque architecture, Dresden is often described as "Florence on the Elbe" given it's its stunning river precinct, and an abundance of world class art. With a wealth of interesting and varied attractions, it's a great destination for any time of year.
That's it for Christmas in Germany, but wait, there's more - Wrapping up Christmas in Wroclaw, Poland
Have a question about this journey?
If you're planning something similar, we'd be happy to share what we learned first-hand.
More from this Journey
All the photographs from this story — plus a few that didn't make the article.
