Christmas Markets **General/Annual Bumper Thread**

amor3

Have just booked Nuremburg, sooo looking forward to it. My favourite Christmas market so far has been Bruges so this looks like it might be on par with that...

mel.b

amor3 wrote: »

Have just booked Nuremburg, sooo looking forward to it. My favourite Christmas market so far has been Bruges so this looks like it might be on par with that...

When i went to Nuremburg, the market was far far bigger than Brugges and so crowded you could barely move. The stalls also repeated themselves after about the 4th row. By far my least fav christmas market (and i’ve been to nuremburg, cologne, heidlburg, strasbourg, colmar, salzburg, vienna, bussels, bruges, ghent, budapest, & Montreux. Montreux in Switzerland was my fav with both the setting and range of things you could buy...actually things you could give as gifts rather than just xmas decorations. Salzburg and Cologne probably next favorites.

BANNERMAN98

mel.b wrote: »

amor3 wrote: »

Have just booked Nuremburg, sooo looking forward to it. My favourite Christmas market so far has been Bruges so this looks like it might be on par with that...

When i went to Nuremburg, the market was far far bigger than Brugges and so crowded you could barely move. The stalls also repeated themselves after about the 4th row. By far my least fav christmas market (and i’ve been to nuremburg, cologne, heidlburg, strasbourg, colmar, salzburg, vienna, bussels, bruges, ghent, budapest, & Montreux. Montreux in Switzerland was my fav with both the setting and range of things you could buy...actually things you could give as gifts rather than just xmas decorations. Salzburg and Cologne probably next favorites.

heymel.b what was vienna like? I'm going there in December for 5 days. I'll take a day trip to Salzburg aswell. in terms of spending money is it expensive there?

ScottSF

Nuremberg is a must not just for the massive Christmas Market (I agree almost too big and crowded in my opinion) but also for exploring the dark history of this city. Definitely worth taking the time visit the Nazi Documentation Center which I know is a sobering break from the festive mood.

I also definitely recommend a day trip by train to Regensburg which I personally enjoyed more than Nuremberg. It was located in East Germany and is a picturesque city and for the markets.

VG31

ScottSF wrote: »

I also definitely recommend a day trip by train to Regensburg which I personally enjoyed more than Nuremberg. It was located in East Germany and is a picturesque city and for the markets.

Eh, it was not!


Rothenburg ob der Tauber is also a worthwhile day trip from Nuremberg. It's one of the most picturesque towns in Germany. It's very touristy but still definitely a must visit. It is about 1 hour and 20 minutes by train from Nuremberg.

mel.b

BANNERMAN98 wrote: »

heymel.b what was vienna like? I'm going there in December for 5 days. I'll take a day trip to Salzburg aswell. in terms of spending money is it expensive there?

We were in vienna right at the start of the xmas markets so only the biggest one at Rathhaus(?sp) was open. At night it was beautiful with all the lights and not too crowded then. The stalls were a mixed bag - some nice and some Not so, selling trash completely unrelated to xmas. I don’t remember it being overly expnsive. I loved Salzburg. We were then when tom cruise & cameron diaz were ther filming parts of Knight & day and i got to see some of the filming that was done out on the street. The xmas market there is small but beautiful. A sound id musix tour is a must as well even if you aren’t a fan!

mel.b

VG31 wrote: »

Eh, it was not!


Rothenburg ob der Tauber is also a worthwhile day trip from Nuremberg. It's one of the most picturesque towns in Germany. It's very touristy but still definitely a must visit. It is about 1 hour and 20 minutes by train from Nuremberg.

Rothenburg and regensburg are both great day trips. If you can make rothenburg an overnight and do the nightwatchman tour.

amor3

mel.b wrote: »

When i went to Nuremburg, the market was far far bigger than Brugges and so crowded you could barely move. The stalls also repeated themselves after about the 4th row. By far my least fav christmas market (and i’ve been to nuremburg, cologne, heidlburg, strasbourg, colmar, salzburg, vienna, bussels, bruges, ghent, budapest, & Montreux. Montreux in Switzerland was my fav with both the setting and range of things you could buy...actually things you could give as gifts rather than just xmas decorations. Salzburg and Cologne probably next favorites.

Ah that's a shame you didn't enjoy it. I don't go to buy so the stalls don't bother me and I wouldn't be spending all my time there as there is some things we want to see as well. We had vienna on the list, so maybe will do that next year x

Nekarsulm

Hi all, has anyone been to Tallinn for the Christmas markets?
It seems there are no direct flights, with RyanAir discontinuing their service in October.

grimm2005

Nekarsulm wrote: »

Hi all, has anyone been to Tallinn for the Christmas markets?
It seems there are no direct flights, with RyanAir discontinuing their service in October.

If you're set on Tallinn and flying is too restrictive either by cost or indirect flights I'd recommend flying to Riga instead and getting a bus from there. Earlier this year I flew into Vilnius in Lithuania, stayed a few nights, got a bus to Riga and then flew home from there. It was a 4 hour journey which sound painful but it was actually really comfortable, easily the best coach journey I've ever taken, legroom was plentiful (and I'm 6ft6"), there was free tea and coffee on demand and also a tablet at each seat with TV/movies (and a toilet!). The company we used was called Lux Express and prices start at €5 one way and they also do Riga - Tallinn for the same price in 4hr30min.

One idea could be to fly into Riga, stay a night and go to Taallin the next day, spend a couple of days in Taallin and return to Riga the day before your flight. I've not been to Taallin but there's easily plenty to keep you going for 2 nights in Riga.

otnomart

So, who is going to which Market, this year ?
I am hoping to go to the Cologne one.

kenkin

We are going to Budapest. Really looking forward to it

delricyo

I'm going on a short trip to Bordeaux at the start of Dec. Not going purely for markets but there is is one on when I'm there

Greg81

Hamburg this year.

witchgirl26

otnomart wrote: »

So, who is going to which Market, this year ?
I am hoping to go to the Cologne one.

We're off to the Cologne one in about 3 weeks. Really looking forward to it as have never been to Germany but been to a few other Christmas markets.

Anyone any tips on what we should look for/get/do in particular in Cologne? We only have 1 full day there.

EletricMan

Went to Basel in Switzerland last year, really nice market. While we were over we got talking to an Irish barmaid and she told visit the markets in Colmar, France. It was really easy to get to via train, which took around 1hour. The markets were out of this world in Colmar and it was snowing.

Heading to Prague this year, hoping it will be just as nice.

I'm off to Vienna in a few weeks, Will head to Bratislava for a day also.
Everyone should bring wooly tights for under their trousers/ jeans, much better then thermal long johns!

orionm_73

witchgirl26 wrote: »

We're off to the Cologne one in about 3 weeks. Really looking forward to it as have never been to Germany but been to a few other Christmas markets.

Anyone any tips on what we should look for/get/do in particular in Cologne? We only have 1 full day there.

The biggest 2 markets are very close to the Cathedral. The one in Roncalliplatz is literally in the shadow of the Cathedral. Within a few minutes walking distance is one spanning Alter Markt and Heumarkt which has an ice rink for skating and curling. Both are set up so well and the quality of the stalls is great. There are a few more dotted around the city.

miamee

orionm_73 wrote: »

The biggest 2 markets are very close to the Cathedral. The one in Roncalliplatz is literally in the shadow of the Cathedral. Within a few minutes walking distance is one spanning Alter Markt and Heumarkt which has an ice rink for skating and curling. Both are set up so well and the quality of the stalls is great. There are a few more dotted around the city.

We went to that one beside the Cathedral in Cologne last year - we were actually on a trip to Dusseldorf but took the train to Cologne one of the days. We got there at maybe 5pm on a Saturday and the place was jammed. It was really bad, the market was amazing but we could barely get near any stalls, could hardly walk anywhere, it was actually uncomfortable so we gave up after an hour and went back to Dusseldorf. So have a Plan B is what I'm saying or get there earlier in the day It was a very pretty market so I can see why it was so popular.

witchgirl26

Thanks orionm & miamee. We'll be staying right beside the market so should be easy enough to pop in and out to it earlier in the day. Unfortunately won't be able to partake of the ice skating or curling (will be 4 months pregnant when we go and I'm to avoid potential bumps and falls which would be inevitable for me if I was on ice!).

ActingDanClark

Going soon, family of 4 adults. We're pretty much sorted on logistics and what we want to visit but seeking restaurant recommendations? Broad taste in food, mid range price ideally?
Thanks in advance!

BANNERMAN98

drunk_monk wrote: »

My OH and I are flying to Baden-Baden with Ryanair and taking in 3 christmas markets.
First Baden-Baden then on to Karlsruhe (20 minutes train €9.50) then on to Heidelberg (45 minutes train €9.90) then back to Baden-Baden. 3 nights 3 different markets, we can't wait
More info on all of the German christmas markets can be found here:

http://www.germany-christmas-market.org.uk/

My apologies for reviving a thread so old but what did you make of them?

Wayne Gorsky

BoardsRanger wrote: »

anybody have any suggestions or recommendations? heard nuremberg is nice. thanks in advance.
p.s. a ryanair destination would be a plus.

The Nuremburg one is nice, been there, and there are many other nice ones, most in fact...Leipzig, Munich, Ulm, Würzburg etc.

Ludo

Booked Berlin during the week there for first week in December to take in the Christmas market while also seeing the city which I have never been to. Plenty to do there so the Christmas markets should be a nice bonus.

Saw the Nuremberg one setup last year but unfortunately had to leave on the day it was due to open which was unfortunate timing. It is a very nice city though and very easy to get around.

spurious

Not German I know, but Wroclaw once was and has an excellent Christmas market. Lovely city too.

BANNERMAN98

What is it like to go there as a solo traveller? Particularly going out at night for a drink or 3. Is it like in Ireland where a pub door opens and everybody turns to see or is it less intimidating?

EverythingGood

spurious wrote: »

Not German I know, but Wroclaw once was and has an excellent Christmas market. Lovely city too.

Wroclaw is German!!

munchkin_utd

EverythingGood wrote: »

Wroclaw is German!!

It was you mean. It used to be called Breslau. If you get a flight from Germany they still use that name. Lovely place.

Anyhow, in general Christmas markets at weekends and in particular Saturdays are a cluster fck. You’ve peak tourist traffic there for markets and peak locals (and folks from outlying areas) in town buying pressies.
If a city only has the one market then beware. If it’s somewhere like Berlin or Munich which have dozens of markets then you have alternatives if the main one(s) are jammers

johnire

We’re planning on going to the Christmas Markets in both Basel and Strasbourg. Has anyone any hotel recommendations for either or both cities?
Many thanks.

EverythingGood

johnire wrote: »

We’re planning on going to the Christmas Markets in both Basel and Strasbourg. Has anyone any hotel recommendations for either or both cities?
Many thanks.

Hotel Mercure in Petite France in Strasbourg is a lovely spot. Strasbourg is beautiful, spent a year there, loved it.