Going to a German Christmas Market is high on most tourists lists. Before you go read these 5 tips to make the most out of your experience.

1. 5 Tips for Going to a German Christmas Market
monkeysandmountains.com /5-tips-f or-going-to-a-german-christmas-market
Going to a German Christmas Market is
high on most tourists lists when they are
in Germany in December, and many
tourists come to Germany just f or the
Christmas Markets. Bef ore you go, read
these 5 tips to make the most out of the
wonderf ul experience of a German
Christmas Market.
(Photo above of the Bonn Christmas Market
courtesy of Stadt Bonn)
T ip 1 For Going to a German Christmas
Market: Go at Night
While German Christmas Markets are open during
the day, they really are most beautiful at night with
all of the sparkling lights dancing about which
really enhances the already festive atmosphere.
T ip 2 For Going to a German Christmas
Market: Go T hirsty and Go Hungry
One of my favorite things about German
Christmas markets are the food and mulled
wine. It appears I’m not alone in this judging
by the crowds hanging out by the food and
wine stalls. German Christmas Markets are
where special types of food are offered,
many of which aren’t offered at any other type
of year. Gingerbread and homemade truffles
will tempt you around every corner. It was at
a German Christmas Market that I had my first
Kartoffelpuffer, which is basically fried
mashed potatoes and is quite tasty but rather
filling so I would recommend sharing it. And of
course the mulled wine, which I’ve noticed
has become quite a debate among my
friends as to which German Christmas Market
has the best one – as far as I can tell the
Ludwigsburg Christmas Market appears to be
unofficially in the lead.
Lu d wi g s b u r g Ch r i s tm a s Ma r ke t a t Ni g h t

2. unofficially in the lead.
T ip 3 For Going
to a German
Christmas
Market: Go to
More T han One
Each Christmas
Market in Germany
is different reflecting
local traditions. The
Ludwigsburg
Christmas Market is
celebrated for its
ambiance, while the
Stuttgart Christmas
Yo u ca n fi n d Ka r to ffe l P u ffe r – Fr i e d Ma s h e d
Market is celebrated
for its siz e (one of
the largest in Germany) and is known for its Black
Forest Fruit Bread (not really to my liking, but it is
popular). The Esslingen Christmas Market has a
middle- aged theme. I would also recommend
going to the smaller Christmas markets in addition
to the bigger ones since they also have a different
look and feel. See Christmas Markets in Germany
for a listing of forty German Christmas Markets. If
the city you are in isn’t listed, check out the city’s
local site since they may still have a Christmas
Market that hasn’t been listed as is the case with the
Calw Christmas Market, a small German Christmas
Market, but one that has the most delicious cheese
I ever tasted. We bought a huge chunk thinking it
would last us two weeks, it only lasted three days
and that was with restraint and there are only two of
us.
P o ta to s a t G e r m a n Ch r i s tm a s Ma r ke ts wh i ch wi l l ke e p yo u fu l l fo r h o u r s !
T ip 4 For Going to a German Christmas
Market: Go With Friends/Family
The German Christmas Markets become a place to
hang out with friends and family and people meet
here instead of heading to a restaurant or bar. The
German Christmas Markets have an ambiance you
only find once a year so why not enjoy it and take it
Es s l i n g e n Ch r i s tm a s Ma r ke t ( P h o to co u r te s y o f We i h n a cts m a r kt-De u s tch l a n d )

3. only find once a year so why not enjoy it and take it
in with friends? Note: dress warm because
you may get cold if you’re going to be there
for a couple of hours.
T ip 5 For Going to a German
Christmas Market: Check the
Schedule in Advance
German Christmas Markets often have
entertainment – think choirs, Christmas plays,
puppet shows, and German traditions, to
name a few of the things you might get lucky
enough to see. At the Calw Christmas Market
we got to see the Traditional Bread Cutting
Ceremony, where a very long (at least 5
meters) piece of bread was carried through
the Christmas Market and then served to
guests. I don’t what tradition this represented
and neither did J.P. but it was fun to watch
and by checking the programming schedule
ahead of time, you can increase your
chances of seeing something really
interesting. (See Christmas Markets in
Germany for a listing of forty Christmas
Markets in Germany with links to each of their
programming schedules).
G e r m a n Ch r i s tm a s Ma r ke t p h o to co u r te s y o f: Hi m m e l s ta d l te r We i h n a cts e r l e b n i s s e
What tips do you have f or going to a
German Christmas Market?
About Laurel
Laurel Robbins is a free- spirited adventurer,
award- winning travel blogger at Monkeys
and Mountains Adventure Travel Blog. Many
hats, one travel obsessed Canadian in
Germany.
P u p p e t S h o w a t Ha i d h a u s e n Ch r i s tm a s Ma r ke t ( p h o to co u r te s ty o f We n d y)