All about German Christmas Markets

When we hear the word Christmas Markets the first thing that comes in our minds is the “Christmas Markets of Germany”. Christmas Market is called Weihnachtsmarkt in German. These markets are very historical and date back to the Late Middle Ages. Almost every city in Germany has its Christmas Market but there are a few of them who stand out. 

Leipzig

When to Visit

Generally most Christmas Markets open around the last weekend of November and usually end just before Christmas Eve.

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What to expect:

Eat, drink, shop, admire the decorations and try the rides(for kids). German Christmas Markets are very beautiful and festive specially after dusk with all the lights.

When you visit after dusk or in the weekends expect to see a lot of people at the Market.   

Expect to see people of all age group in the Christmas Markets. There is something for everybody. 

 

What Food To Try

Bratwurst (Sausages)

You will find a variety of grilled sausages in German Christmas Markets. You might find stalls with a large round grill in the middle, and they usually offer multiple types of sausages. The classic Bratwurst, maybe a Bratwurst filled with cheese or even an extra-long Bratwurst. It is often served with bread, ketchup and mustard.

 

Currywurst (Curried Sausages)

It normally consists of fried sausages typically cut into small chunks with ketchup and curry powder on top and is usually served along with french fries. 
Fun Facts: 
– Curry Wrust is often prepared a bit differently in different German Cities.
– It was invented in Berlin in 1949 by Herta Heuwer who lived in the British military sector of Berlin after World War II where some soldiers had given her some ketchup, curry powder and Worcestershire sauce.

 

Kartoffelpuffer (Potato Pancakes)

It is a very popular German Street Food. Delightfully crispy and flavorful, these authentic German potato pancakes, Kartoffelpuffer, are delicious to eat.

Depending on the region of Germany, Kartoffelpuffer are also known as Reibekuchen, Reibeplätzchen, Reiberdatschi and Grumbeerpannekuche.

Stecklerfish (Fish on a Stick)

It is a fish grilled on a stick. The fish can be a Bream, Perch, Trout, Char,  Mackerel or Herring.  The whole fish is coated with a strong marinade of oil, spices and garlic and skewered lengthwise from the mouth onto debarked willow twigs , wooden sticks soaked in water .

Langos

This is actually a Hungarian dish that has become very popular at German Christmas markets. Langos is a deep-fried flatbread which comes with a variety of toppings. The dough is simple and consists of flour, yeast, water and salt. During the frying, it puffs up to make a fluffy snack.
 
Usually, you can get langos with hearty toppings like sour cream, cheese, potatoes, tomatoes etc. But if you have a sweet tooth, you might also find sweet variations with chocolate, sugar or fruit.

Lebkuchen(Gingerbread)

This is one of the most common cookies you can find in a German Christmas Market. There are a lot of local variations of gingerbread in Germany, ranging from hard gingerbread (often shaped like hearts and decorated with writing) 
to soft varieties and those infused with different spice mixes. Some are coated with chocolate and almonds, while others come with a sugar glaze.

Gebrannte Mandeln

Candied Almonds are called as Gebrannte Mandeln in Germany. They smell delicious and you would be able to smell them from a few meters away.
Besides candied almonds often shops also sell other candied nuts like cashews, pecans, walnuts, pistachios and peanuts.
 
Candied almonds are popular in multiple regions across Europe including Scandinavia. They are one of my favourite snacks and would highly recommend you to try it. 
 

Paradiesapfel (apple of paradise)

It a very classic German Christmas candy. It is prepared by coating a sour apple with a sweet coating. Their deliciously red colour comes from food colouring.
 

Fruit skewers

It is prepared by dipping different kinds of fruits skewers in chocolate and allowed to cool down.  You can choose between a variety of fruit and multiple types of chocolate, so no matter if you prefer white, milk or dark chocolate. 
 

Glühwein (Mulled Wine)

It is the most popular drink found in every Christmas Market. It is served in mugs which are always specific to the Christmas market. A deposity (Pfand) is collected when you order mulled wine in a cup and the money is returned to you when you bring back the mug. You can alternatively keep it as a souvenir.

Making Glühwein is relatively simple. It usually consists of red wine infused with various spices like cinnamon, star aniseed, cloves and oranges. Add sugar to the mixture, and you’ve got mulled wine. Germans like to to meet with friends and co-workers for a mug of hot mulled wine.

Germans to meet up with friends and co-workers for a mug of hot mulled wine.

Tips:

Take the Public Transport: 

Finding street parking can be quite difficult and stressful in the crowded city center. As a visitor, you can also easily fall foul of local parking restrictions without knowing it. Use public transport if you can, most main markets all have subway stations or bus/tram stops nearby. Many markets also fall within walking distance of central hotels.

Carry cash with you: 

Electronic transactions have started to become more popular at the markets, but many stalls do not accept cards or only accept EC (Local German Euro-Cheque cards) Cards. To make like easy carry some Euros.

Dress for the cold: 

Temperature in Germany can fall below freezing point in this period. Few markets have indoor facilities and standing close to a steaming plate of Bratwurst can give you some temporary relief. It is highly advisable to get properly dressed for cold.  

Be patient  and prepare to stand in long line: 

Most markets provide few opportunities to sit down. The markets get quite busy and one has to be prepared to stand in line to be able to buy something.

Avoid weekends:

If your not too fond of crowd and have the possibility to avoid weekends then please do so for a more pleasant experience.

Visit After Dusk:

Markets look prettiest after dusk with all the lights but do remember that it starts to get crowded after dusk. 

Which Markets to Visit:

  • Dresden Christmas Market
  • Nuremberg Christmas Market
  • Rothenburg ob der Tauber Reiterlesmarkt
  • Berlin Christmas Market
  • Leipzig Christmas Market
 Facts :
  • Christmas Markets are called “Weihnachtsmarkt” in German
  • There are over 2000 Christmas Markets in Germany
  • German Christmas Markets attract over 1 million visitors every year.
  • Glühwein(Mulled wine) is the most popular drink at the markets.
  • Dresden has the largest Christmas Market in the world with over 250 stalls.
  • The first Christmas markets originated in Germany in the late Middle Ages.

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