German Christmas Markets

Germany

German Christmas Markets

On this trip you’ll see the most wonderful holiday markets in the world. Germany celebrates the Christmas season like no one else, and each city and town offers up their own markets. But while you’re there, you might as well enjoy some of the top tourists attractions as well. Grab a coat, mittens and some gluwein and get ready to embrace the Europe’s most amazing holiday experience. Of note, most Christmas markets start the last weekend of November and end sometime the week before Christmas so plan travel accordingly. Days are shorter so it’s harder to cram as much in one day, but since most of the fun is enjoying the markets, seeing the arts and crafts, and imbibing in gluwein, that’s not a problem.

Length: 11 Days

Transportation: This is a train based trip – see our train Europe page.

Best Guide Book: Rick Steve’s Germany

Day 1 – Cologne

Day 2 – Cologne

Day 3 – Aachen

Day 4 – Wurzburg and Rothenburg

Day 5 – Rothenburg to Nuremburg

Day 6 – Nuremburg

Day 7 – Erfurt and Wittenberg

Day 8 – Dresden

Day 9 – Berlin

Day 10 – Berlin

Day 11 – Berlin

With an Additional Day – Potsdam

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1 – Cologne

Welcome to Germany’s holiday explosion! Get ready for 11 days of Christmas markets galore, plenty of gluhwein and bratwursts, and a cheery trip.

Land at Frankfurt Airport (FRA) which is a central hub for all flights coming into Germany. From the airport, grab a train to Cologne leaving from Frankfurt am Main Airport and arriving at Köln Hauptbahnhof (1h train).

Cologne (known locally as Koln) is a large and beautiful German city 2,000 years old, sitting on the banks of the Rhine River. It offers many attractions, the most famous of which is its tremendous Gothic cathedral. Chalk full of architectural marvels: Roman ruins, medieval churches, avant-guarde buildings, brightly colored houses, and beer halls (Kölsch is the city’s specialty), it’s a great stop right on the Rhine with one of the best Christmas Markets in all of Germany.

When you arrive, drop your bags at your lodgings. We recommend Hopper Et Cetera Hotel or St. Antonius but anywhere in the Old Town is great.

You’re potentially exhausted so we’re keeping the itinerary light today, however with more energy you can head to some of the museums discussed later in the itinerary or additional Christmas markets (Cologne has 4 big ones).

Head to Cologne’s main cathedral, Kolner Dom. Built over 6 centuries beginning in 1248 and soaring 144 meters into the sky, it’s an incredibly powerful site. Head in and wander around the immense interior. Make sure you see the Shrine of the Three Kings which allegedly holds the remains of the Bible’s three kings. The 533 step climb up the tower is well worth it for the view.

From the cathedral, you’re literally at Cologne’s biggest Christmas market – Cologne Cathedral Christmas Market. Grab a gluhwein (hot mulled wine) and take your time wandering through the 160 stalls, enjoying the craftwork as you go. It’s a quick 5 minute walk to another of Cologne’s biggest Christmas Markets, Alter Markt where you can choose to ice skate tonight or tomorrow night.

Grab an early dinner tonight at one of the markets and go to bed early to get over your jet lag.

Day 2 – Cologne

Begin today with a walking tour of Cologne to learn about and enjoy the historical importance of the city. You can either opt for a self-guided walking tour (Rick Steves Germany has a good one) or grab a tour led by Freewalk Cologne. If it’s Saturday you can grab a 10:11 am one, otherwise you may want to rearrange your schedule and do the Roman-Germanic Museum first then have lunch and then catch the 12:11 tour.

After your walking tour head to the Roman-Germanic Museum. Cologne was originally a Roman city and this impressive museum highlights all of the Roman artifacts found both in the city and along the Rhine. The museum is actually built on an old Roman villa and you can see the remains.

We recommend you head to Brauerei Päffgen for lunch and sample some of the Kolsch beer Cologne produces and is famous for.

After lunch you have a choice – you can either head to the Museum Ludwig, Cologne’s biggest modern art museum with an impressive collection or the Chocolate Museum which is part factory part museum and pays hommage to 5000 of chocolate (particularly German) history.

After either, head to the Cologne Harbour Christmas Market, a nautical-themed Christmas Market. After this, head back to the Alter Markt Christmas Market to enjoy an ice skate before dinner. Though as Christmas Markets are open late, you can enjoy this after dinner too.

Grab dinner at Petere’s Brauhaus or Ox & Klee.

Day 3 – Aachen

Start today by training to Aachen (35m train). Aachen has been a city for millennia and is better known as Charlemagne’s capital. It was the capital of Europe in AD 800 when Charles the Great (Charlemagne) called it Aix-la-Chapelle and it became arguably the first empire in Europe. Today Aachen has a beautiful cathedral (a Unesco World Heritage Site) and a great Christmas market.

Once you arrive via train, follow the signs towards the cathedral, Aachener Dom. The one sight you can’t miss is this city is this church, a Byzantine masterpiece (and at its prime the religious center of the Carolingian Empire) where Charlemagne is buried and over 30 German kings were crowned. From the cathedral head to the Town Hall. The beautiful Gothic building is impressive by itself, but you can also choose to enter the hall and explore some lavishly decorated rooms. Nearby you’ll find the Grashaus which was Aachen’s first Town Hall.

Grab a famous Aachener Printen cookies (sort of like gingerbread) at Van den Daele before enjoying the Christmas Market in the squares and streets around the Cathedral and the Town Hall.

After lunch and the markets wander to see the Elisenbrunnen, the basin of thermal springs which Aachen sits on and has been used since the Neolithic Age (free admission). If you have additional time, head to the Center Charlemagne which is an interactive museum about Charlemagne and Aachen. There is also an International Newspaper Museum which is very good in town.

Grab dinner before training back at Ratskeller Aachen or Am Knipp. For a big spluge you can head to nearby La Becasse.

Train back to Aachen and then pick one of the remaining Cologne Christmas Markets you haven’t yet seen: Rudolfplatz or Neumarkt Christmas Market.

Day 4 – Wurzburg and Rothenburg

Begin today by training to Wurzburg (2h40 train). Wurzburg has a nice old town (though heavily restored after WWII) right on the bank of the Main River. The main site is the remarkable prince-bishop’s Residenz. It’s also famous for its wine bars (the city is surrounded by vineyards). You can walk from one end of the main sites to the other in a quick 15 minutes. It’s also a 15 minute walk from the train station to the old town.

Begin by visiting the Residenz, a fantastic 360 room palace with a beautiful Baroque Chapel and garden. This is the main site to see in Wurzburg, so if you only have time for one thing, this should be it.

Once you’re done with the Residenz, take a self-guided walking tour. We think Rick Steves Germany book offers a good tour. Or if you arrange your time correctly you can grab a guided walking tour at 11am here. On your walk visit the Fountain of Franconia, St. Kilian’s Cathedral, Neumunster Basilica, Oberer Markt, Marktplatz, Marienkapelle, City Hall, and the Old Main Bridge.

Visit Wurzburg Christmas Market and grab lunch at Weinstube Burgerspital, Alte Mainmuhle, Backofele, Wirsthaus Lammle. Consider a glass of local wine with your meal which comes from the surrounding vineyards. If you’re looking for something faster, either eat at the Christmas Market or head to the Bratwurststand am Markt for good sausage sandwiches.

If you have additional time, you can visit the Marienberg Fortress, a 13th century fortress which was the original prince-bishop’s residence. The grounds are free to visit.

From Wurzburg head to Rothenburg (1h9m train). It’s a quick walk from the train through the old town walls. Opt to stay inside the town walls for far more charm. We recommend either Pension Elke or Hotel Klosterstuble. Once you drop your bags, head out to begin exploring. Any sites you don’t see today you can see tomorrow.

Rothenburg is the cutest town in Germany and ranks up there as one of the best medieval sites in in the world. In the middle ages Rothenburg was a free imperial city, one of Germany’s largest towns from 1150 to 1400. Then industry and trade tumbled and Rothenburg was left to slumber in charm until resurrected by tourism. Legendarily it was spared destruction in the Thirty Years War by a bet with the mayor and a large tankard of wine (watch the show depicting this on the clock in the market square) and then again in World War Two when the US assistant Secretary of War ordered the town not to be shelled and US troops and the local German commander negotiated its survival. It feels like a city preserved in medieval time; it actually is the country’s best-preserved medieval walled town. It’s even more lovely after night fall when the crowds disperse.

This town is a joy to wander. We recommend you take the walking tour through the TI the following day, but for today to jump-start your exploration, Rick Steves Germany has a particularly good self-guided walking tour. Be sure and see the Mesitertrunk show on the clocktower in the market square, the wood carved masterpiece Altar of the Holy Blood by Tilman Riemeschneider in St. Jakobskirke, the Medieval crime and punishment museum, walk the still completely intact wall, and enjoy the view from Castle Garden Viewpoint.

Stop by the Rothenburg Christmas Market either before or after dinner. It’s small so won’t take long, but has some of the most delicious gluhwein of all the Christmas Markets.

Grab dinner at Zur Hoell or Klosterstuble. We strongly recommend going on the Night Watchman Tour Rothenburg where a very funny guide will lead your around the city at night, telling you fantastic historical stories.

Day 5 – Rothenburg

Continue to stroll around the town the next morning. Pop into the variety of shops, including the Christmas headquarters of the Kathe Wohlfahrt empire. For good German souvenirs head into the Friese shop located on the Market square for lovely crafts and very friendly experience (if you want a German stein we can’t recommend this shop enough). Sample a Rothenburger Schneeballen (though be warned they aren’t very good) at Backereien, or see any sites you didn’t get to the day before (see itinerary of previous day).

If you have time and energy it’s also fun to take a pleasant stroll into the Tauber river valley and get a nice view up to the ramparts of the town.

Grab lunch and a beer or glass of wine at Altfrankische Weinstube am Klosterhof or Restaurant Glocke.

In the afternoon take the 1.5 hour TI Old Town Historic Walk, offered at 14:00 daily, which leaves from the market square.

Grab an afternoon train to Nuremberg (1h10 train). From the station, it’s a quick walk to the old town. Follow signs for Ausgang/City and Altstadt.

Spend the evening exploring the Nuremberg Christmas Market (our favorite in Germany).

Have dinner at the Market or head to Bratwursthausle (Nurnberg is famous for its bratwursts), Albrecht Durer Stube or Heilig Geist Spital.

For lodging, we recommend Hotel Victoria or Hotel Drei Raben.

Day 6 – Nuremburg

Today you’ll be enjoying Nuremburg (Nurnberg). Bavaria’s second largest city is a wonderful place full of history, museums, and beer. Nuremburg served as the capital of the Holy Roman Empire for centuries, and most German kings lived here. Artist Albrecht Dürer grew up here and much of his art was inspired by his time in this city. The Nazis seized Nuremberg as their starting platform and in this city the fanatical political rallies were held, boycotts of Jewish businesses started, and the Nuremberg Laws which outlawed German citizenship for Jews began. In 1945 the Allies bombed the city to the ground and after WWII it was selected as a site of the war crimes tribunal (Nuremberg Trials). Decades of amazing and painstaking reconstruction (using original stone from the city) nearly all of the city’s main sites stand again.

Arrange your day to catch the Walking tour of Nurnberg (offered daily at 11AM) at the TI office located on Hauptmarkt. Before your tour you can pop into St. Lawrence Church (Lorenzkirche) or the Imperial Castle (Kaiserburg).

Grab lunch at Bratwursthausle, famous around the country for their homemade sausages. The first Nurnberger sausages were made in 1313 and the traditional way to cook them continues today at this restaurant.

Next, head to the Nazi Documentation Center for a fantastic museum dedicated to exploring and seeking to explain the rise of the Nazi party through their use of propaganda and political maneuvers. Don’t miss the Nurnberg trials courtroom. Leave with a better understanding how a few evil people can hijack an entire country.

On that uplifting note, enjoy wandering around the Old Town before heading to dinner at Albrecht Durer Stube or Heilig Geist Spital.

Other options if you have additional time include Albrecht Durer’s house, where the painter lived for the last 20 years of his life, the Germanic National Museum which is dedicated to the cultural and artistic history of Germany, or jump on an Historic Art Bunker Tour which explore the sandstone cellars where the city protected its art during WWII, or a Beer Celler Tour which takes you through passages under the city streets which were used to store beer during the Middle Ages and shelter people during WWII (includes a tasting).

For lodging we recommend Hotel Victoria or Hotel Drei Raben (night 1/1).

Day 7 – Erfurt and Wittenberg

You’ll start today by training to Erfurt (about 1 1/2 hours). Erfurt is a town made up of half-timbered buildings, soaring steeples, and with a river running through its center, is incredibly charming. This is where Martin Luther spent his early years. Erfurt was very important during the Middle Ages with it’s production of blue dye. Erfurt left WWII fairly unscathed and mostly intact (unlike Dresden or Berlin).

Once you arrive by train it’s a 10-15 minute walk to the major sites. The best part of the city is simply wandering along the old buildings. Again, Rick Steves offers a good self-guided tour. Make sure to stop by the Augustinian Monastery and Church (where Martin Luther got his start) and Erfurt’s large Cathedral. Other sites you can pick and choose include the Merchants’ Bridge (there’s a great ice cream/chocolate shop part way along called the Goldhelm Schokolade shop), Old Synagogue (one of Europe’s earliest surviving synagogues), Petersberg Citadel (one of Europe’s best preserved citadel’s – ie fortress – that’s free to explore with excellent views), Georgenburse (the dorm where Luther lived as a student), and Preachers’ Church (Erfurt’s main Protestatnt Church). Don’t miss Erfurt’s excellent Christmas Market with its 200 stands surrounded by old timbered buildings.

We recommend an early (and quick) lunch at either the Christmas Market or a Rostbratwurst Stand (very popular with locals, serving the “original” Turinger bratwurst). However if you want a sit down option, head to Feuerkugel, Kromer’s Restaurant, or Schnitzler.

Next you’ll train to Wittenberg (about 2 hours). Wittenberg is another small and charming German town, but also the birthplace of the Protestant Reformation. Lutheranism started here. This is the city where Martin Luther was born and died as well as the church on which he posted his 95 Theses. It’s about a 15 minute walk from the train station to the Luther House or you can catch a bus (#300 or #301) leaving from bust stop #1 into town. Given you’ll have luggage, a taxi/Uber may be well worth it.

Look for a self-guided walking tour (Rick Steves has a good one). Visit Castle Church which is where Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the church door (so arguably the most important site in Protestant history). It’s not the original church or door (it was destroyed during the Seven years’ War) but inside you’ll find Luther’s tombstone. Market square, where you’ll find an excellent Christmas market, is where the Renaissance Town Hall stands. Cranach House and Courtyard is where Lucas Cranach, the Elder lived. He was a painter who was the first to print Luther’s translation of the New Testament. The Town Church of St. Mary is the oldest building in town and was Luther’s home church (another Christmas Market resides outside). Luther House which was, not surprisingly, Luther’s former home and now houses the pulpit from where Luther preached and Luther’s original New Testament and Bible translated into High German. Luther 1517 was created by the artist Yadegar Asisi for the 500th anniversary of Martin Luther’s act of nailing the 95 theses to the church doors and is a 360 degree panorama depicting Luther’s life.

For dinner either eat at the Christmas market or consider Brauhaus Wittenberg or Das Wittenberer Kartoffelhaus.

For lodging we recommend Hotel Cranach-Herberge, Ringhotel Schwarzer Baer, Alte Canzley, or Luther-Hotel Wittenberg.

Day 8 – Dresden

Train to Dresden (approximately 2 1/2 hours) and plan to arrive early. Despite the fact that it was firebombed during WWII, Dresden is delightful. Once considered the most beautiful city in German, Dresden was completely rebuilt following the exact (and thankfully saved) original blueprints of the city, so still charms with Baroque architecture, pretty squares, and some of the best museums in Germany. Dresden, at its peak, was the capital of Saxony and ruled widely from Poland to Eastern Germany.

Once you arrive you’ll have to get to the Old Town. You can either grab a 5 minute tram ride, take a 20 minute walk, or take a street scooter or bike to the Old Town. Consider purchasing the combo Day Ticket if you plan to visit more than one museum other than the Historic Green Vault.

Begin at the Royal Palace and Historic Green Vaults. The Historic Green Vaults is the absolute highlight of this city. Inside the Royal Palace, it’s a beautiful, glittering Baroque treasury collection. The Jewel Garnitures (Juwelen-Garnituren) constitute the largest collection of jewels in Europe (some of these treasures were stollen in a robbery in 2019). It’s a truly jaw-dropping display. You MUST reserve tickets ahead of time, they sell out well in advance. This museum also houses the less exciting but still beautiful New Vaults treasures as well as exhibits on armory and coins (which you can skip unless very interested).

From here make your way to the Zwinger a Baroque masterpiece in its own right and filled with museums. The building itself looks like a palace and take your time to wander the outside taking in the Grown Gate and Glockenspielpavillion. The most worth-while exhibit here is the Old Masters Gallery, Dresden’s famous collection including the works of Raphael, Titian, Rembrandt, Vermeer, Rubens, and more. Also housed here is the Porcelain Collection and the Mathematics-Physics Salon (which some interesting ancient astronomical and seafaring equipment). You can’t buy a ticket only to the Old Masters Gallery (you have to buy the combo) so if you want, do a quick walk through of the other two.

If you’re hungry, there is a small, but decent cafe attached to the Old Masters Gallery, or stop by the nearby Alte Meister Cafe (scenic and good). From the Zwinger, we recommended a walk. Dresden Walks used to run excellent group tours which ended with Covid, but you can check out their website to direct you to other touring options. You can also opt for a self-guided tour, we found the one in Rick Steves book excellent.

Start your tour with a hot chocolate at Camondas, a chocolate shop (it’s incredible). Make sure you see Theatreplatz with its impressive Opera House, Palace Square, the Parade of Nobles, Neumarkt and the statue of Martin Luther, and Frauenkirche. Frauenkirche is Germany’s tallest Protestant church (the view from the top gives a 360 of Dresden). Next to this is the Albertinum, the last of the recommended museums with a great collection of 19th and 20th century art. After visiting, wander down the Bruhlsche Terrasse overlooking the Elbe River. You can choose to cross the Augustus Bridge which connects Dresden’s old and new towns and at the far end of which is a statue of the famous Augustus the Strong (The Golden Rider), but beyond providing an excellent view back over the river, the new town is not terribly interesting (despite what other blogs may try and claim).

Spend time at the Dresden Christmas Market. Dresden has multiple, but if you’re only visiting one, visit the Striezelmarkt Christmas Market, the oldest Christmas Market in Germany. Other options include Augustusmarkt, or the markets at the Frauenkirche or Neumarkt, and Dresden Winter Lights Market.

For dinner either eat at the Christmas market or consider Restaurant Daniel (worth the trek and excellent). Other good options include Watzke am Goldenen Reiter, Palais Bistro, Moritz, Altmarktkeller, Alte Meister, or Wenzel.

For lodging we recommend staying in the Old Town or right across the bridge in the New Town. Look at Hotel Hyperion Am Schloss, Hotel Taschenbergpalais Kempinski, Hotel Bulow Residenz.

Day 9 – Berlin

Grab and early train to Berlin (try and leave by 9). Train ride will be about 3.5 hours. Now you’ve made it to the massive city of Berlin. By train you arrive at the Berlin Hauptbahnhof. From here grab the S-Bahn to your hotel (it’s just as easy as a taxi or bus and your train ticket into Berlin covers the connecting S-Bahn ride into town). In general to get around Berlin you’ll be using the U-Bahn (ie its subway) – consider a day pass if you’ll be riding more than once a day or a WelcomeCard if the math works out for you for 3 days.

Now you’re actually in Berlin. One thing to know – it’s split into sections: Eastern Berlin, Central Berlin, Western Berlin. Eastern Berlin has most of the famous sites. Central Berlin holds Tiergarten Park. Western Berlin has the Bahnhof Zoo.

Drop your bags. We loved staying central in the old East section at Hotel Luc. However, another popular option is in the Prenzlauer Berg neighborhood, consider Myer’s Hotel, Hotel Jurine, The Circus Apartments, Circus Hotel, or Soho House Berlin. You can also consider the old West part of Berlin near Savingyplatz (old french quarter) at Pension Peters. .Other good choices include Das Stue, Hotel AMO, Regent Berlin, Grand Hyatt Berlin, and Radisson Collection Hotel. Since you’re going to be in Berlin multiple nights you may also want to consider an apartment rental.

Grab a quick currywurst for lunch (famously created in Berlin and seemingly everywhere) and start at the German History Museum learning about the history of Germany since 500 AD. Consider the Museumpass. It gets you into more than 50 museums and you’ll likely make up the value during your visit (includes national museums and the big name ones). The pass lets you skip the line and go right into the museum. This is a better deal than Museum Island Pass.

After reveling in history, head to the Topography of Terror to learn about the Gestapo at the documentation center in their headquarters.

You may be out of time, but if you still have some, head to the Berlin Wall Memorial (if not, you’ll have to plan this for another day). Most of this is an outdoor park with a Visitors Center and Documentation Center (located on Bernauer Strasse) which details the extensive history of the wall and the stories of those who attempted to cross the wall. It’s a really great exhibit and you’ll see a guard tower, areas where escape attempts were made, and original wall fragments. Don’t forget to head to the roof on top of the building to get the bird’s eye view.

From the Berlin Wall Memorial you’re nearby(ish) Prenzlauer Burg. This neighborhood is outside the traditional tourist zone and was virtually untouched during WWII. Since the days of the cold war it’s been completely renovated. While here, head to the Kulturbrauerei. In the 1920s this was one of the biggest breweries in the world. Nazis used the brewery into a factor for war efforts and actually barricaded themselves in it at the end of the war. Now it’s a cultural hub in Prenzlauer Burg. Here you’ll find a winter Christmas market which you should can end your day at. For dinner, look at our Berlin Restaurant recs or eat at the Christmas Market.

Day 10 – Berlin

The real intro to Berlin should be a walking tour (at 10:00) of the city. On this 3.5+ hour tour (wear comfy shoes) you’ll see all of the main highlights: the Brandenburg Gate, the Berlin Wall, Hitler’s Bunker, Checkpoint Charlie, Nazi Air Ministry, Holocaust Memorial, the Reichstag (Parliament), Museum Island, the Bebelplatz (scene of the Nazi Bookburning), Topography of Terror, Neue Wache (War Memorial), among others.

Plan to visit the Reichstag after your tour. While you’ll need an advanced reservation (and your passport) spiraling up to the top of the Parliament building will give you 360 degree views of the Berlin skyline.

With the rest of your evening, visit Berlin’s best Christmas Market, Berlin WeihnachtsZauber. Alternatively market hop, picking from the other Berlin Christmas Markets.

Day 11 – Berlin

Berlin has some amazing museums and today is museum day. Again, wear your comfy shoes. With only a few days in Berlin you won’t have time for everything. Head to Museum Island. Make sure you purchase a combo pass. If you are visiting at least 2 museums on the island get the Museum Island Pass (it covers all 5 on the island). Or consider the Museum Pass Berlin which will covers some not on the island as well.

The two you absolutely should not miss are the Pergamon Museum (Berlin/Germany’s massive antiquities museum) and Neues Museum (famous collection of Egyptian artifacts). Then we recommend the excellent art collection at the Alte Nationalgalerie. With additional time you can add on other museums including The Altes Museum and Bode Museum (but we’d opt for these after the other three).

From here it’s a quick walk to Alexanderplaz which has been a point of historic importance since the Prussian Empire in 1805. This was the big area in East Berlin for shopping. In 1989 1/2 million East Berliners gathered here to protest for their freedom and a week later the Wall fell. Here you’ll find the Soviet’s TV Tower (very futuristic when built in the 1960s) and where you can take in a 360 degree view while stepping back into the Soviet era.

Other options for the afternoon include the East Side Gallery, an outdoor exhibition of street art on the original Berlin Wall or the Gemaldegalerie with some of Europe’s greatest master painters.

Near the Gemaldegalerie is Potsdamer Platz. It was Berlin’s busiest spot before WWII and was rebuilt after the 1990s (when the wall fell) and now is full of skyscrapers. It’s also near the Winterwelt am Potsdamer Platz that has a tobaggan ride as part of the Christmas Market.

This is your last evening in Berlin (or opt to fly home tonight), so soak in all the color (and Christmas Markets) of the bustling city before bidding it aufedersein.

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