UNUSUAL CHRISTMAS MARKETS IN GERMANY
Advent Holiday Weekends around the Country
I visited my first Christmas Market in Stuttgart, with a skating rink in the big city square and the wooden huts displaying hand made goods, gifts and souvenirs and tasty treats of the season. It was some time ago and the holiday advent events of November and December in the major cities have grown. The Weinachts Markts sprouted in some rather unique locations for an added special flair. Here in a sort of circle trip around the country are unique German Christmas Markets in unusual settings to discover.
Ravenna Gorge Christmas Market
One of the most picturesque settings for a Christmas Market is underneath the 130 ft high stone arch railway viaduct bridge in the Ravenna Gorge of the Black Forest. This special Christmas market is about an hour from the from the university town of Freiburg in the southwest corner of the country, offering a rather romantic atmosphere, with the village of holiday craft huts, surrounded by steep cliffs, and thick forest, with a train rumbling overhead in rhythmic schedule. The little hidden away village can be found here only during the four weekends before Christmas, then it vanishes again like a ghost. Ravenna Gorge
Open all four Advent weekends (starting November 26 in 2017)
Underground Christmas Market in the Mosel Valley
Also a bit hidden away is the underground Christmas market in a one-time wine cellar along the Mosel River. Hop off the cruise boat and explore the magic of the Christmas season in the Mosel town of Traben-Trarbach where historical wine cellars which date back to the 16th Century now host the regional hand crafts and wine in the cozy atmosphere where the steady temperatures of the wine curing vaults offer a respite from the winter cold outdoors. Local artisans from the region will offer seasonal decorations, culinary specialties, spa products and antiques. Among attractions are underwater wine-tasting sessions, a “Classical Christmas” concert and the “Moselle Wine Gala”, where a five-course meal of typical Moselle cuisine will be served. Moselle Wine Market
Open on weekends from November 25 to December18, 2017 and then daily from December 22 to January 3 2017 (Closed December 24–25)
Christmas Market on Lake Chiemsee in Bavaria
This Christmas Market is found in a truly unique and romantic setting, surrounded by the reflecting waters of Lake Chiemsee, where Mad King Ludwig II was inspired to build his Versailles inspired palace, in the shadow of the mighty Bavarian Alps. On 2 holiday weekends, ferries will shuttle visitors to the Fraueninsel Weinachts Markt on Bavaria's biggest lake, the Chiemsee, where Bavarian style souvenirs and handicrafts from the island's abbey, such as nativity scenes and Christmas decorations will be on offer in over ninety stalls. The still operating Kloster on the Frauenchiemsee island hosts a community of artists and crafts people, while the king’s palace takes up the island of Herrenchimsee just across the glistening water. The whole island is decorated with lighting and elaborate Christmas displays, creating an especially festive traditional atmosphere. Culinary delicacies fill the air with sweet smelling aromas amid the arts & crafts, woodcarvings, mulled-wine and other great gift ideas. Also visit the Christmasmarket in Prien at the marketplace on the four weekends of Advent. FrauenInsel
Open Fridays through Sundays from 1pm to 8 pm
Christmas Market of Fort Königsstein in Saxony
The annual Christmas Market at the Burg Königsstein in Saxony in eastern Germany calls itself a winter wonderland, making its mark with plenty of sparkling lights as well as many attractions for the children, with its own unique “Fairytale grotto” where plays and puppet shows entertain with fabulous tales. The historic medieval Christmas market inside one of Europe’s biggest fortresses presents medieval themed entertainments of jesters and minstrels, toy makers and craftsmen, with demonstrations of ancient costumed craftsmen fashioning traditional hand crafts. Here also is an underground little Christmas market within a market of the Kasematte-Weihnacht, inside the protective stone arches of the ancient majestic fortification. Konigstein Weinacht
Open from November 26 till December 18 (every Saturday and Sunday from 11am to 7pm)
Maritime Christmas Market in East Frisia
A jewel of the north part of Germany along the sea is the Emden Engelke-Markt, which attracts visitors annually with its maritime theme atmosphere amid the festively lit historic museum ships and traditional sailing boats. Father Christmas appears on the stage of the city garden at 5pm daily to give out presents to the children where the Dutch style “Sinterklaas” with his helper “Zwarter Piet” arrive by boat rather the sleigh and reindeer. Engelke-Markt
Open from: November 21-December 23 and December 27 – 31, 2017
Christmas Market in Bochum
Coming full circle in our visits of unusual markets is Bochum in Germany’s Ruhr Valley Region, one of the largest of these specialized markets, offering a spectacular show with fairy tales and medieval entertainments. The Ruhr Valley powered Germany’s industrial might in the 19th and 20th Century, but is Christmas Market harkens back to earlier days where visitors flock to explire more than 200 lovingly decorated stalls, amid sprigs of fir tree, Christmas pyramids, a medieval market square and bright, shining lights where attractions include Christmas tree decorations, ceramics and glassware, candles, and wooden toys. Bochum is actually two Christmas markets in one. Besides the traditional city market, the medieval market takes place around the Paulus Church with local artisans dressed in period costumes, traders, minstrels and buffoons prance the open fire and old-fashioned stall and most famous among the holiday markets is its Santa Claus high wire act, where aerialist family act of Falko Traber fly across the square in his Santa Sleigh twice a day, at 5pm and 7pm, over the heads of enthralled visitors offering a different Christmas story each time he passes over, responding to the calls from the thrilled kids below. Bochum Weinacht
Open Times: November 17 till December 23, 2017, daily from 12pm to 9pm © Bargain Travel Europe
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See Also:
BLACK FOREST CHRISTMAS MARKETS
AUSTRIA’S TOP TEN CHRISTMAS MARKETS
CHRISTMAS MARKETS – FRANKFURT RHINE-MAIN
