Christkindlmarkts

Published by Gemma – Christmas Markets – Introduction

The Christmas season is my favourite time of the year, I love nothing more than to decorate the house and making it feel and look as festive as possible.

Christmas is a big deal in the Fagan household, so much so that my Mother and I decided to plan a trip to Europe dedicated to the Christmas Markets.

Germany is known as the Christmas Market mecca and The Germans don’t disappoint, from the large cities to the small towns, everyone gets involved.

At these amazing markets you will be able to buy all kinds of traditional Christmas merchandise from local vendors such as unique tree decorations, Crib figures, handmade wooden carvings, glass blown trinkets and amazing smelling candles. Also, be sure to try some warmed Glühwein, freshly made gingerbread and roasted nuts as no visit is complete without them.

The large cities usually start their festivities the first weekend of December, where the smaller towns and villages tend only to hold them on certain dates so make sure to check dates before booking your trip as you don’t want to be left disappointed.
Germany isn’t the only country to organise Christmas Markets, they can be found all over Europe and each have their own unique cultural blend and traditions.

My Mum and I decided to stick to the Germanic regions and visited parts of Germany, Austria and Switzerland, they didn’t disappoint. As we were travelling by rail we decided it was best to stick to the major cities and do day trips to the smaller towns and villages from there.

I’d advise others to do the same, especially if you are new to travelling or/and have time restraints. It is easier to travel between the major cities as they have convenient rail (also flight) schedules and run daily. You may find trains to smaller towns are less frequent and may also require a few train changes to get to.

The route of our trip was Munich, Innsbruck, Luzern, Stuttgart, Koln and Frankfurt over four weeks.

If you are looking for a unique holiday filled with tradition than this is the type of holiday for you.  Recommended for all you closet Christmas lovers, who could say no to Christmas in the snow?!

Please check back as I will share with you our amazing experience and pass on some handy tips so you to can enjoy the magical Christkindlmarkts.