Top 3 Christmas Markets in Germany

loyalty
stop_circle 3 min read

Simple pleasures make life worth living, and Air Malta can take you to Germany’s top Christmas markets. See more

What does Air Malta, gingerbread, and mulled wine have in common?  Germany, home of the best Christmas markets on earth!  Nothing ushers in the season better than half-timbered stalls strung with lights, carved nutcrackers, and baked treats warming the sharp winter air. Simple pleasures like these make life worth living, and Air Malta’s flights to Germany can take you to some of the most magical spots around.  Why wait?  Below are three destinations for your consideration.

Dresden

The secret to any good Christmas market lays in homemade goods, and Dresden’s delightful Striezelmarkt abounds with handcrafted marvels.  Stollen—the traditional sweet bread sold during December—actually inspired the name of this 581-year-old festival.  Each year, a joyous striezel procession takes place as locals wind their way through baroque streets.  Joining the show is an enormous stollen loaf pulled by several teams of horses.  Eventually, the town sells slices of it for charitable purposes.  For a traditional Christmas experience, take Dresden into account. 

Nuremberg

Nuremberg, a medieval Bavarian city, is another popular site.  Famous for its delicious sausages and gingerbread, the venerable Christmas market has proudly fed locals and visitors since the 1600s.  Of key importance are the bratwurst.  These sizzling delicacies fill the air with the scent of smoking beech as they cook on open ovens.  Roasting almonds, hazelnuts, and pistachios are also sold in abundance by vendors, as are Nuremberg lebkuchen.  These range from thin, plain ones to fat patties dusted with sugar or coated with chocolate.  Finally, look for the popular yellow stagecoach with its distinctive pair of chestnut Rheinland draft horses.  Fatigued shoppers can take a ride in this old-fashioned vehicle throughout the day.  In terms of exuberance and festivity, Nuremberg’s Christmas market stands apart.    

Frankfurt

Travellers should also consider Frankfurt’s Christmas market, a richly authentic occasion that reaches back to the fourteenth century.  Cobbled squares and half-timbered buildings make the quaint booths with their swags of pine boughs look like something from a fairy tale.  Germany’s tallest Christmas tree—a giant at thirty metres—presides over an event that spills into Paulsplatz, Römerberg, and Mainkai.  Below in the stalls are many local specialties.  Bethmännchen, marzipan drop cookies with almonds, are well worth finding, as are the peculiar quetschemännchen, whimsical figurines made of walnuts and dried fruit.  All in all, Frankfurt’s sheer age makes its Christmas markets one of the most authentic.

1