Weihnachtsmärkte (Christmas Markets) are definitely all that they are cracked up to be in Germany. I  must admit, we were kind of slutty in visiting as many as possible this year.

Freiburg – We started of at the home front, taking Liv to the Freiburg Market on its opening day. The market is quaint, with the Rathaus proudly lit in the background.

Including Liv in the adventure was not a good idea. The ground was covered in so many delicious morsels to vacuum up that we were literally dragging her by the collar to the point of choking. Breathing or eating? Breathing or eating? My dear Hündchen always picks eating!

We tried to carry her, but due to tight quarters, she started plate-and-cup-surfing from beneath my arm!

 

Heidelberg – Next was Heidelberg with 5 different markets in total. The Schloss is a beautiful backdrop for ice skating at Karlsplatz (and also on the list of 1000 Places!!).  The picture below is of a German candle pyramid. These are typical German Christmas decorations and can range from very simple to quite lavish. Before people had access to books, history was told through stories and plays. Parents would make small little people and adorn a multi-level pyramid with them. Then, candles were lit, which created enough heat to move the propellers of the wind-mill. As the wind-mill turned the figures on the pyramid, parents would tell their children the associated story.

This one was particularly large and hosted a Glühwein stand below! I wonder if it would fit in my apartment? I would let the neighbors have as much free Glühwein as they wanted!

 

Mannheim –Mannheim is really close to Heidelberg, so we took a day trip here to check out the Christmas Market where “Santa goes to shop”! The Wasserturm (Water Tower) is beautiful and the market completely encircles it. 

We discovered “Langos” at the Mannheim Market, a delicious Hungarian treat! Deep fried flat bread, covered in your personal selection of toppings. We went for the traditional sour cream and cheese. Yum!

 

Nürnberg – The Nürnberg Market definitely had the most character! There are so many visual delights at each of the stalls, that it is easy to forget to look up and see the beautiful landmarks of the city. The market is nestled so perfectly amongst the 14^th century Schöner Brunnen (Beautiful Fountain), 14^th century Frauenkirche (Church of Our Lady), and 13^th century St. Sebalduskirche, Nürnberg’s oldest church.

 

Then, to top it all off, every once in a while a festively decorated horse-drawn carriage rolls by. When there are Clydesdales, you know you’re in a good place!

What was really interesting was that each of Nürnberg’s sister cities (Nice, France – Glasgow, Scotland, Prague, CR – Atlanta – Venice, Italy – and more) had its own stall with local/typical food and wares. “Atlanta” was selling Oreos, Harley-Davidson products, Jim Beam, Hershey’s, and traditional stockings, just to name a few. Funny.

 

Colmar, France – It’s not Germany, and therefore not a “German Christmas Market” I know. However, the conversation usually goes like this: Want to go to France for the evening? Sure, why not. So we did, and it was well worth the trip!

There were many different squares in Colmar, filled with Christmas goodies. We wandered from street to street with our friends, enjoying the picturesque atmosphere of Colmar at night, decked out for the season. We finished up the evening with chocolate crepes…délicieux.

 

Munich – Munich had endless options for marketing, and according to 1000 Places To See Before You Die, is only rivaled by Nürnberg. Good thing we went to both! The Medieval Market in Munich was serving up Mead and fish right off the wood-burning stove. Another market had an ice skating rink, for anyone who was brave enough and willing to become the evening’s entertainment for those watching from the viewing deck.

We discovered Glühbier at the Munich Christmas Market! It is hot, cherry-flavored beer!

 

Pink Christmas

We also discovered “Pink Christmas” in Munich, the all-pink, gay, Christmas Market.

 

 

 

 

Munich has an amazing Neues Rathaus (NewTown Hall). The architecture is so ornate and Gothic that you think it is a church at first glance. The church, Frauenkirche (Church of Our Lady), is actually the two domes with the clocks in the left of the picture.

Together, with the Weihnachtsbaum (Christmas tree), they create a beautiful backdrop for reveling in the Christmas spirit on Marienplatz.

 

So, you ask, which market was my favorite?  The one with the Glühwein and the good company!