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DISCOVER GERMANY

8 of the quirkiest Christmas markets in Germany

Want to try something different from the classic German Christmas market? Here are eight unique alternatives.

Published: 23 November 2022 12:06 CET
Updated: 26 November 2022 14:23 CET
Burlesque dancers from the team around drag queen Olivia Jones drink mulled wine at a stand at the St. Pauli Christmas Market at Spielbudenplatz in 2016.
Burlesque dancers from the team around drag queen Olivia Jones drink mulled wine at a stand at the St. Pauli Christmas Market at Spielbudenplatz in 2016. Photo: picture alliance / Christian Charisius/dpa | Christian Charisius

1. Erotic Christmas market – St. Pauli, Hamburg

If you want to spice up your advent this year, then head to “Hamburg’s hottest Christmas market” in the city’s Sankt Pauli district.

Alongside the typical festive offerings of Glühwein and traditional stands, this market also hosts regular strip shows and features numerous stands selling erotic gifts and sweets.

Visitors walk through the Santa Pauli Christmas Market on Spielbudenplatz. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Daniel Bockwoldt

The Spielbudenplatz stage in the market also plays host to live music almost every evening throughout the season.

On Mondays, a special Glühwein “pharmacy” offers unicorn mulled wine – a glittery pink beverage with a choice of special flavours. 

Open from November 14th to December 23rd

2. Underground Christmas Market – Traben-Trarbach, Rhineland-Palatinate

The town of Traben-Trarbach in Rhineland-Palatinate is home to a particularly special type of Christmas market.

The Mosel Wein Nachts Markt, as it’s officially called, takes place underground in a series of former wine cellars which date back to the 18th century.

A festively decorated wine cellar in Traben-Trarbach – at the Moselle Wine Night Market. Photo: picture alliance/dpa/Weinkeller Traben-Trarbach | Jan-Gerrit Baumann

As the name suggests, this Christmas market has a lot to offer in terms of wine, as it is set in the heart of the Mosel region which is famous for its Riesling.

READ ALSO: 5 things you need to know about German Glühwein

There’s an emphasis on art, antiquity and culture in this market too. International and national artisans and exhibitors sell decorative items, antiques, clocks and creative fashion and jewellery.

Open on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from November 18th to December 18th, 2022

3. Forest Christmas market – Velen, North Rhein-Westphalia

For a fairytale festive experience, visit the forest Christmas market in Velen, North Rhein-Westphalia.

The market has been running here on the land of the Krumme family in North-Western NRW since 1999 and is well-known throughout the region for its special brand of Christmassy magic.

Huts scattered throughout the forest serve up culinary delights and homemade goods and those wanting to warm up can visit the historic farmhouse café or nestle inside one of the winter huts.

Children can ride on the nostalgic train, bake stick bread at the crackling fire or meet Santa Claus.

Open on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from November 25th to December 18th, 2022

4. 19th Century Christmas market – Werben, Saxony-Anhalt

The Biedermeier Christmas Market in Werben is one of the most beautiful and unusual markets in northern Germany.

The theme is the Biedermeier period from 1815 to 1848 and, accordingly, stall owners, local theatre groups, merchants and friends of the town, participate in creating this early 19th century themed market.  

The Biedermeier Christmas market in Werben an der Elbe takes visitors back in time. Photo: picture alliance / dpa-tmn | Jürgen Sturtzel

The market is always bustling with men in tailcoats and top hats, and ladies in long dresses and bonnets and is full of stalls selling contemporary knickknacks. There are theatrical and musical performances and, in the evening, candle lanterns and kerosene lamps bathe the hustle and bustle in atmospheric light.

Open on December 10th and 11th, 2022

5. Ecological Christmas Market – Berlin

For those feeling bad about the excesses of Christmas already, the Ökomarkt at Kollwitzplatz in Berlin is a good place for guilt-free shopping and celebrations.

The assortment of sustainable stalls ranges from Christmas decorations to textiles, toys and jewellery from all over the world that meet social and ecological standards.

READ ALSO: Seven unmissable Christmas markets that open this week in Germany

There is also a wide range of organic and fair trade food on offer, from sweet treats such as crêpes, vegan waffles and pastries to hearty dishes such as bratwurst and pizza.

Open on November 27th, December 4th, 11th, and 18th

6. Japanese Christmas Market – Berlin

Since 2014, the Japanese community in Berlin has been laying on a colourful celebration of Japanese culture with a Japanese Christmas market.

Stalls selling paintings, photography, ceramics, illustrations and fashion cover traditional and modern designs – from kimonos to kawaii, from kokeshi to kendama. A taste of Japanese cuisine is also on offer along with hot sake.

There are workshops for those wanting to deepen their knowledge of Japanese culture and the entertainment program includes Japanese music, karaoke, dance and sumo.

Opening in December – dates not yet released (check here for updates)

7. Pink Christmas Market – Munich

The pink star amongst Munich’s Christmas markets will be back again this year on Stephansplatz in the heart of the Glockenbach district in Munich. 

The Pink Christmas on the Stephansplatz in Munich. Photo: picture alliance / dpa-tmn | Pink Christmas

With its elegant white pagoda tents and atmospheric light design – and abundance of pink – this Christmas market is a special spot to enjoy the festive season. Organisers call it “the place to be” for the LGBTIQ* community, neighbours, friends and Christmas market fans from all over the world.

READ ALSO: How do Germans celebrate Christmas?

Stalls offer delicious food, drinks and gifts, while unique, nightly shows keep the bustling crowds entertained. 

Pink Christmas is open from November 21st – December 23rd. 

8. Christmas Market by boat – Spreewald, Brandenburg

Spreewald is a magical place to visit at any time of the year but at Christmas, it’s something truly special.

The Spreewald Weihnacht – zwei Märkte, eine Kahnfahrt (two markets, one boat ride) offers a very unique Christmas market experience.

Visitors wait at the port of Lübbenau (Brandenburg) to take a Spreewald barge to the Christmas market in the open-air museum of the Spreewald village Lehde. Photo: picture alliance / Patrick Pleul/dpa-Zentralbild/dpa | Patrick Pleul

The first port of call is the Great Spreewald Harbor, where – amongst the usual Christmas market offerings – stalls and booths sell smoked fish, Christmas plinse and hot grog. Then, market-goers are taken on a wintry boat trip to the open-air museum in Lehde through the tranquillity of the Spreewald nature in hibernation.

In the Open Air Museum Lehde visitors can taste regional delicacies at the market stalls, stroll along the craftsmen’s market and meet some ancient mythical figures who offer good wishes for the coming year.

Open on November 26th, 27th and December 3rd and 4th

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COLOGNE

What to do, see and eat on a budget-friendly break in Cologne

Cologne is one of the oldest cities in Germany, with a history stretching back just over 2,000 years. It’s a past full of old Roman bones, Gothic architecture and world-famous fine fragrances. But it's possible to explore without breaking the bank.

Published: 5 April 2024 14:40 CEST
What to do, see and eat on a budget-friendly break in Cologne

You could spend months exploring Cologne, but most of us don’t have the time or resources.

Therefore, here’s what to do, see and eat during a weekend in one of Europe’s cultural capitals. 

DO

Cologne is a very walkable city, and it’s easy to get between the main sights, such as the iconic Hohenzollern Bridge and the historic Altstadt or old town. That said, it’s also well-served by an excellent public transport network. 

The most up-to-date schedules and journey planners are available through the KVB or Deutsche Bahn apps. 

READ ALSO: 10 facts you probably didn’t know about Cologne (even if you live there)

To get around, the KölnCard is your best option. Not only will it get you everywhere you want to be within the areas visited by tourists, but it can give you up to a 50 percent discount on selected attractions.

The KölnCard can be purchased at the tourist information centre, or KVB ticket machines at public transport stops. 

SEE

The first thing you’ll likely see upon arriving in Cologne is the Kölner Dom or Cologne Cathedral. (Domkloster 4, 50667). 

While there’s been some sort of church on the site since the 17th century, the current Gothic masterpiece began construction in 1248 and, due to war, plague and economic turmoils, was not completed until 1880. Indeed, a crane sat atop one of the incomplete towers for centuries. 

The cathedral is one of the holiest pilgrimage sights in Christianity, as tradition holds that the relics of the Three Wise Men are housed there in a reliquary.

Cologne cathedral

Cologne’s cathedral is one of the world’s most important Gothic masterpieces – it took over 600 years to build! Photo: Bea61 / Pixabay

READ ALSO: Eight things you probably didn’t know about Cologne Cathedral

You can spend hours drinking in the gorgeous medieval paintings and carvings, flooded with golden light streaming through the windows. 

With a €10 ticket per adult, you can enter the cathedral and the treasury, which holds even more stunning treasures. 

However, Cologne was occupied way further back than the Middle Ages. Cologne, or Colonia Claudia Ara Agrippinensium as it was known, was an important Roman city founded in the first decades of the first century. 

While Roman remains can be found everywhere in Cologne – in the crypts of many churches, for example – many of the best-preserved artefacts and evidence of everyday Roman life are kept in the Römisch-Germanisches Museum, or Romano-German Museum (Cäcilienstraße 46, 50667). 

Everything you might expect from a bustling Roman provincial capital, from tiny, intricate jewellery pieces to monumental arches that led into the city, can be found here. Tickets for adults are €6. 

Another quite peculiar legacy of the Romans can be found in the Basilica of St. Ursula (Ursulaplatz 24, 50668). Locals uncovered a Roman cemetery in the early Middle Ages, which contained hundreds of burials and thousands of bones. 

Somehow, these were conflated with the legend of St Ursula, an English princess whom the Huns martyred along with eleven other virgins (and who eventually grew to 11,000). 

These bones now adorn the basilica’s Goldene Kammer or ‘Golden Chamber’, arranged in fantastic designs such as letters, numbers and geometric patterns. 

It’s something you’re rarely likely to have seen before. Best of all, photography is permitted, and entrance is free. 

The incredible interior of the Goldene Kammer, or ‘Golden Chamber’ in the Basilica of St Ursula. Photo: Mike Stuchbery / The Local

For something completely different, head over to the Farina Duftmuseum, or Farina Fragrance Museum. 

Cologne is world-renowned for its contribution to perfumery. Indeed, the city gave its name to the fragrances worn by men. 

This is mainly due to the work of Johann Maria Farina, who, together with his brother, established a perfumery in the eighteenth century that became spectacularly successful across Europe with their ‘Eau de Cologne’. 

The Farina Fragrance Museum not only tells the story of the family firm but also explains the production process in detail and demonstrates how the scent is manufactured. 

Tickets cost €8 per adult, and yes, there’s a gift shop with bottles of all shapes and sizes to take home. 

EAT AND DRINK

In Cologne—and especially when staying there on a budget—there’s no other place for snacks and quick meals like a Büdchen or Kiosk. 

Like the legendary Berlin Späti, these are places open all hours of the day for anything you may need and serving simple but good food. 

Pico Coffee (Neusserplatz, 50670) is one of the city’s most beloved Büdchen. Don’t let the name fool you—they also serve breakfast, sandwiches, crepes and other snacks, in addition to takeaway essentials and fantastic coffee. 

Carnival start

A woman holding a greeting sign of ‘Alaaf’ to mark the start of Cologne’s Carnival season on November 11th, 2022. picture alliance/dpa | Rolf Vennenbernd

Another cult Cologne Büdchen is Kölnkiosk (Brüsselerstraße 39 – 41, 50674), a very popular neighbourhood venue that serves a constantly changing menu of small bites to larger meals. You’ll recognise it with a riot of bright pink!

Locals also swear by Weinhaus Vogel (Eigelstein 74, 50668) a neighbourhood institution with cheap, filling regional fare that’s been keeping customers happy since 1898. 

Finally, get a taste of real local flavour at Knippschild Werk 2 (An der Kemperwiese, 451069), where you can enjoy a cold Kölsch beer alongside a selection of hearty, good-value German dishes. 

Have any recommendations for things to do, see or eat in Cologne? Let us know in the comments.

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