Christmas markets in Koln, Germany
I heard so much about the Christmas markets in Germany and this year I decided to go take a look myself. The flights were pretty cheap, it worked out to £50 on average per person return, cheaper than me catching a train to London. Too good a deal to pass. My destination was Cologne, or Koln as it is known in Germany, one of the few German cities I could fly from my local airport.
Markt am Dom, Koln
My first port of call was Weihnachtsmarkt am Kölner Dom, the Christmas market by Koln Cathedral. I arrived during daytime after visiting the famous Cathedral next door. The market was quiet with just a handful of people around. I was quite disappointed because I thought the vibe would be much better. The fact it was drizzling didn't help either.
Heinzels Winter Fairytale
After wandering around for a little while, I headed off to another market called the Heinzels Winter Fairytale . It was only about 5 minutes walk away. This market is located in Alter Markt, the Old Market and is my favourite market out of all the ones I visited on this trip. All the stalls were decorated like old stalls and the stall owners also dressed up in period costumes. In England we would call this Victorian style, I don't know what the German equivalent period would be. All this added to the atmosphere and it was wonderful.
Take two to the Christmas markets
The next day I went to a nearby town called Wuppertal, but the following day I went back to the Christmas markets in Koln again. On the very day I wasn't in Koln, it turns out that @priyanarc and @blind-spot were there!! They were on a day trip from Amsterdam. What a bummer!!! If only I knew, I could have scheduled to meet up with them!! So near yet so far away!!!
Anyway, my second visit to the Christmas market in Koln was very different from my first visit. I think markets, especially Christmas markets are much nicer at night time when all the lights are on.
Koln Cathedral looks extra magical with the Christmas trees in front.
On my first visit, I couldn't appreciate the atmosphere here. Now at dark, everything looks so stunning. The lights overhead were like a net covering the market, like you were indoors, but you weren't, and you could still feel the winter cold. All I needed was some snow to complete the picture. That would have been perfect. The crowd was much bigger now. Normally I don't like crowds, but markets just don't feel the same when there's no buzz and no one around.
I wandered off to Heinzels Winter Fairytale again, my favorite market 😀
The Heinzels Winter Fairytale extends from the Alter Markt to the Heumarkt square just across the road. There are more stalls here and I saw this one selling children's wooden plates. They were so colourful and there were all sort of shapes and objects.
You can even personalise it with a name. The stall holder cuts it free hand on the electric cutter, it was fascinating to watch her do it.
Christmas market mugs
Remember I told you about the mugs at the market? They were all very cute and I couldn't resist buying a couple. Each market has a stall that sells just the mug, so you can get a clean one that you haven't just drank out of. The one of the left is from the Koln Cathedral market, and when I got home I noticed it was the 2022 and not 2023 one! Oh well! I can pretend I went to Germany last year as well. The other one is from the Dusseldorf Christmas market. The two cities are less than half an hour away by train. I'm going to keep using these mugs this month as they will have to be put away after Christmas. Till then, I'm going to enjoy my Christmas drinks for another week whilst Christmas is still here.
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Yeah you totally need the lights to get the total atmosphere!
Love the cup situation! I have a couple of those from Weihnachtsmarkten in switzerland as well. I feels like good memories drinking hot chocolate at home in there.
I'm sure I'll be using these mugs every Christmas now, it makes Christmas that little extra special
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I've not been to Koln in a while. I'll have to go back some time. The Germans do a good Christmas, but then we borrowed some traditions from them. Looks like a good trip.
Definitely a very nice trip.
I think we need to do more work with our Christmas markets, its still a bit meh by comparison. Bath Christmas market nearish to me finished on 10th December which is really stupid. People were just starting to ramp up to the Christmas mood back then!!
What a great exploration, and fantastic photos. Wow, you know that is the great thing about living in Europe—you can travel to so many interesting places fairly cheaply. I have a few options here, but all of them more than that flight cost you. I think the cheapest flight I can get might be to Ph. I went there one year, but even that was around ¥20000 (about $200 at the time).
I'd love to get one of those mugs!
Now you mention it, we do seem to get quite a lot of good deals in Europe compared to Asia. Maybe there is more competition like rail, coach, ferry.
When I was living in Taiwan we got some ok deals to Japan, I went quire a few times for me quarterly visa runs. Who doesn't love Japan!
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I am having heart on those beautiful Christmas mugs and I am thinking what if I would pay more and buy those mugs.
Yes, you are true! Koln on second visit is looking happening( although I am just seeing pictures but I am making guesses).
Snow will complete all the effects.
€3 for one of them is reasonably especially since they bring good memories
Darn, Our (confirmed meetup ) kinda makes me sad all the time because I always feel I wish I had texted you just to be sure. We would have so much fun exploring such beautiful markets together. Heinzel's Winter Fairytale is my favorite Christmas market so far, I took so many photos of that market and I (hope) I will write about it soon. I would say I have seen some best Christmas markets in Cologne, even better than Bruges. It seems like you have also enjoyed the evening atmosphere of the Cologne Cathedral Christmas market. Have you tried their traditional fries? Those mulled wine glasses are really cute. Next time we will meet somewhere in Europe or maybe in UK. :D
Looking through my phone, I didn't actually take a lot of photos at the market, I don't know why 😬
We ate at other places during our stay so apart from that roast salmon on the last day and a few drinks, I didn't have any food at the market. They looked very tasty though!
Glad you made it to the market this year. We really liked the markets in Cologne. 50 for a flight is great! The markets definitely have a better vibe at night with all the light lit up. We have been to a few during the day and it's never the same. I agree that they are better with more people as well, and if there is music playing that also adds something extra. We have that same red mug with the skating gnome lol. They must use the same pattern every year haha. You may have to try that salmon if you ever go back, I can confirm that it is delicious.
Also, I found a Dim Sum place near home and we went two days ago. It was delicious. I'll post about it eventually but wanted to tell you that you inspired me to go. 👍
Having read your posts, I think I've covered the main markets, so that's good, as I didn't do much research before I went. Thanks for that.
That's great you found a dim sum place. Look forward to see what it's like 👍
My colleague was in Cologne last week.
She showed me pictures. impressive, like yours, especially at night.
It seems that the most beautiful Christmas markets are in Germany, and this one in Cologne is among the best...
Unfortunately, this year I didn't manage to organize a trip abroad and visit some of the Christmas markets and I had to settle for visiting some in my country...
You're from Serbia, right? What the Christmas market scene like?
That's right, I'm from Serbia 🙂
I visited one, in Novi Sad, but it is compared to Christmas markets in Germany,that one seems to be just an attempt 🙂
But, anything is better than nothing 🙂
https://zimzolend.rs/
Merry Christmas!
That was a cheap flight indeed, a bargain. How cool that you visited Germany and Christmas markets two consecutive years lol - because the mug says 😂
Yeah, these markets look much better in the evening, with all those lights 😇
Would be cool if that mini Hive meetup happened... well, next time, somewhere in Spain, if @blind-spot and @priyanarc also come, I will find some salt mine or else, so we can go with a guided visit 😜
I really hope until then I can stay in Europe, Spain is on my mind for the next year but still not sure about it. Hive meetup would be a good idea to meet you and PH once again...
If you manage to visit Spain next year, let us know 🤗
I was so happy to find the tickets so cheap. In fact it was only £35 without any luggage but we figured it would be safer to add a piece of luggage in case we purchased anything, so the cost went up a little 😀
We went to the markets every night, and really enjoyed it even though it was pretty much the same, but the atmosphere was so nice, couldn't resist
With that price, the luggage was a good idea to add. It's winter, some extra clothes always can come in handy. ☃️
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Wow what a great festive travel trip for cheap. Amazing pictures you took you really showed the lumination of the holiday season. Now I'm craving salmon, I like it in a variety ways especially smoked. Wishing you and family a wonderful Christmas ⛄🎁 🎄
I was surprised it was such a good deal especially around Christmas time as well.
Have a great Christmas yourself!
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The market decoration there is very beautiful, I really like seeing every light that is installed in various media there, and what looks coolest is the classic building that towers behind it
The market has a lovely vibe, hence it being so well known
Your place is very well decorated. Here in India too, decoration is done in exactly the same way. However, we do not have very developed technology here, hence we mostly do decoration with hand made crafts. Christmas celebration is going to happen everywhere and preparations have been done at most places. I pray that you have a good Christmas and enjoy it a lot.
I wish you and your family a very Merry Christmas.
Thanks, merry Christmas to you!
I simply love open-air markets, it looks like a fairyland! I can imagine the Salmon must have been absolutely delicious with the smokey flavour, a very interesting cooking method. That definitely would be my choice. I hope to see some of Germany when I go to my son next year, seems a long way off when I say it like that, I cannot believe 2024 is just days away!
It's great that you have more travel plans coming up, and yes you're correct, 2024 isn't that far away.
Maybe you can also hop across the British Channel to UK!
I feel nostalgic now :P
When I was there, a violinist was playing live music at the gate of Heinzels Winter Fairytale. At the corner of the gate that you photographed. It was so nice.
We'll meet soon. Dw ;)
I missed the violinist, that must have been so nice to listen. I particularly like the stallholder outfit and the decor of the stall itself, proper nostalgic
My first ever trip abroad without going with mum and dad was to Germany. I went with the school back in 1984! We didn’t stay in Cologne but did visit for a day. I can remember the Cathedral which was very impressive.
£50 is indeed cheaper than getting into London. That puts that into perspective, how bad trains are now.
Lovely photos and those lights are beautiful.
And that's if you're lucky your train isn't cancelled or delay
Domestic travel and accommodation is so expensive. It's much cheaper to go to Europe, and that's such a pity as there are many places I'd like to go in UK
Ohh you were in my city!:) I'm sorry that you were disappointed at first, it really depends on the weather how many people are there. Unfortunately, the temperatures here are usually too high, so it doesn't snow. But the Heinzelmännchen Christmas market is also the best thing I think! It's really an advantage that some Christmas markets are not that far apart and if you don't like one, you can just go to the other.
Kind regards and Merry Christmas :)
You're from Koln!! I'd love to go back for a proper holiday. We actually stayed in Dusseldorf this time as it was a lot cheaper, even with the train fares. So it was good we got to see two different cities
The Christmas markets are really awesome. The seem to pop up everywhere, like there's no end to them! You're so lucky to experience this every year.
Merry Christmas to you as well!
Christmas in Germany looks magical. Merry Christmas!!
We just can't gey the same vibe in UK, so luckily it was an affordable break.
Greetings to you and family !
I love how everything looks. And that salmon must be so tasty cooked that way. I hope you are enjoying your trip, Pauline.
Have a Merry Christmas and happy holidays! 🤗
It was a very nice trip, thanks. We went with my sister and brother in law, a nice little group.
I hope you have a great Christmas especially with your son being home with you
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You really lucked out on that cheap fare and those markets are amazing. Oddly enough I had never been to a Christmas market until I lived in Japan. We really don't have any in Southern California. The markets in Japan though a very similar to the one's you visited. Merry Christmas!
I went to Kyushu one year over Xmas and New year. Landed in Fukuoka on Christmas day and I remember the area by the station was lit up beautifully. Seems like the Japanese know how to do a good Christmas. Hope you had a great one
They do, as do the Europeans. Americans, not so much. We lost it. How about Taiwan?
Christmas isn't even a holiday in Taiwan. I heard it used to be, it was Constitution Day but people celebrated Christmas instead, so the government got rid of Constitution Day and the holiday. Nowadays there's still some Christmas celebrations particularly amongst the younger generations but nothing on the western scale
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