8 Christmas markets in Germany in 6 days: my «punch» tour

A real “tour de punch”, as the name of the rum-based drink typical of the Christmas markets. A journey of almost 1200 km across all of Germany, from Bavaria to the far North, to stop in eight small and large cities and visit some of the most beautiful local “Weihnachtsmärkte”, back on after two years of the pandemic, with their lights , the fumes, the colors and the classic scent of embers, spices and cinnamon, which pervades the streets and squares beyond the Alps for about a month.

If you too share this mania – or, for the more romantic, magic – for the Teutonic Christmas markets, which are also the most authentic, here is this crazy itinerary:

Lindau, Bavaria

The town, very colorful and pretty, overlooks Lake Constance (in German Bodensee), which unites three countries in a big embrace: Switzerland, Germany and Austria. Its historic centre, Lindau-Insel, is literally located on an island and its harbour, on cold winter days, is transformed into a huge Christmas market. Before a cup of Glühwein, however, stop and observe the old Rathaus from 1422 in the square: the gabled former town hall from the Gothic period, with wooden decorations and frescoed external walls, is really very beautiful.

Metzingen, Baden-Wurttemberg

In recent weeks there is a traditional market here, but the city is most famous for its outlet (or rather: the whole city is an outlet), which has made it a veritable mecca for world shopping. For Japanese, Russians and Chinese, Stuttgart is a city close to Metzingen, and not the other way around. Even just out of curiosity, it’s worth taking a tour. Not on Sundays, however: on Sundays, in Germany, all the shops are strictly closed.

Esslingen am Neckar, Baden-Württemberg

Elegant half-timbered houses, an ancient 15th-century Town Hall and the ancient stained glass windows of the church of San Dionigi make this historic riverside village a charm. Especially in the month of December, when its medieval market enlivens the already picturesque Marktplatz and the cobbled streets around. Jesters, blacksmiths, fire eaters and glass blowers will escort you through nearly 200 stalls (just watch out for the crossbow shooters!). For the more adventurous there is also the possibility of bathing in the square, in a tub full of water. Hot water, huh! In addition to bratwurst of the market, stop and taste the Maultaschen of the Palmscher Bau restaurant: it is a type of filled pasta specialty of this region, recognized in 2009 Protected Geographical Indication (PGI).^. Legend has it that they were invented by the monks of the Maulbronn monastery to hide meat during Lent (the Swabian alternative name, “Herrgottsbscheißerle”, means “little deceivers of the Lord”).

Wolfenbuttel, Lower Saxony

It is one of the many “little Venices” scattered around the world, but despite the always somewhat risky comparison, it is very pretty. It is famous for being the seat of the bitter Jägermeister and, for the more educated, also for having been a fervent cultural center between the 1600s and 1700s, so much so that many intellectuals of the time lived here, from the philosopher and mathematician Leibniz to Enlightenment writer Gotthold Lessing, author of the classic Nathan the Wise. His house is located a few meters from the Castle, originally from the 1200s but repeatedly besieged, destroyed and rebuilt. The Christmas market expands into the large central square, which boasts one of the largest concentrations of half-timbered houses in Germany. Stuff to literally make your head spin, also thanks to the Feuerzangenbowle what you drink here: a drink similar to Glühwein, in which sugar soaked in rum is ignited directly in the glass and dripped into the drink, giving it an alcoholic but very caramelised taste.

Hanover, Lower Saxony

This is the ideal destination for any German language enthusiast, as it is the city where it is spoken the “Hochdeutsch”, the “pure” German, without accents and dialectal inflections. In addition, it is also the birthplace of the 20th century political scientist Hannah Arendt. Like many other cities in Germany, Hanover too was almost entirely razed to the ground during the Second World War, but here and there it has kept some beautiful glimpses of its ancient medieval soul, which lives on in this period also among the stalls of its flea market Historical themed Christmas.

Hamburg

Germany’s second largest and most populous city after Berlin is a triumph of cultural and architectural eclecticism. From the elegant central shopping streets that intersect in front of the imposing Rathaus (whose square is home to the main Christmas market, the Roncalli one) you can pass in less than two kilometers to the crazy “neon” streets of St. Pauli, the red light district and nightlife (also home to a famous Christmas market, but less traditional than the previous one: here candles in the shape of a phallus and decorations not intended for the Christmas tree are sold).

The harbor district of Hamburg (Hafencity), on the other hand, is the seat of the former warehouses and warehouses of the city, today reconverted to museums and art galleries, and it is here that the Elbphilarmonie, the impressive wave-shaped glass concert hall, stands out. Austere yet, at the same time, full of energy and welcoming, Hamburg has a transversal soul: in some areas it seems to be among the characteristic terraced houses of Kensington or Chelsea, in London, in others among the skyscrapers and the elevated subway of Chicago, in still others in the Village of New York. And all while crossing over 1400 bridges and canals, more than those of Amsterdam and Venice combined. There is also an artificial lake, the Alster, overlooked by some breathtaking former shipowners’ villas, and where the people of Hamburg love to practice all kinds of sports, even surfing in the summer. If in winter temperatures drop to -10 and the lake freezes by at least 20 cm, the mayor gives the green light to skating: the last time dates back to 2012. Hamburg is the city where the Beatles performed for the first time at the abroad before becoming the Beatles, and today it is the third largest musical capital in the world, after New York and London. Partially destroyed by a fire in 1842 and then, a century later, entirely by Allied bombings, it preserves the memory of its most tragic years in the Memorial of the Church of St. Nikolai, of which today only the bell tower remains (which can be climbed by lift for a panoramic view) and which is home to an interesting war museum.

Lubeck, Schleswig-Holstein

One of the northernmost cities in Germany, it is famous for being the birthplace of the Manns, whose “House of Buddenbrooks”, rebuilt after the war, can be visited a few steps from the Rathaus square, where there is the most characteristic of the historic center (declared a Unesco heritage site by virtue of the Baltic Gothic style). Don’t miss to taste a herring or smoked salmon sandwich here: remember that we are located just a few kilometers from the Baltic Sea!

Fulda, Hesse

It is known as the “city of the Baroque”, and is also home to an important university which gives it a young and lively atmosphere. Outside the elegant streets of the center (which for Christmas are transformed into an uninterrupted labyrinth of food stands and stalls), stands the enormous Cathedral of the Santissimo Salvatore. Before returning to Italy, treat yourself to one last cup of Glühwein on the ancient rotating carousel in the square: the descent while the carousel is in motion will be the best alcohol test before getting back on the road.