Christkindlmarkt, or Weihnachtsmarkt, are the German words most popularly used for the famous Christmas markets which pop up all over Germany during the holiday season (usually from the end of November through Christmas). These markets are full of stalls with anything to do with Christmas, from food and drink to artisan trinkets. You can also catch traditional folk song and dance to even further immerse you into the holiday spirit.
If you plan on heading to one of these markets it’s important to know what the most emblematic items are (you wouldn’t want to miss out on the full German Christmas market experience!). As for food and drink, try the Gebrannte Mandeln (candied almonds), Lebkuchen and Magenbrot (types of gingerbread cookies), bratwurst (type of sausage), and wash it all down with some hot Glühwein (mulled wine). As for trinkets, pick up a Nussknacker (carved nutcracker figurine) or two and some Zwetschgenmännle (figures made out of prunes).
Here’s a selection of some of the most popular German Christmas markets 2013 and their opening dates and times.
Berlin Christmas Market
Dates: November 23 – December 31, 2015
Times: Everyday from 11am to 10pm / Christmas Eve and New Years Eve, 11am-1am
Baden-Baden Christmas Market
Dates: November 23 – December 30, 2015
Times: 11am-9pm daily / Christmas Eve 11am-4pm
Nuremberg Christmas Market
Dates: 27th November – 24th December, 2015
Times: Daily from 10am-9pm / Christmas Eve 10am-2pm
Regensburg Christmas Market
Dates: 27th November – 23rd December, 2015
Times: Sun-Wed from 10am-8pm / Thursday, Friday and Saturday 10am-9pm
Munich Christmas Market
Dates: 27th November – 24th December, 2015
Times: Mon-Sat 10am-9pm / Sun 10am-8pm / Christmas Eve 10am-2pm
Augsburg Christmas Market
Dates: 23rd November – 24th December, 2015
Times: Mon-Wed 10am-8pm / Thu-Sat 10am-9:30pm / Sun 10am-8pm / Christmas Eve 10am-2pm
Erfurt Christmas Market
Dates: 24th November – 22nd December, 2015
Times: Sun-Wed 10am-8pm / Thu-Sat 10am-10pm
Leipzig Christmas Market
Dates: 24th November – 23rd December, 2015
Times: Sun-Thurs 10am-9pm / Fri-Sat 10am-10pm
Mainz Christmas Market
Dates: 26th November – 23rd December, 2015
Times: Sun-Thu 11am-8.30pm / Fri-Sat 11am-9pm
Dresden Christmas Market
Dates: 26th November – 24th December, 2015
Times: Daily 10am-9pm / Christmas Eve 10am-2pm
Aachen Christmas Market
Dates: 20th November – 23rd December, 2015
Times: 11am-9pm daily / 22 Nov 6pm-9pm / 23 Dec 11am-8pm
Bonn Christmas Market
Dates: 20th November – 23rd December, 2015
Times: Mon-Sun 11am-9pm / Closed on 22 Nov 2015
Braunschweig Christmas Market
Dates: 25th November – 29th December, 2015
Times: Mon-Sat 10am-9pm / Sun 11am-9pm / Closed 24th & 25th Dec
Bremen Christmas Market
Dates: 23rd November – 23rd December, 2015
Times: Mon-Fri 10am-8:30pm / Sat 10am-10pm / Sun 11am-8:30pm
Cologne Christmas Market
Dates: 23rd November – 23rd December, 2015
Times: Sun-Wed 11am-9pm / Thu-Fri 11am-10pm / Sat 10am-10pm
Dortmund Christmas Market
Dates: 19th November – 30th December, 2015
Times: Mon-Thu 10am-9pm / Fri-Sat 10am-10pm / Sun 12am-9pm
Essen Christmas Market
Dates: 19th November – 23rd December, 2015
Times: Sun-Thu 11am-9pm / Fri-Sat 11am-10pm / 22 November 6pm-10pm
Frankfurt Christmas Market
Dates: 25th November – 22nd December 2013
Times: Mon-Sat 10am-9pm / Sunday 11am-9pm
Hamburg Christmas Market
Dates: 23rd November – 23th December, 2015
Times: Sun-Thurs 11am-9 pm / Fri-Sat 10am-10 pm
Heidelberg Christmas Market
Dates: 23rd November – 22nd December, 2015
Times: Sun-Fri 11am-9pm / Sat 11am-10pm
Koblenz Christmas Market
Dates: 20th November – 22nd December, 2015
Times: Mon-Thurs 10am-9pm / Fri-Sat 10am-10pm / Sun 11am-9pm
Lübeck Christmas Market
Dates: 23rd November – 30th December, 2015
Times: Sun-Thurs 11am-9pm / Fri-Sat 11am-10pm
Münster Christmas Market
Dates: 23rd November – 23rd December, 2015
Times: Sun-Thu 11am-8pm / Fri-Sat 11am-9pm
Rostock Christmas Market
Dates: 23rd November – 22nd December, 2015
Times: Mon-Thu 10am-8pm / Fri-Sat 10am-9pm / Sun 11am-8pm
Stuttgart Christmas Market
Dates: 25th November – 23rd December 2013
Times: Mon-Sat 10am-9pm / Sun 11am-9pm
Wiesbaden Christmas Market
Dates: 24th November – 23rd December 2013
Times: Mon-Thu 10:30am-9pm daily / Fri-Sat 10:30am-9:30pm / Sunday 12pm-9pm
Würzburg Christmas Market
Dates: 27th November – 23rd December 2013
Times: Mon-Sat 10am-8:30pm / Sun 11am-8:30pm
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