Christmas Markets in Germany

While the capital boasts a whopping 80 Christmas markets, the most popular and picturesque are the Weihnachtszauber at Gendarmenmarkt, Alexanderplatz Christmas Market, and Charlottenburg Palace Christmas Market.​

The Christkindlesmarkt is the biggest of all Christmas markets in Germany and takes place in the historic central square. The market is opened by the Christ-child (Christkind), a girl nominated each year, with a festive ceremony.​

Spread beneath the city's massive Gothic cathedral in Roncalli Square, the wooden pavilion Christmas village, with the highest tannenbaum in the Rhineland, hosts around 4,000,000 jolly, mulled wine sipping visitors yearly.

The Striezelmarkt dates back to 1434, making it the oldest Christmas market in the country. Striezel is the local name for German stollen cake - one weighing three tons is baked and paraded through the market-and of course eaten.

The Bavarian capital also celebrates a Christkindlmarkt, taking place on the historic Marienplatz. The market is highlighted by the Krampus Run: a 500-year old tradition to ward off cold winters where costumed creatures-in horned, wooden, demon masks-run around scaring people (and drink plenty of rum punch).

Sipping hot mulled wine and munching stollen or browsing the stands for hand-made crafts, clothing, and decorations are musts for any Christmas market. Alexanderplatz, Gendarmenmarkt, and Potsdamer Platz markets are in popular shopping areas with several malls, boutique shops, and specialty stores.

This Christmas market features gift stands and handcrafted curios like the famous Nuremberger Plum Men dolls. The Craftsman's Courtyard and an array of name-brand or specialty shops are found in lanes around the market, as well as malls, and shopping passages.

If you can break away from the stands and festivities at the cathedral Christmas market (including a stage with 100 shows) the historic city-center offers plenty of boutique stores and shopping centers within strolling distance.

In the old town center, the Striezelmarkt is situated near pedestrian zone shopping areas, like the Altmarkt Galerie.

The Christkindlmarkt on Marienplatz is in the center of Munich's shopping and historic quarter. Several shopping passages, as well as boutique, and brand-name stores surround the square-or hop on the Christmas tram for a cup of hot mulled wine and festive views.