By Johanna Lohwasser
GRAFENWOEHR, Germany — While the seasons change and leaves start to fall, imagine Medieval castles illuminated by Christmas lights and small stalls offering everything from traditional food, candy and drinks to handmade local tree decorations, candles and hand-crafted wooden toys like vintage merry-go-rounds.
Germany is home of the ‘Christkindlmarkt,’ or Christmas market. These festive markets offer traditional delights for your senses. Aromas of Gluehwein (spiced mulled wine), Lebkuchen (gingerbread) and sausage fill the air as you wander through the cold markets, soaking up the festive atmosphere of the Christmas season again. You cannot find a better place to enjoy it than a snowy winter in Germany!
Go ditch the mall, and make the journey to a Christmas market, where you can exchange crowded department stores for lovely wooden chalets and experience a down-to-earth holiday cheer. Some of these street markets date back to the late Middle Ages and can be found throughout Germany — both in big cities and small villages alike. Traditional and popular elements of the holiday season are combined and topped with a good number of regional highlights.
Below you can find a hand-picked selection of Christmas markets — most within a three hours’ drive from Grafenwoehr. It includes some of the largest, oldest and most beautiful markets in Germany, as well as Austria and the Czech Republic. This list also includes local markets in Grafenwoehr’s neighboring communities and some very unique markets, such as the one around Auerbach’s iron ore mine. Some of the markets held in castles or other special locations charge admission fees. Children often get discounts or free admission, and some might offer discounts for soldiers or DOD affiliated personnel. Just be sure to ask.
If you are interested in smaller and local markets, pay attention to the dates. Some are open for a single day or weekend only. Most markets are open from noon until approximately 8 p.m. Some Christmas markets may have longer opening hours on weekends. Larger markets that run until December 23 or 24 will usually close by noon on the last day.
For more Christmas markets locations, visit the German listing site, and look for the A to Z drop-down menu on the left side of the page.
Large Christmas Markets | ||||
ZIP | location | dates | entrance fee | |
Nuremberg | 90403 | Hauptmarkt | Nov 29 – Dec 24 | free |
Regensburg | 93047 | Neupfarrplatz | Nov 25 – Dec 23 | free |
Munich | 80331 | Marienplatz | Nov 27 – Dec 24 | free |
Prague | 110 00 – CZ | Praha 1, downtown | Nov 30 – Jan 06 | free |
Dresden | 01067 | Altmarkt | Nov 27 – Dec 24 | free |
Stuttgart | 70174 | Marktplatz and Schillerplatz | Nov 28 – Dec 23 | free |
Salzburg | 5020 -AT | Salzburg, Residenzplatz / Domplatz | Nov 20 – Dec 26 | free |
Innsbruck | 6020 -AT | Innsbruck, city centre | Nov 15 – Jan 6 | free |
Berlin | 10117 | Gendarmenmarkt 1 | Nov 25 – Dec 31 | 1,00 € |
Unique Christmas Markets | ||||
Vilseck-Sorghof Waldweihnacht (forest market) | 92249 | Sorghof / Vilseck, 17:00 pm meeting behind fire dept |
Dec 21, 5:00 pm | free |
Auerbach Iron Ore Mine | 91275 | Cherrystrasse, follow signs, bus shuttle P+R | Dec 07 – Dec 08 | 3,00 € children under 16 free |
Bayreuther Winterdorf | 95444 | Maximilianstr. 12-14 | Oct 17 – Dec 31 | free (special days with admission) |
Castle Guteneck | 92543 | Schlossberg 1 | Nov 29 – Dec 22
(Fri, Sat, Sun only) |
5,00 – 6,00 €
children under 12 free |
Regensburg Thurn & Taxis | 93047 | Emmeramsplatz 5 | Nov 22 – Dec 23 (closed Nov 24) | 2.00 –
9,50€ |
Zirndorf Castle Gut Wolfgangshof | 90513 | Weitersdorfer Str. 22 | Nov. 22 – Dec. 15
(Fri, Sat, Sun only) |
1,00 –
7,00 € |
Kuchlbauer’s Tower Christmas Abensberg | 93326 | Römerstr 9 | Nov 27 – Dec 22
(Wed.-Sun. only) |
free |
Rothenburg ob der Tauber Reiterlesmarkt | 91541 | Downtown | Nov 29 – Dec 23 | free |
German-American Christmas Market Pullman City | 94535 | Eging am See | Dec. 15 – Dec. 22 | 2,00 € –
8,00 € |
Munich Pink Christmas Market | 80337 | Stephansplatz | Nov 25 – Dec 22 | free |
Tollwood Winter Festival Munich | 80336 | Theresienwiese
München |
Nov 26 – Dec 31
(market until Dec 23) |
market
is free |
Castle Koenigstein | 01824 | Downtown | Nov 30 – Dec 22 (Sat & Sun only) | 7,00 –
10,00 € |
Local Christmas Markets | ||||
Grafenwoehr | 92655 | Marktplatz | Dec 7 | free |
Pressath | 92690 | Schulstrasse | Dec 1 | free |
Freihung | 92271 | Festplatz am Harranger | Nov 30 | free |
Kirchenthumbach | 91281 | Market Square | Dec 7 – Dec 8 | free |
Vilseck Burg Dagestein | 92249 | Schlossgasse 6 | Dec 7 – Dec 8 | free |
Vilseck / Sorghof Waldweihnacht | 92249 | Auerbacher Str. 16 | Dec 7 | free |
Weiden | 92637 | Downtown | Nov 28 – Dec 23 | free |
Castle Wildenreuth | 92681 | Downtown | Dec 07 – Dec 15
(Saturday and Sunday only) |
2,00 – 5,00 € |
Neustadt a.d. Waldnaab | 92660 | Stadtplatz | Dec 8 | free |
Edelsfeld | 92265 | Downtown | Dec 8 | free |
Hirschau | 92242 | Market Square | Nov 30 – Dec 1 | free |
Amberg | 92224 | Market Square | Nov 28 – Dec 23 | free |
Bayreuth | 95444 | Market Square | Nov 25 – Dec 23 | free |
Neumarkt i.d. OPf. | 92318 | Rathausplatz | Nov 29 – Dec 23 | free |
Garmisch | 82467 | Richard-Strauss-Platz 1 | Nov 23 – Dec 23 | free |