Christmas Markets

We visited the markets in Frankfurt and had a wonderful time, Ryan Air flights - its quite a small town so easy to get around on foot, nice markets an opera house.

Last year we did a river cruise with Christmas markets - also very good,
went to 3 or 4 markets including Valkenburg and Bruges and enjoyed the boat very much. It was mainly grannies and grandads on the trip, comfortable cabins and very nice food. I think the company were called RiverCruises

River Cruise sounds good. Who was that with? We have been to many markets in Germany as my daughter lived there for a long time. This time we are going with friends and they hope to see an oompah band if possible.

Divawithattitude- Was surprised to read that Frankfurt is a small town. It is big city 700,000 inhabitants! Ryan Air fly to Frankfurt Hahn, a small town 60km west of the real Frankfurt which is the financial/ banking centre of Germany but with a restored 'old' town centre.
Are you sure you didn't stay on Ryan Air territory?

The most famous Christmas Market in Germany is Nuremberg. I can hardly recommend it as you walk shoulder to shoulder in the early evening when all the stalls are lit up. I just don't like crowds but for some people they are the essence of a Christmas market.

Hello all
York has a Christmas market and Birmingham has a German market just before Christmas. Both cities have lots to offer.

Love and hugs

Last year I went on a National Holidays Christmas Market trip to Lille and Brussels. National Holidays prices are amazing for what you get. Usually its half board in a decent hotel and some of the trips are included. Lille market was smaller than Brussels, but I enjoyed them both. I find the coach travel a bit gruelling though and I live near Manchester, you have further to travel.

I had to check out this thread to find out what Christmas markets were! Sheltered life!

I think there's a Christmas market held at Lincoln too.

Yes there is a great Christmas market at Lincoln, been to it several times.

The Lincoln Christmas market is very good but it does get very very busy. Can recommend York's St Nicholas Fair, but last November we went to Bath Christmas Market on the way back from a trip to Cornwall and we were rather disappointed. However, there are plenty of other good things to see in Bath. It goes without saying that the best Christmas markets are in Germany - no-one does Christmas like the Germans!

Thanks for all the suggestions. I agree the german markets are the best especially cologne, aachen, dusseldorf and nuremberg. We will watch for the adverts in the newspapers nearer the time. However keep the suggestions coming.

Expat, we stayed in the Financial area and it was quite a short walk to the shopping district and the old town square where the markets were.

Compared to Munich or Berlin it is compact !

The French ones are nice too. I stayed at Orry la Ville just north of Paris, where my sister lives. The local one was good: there was a bonfire in the middle of the market area too, and we went to some in bigger towns as well.

They are good on two levels - what they sell, and the lovely Christmassy atmosphere they create.

The Berlin market is extremely crowded and all the stalls seen to sell the same stuff.

Two years ago a friend and I went to Kracow, staying at the Andels hotel, flew with [ I think] EasyJet from Liverpool.

It was a wonderful trip. Train just outside Kracow Airport to the city, then literally a stone's throw across the square to the hotel, which was terrific - superb room and the most luxurious bathroom you can imagine

The market had just opened; it was very cold, with a dusting of snow, but we overcame the cold with copious draughts of gluwein at frequent intervals. Every stall seemed to be different, and the gifts and garments were unusual and quite beautiful. It was crowded enough to have a great atmosphere but not uncomfortable. We ate barbecue-type food at the food stalls

Auschvitz was incredibly moving and disturbing, and though fairly crowded, there was a feeling of great respect. We also visited the salt mines [interesting but not to be repeated] but unfortunately did not have time for the Jewish area, and the castle was closed the day we went - definitely next time!

A beautiful city, well worth a visit.

Salzburg. Just beautiful. That's all

Titan Tours do Christmas Market holidays.........have used them on several occasions

Son lives in Munich so we have been taken to quite a few of the 30 or so Christmas markets dotted around the town. The hot-toddies (gluwein) were a must as it was so desperately cold in spite of thermals etc (I recommend a balaclava too!). Otherwise I found them a bit of a trial though the occasional oompah bands lifted the spririts. There are only so many stalls selling beautiful but pricey objects you can take. I couldn't bring myself to pay so much for a fragile tree decoration. Once you've bought one traditional wooden thing with sails that are rotated by candle heat, that lasts a lifetime. Sorry I'm a cynic - I prefer carol singing by lamplight in a crisp but less cold climate. Nor could I stand the crowds and atmosphere in a communal beer garden we went to last week for Sunday lunch. I'd better avoid the Oktoberfest.
Otherwise, Munich is a wonderful city!

Prague.

We missed the markets by a day as we decided last minute to go there and couldn't get an earlier flight due to its popularity. It was lovely to be anyway as its a beautiful city.

Thanks for all the suggestions. We have booked to go to Rudesheim in Germany (on the Rhine). It is a coach tour with 2 nights on the Ferry and 3 nights in Germany. I will report back afterwards. .)

Have a great time Rudesheim is quite a small place so it should not be too busy. I was lucky enough to win a trip to Heidelberg for their Christmas market it was a magical trip .