![\"Essen](\"https:\/\/www.casaborita.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/DSC_0020-2.jpg\" "\\"Essen")
<\/p>\r\nThere are many reasons to visit Germany: a diverse landscape, modern cities with a cozy Old Town, good soccer teams, beer at Oktoberfest, fairytale castles, and of course, their renowed Christmas markets. The latter has become an annual trip for me. However, I must admit that I wasn\u2019t too impressed by my first German christmas market experience.<\/p>\r\n
My first visit to a German christmas market was a daytrip by bus. I only had a couple of hours to spend at the market, and I had to leave right when it started to become fun. So I decided to give it another chance the year after. This time I drove with my own car and had my own schedule, and now I am hooked! Yes, the German Christmas markets are indeed as beautiful and as fun as everyone says. And with the following tips, you will enjoy the markets even more!<\/p>\r\n
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Germany is one of the largest countries in Europe, so picking a city for your Christmas market trip might feel a bit overwhelming. Since I live in The Netherlands, I limit my options to cities in North Rhine-Westphalia which are at driving distance. So far, I\u2019ve been to the Christmas markets in D\u00fcsseldorf, Dortmund and Essen. This is what I liked the most about them:<\/p>\r\n
D\u00fcsseldorf has the most diversity of markets. Their Christmas market is spread over seven different locations, all with their own special theme. There is a star market and and an angels market, very cute!<\/p>\r\n
![\"D\u00fcsseldorf](\"https:\/\/www.casaborita.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/DSC_0525.jpg\" "\\"D\u00fcsseldorf")
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With the largest Christmas tree in the world and more than 300 stalls, the Dortmund Christmas market is often called the largest of Germany. They sure love their superlatives! But honestly, the Christmas tree is indeed jaw-dropping, I couldn\u2019t keep my eyes of it. And I would also say that Dortmund is the most fun Christmas market that I\u2019ve been to. The Christmas bars are huge and it attracts a crowd of young adults.<\/p>\r\n
![\"Dortmund](\"https:\/\/www.casaborita.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/DSC_0057.jpg\" "\\"Dortmund")
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Dortmund might have the largest Christmas tree of the world, but Essen steals the show when it comes to lights and decorations. From cute teddybears to giant christmas balls, everything seems photoworthy in Essen. Plus, Essen is only a 30-minute drive from Dortmund so it\u2019s very easy to combine both cities in one weekend.<\/p>\r\n
![\"Essen](\"https:\/\/www.casaborita.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/IMG_0319.jpg\" "\\"Essen")
![\"Essen](\"https:\/\/www.casaborita.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/DSC_0044.jpg\" "\\"Essen")
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Every city starts and ends their Christmas market on a different day, so it\u2019s important to check the dates before your visit. The last thing you want is to arrive in Germany for the Christmas season and the market aren\u2019t there!<\/p>\r\n
Most Christmas markets start in late November and end on Christmas Eve. The latter really surprised me, because lots of people have the week off between Christmas and New Year\u2019s Eve. If you\u2019re one of them, then the markets in D\u00fcsseldorf and Dortmund are still open for you until the 30th. I read that Berlin is also a good option. Not only does every neighborhood have their own Christmas market, they are all open until the 31st.<\/p>\r\n
![\"Dortmund](\"https:\/\/www.casaborita.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/DSC_0079.jpg\" "\\"Dortmund")
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Good news for my fellow night owls: visiting German Christmas markets is one of the few trips where you don\u2019t have to wake up early to make the most out of it. Seeing all the Christmas lights and decorations during daytime is just okay, however, seeing them at night is WOW!<\/p>\r\n
Depending on the size and closing time of the Christmas market, I wouldn\u2019t get there too late either. I would say 4 PM is the perfect time to arrive at a Christmas market. Do you only have the chance to visit the Christmas market during daytime? Then try to stay at least until 5 PM, to experience some of the nighttime magic.<\/p>\r\n
![\"Essen](\"https:\/\/www.casaborita.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/UMMF2383.jpg\" "\\"Essen")
![\"Essen](\"https:\/\/www.casaborita.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/DSC_0005.jpg\" "\\"Essen")
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Sitting down at restaurant instead of grabbing food at the market was a mistake that I made during my first German Christmas trip. I was very hungry after the long bus ride to D\u00fcsseldorf. So the first thing we did upon arrival fill up our tummies at a restaurant.\u00a0Now, don\u2019t get me wrong. The apple flammkuchen that I ordered was delicious, but I only had a couple of hours to spend in D\u00fcsseldorf and I left without seeing all that the market had to offer.<\/p>\r\n
Plus, as I realized during my second German Christmas trip, eating and drinking your way through the market is what makes it so much fun! There are soo many things to try. My personal favorites? Jacket\u00a0potatoe for \u2018dinner\u2019, keeping my sweet tooth happy with fruit skewers covered in chocolate and staying warm and jolly with a hot Russian chocolate.<\/p>\r\n
![\"Dortmund](\"https:\/\/www.casaborita.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/IMG_6777.jpg\" "\\"Dortmund")
![\"Essen](\"https:\/\/www.casaborita.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/IMG_0551.jpg\" "\\"Essen")
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Most stalls in Germany don\u2019t accept cards, so keep that in mind before heading to the Christmas market. The Christmas markets in big cities are all surrounded by ATM\u2019s but it\u2019s always good to carry some cash with you on forehand. Also, you might need cash for parking. At least in Dortmund and Essen the parking garages are cash-only, so most likely this will apply to many other cities as well.<\/p>\r\n
![\"Dortmund](\"https:\/\/www.casaborita.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/DSC_0076.jpg\" "\\"Dortmund")
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As for the Christmas market next year, I am thinking of going to Aachen, Cologne or Frankfurt. But I was told that the best German Christmas markets are actually in smaller towns, so suggestions are always welcome!<\/p>\r\n
Ayo! AR x<\/p>\r\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
There are many reasons to visit Germany: a diverse landscape, modern cities with a cozy Old Town, good soccer teams, beer at Oktoberfest, fairytale castles, and of course, their renowed Christmas markets. The latter has become an annual trip for me. However, I must admit that I wasn\u2019t too impressed by my first German christmas…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":6472,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_bos_mb_destination":[""],"iawp_total_views":3,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[451,315,268],"tags":[377,172,170,212,171,163],"class_list":["post-6451","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-destinations","category-europe","category-germany","tag-christmas-market","tag-christmas-season","tag-food","tag-germany","tag-holidays","tag-shopping-en"],"yoast_head":"\n