9 Do’s & Don’ts for Visiting the Christmas Markets
We recently returned from a four-night visit to Frankfurt, where we toured Christmas markets in three cities. We have been doing this annually for about thirty years. Here are some do’s and don’ts for making the most of your experience:
Ed. Notes: The European Christmas Markets are always a popular holiday cruise itinerary leading up to Christmas in Europe. In many of the charming towns and villages in Germany and Austria, Advent is ushered in with the opening of the Christmas markets. Medieval in appearance, they are held in the town square and sell food, drink and lovely handmade gifts from open-air stalls. The history of Christmas markets goes back to the late Middle Ages in the German-speaking parts of Europe- in fact, the Vienna “December Market” was a forerunner of the Christmas market.
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Travel:
If you are in a town or city, you might be using the tram service to get from your hotel or river cruise to the market.
Do: Buy your ticket before boarding. This is often done via automated machines at the stations. Buying a day pass is often only marginally more than buying two fares.
Don’t: Board without a ticket. Many European cities work on the honor system. You board, ride and disembark, with no one checking your ticket! Can’t you be a free rider? No. They have roving inspectors who might board and check tickets. The penalty fines are enormous.
Shopping:
Christmas markets are collections of booths, often looking like small cottages, arranged in a grid formation in the town’s main square. They sell food and handmade gift items.
Do: Get cash from an ATM or a currency exchange. You want to be walking around with local currency. These vendors operate on a cash basis, especially the food stands.
Don’t: Show up with a credit card, expecting to be able to charge everything. That works in stores, not Christmas market stalls.
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Getting around:
Christmas markets are like little villages. A big city like Cologne or Nurenberg might have several hundred stalls.
Do: Expect to do a LOT of walking. If you visit at peak times, expect to be maneuvering your way through crowds.
Don’t: Expect people to clear a path or respect personal space. These markets are usually friendly, with families, co-workers and friends celebrating. The local residents are used to the market crowds.
Eating:
Restaurants on the edges of the town square should have restaurants where you can order a full meal. Christmas markets are deconstructed.
Do: Expect to find a couple of dozen types of food like sausages on buns, currywurst, potato pancakes and crepes. Each vendor does one food item or category. You will need to go from stall to stall to assemble your meal. Many visitors eat one course at a time.
Don’t: Expect one stop shopping. You will probably not be able to buy your beverage from the stall selling sausages or your sausages from the stall selling crepes.
Drinking:
In Germany, Gluhwein is the traditional beverage. It is a mulled wine served piping hot. It is served in a glass or ceramic mug. These mugs have deposits.
Do: Expect to pay more than you expected for your Gluhwein. Why? Because the mugs require a deposit. Sometimes you are given a plastic coin too. You return the mug and coin to the stand where you bought your Gluhwein. Your deposit is returned immediately.
Don’t: Forget where you bought your Gluhwein or lose the plastic coin. In that case, you have probably just bought a mug as a souvenir.
Hours:
Germany is pretty standardized about lots of things, but towns can vary. Christmas markets in cities are likely open every day up to Christmas. Smaller towns might only have markets on weekends.
Do: Check the opening hours before you go to the market.
Don’t: Make a long journey and arrive one hour before closing. Germany is standardized. We have seen all the stalls shut promptly at closing time.
Avoiding crowds:
Christmas markets are a form of entertainment unique to Europe, but spreading around the world. They can get crowded.
Do: To avoid crowds, go earlier in the day, around opening time. Visit on weekdays.
Don’t: Show up midday on a weekend, not expecting crowds. You will think everyone in that province has turned up with their family.
Shopping for the best food prices:
Germany is very standardized. After cruising your first Christmas market (or pushing through crowds) you will notice pricing is pretty uniform. Everyone tends to charge the same price for similar food items.
Do: Plan to buy from the nearest stall selling the food item you want.
Don’t: Assume prices vary based on location in the market. Deposits on Gluhwein mugs might vary, the food and drink prices should be similar.
Sundays:
Germany tends to close down on Sundays. Stores and restaurants are closed. The Christmas market is open, but usually with shortened hours.
Do: Check the hours for your market if you are visiting on a Sunday. It’s on their website.
Don’t: If you show up in the evening on a Sunday, you may be looking at a lot of shuttered stalls. The entire market is either open or closed.
Christmas markets are a unique and pleasant experience. Even one visit should get you into the holiday spirit.
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