A TAD OF CHRISTMAS CHEER FULL
It’s certainly under siege from tourists, and was quite crowded (and full of English speakers, unlike many of our other stops) despite our rainy, midweek arrival. Andrea felt they were too much like the breakfast sausages we get back home, but I couldn’t stop eating them and experienced no diminishing returns.īy rental car from Altdrossenfeld, we also ventured to Bamberg (a personal favorite with a just-the-right-size market), and the medieval delights of Kronach and Rothenburg ob der Tauber, which looks ready to withstand a Napoleonic siege even today. Nicknamed the “most German of German cities,” they also have their own sausage offering, known as the Nuremberger, featuring small sausages on a bun. Nuremburg’s Christkindlemarkt, in the Hauptmarkt, is the biggest in all the land and is not to be missed. The Christmas markets in Bayreuth and Nuremburg both were highlights of day trips we ventured from our three-day stay in Altdrossenfeld. Although the original church was destroyed by flooding in 1899, the replacement honors the staple tune and the men who composed its heavenly peacefulness. It was here the song was first performed 200 years ago, on Christmas Eve, 1818. We didn’t make the trip to nearby Oberndorf bei Salzburg, a 20-minute taxi ride away, but fans of “Silent Night” will want to make the journey. There are all sorts of nooks and small side streets to wander here, so don’t be afraid to explore. It was the only place where we opted for a guided tour, and Lucia from Radius Tours proved to be a valuable asset in the history-laden town, as “Sound of Music” fans can certainly attest. Salzburg is certainly a unique opportunity just over the border into Austria. Nearby, Mannheim’s special treat came in the form of the small children’s market we found, the Mannheimer Marchenwald, with adorable vintage animatronics telling ancient tales to scores of kids, but the main market can be found under the town’s historic water tower. Heidelberg was a tad more expensive, but quite exquisite, and the mulled wine (gluehwien) there with visiting friends from London was memorable with Heidelberg Castle looming overhead. From the Cocoon, we ventured trips to Salzburg, Heidelberg and Mannehim and found similar treats, but each place manages to offer its own wrinkle worth exploring, olfactory or not.
That myriad of intoxicating smells is hardly confined to Munich, however. A traditional heart-shaped decorated gingerbread treat (lebkuchenherzen) is a must. Likewise, our stop at the Frauenkirche was breathtaking. and noon daily), with a delightful 10-minute ode to a real-life royal wedding that took place in the market square in 1568. Make sure to carve out time to catch the glockenspiel show at the New Town Hall (11 a.m. We spent the first few days of our two-week visit exploring Munich and its marvelous market. It gave us easy access to the massive Hauptbahnhof train station as well as the sprawling Marienplatz Christmas market. The Cocoon folks are a small chain of trendy hotels, and the Stachus location proved to be ideal for us.
We set up shop at the Cocoon Stachus in Munich. But when a German inevitably does receive you with warmth, it carries a great deal of impact because the sincerity and depth is genuine and heartfelt.
Mind you, the German people are not known for having a warm, fuzzy demeanor, and indeed civic life is a tad more clipped and formal than we find in the States. Germany offers us both a chance to connect to the festivities in a way not seen in our home country. Starting in late November, markets are open for business, and we thought Bavaria would be a fine choice for 2018, and we weren’t disappointed. This year, my wife, Andrea, and I set out for Munich to anchor our Christmas experience. From the first market - Bautzen’s debuted in 1384 - the concept spread through trading routes westward and survives today as a magnet for locals and travelers from across the globe alike. Dating to the Middle Ages, originally German Christmas markets offered villagers and townfolk a final opportunity to load up on goods to see them through the holiday and the harsh winter months to follow. All it takes is a trip to Germany.Īnywhere you go in this wonderful country, there’s probably a Christmas market to be found, and therein lies the holiday as it was meant to be. We have found Christmas spirit and joy distilled to its purest forms, and you can find it, too.
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