The most beautiful alternative Christmas markets in Five Cities
For some it is the most wonderful time of the year, for others it is pure stress - Advent. But what everyone can certainly use equally well are a few nice hours with dear friends. A little shopping, a little mulled wine and a lot of laughing together. We have put together our five favorite Christmas markets in Berlin, Cologne, Vienna, Hamburg and Munich with sustainable food and shopping concepts for you and wish you a relaxed pre-Christmas period.
Berlin: From holy shit to xmas flow – the capital shows many facets
The Dahlem domain is a very popular excursion destination in Berlin all year round. This is where many a city child sees the first piglet of their life. The former manor is an open-air agricultural history museum and the only organic farm with a subway connection. The annual Advent market gives you the feeling of really being in the middle of the country. The beautifully lit and decorated estate will even impress those who don't like Christmas. There is organic mulled wine and children's punch produced exclusively for the domain, as well as seasonal dishes from the in-house organic restaurant. Visitors can marvel at handicrafts, drive tractors and take tours behind the scenes of the farm. There are craft activities, fire shows and alpacas for children.
Of course, Berlin has many more exciting Christmas markets like this Holy shit shopping on December 02.12nd and on December 03.12rd. with some free places for social initiatives (also available in Hamburg and Stuttgart). Nowkoelln Xmas Flow on December 10.12th with a mix of flea market and handicrafts Environmental and Christmas market in Mitte on the Advent weekends with a focus on environmental protection and the Merry market hall in the Kreuzberg market hall with handcrafted products and delicacies from small manufacturers (December 10.12th and December 17.12th).
Cologne: Christmas market in a Cologne institution
Between Friesenplatz and the Ehrenfeld district there is not only a beautiful park called Stadtgarten, but also the Cologne cultural and concert institution of the same name for almost forty years. An independent concert program with current music has always been offered here, which offers musicians fair salaries through the income from catering without public subsidies. Every year at Christmas time there are Christmas-decorated huts under old treetops in front of the building. Over sixty exhibitors who change every week show their items here. From truffle butter to silver jewelry, from socks with a cathedral motif to self-sewn fool's caps, everything is included. Plus an exciting culinary offering and homemade winemaker's mulled wine from organic farming. The child-friendly cultural program includes, among other things, a great puppet theater with changing performances.
Vienna: Gustav Klimt's studio
There is a neo-baroque villa in a spacious garden in the middle of Vienna. This is where Gustav Klimt painted some of his most important works in his studio in the garden house from 1911 until his death in 1918. The villa was only built around the studio after his death. After being used as a school for a long time, it stood empty for a few years until it became the Klimt Museum in 2012. On Advent Sundays there is a small art market in the villa's salon with creative and unique gift ideas. And in front of the large outside staircase, homemade punch, mulled wine, snacks and live music are offered.
Hamburg: Romantic at the gates of the city
One of the best-known and largest Christmas markets in the north is located just outside Hamburg in the Gut Basthorst cultural monument. There is a lot on offer here over the three Advent weekends. Up to 250 exhibitors and lots of culinary specialties such as flamed salmon, potato pancakes, venison bratwurst, lilac berry soup, fish rolls and apple or honey punch. There is also an extensive program for children, from pony rides, children's carousels, water fireworks, baking in the fairy tale workshop to archery.
Munich: There is a wishing tree in Schwabing
Munich of course has many classic Christmas markets. A slightly different classic has been the Schwabing Christmas market since 1976, which was initiated by artists and craftsmen and has remained true to this day. With sophisticated live music, dance performances, a diverse culinary offering and lots of local color. Over eighty exhibitors present their handicrafts such as jewelry, ceramics and woodwork here.
The idea of the so-called is particularly nice CultureWishTree for children from families with lower incomes. Here they can hang their wishes, such as going to a concert, cinema or zoo, on the tree, which will then be fulfilled with the help of the donations collected. A visit to the Christmas market is twice as much fun!
© Photos: Unsplash / Tiard Schulz, Lena Kirchner (Cologne), Gut Basthorst (Hamburg), Schwabing Christmas Market (Munich), Unsplash / VAlentin Petkov
Geraldine Voss
Geraldine works as a freelance writer for Good Travel and has just completed training as a sustainability manager. After twenty exciting years in film, she now devotes herself full-time to her other passions - travel, food and design.
Elisabeth+Klein-Altstedde
I want to go to all the Christmas markets that Geraldine Voss described so beautifully.