Let’s visit the magical Christmas Markets

 

Do you want to visit Christmas markets this year? Would you like to bring your children to a market you used to go to while you were a child?

If you haven’t bought a train or a airline ticket, it is not too late. But don’t wait too long. If you probably can always find a way to reach your destination, hotels get booked early for that time of the year and especially if you are planning to go to a small village or city.

So, where should you go?

 

Here is a list of some beautiful Christmas markets in Europe and USA:

Austria

Innsbruck: November 15th to January 6th

Vienna: November 19th to December 26th

 

England

Oxford: December 2d to December 18th

 

France

Colmar: November 24th o December 31st

Lyon Place Carnot: November 25th to December 24th

Paris (Place St Sulpice, St Germain des Près, Champs Elysées, Monpartnasse): November 23d to January 2d, 2012

Strasbourg: November 26th to December 31st

 

 

Germany

Berlin: November 22d to December 31st – biggest market in Spandau

Dresden: November 24th to December 24th – with traditional Stollen

Frankfurt: November 23d to December 22d

Heidelberg: November 23d to December 22d

Munich: November 25th to December 24th – enjoy Christmas on the Marienplatz

Nüremberg: November 25th to December 24th – try out the Lebkuchen

 

Italy

Rome: November 26th to January 6th

 

Switzerland

Basel: November 24th to December 23d

Montreux: November 24th to December 24th

Zurich: November 17th to December 31st

 

 

USA

Chicago Christkindelmarkt: November 23rd to December 24th – it celebrated last year its 15th anniversary and is the biggest Christmas market in America – Located on the Daley Plaza – Number of visitors went from 300,000 in 1996 to 1 million! Visit the Children’s Lantern Parade on St. Martin’s day (first Friday of December). Some vendors come from Germany to sell their treats.

Don’t miss the tree lighting ceremony this Wednesday, Nov. 23rd at 4:30p.m.

 

How to travel to the European Christmas markets?

Check out Rail Europe here. It has a list of  their ten favorite markets from Lille in France to Copenhagen in Denmark. If you would like to go somewhere else, key in your destination to find out how to get their and the price of the fare.

 

Great Thanks to Alicia Weippert from German American Services, Inc, who sent me pictures and information about the Chicago Christmas Market. http://www.christkindlmarket.com/                              

 

• Chicago
• Christkendelmarkt
• Christmas
• christmas markets
• Colmar
• France
• Germany
• Lebkuchen
• Markets
• Rail Europe
• Stollen
• Strasbourg
• Switzerland
• Zurich