Christmas markets to mark beginning of holiday season Published Nov. 21, 2012 By Iris Reiff 52nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs SPANGDAHLEM AIR BASE, Germany -- This month, Germany will turn into a Christmas wonderland when many cities begin setting up their traditional Weihnachtsmarkt, or Christmas markets. Whether it is Nuernberg or Dudeldorf, the atmosphere is the same. Many people joyfully welcome the beginning of the holiday season. Most markets will open around this time and stay open until shortly before Christmas. Although every Christmas market has its unique flair and character, they are usually set up in a similar way to feature decorated wooden huts lined up in a popular spot of the town. Vendors offer a variety of goods, ranging from colorful Christmas ornaments and decorations to advent calendars, candles and wooden toys. One can also find a wide variety of handcrafted items, which can make great Christmas gifts. Historical carrousels are among the highlights for children, and fresh cotton candy may tempt old and young alike. Christmas carols and music performed by local choirs and music bands add to the events, helping put people into the holiday spirit. Sankt Nikolaus, the German version of Santa Claus, typically pays a visit to the markets and surprises the children with holiday treats. Prices are usually a little higher at the Christmas markets; however, the ornaments and decorations offered are traditional and often handmade, the food is fresh, and the experience can create memories that last a lifetime. A good and possibly hassle-free way to see the Christmas markets with friends or family is by taking the train. The closest train stations to Spangdahlem AB are in Erdorf, Wittlich or Speicher. Visit http://www.bahn.de for train information. It is recommended to take a train from Speicher or Erdorf for the Cologne market and take a train from Wittlich for seeing the Koblenz market. Just watch out for the shortest travel time when researching information prior to determining the best train station for the location you are going to. The following are dates and opening times for some Christmas markets in the Eifel, Germany and bordering countries. Additional markets, not mentioned here, may take place in other locations. LOCAL MARKETS Bitburg Bitburg's Weihnachtsmarkt takes place Dec. 7-16. The market is open noon to 7 p.m. daily. Bernkastel Bernkastel hosts its 35th annual Mittelalterlicher Weihnachtsmarkt, or medieval Christmas market, offering more than 50 decorated sales huts Nov. 24 through Dec. 23 near the Baerenbrunnen fountain in the town's market square and throughout the pedestrian area. Opening times are 11 a.m. - 7 p.m., Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. - 9 p.m., Friday through Saturday and 11 a.m. - 8 p.m., Sunday . The market is closed Nov. 25. Many highlights are scheduled. Dudeldorf Dudeldorf hosts the largest market that is closest to the base Dec. 1-2, with numerous stands throughout the streets of town. Opening times are noon to 8 p.m., Dec. 1 and 11 a.m. - 8 p.m., Dec. 2. More than 100 vendors are expected. Entertainment includes a visit by Saint Nikolaus for the children at 3 p.m. both days of the event as well as concerts and choir and bagpipe player performances. The market takes place in the historical center of the town and around the Dudeldorf Castle. Foehren Castle Foehren Castle will host a small Christmas market Dec. 14-16. Opening times are from 11 a.m. to midnight. For details, visit http://www.schloss-foehren.de. Irsch/Saar Irsch/Saar will host a Christmas market 11 a.m. - 6 p.m., Dec. 2. Art, handcrafts and Christmas ornaments will be offered. All proceeds will go toward the renovation of the Gervasius and Protasius church. Manderscheid Manderscheid will host a Castle Christmas market at the Niederburg, or Lower Castle, noon to 8 p.m., Dec. 1 and 11 a.m. - 6 p.m., Dec. 2. The castle will be illuminated in the evenings. Many highlights are scheduled to include a Christmas mansion. Mertesdorf Mertesdorf will host a medieval Christmas market Dec. 10-11 near the Ruwertal hall, featuring magicians, knights, dancers and drummers. Opening times are 11 a.m. - 8 p.m., Dec. 10 and 11 a.m. - 7 p.m., Dec. 11. Visit http://www.forumgaudi.de for additional details. Saarburg Saarburg will host a Christkindlmarkt Nov. 30 through Dec. 9. Opening times are 3-8 p.m., Monday through Friday and 11 a.m. - 8 p.m., Saturday and Sunday. The market will offer 20 decorated wooden booths. Visit http://www.irsch-saar.de for additional details. Traben-Trarbach/Mosel Traben-Trarbach/Mosel will host their first underground wine-nachts-markt, or wine market, inside a wine cellar. The event is open Nov. 30 through Jan. 6. Visit http://www.mosel-wein-nachts-markt.de for more details and information on the opening times. Trier Trier hosts its traditional Weihnachtsmarkt Nov. 26 through Dec. 22 in the Hauptmarkt, or main market square, featuring about 95 sales stands. Music, entertainment and celebrations will be featured in the market square throughout the entire season and Santa will visit often. Opening times are 10:30 a.m. - 8:30 p.m., daily. Wittlich Wittlich has a Christmas market Nov. 30 through Dec. 23 in the center of town. Opening times are 11 a.m. - 7:30 p.m., daily. Highlights include regional, homemade and handcrafted items, a 30-meter tall Christmas tree, and Christmas carols every Saturday after 5 p.m. MARKETS, LOCATED OUTSIDE THE LOCAL AREA Aachen Aachen, the city where the famous German Lebkuchen Printen cakes originate from, is hosting a Christmas market Nov. 23 through Dec. 23 in the city's market square. Opening times are 11 a.m. - 9 p.m., daily. The market is open from 6-9 p.m., Nov. 25. More than 100 booths will be set up selling handicraft, art and Christmas ornaments. Lebkuchen and Spekulatuis baked goods are popular in Aachen. Many attractions can be found at the Aachen market. Augsburg Ausburg will host a Christkindlmarkt Nov. 26 through Dec. 23. The market is open 11 a.m. - 9 p.m., daily. Highlights include a large Christmas pyramid surrounded by angel figures and Renaissance buildings. The market is more than 500 years old. Baden-Baden Baden-Baden hosts their traditional Weihnachtsmarkt Nov. 26 through Dec. 30 in the historical market square. The market is open daily from 11 a.m. - 9 p.m. Highlights include a life-size nativity scene with real sheep, and Santa Claus visits frequently. Bonn Bonn will host a Christmas market Nov. 23 through Dec. 23 on Muensterplatz. The market is open 11 a.m. - 9 p.m., Monday through Sunday. The market will be closed Nov. 25. The city of Bonn also offers a modern ice-skating rink. Cologne Cologne hosts four large markets: around the Dom Cathedral, Alter Market, Neumarkt and Rudolfplatz. There will be a floating Christmas market on board the MS Wappen von Mainz boat. The markets are open 11 a.m. - 9 p.m., Nov. 26 through Dec. 23. There will also be two smaller markets set up near the Cologne Chocolate museum, which is the Harbor market, to take place Nov. 29 through Dec. 23. The Stadtgarten market is scheduled for Nov. 26 through Dec. 23. Dresden Dresden hosts the 578th Striezelmarkt Nov. 28 through Dec. 24 on Altmarkt. Opening times are from 10 a.m. - 9 p.m., Monday through Sunday. The market is open from 4-9 p.m., Nov. 24 and from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m., Dec. 24. Striezelmarkt is known as the most popular Christmas market in former Eastern Germany, and it is Germany's oldest Christmas market, dating back to the year 1434. Highlights include a Christmas tree with many decorations, several life-size Christmas figures to include snowmen and a nutcracker man, hand-made Christmas decorations, a giant advent calendar, a fairy tale castle and fairy tale forest with more than 100 figures. Frankfurt Frankfurt's Christmas market, held on the Roemerberg with about 200 stands and three million visitors in previous years, is known to be one of the largest markets in Germany, dating back to the year 1393. The wooden stands are set up around the Fountain of Justice, in the shadow of the Roemer, the city's ancient town hall, Nov. 26 through Dec. 23. The Frankfurt market is open 10 a.m. - 9 p.m., daily. The Roemerberg is in the center of the town, near Paul's Church. Hamburg Hamburg has several markets set up throughout the center of town Nov. 26 through Dec. 23, on Gerhart-Hauptmann Platz, around the Petri Church, through Spitalerstrasse, Moenckebergbrunnen, Jacobikirchhof all the way to the Saint Petri Church. The market features about 150 larger- and smaller-size booths, many of them resembling half-timbered houses. Markets are open 11 a.m. - 9 p.m., daily, but they will be closed Dec. 25-26. A highlight of the Hamburg market is a 20-meter high Christmas tree, carrying 12,000 lights and ornaments as well as a large Christmas mansion. Heidelberg Heidelberg hosts a large Weihnachtsmarkt with an ice skating rink Nov. 21 through Dec. 22. The market spreads out to several historical sites, which are the market square and Kornmarkt, located on Hauptstrasse and Universitaetsplatz. A Park & Ride shuttle service is available. Opening times are 11 a.m. - 9 p.m., daily. Kaiserslautern Kaiserslautern hosts a market in the center of town around Stiftskirche with more than 40 wooden booths Nov. 26 through Dec. 23. The market is open Monday through Wednesday, from 10 a.m. - 9 p.m., Thursday through Saturday, from 10 a.m. - 10 p.m., and Sunday from 1 to 9 p.m , Koblenz Koblenz hosts the largest Weihnachtsmarkt in Rheinland-Pfalz Nov. 23 through Dec. 22 in the Altstadt, or old city. Opening times are 10 a.m. - 8 p.m., Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. - 9 p.m., Friday and Saturday, and 11 a.m. - 8 p.m., Sunday and holidays. This year's highlights include the life-size wooden Christmas mansion and horse wagon rides. Koblenz also offers an ice-skating rink near the market, as well as children's rides. Leipzig Leipzig hosts a Christmas market Nov. 27 through Dec. 23 around the Old City Hall in the center of town. The market is open 11 a.m. - 7 p.m., daily. Highlights include the world's largest free-standing advent calendar. Luebeck Luebeck, the city where the famous Marzipan originates from, is hosting a Christmas market Nov. 28 through Dec. 23 in the market square. The market, which dates back to the year 1648, is among Germany's most popular Christmas markets. It is open daily from 11 a.m. - 9 p.m., except for Fridays and Saturdays when the market closes at 10 p.m. The market is open from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Dec. 24. The market is closed Dec. 25. Mainz Mainz hosts its Weihnachtsmarkt Nov. 29 through Dec. 23 in the Historic Square right in front of the Dom Cathedral. The market is open 11 a.m. - 8:30 p.m. Sunday through Thrusday, and11 a.m. - 9 p.m. Friday through Saturday. The market offers 60 decorated booths. Highlights include a 36-foot tall wooden Christmas pyramid and a life-size nativity scene carved out of lime wood. Santa Claus will visit the market from 5-6 p.m. Dec. 6. Mannheim Mannheim will host a Christmas market Nov. 28 through Dec. 23 on Friedrichtsplatz, offering about 200 booths. Opening times are daily from 11 a.m. - 9 p.m. There will also be children's rides. Munich Munich has several markets. The Christkindlmarkt is open Nov. 30 through Dec. 24 at Maerienplatz, in front of the city hall in the center of town. The market is open 10 a.m. - 8:30 p.m., Monday through Saturday, and 9 a.m. - 2 p.m., Dec. 24. Other smaller markets can be found in Schwabingen, Heidhausen, Chinesischer Turm, Neuhauser, Ramersdorf and Pasing. Nuernberg Nuernberg's Christkindlmarkt, a famous market in Germany, takes place Nov. 30 through Dec. 24, 9:30 a.m. - 8 p.m., Monday through Thursday, 9:30 a.m. - 10 p.m., Friday and Saturday, and 10:30 a.m. - 8 p.m., Sunday. Rothenberg ob der Tauber Rothenberg ob der Tauber hosts its Weihnachtsmarkt Nov. 30 through Dec. 23. The market is open 11 a.m. - 7 p.m., Sunday through Thursday, and 11 a.m. - 8 p.m., Friday and Saturday. The medieval town of Rothenburg sells Christmas ornaments year-round and has a Christmas museum. Famous at this market is pottery and glass ornaments. Saarbruecken Saarbruecken hosts a Christmas market Nov. 26 through Dec. 23. Opening times are 11 a.m. - 9 p.m., daily in the Saint Johann market square. Nearly 100 huts will be set up. Highlights include life-sized figures and Father Christmas telling the Christmas story of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer in German each night. Stuttgart Stuttgart has one of the oldest Christmas markets in Europe, offering more than 200 booths. The market takes place Nov. 28 through Dec. 23 and is open 10 a.m. - 9 p.m., Monday through Saturday, and 11 a.m. - 9 p.m., Sunday. The market is open from 6-9 p.m., Nov. 23. The town also has an ice skating rink. Wiesbaden Wiesbaden will host a Christmas market Nov. 27 through Dec. 23 in the heart of the city, on Schlossplatz. The market is open from 10:30 a.m. - 9 p.m., Monday through Thursday, from 10:30 a.m. - 9:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday, and from noon to 9 p.m., Sunday. Among the highlights are the 20-meter high Christmas tree and a life-size wood Christmas mansion. People have to walk through four mansions before they get to the market. Wuerzburg Wuerzburg hosts a Christmas market Nov. 27 through Dec. 23 in front of the town's famous gothic Marien chapel and Rokoko-Falkenhaus. The market dates back to the year 1800 and offers about 80 booths. MARKETS IN THE BORDERING COUNTRIES Brussels, Belgium Brussels' Christmas market has more than 200 stands offering holiday treats, including famous Belgian chocolate, handicraft, toys and holiday decorations Nov. 30 through Jan. 6. The market will be located in the area around the Bourse, Marche aux Poissons and Place Sainte-Catherine. An ice-skating ring is nearby for children and adults to enjoy skating. More information about the holiday season in Brussels is available at http://www.christmasmarkets.com/Belgium/brussels-christmas-market.html. Durbuy, Belguim Durbuy, a community in Belgium, will host a scenic Christmas market every weekend Dec. 1 through Jan. 6 at the Roi Baudoin Park From Dec. 4-18, there will be 100 chalets around a 450 square meter ice rink and in the cobblestone streets of this small community. Opening times are from 11 a.m. - 8 p.m., daily. The market stays open later Saturday and Sunday. There will be special illuminations, a Christmas tree in the main square and the entire town will be illuminated with 1000 candles Dec. 24 and Dec. 31. Echternach, Luxembourg Echternach hosts its market Dec. 14-16 in the historical market square and center of town. Opening times are 5 a.m. - 8 p.m., daily. This market offers a variety of Christmas-related items to include jewelry and handcrafted items. Entertainment is scheduled daily. Liege, Belgium Another popular and one of the largest European Christmas markets can be found in the city of Liege Nov. 30 through Dec. 30. About 200 wooden chalets and stalls, offering gifts, handicrafts and souvenirs can be found at the Liege market annually. For more information, visit http://www.villagedenoel.be/EN/index.asp. Lille, France Lille will host a Christmas Market Nov. 21 through Dec. 30. Many visitors flock into the city annually for the holiday season and to visit Lille's Christmas market. Among the highlights for visitors is a ride on the 50-meter-high Ferris wheel, which offers a panoramic view of the city. About 80 sales stands will be set up for the market, offering traditional holiday items and food treats. Throughout the holiday season, Santa climbs down a 76-meter-tall belfry of the Chamber of Commerce to distribute sweets to children. For more information about Lille around the holiday season, visit http://www.noel-a-lille.com. Luxembourg City, Luxembourg Luxembourg City hosts its annual Christmas market Nov. 30 through Dec. 24 at the Place d'Armes in the center of town. The market is open 10:30 a.m. - 8 p.m., daily. About 70 decorated huts will be set up selling Christmas items and ornaments. Several concerts are scheduled each day. A special Advent market takes place Dec. 1-24 on Bahnhofsvorplatz. The market opens 3:45 p.m., Dec. 1 with a special winter festival called "Winterlights." The city of Luxembourg invites visitors to the 'Winterlights' festival which is the central theme of a series of events that brightened up winter in Luxembourg's capital from Nov. 28, 2008, to Jan. 4, 2009. To highlight the festive atmosphere at the end of the year, Luxembourg's capital has been decorated with Christmas lights. More than 1,600 meters of lights with thousands of light bulbs now decorate the street lights, tree-lined streets and squares in the city. Metz, France Metz has its annual Christmas market Nov. 24 through Dec. 30 on Place Saint Jacques and other famous spots throughout the city. Many highlights are awaiting visitors and children. Numerous vendors will be in place. Paris, France Paris offers multiple Christmas markets throughout the metropolis on various dates in November and December. The Champs-Elysees will be decorated for the holiday season with stands lining up along the boulevard. The largest market can be found in Trocadero. For more information about Paris over the holiday season, visit http://en.parisinfo.com/shows-exhibitions-paris/christmas-in-paris/christmas-markets. Strasbourg, France Strasbourg offers a Christmas market Nov. 24 through Dec. 31 at the Muensterplatz, Place Broglie and Petite France. Opening times are 10 a.m. - 8 p.m., Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday; from 10 a.m. - 9 p.m., Thursday and Saturday; from 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., Dec. 24 and Dec. 31; from 2-7 p.m., Dec. 25; and from 10 a.m. - 7 p.m., Dec. 20. This is one of the largest Christmas markets in France, taking place for the 436th time this year. Several hundred vendors will be in place. Highlights include half-timbered buildings with Christmas shops and a gingerbread bakery. Valkenburg, the Netherlands Valkenburg, near Maastricht, will host a Christmas market Nov. 16 through Dec. 23 in the Valkenburg Velvet Cave, the largest and oldest underground Christmas market in Europe. A visit to the Christmas Market in the Velvet Cave is more than decorations alone: on a tour of the cave visitors, can experience mural paintings, sculptures, the unique 18th century chapel, market stalls with Christmas and gift items, ancient trades, food and beverages. Vianden, Luxembourg Vianden will host a Christmas market Dec. 15-16 from 10 a.m. - 7 p.m. The castle will be the location. Zurich, Switzerland Zurich hosts its 19th Christkindl market Nov. 22 through Dec. 24 inside the city's ShopVille-Rail City train station. Opening times are from 11 a.m. - 9 p.m., Monday through Friday, and 10 a.m. - 8 p.m., Saturday and Sunday. The market closes at 4 p.m., Dec. 24. Highlights include one of the largest European indoor-Christmas markets and a large Christmas tree with about 6,000 ornaments.