Tradition and Heritage - Romance and Charm
Germany´s historic cities offer Christmas
markets of yesteryear
Historic Highlights of Germany capture the best of the holiday season with a portfolio of Christmas markets epitomizing the very best of the season.The historic cities become beacons of Germany's cultural heritage in the weeks before Christmas when they are decorated for the festive season and glow with warm lights. From late November until Christmas, traditions dating back centuries are still alive there! "Lebkuchen" (gingerbread), "Stollen" (fruit cake), toasted almonds and toffee apples are some of the sweet specialties traditionally eaten at Christmas.
Children's eyes light up and their parents are caught up in nostalgic childhood memories when they see an old-fashioned merry-go-round. People stroll around picturesque old tow, sweet aromas fill the streets and the merchant´s roll out the red carpet. "Glühwein", a red mulled wine, is without doubt the most typical specialty served at all the Christmas markets, but the diversity of Germany's different regions is reflected in the food and handmade items on sale - after all local color is what counts!
The traditional Koblenz Christmas market is one of the largest and most beautiful in Rhineland-Palatinate and takes place in the picturesque ambiance of the romantic Old Town throughout the shopping streets. There is everything your heart could desire at Christmas among the 130 and more stalls with handmade arts, Christmas decorations and a massive selection of gift articles. Seasonally decorated with the scent of gingerbread and mulled wine in the air and Christmas melodies in the picturesque ambiance of the romantic Old Town: that is the Koblenz Christmas market. An extensive range of handmade crafts and Christmas decorations along with a huge selection of gift items are waiting for the visitors each year. Rounded off with an extensive program with live concerts called "Christmas Vokal", the Christmas bakery and many more attractions; a visit to the Koblenz Christmas market is an experience you will not want to miss.
Every year, on the last Monday in November at 5 p.m., the "Christ Child" makes a special visit to Heidelberg's "Marktplatz" (Market Square) to festively open the Heidelberg Christmas Market. From then through December 22nd, the Old Town is aglow with the enchantment of Christmas. More than 140 special stands fill Heidelberg's large and small squares with an endless variety of everything that makes the season so unique. With a cup of hot mulled wine to warm the hand and heart, and delicious treats from the wide range of the region's gastronomic offerings, a leisurely stroll through the fairytale setting at the foot of the castle ruins is an unforgettable experience. 
A special attraction of Osnabrück's Christmas market is the largest Christmas music box in the world. Atmospheric bright lights illuminate the Old Town as a lovingly restored children's merry-go-round from 1907 turns and festively decorated stalls offer craftwork, wooden toys, or sweets. St. Nikolaus visits each day to open a window on the huge Advent calendar in front of the "Rathaus" (Town Hall) where Osnabrück's Treaty of the Peace of Westphalia was signed in 1648. 
The Freiburg Christmas Market on the "Rathausplatz" (Town Hall Square) in the heart of the Old Town is considered one of the most beautiful Christmas markets in the whole of Germany. Framed by the Gothic cloister of the one-time Franciscan monastery, the nave of the "St. Martinskirche" (St. Martin's Church) and the picturesque, newly renovated facades of the new and old town halls, an enchanting collection of little houses is erected four weeks before Christmas. The Freiburg Christmas market is very much part of a tradition of Black Forest Christmas Markets. 
Münster's Christmas markets are unique: over 250 stands and festive illumination await the visitors in the wonderful atmosphere of the historical Old Town. The Christmas markets stand in rows along the market streets like pearls in a chain. They are just a few minutes walk from each other. 
Augsburg's Christkindlesmarkt radiates the charm of the holiday season with more than 500 years of tradition. Every weekend evening, the impressive Renaissance "Rathaus" (Town Hall) turns into a huge Advent calendar as twenty-four angels make music while standing in the windows of the Renaissance structure.
Erfurt's historic Old Town and the "Mariendom" (St Mary's Cathedral) where Martin Luther was ordained as a priest in 1511) provide a magical atmosphere at Christmas time and the "Domplatz" (Cathedral Square) is an ideal place for the Christmas market with a tradition of more than 150 years. Craftsmen sell a wide range of Thuringian handicrafts from Christmas tree decorations to blue print textiles and a rich choice of ceramics and pottery. 
The picturesque "Schlossplatz" (Palace Square) forms the fascinating setting for the Wiesbaden Twinkling Star Christmas Market. Four gates decorated with stars grant access to this fairytale like scene, where young and old will find desirable and beautiful items. Not only will the ambiance provide for a cheerful mood, but so will the accompanying program comprising choirs, nativity plays, wind quartets, concerts, storytelling and much more.
As Germany's oldest city, Trier's glorious history can be witnessed at every step on a stroll through the bustling Old Town that is made particularly inviting for the holidays. The "Hauptmarkt" (Main Market) and the "Dom" (Cathedral) present themselves as a picturesque backdrop for the annual Christmas market. 
Würzburg is the northern gateway to the Romantic Road. In the heart of Old Town, one of Germany's most picturesque and enchanting Christmas markets carries on a tradition of holiday cheer dating from the early 19th century and provides a charming scene fit for a Christmas card with its Gothic Chapel. 
The Rostock Christmas Market is the largest in Northern Germany. The colorful fair offers seasonal treasures such as "Rostocker Bratwurst" (fried sausage) and "Backbanane" (banana baked in dough) as well as traditional craftwork, music and a Ferris wheel. The market begins with the anticipated arrival of Santa Claus and his wife on a sailing ship. Santa then will give presents to the children while his wife is telling fairy tales.
The historic market square in Mainz is a blaze of lights. The air is scented with a Christmassy mixture of roast almonds, gingerbread, hot chestnuts and mulled wine. Large and small visitors gladly let themselves be enchanted by this pre-Christmas atmosphere. On a stroll through Mainz Christmas market, the stress and hectic pace of everyday life are quickly forgotten.
