Christmas Markets in Germany, Escorted from the UK
Germany has been doing Advent markets for centuries, and it shows: wooden stalls, brass bands playing carols in the cold, Glühwein served in a proper mug you pay a deposit on, and the smell of roasting almonds drifting down a cobbled lane. The holidays below go to two very different corners of the country, the Rhine wine towns around Rüdesheim and the shores of Lake Constance.
Travelling with a driver-guide takes the awkward part out of a December trip. No icy motorways, no parking, no deciphering regional train tickets in the dark. Excursions and entrance fees are arranged in advance, and the evenings are yours for the stalls.
Frequently Asked Questions About Our Germany Christmas Markets Tours
Most German markets open in the second half of November and close a day or two before Christmas Eve, though a handful in larger cities carry on into the new year. Exact opening dates are set locally and change from year to year, and stalls in smaller towns sometimes shut earlier in the evening midweek. Our departures are timed to fall within the market season; ask us for the dates of a particular tour.
More than you might expect, and mostly on cobbles. Market towns like Rüdesheim and Heidelberg have narrow old streets, and the coach or transfer cannot always set you down at the door, so there is usually a walk of a few hundred yards and often a slope or steps. Guided walking tours move at a gentle pace with stops. If you have any concerns about mobility or standing for long periods, tell us before you book and we will talk you through the specific itinerary.
Yes on both holidays, and the Rüdesheim tour is priced with a number of single rooms carrying no supplement, allocated on a first-come basis. Prices quoted are per person sharing a twin or double room. Single availability varies by departure and by hotel, so it is worth asking us early if you want one, and we will confirm what is free and whether a supplement applies.
Travel, accommodation and the listed excursions and entrance fees are included, and the details differ between the two holidays. The Rüdesheim tour includes Channel crossings, coach travel with a driver throughout, and evening meals with the three nights on the Rhine. The Lake Constance holiday includes return flights with cabin luggage, transfers, guided tours and the named entrances. Check the individual tour page for the full list, and ask us about anything you cannot see there.
What each German market is known for
No two are alike, and the differences are worth knowing before you choose. Nuremberg's Christkindlesmarkt, with its red-and-white striped stalls and its Lebkuchen bakers, is the one most people picture. Dresden's Striezelmarkt is among the oldest in the country and takes its name from the fruit-and-butter stollen still sold there by the loaf. Cologne sets its main market at the foot of the cathedral, so the spires loom over the rooftops of the stalls.
Rüdesheim spreads its Market of the Nations through the narrow lanes of the old town, including the famous Drosselgasse, and being a Riesling town the mulled wine is taken seriously. Heidelberg strings several small markets along the old streets beneath the castle. On Lake Constance, Konstanz runs its stalls along the harbour quay, Lindau sets up on the island waterfront beside the Bavarian lion, and Bregenz sits across the water in Austria.
How December feels on the ground
Expect short days. In much of Germany the light has gone by around half past four in December, which is no bad thing, because the markets look their best once the lamps and stall lights come on. Daytime temperatures often hover a degree or two either side of freezing, colder on the Rhine when the wind comes up the valley, and damp fog is more common than picture-book snow.
Dress for standing still rather than walking. Layers, a warm hat, gloves and shoes with grip matter more than anything waterproof, since cobbles and stone steps turn slippery when they are wet. A few practical things travellers often ask about:
- Euros in cash are useful; many stalls take cards, but the smaller ones often do not.
- Glühwein mugs carry a deposit, refunded when you return the mug.
- Most markets are busiest at weekends and quietest on a weekday afternoon.
- Seating is limited, so a warm drink is usually taken standing at a barrel.
Travelling by coach or by air
Our Rüdesheim holiday goes overland, crossing the Channel by Eurotunnel or ferry and breaking the journey in Flanders on the way out and Bruges on the way home, with three nights at the Rüdesheimer Hof on the Rhine with breakfast and evening meals. Private coach travel and the services of an experienced driver run throughout, and the itinerary takes in Frankfurt and Heidelberg as well as Rüdesheim itself.
Christmas on Lake Constance flies instead, with return flights including cabin luggage and transfers at the destination. It is the more varied of the two: guided walks in Konstanz and Lindau, the Christmas Gardens on Mainau Island, the Mang Tower and harbour market at Lindau, the thermal baths, an Advent ship across the lake, the market at Bregenz, and a choice of the Pfänderbahn cable car or the art gallery.
Full day-by-day details and current prices are on each tour page.
