This Blog post will continually update as we visit new markets and activities this year. Check back frequently & follow us on Instagram to find out about markets first! REMINDER: Markets will likely close on Wednesday, December 16th.
Baden-Baden Market
One of our absolute favorite areas to visit in Germany! This year was different, but still magical. Storefronts and restaurants were decorated with holiday cheer. Although we did not see may vendor stands, the ones we came across were wonderful.
Food and Drink are available at the market. Throughout Baden-Baden, we viewed a variety of restaurants and vendors. Our personal favorite shops were Läderach, Cafe Beek, and Gasthaus Löwenbräu. We purchased quite a few delicious chocolates from Läderach. We highly recommend the pink raspberry bar and the toffee almond bar (although all the chocolates were fabulous). At Cafe Beek, we picked up a fluffy cloud of marzipan filled with almond slivers. It was a unique texture we had never tried before! Furthermore, Cafe Beek displayed numerous cakes, chocolates and other sweets. The last gastronomy vendor (Gasthaus Löwenbräu) we did not personally try, but they had quite the selection. Not to mention, their display was top notch. As for vendors, we found two cheese and meat stands that looked scrumptious!
Mugs are available at this market. You can purchase glühwein mugs at the visitor’s center (tourist information center). Additionally, many bars and restaurants are offering their own mugs.
COVID-19 Rules: Masks are required and should only be removed while eating or drinking (individuals cannot walk while eating or drinking). A distance of 1.5 meters must be maintained between parties. Vendors will be closing Wednesday, Dec. 16th.
Is this market worth attending? We enjoyed seeing the decorations in Baden-Baden. The bakeries, chocolatiers and restaurants we purchased from were top notch as well. Personally, I never find Baden-Baden to be a wasted trip. I would recommend swinging by if you have time.
Parking is located in an underground garage next to a beautiful church and park. The garage we utilized is convenient and close to the heart of the city.
Google Maps Parking Lot: Augustapl. 3 76530 Baden-Baden, Germany
Heidelberg Market
Heidelberg Castle towers over town as visitors stroll along the decorated streets. With unique food offering we have yet to find at other 2020 markets, we were pleased with our day in Heidelberg.
Food and Drink are available at the market. As you walk through town, you will see various vendors. These are the three main areas we found vendors: next to the Käthe Wohlfahrt store, next to the Galeria Kaufhof, and along the opposite side of the river. Additionally, many restaurants and bars are offering to-go options from their front patios.
Mugs are available at this market. You can purchase glühwein mugs at two different vendors from what we saw. One vendor is located next to the Käthe Wohlfahrt store and has a sign reading “Zum alten Bauer” (It is the stand on the right in the picture below). One other mug vendor is located along the opposite side of the river.
COVID-19 Rules: Masks are required and should only be removed while eating or drinking (individuals cannot walk while eating or drinking). A distance of 1.5 meters must be maintained between parties. Vendors will be closing Wednesday, Dec. 16th.
Is this market worth attending? For us, this market was a nice day trip. I would not, however, say it is worth driving an extended period of time to see. Being only an hour from our home in Wiesbaden, we enjoyed our time in Heidelberg.
Parking is conveniently located down the street from many of the vendors (if you choose to park where we did). This parking garage includes a free bathroom for men and women.
Google Maps Parking Lot: Parkhaus P13 “Karlsplatz” (Hauptstraße 214, 69117 Heidelberg, Germany)
Bernkastel-Kues Market
Christmas music greets visitors as they walk along the town’s cobblestone streets. With the ever popular advent calendar, which is Disney themed, I would say this town is a must see for anyone new to Germany.
When to see the daily advent calendar change? Every day, December 1st-24th, at 1700. (View what takes place in our Bernkastel-Kues vlog below).
Food and Drink are available at the market. Right along the river, four to five gastronomy vendors are on display. Crepes, pizza, waffles and cider are some of the gastronomy highlights.
Mugs are available at this market. You can purchase a kit (which includes two mugs and two bottles of glühwein) or you can purchase individual cups. We opted to purchase one mug from the hut labeled “glühwein” (which is stationed next to the christmas tree vendor along the river). If you are unable to acquire a mug from this vendor, the tourist office also carries the mugs for purchase (You can find the building directly across from the river and vendors).
COVID-19 Rules: Masks are required and should only be removed while eating or drinking (individuals cannot walk while eating or drinking). A distance of 1.5 meters must be maintained between parties.
Is this market worth attending? For us, we found this trip to be worthwhile. There are not many vendors available, but the advent calendar change was fun to see. The town itself is quaint and has a few Christmas areas on display for photo ops as well. Being only one hour and forty minutes from our home in wiesbaden, we felt it was worth the drive.
Parking is conveniently located along the river and close to the vendors. If you choose to park where we did, you will pay when you arrive (not when you are preparing to depart). Your ticket will notate the time you have paid for and you will display it in your window.
Google Maps Parking Lot: P3 – (Bus) Parkplatz Moselufer Gestade (Gestade 6, 54470 Bernkastel-Kues, Germany)
Würzburg Market
Out of the markets we have visited for 2020, Würzburg has the most authentic Christmas market feel to it (given the restrictions this year). It offers a great variety of food vendors and local artisan booths. Not to mention, the city center is beautiful.
Food and Drink are available at the market. Chocolate covered fruit, lubkuchen, flavored almonds and popcorn were some of the popular sweets we spotted. Instead of Gluhwein, cider was offered at one of the booths (Gluhwein mugs are not available at this market). Since we weren’t in the mood for sweets during our visit, we opted for cheese fries (Käse pommes in German) and a meter long bratwurst.
COVID-19 Rules: Masks are required for entry and can only be removed while eating or drinking (individuals cannot walk while eating or drinking). A distance of 1.5 meters must be maintained between parties.
Is this market worth attending? This is one of our favorite 2020 markets thus far. There are a variety of shopping and gastronomy vendors available at the market. Additionally, the city has numerous beautiful buildings to view. Being 1 hour and 40 minutes from Wiesbaden, we felt this market was well worth the drive.
Parking was easy to find and the garage we used had a free restroom available. I highly recommend parking where we did because the market is right outside of the garage in the city Marktplatz.
Google Maps Parking Lot: Marktgarage (Karmelitenstraße, 97070 Würzburg, Germany)
Aschaffenburg Market
Being only 50 minutes from Wiesbaden, we decided to swing by and check out this town’s 2020 Christmas setup. The city streets are adorned with twinkling stars and light up depictions of each street’s name.
Throughout the city, miniature carousel rides and food vendors are open for business. A great selection of food vendors are congregated in the city’s park. We had already visited another market before arriving, therefore, we opted out of purchasing any food. Langos, lebkuchen, würst and most of Germany’s favorite Christmas market snacks were offered. I can attest that everything smelled utterly divine.
If you have children, there are a few carnival rides in the city park and sporadically placed downtown. There are not, however, adult sized rides (Note: one parent can ride the miniature ferris wheel with their kid).
COVID-19 Rules: Masks are required for entry and can only be removed while eating or drinking (individuals cannot walk while eating or drinking). A distance of 1.5 meters must be maintained between parties.
Is this market worth attending? Personally, we enjoyed walking around the town and found the trip to be worth it. The vendors are open on Sundays (the day we visited) and the city itself is less than an hour from our home in Wiesbaden. Additionally, the city has numerous beautiful buildings to view.
Parking is affordable and available just outside of where the city lights begin. We were only charged 1€ for a few hours of parking in this garage.
Google Maps Parking Lot: Tiefgarage Alexandrastraße (Alexandrastraße 3,63739 Aschaffenburg, Germany)
Burg Frankenstein Market
We purchased tickets for the Friday, 6 p.m. time slot and were pleasantly surprised by this event. The castle ruins are lit up with colorful lights and inflatable holiday characters greet visitors upon entry. After tickets are scanned at the gate, guests follow a short path lined with miniature Christmas trees to the market. The market itself is small (about 3-4 vendors), but the atmosphere is enjoyable. Our favorite part was cozying up by the large, wood fire just outside of the gastronomy area.
Are there photo opportunities? A decorated Christmas tree is displayed at the market’s center. Additionally, there is a quaint gingerbread house and sleigh available for pictures. Tip: Walk up the lighted steps beside the gastronomy area for a beautiful overlook of the city at night.
Food and drink are available for consumption, but you cannot walk around eating or dinking (COVID-19 rules). There are standing tables for guests to utilize at the back right of the event (near the secondary gluhwein area).
What should you eat? Our personal recommendation is the pizza which is topped with onion, bacon and cheese. It is incredibly thin, crispy and delicious! Our secondary recommendation is the pretzel (as it gave us quite the surprise to find out it was filled with butter). I was not a big fan of the steak bun, but the bratwurst bun was fine if nothing else catches your fancy. Gluhwine was quite popular at the event and everyone seemed to have one (or two) in hand.
COVID-19 Rules: Masks are required for entry and can only be removed while eating or drinking (guests cannot walk while eating or drinking). A distance of 1.5 meters must be maintained between parties. Security is present at the event to ensure these rules are followed.
Is this event worth attending? For us, it was worth the 45 minute drive from Wiesbaden. The event is small, but it was nice to have something reminiscent of a Christmas market to hold us over until next year.
Parking is free and available just down the street. You will have a short four minute walk to the event entrance from this lot.
Google Maps Parking Lot: Parkplatz Burg Frakenstein (64367 Muhltal, Germany)
