One of the items on the top of my “must do” while living in Italy list was to explore some of the Christmas Markets that are very popular in Europe. Germany tops the list when one first hears about them as well as countries such as France, Belgium, Austria and Italy. So last year I planned a trip to sample some of these Christmas Markets and am continuing the tradition this season.

I have always loved this time of year. It recaptures the magic of my youth in its wonders: twinkling lights, the tempting aromas of baking cookies, hiding carefully selected gifts and precious time with family and friends.  So it should be no surprise that the European traditions of the Christmas Markets had such a magnetic pull.

I had read about the Christmas Markets, watched them on the Ricks Steves European Christmas special each year and tracked some of the tours and now popular river cruises to learn more about what these Christmas Markets offer.

Choosing the Christmas Markets

There are plenty of articles that pop up when googling “best Christmas Markets in Europe” so I am not going to repeat their research. But I did read those articles to know what Christmas Markets such as Nuremberg in Germany and Strasbourg in France had become destination markets with millions of visitors. There was also much written about once you have seen one market you have seen them all. Some of my Italian friends also recommended several towns that they thought would give me a good sampling.

My criteria were to experience markets faithful to their regions that were not mobbed by tours and hordes of tourists. I wanted to be able to experience what the towns had to offer in addition to the Christmas Markets. This was a great way to visit other areas of Europe and take in their sights in a festive adornment.

Planning the trip

I decided to pepper my first foray to the Christmas Markets with several countries all easily reached by train with a return flight home to Bologna.  My trip would take me 2 hours by train to Trento in Alto Adige with an overnight and then on to Bolzano 45 minutes north into the South Tyrol.  Both these areas were once under Austrian rule with Bolzano still multilingual and its train station bearing the additional name of Bozen, its former name.

After an overnight in Bolzano my final destination was Munich.  As it was a 4 hour train ride with Innsbruck smack in the middle I planned a lunch stop in Innsbruck.  I had booked 3 nights in Munich with the intention of day tripping to Salzburg. I knew Munich was a destination market but it was a place I have wanted to visit and a quick flight back to Bologna.

Sampling the Christmas Markets

Trento is in the Alto Adige region of Italy with the Dolomites as a dramatic backdrop. Hoping for snow-capped mountains- after all this was the season- I found bare peaks and warm weather. Trento has a domineering 13th century castle and impressive duomo or cathedral.  I wandered around the town to find the Christmas Markets and browsed the many booths with food, ornaments and the requisite vin brule, a hot spiced red wine. Local food was definitely a highlight of the stalls here with a section dedicated just to the food.

Trento Duomo Light Show

I decided to explore the city and take in the castle and duomo with intentions of coming back in the evening, roaming the stalls and having my dinner from the many selections of local foods. Returning late I was surprised and disappointed to find that the markets closed at 7 PM.  Somehow in my mind I assumed these would be crowded in the evening with shoppers but I soon found out in the smaller towns this was not the case. I did have some time to browse once again and take photos of some of the dramatic light displays.  Once the stalls closed so did most of the town but was I fortunate to find a restaurant close to my hotel to enjoy a dinner of the local specialties.

TIP: Check out the hours of the Christmas Markets you are visiting especially if you are an evening roamer like I am.

I left early the next morning for the quick train to Bolzano.  I left my luggage at the hotel and inquired about the market hours.  The stalls closed at 8 PM but the food stands remained open until 9:00 PM.  I went off to explore Bolzano whose buildings were wearing their Christmas finery.  Bolzano is home to the famous iceman, Ötzi, and there is a whole  archaeology museum dedicated to his fame. Bolzano showed its Austrian heritage in names and food as well as the style of buildings.  My Italian friends had said this was a charming city and indeed it was.  It also claims that the original Sacher Torte was created here though Vienna also vies for that honor.  But of course I had to sample some in the restaurant that claimed the original recipe.

Bolzano Christmas Markets

Most of the markets were centered in the main piazza or platz with areas for the nativity scenes as well as a small train ride for the children. The duomo stands guard over this area and at night its lights create a peaceful scene. Here the vin brule becomes the German/Austrian glühwein and is served in small decorated ceramic cups.  You pay a deposit for a cup and then can use it for glühwein at other stalls.  You can choose to surrender it for your deposit or keep as a souvenir. Wandering the streets close by one finds more stalls scattered about. I loved the town of Bolzano for its history and architecture, food and friendly citizens.  It has a solid feel to it yet cultured.

Bolzano markets at night

NOTE: Christmas Markets are just that, markets that mostly sell Christmas items.  In the US we have many craft fairs during the holidays that sell all sorts of homemade items for gifts.  In the markets I visited one of the  main items were food such as candied nuts, mulled wine, local meat sandwiches such as bratwurst, cookies, chocolates and local treats such as torrone (nougat), pretzels and stollen. Christmas ornaments were in abundance with a number of these home-made and in all varieties for the tree and home. And in some places there are whole sections devoted to buying items for nativity scenes.  In Italy these are known as presepi and include figurines, animals and buildings to create a whole village. The other items normally found are mittens and scarves along with some small wooden children’s toys. Bologna has a French market that features soaps, wines and cheeses in addition to wonderful French pastries and handcrafted wooden geese.

Traveling to Munich

I left Bolzano with the intention of stopping in Innsbruck for several hours.  Innsbruck to me is the epitome of the Alps, after all it was here at the 1976 Olympics that Dorothy Hamill won the gold in women’s figure skating ( my favorite sport).  There was still no sign of snow as the train made its way through the mountains.  But nestled in them were the Swiss chalets of Heidi fame and I smiled and said to myself- this is real. My plan at Innsbruck was to store my suitcase in the many lockers I read about and stroll through the markets and grab lunch.  To my surprise, as well as the station personnel, all the lockers were full so off I went dragging my luggage with me.  Needless to say it slowed my pace and ability to easily wander through the many stalls.  But there it was, snow-capped Alps towering above the city, and delighted for this view I cheerfully made my way back to continue on to Munich.

Innsbruck Snow Capped Alps

Reaching Munich I had now entered the realm of “big city” as I got off the train into a massive station and arrived at rush hour in the city with throngs making their way to the station, me going against the tide.  But my nearby hotel was only about a 10 minute walk to the entrance to the Christmas Markets and the old town of Munich.  The first large area was devoted to nativity scenes and then food stalls with the tempting aromas of bratwurst.  After that I wandered through stalls again of food, gingerbread, ornaments and wooden gifts such as cookie cutters called springerle.

The next morning as I set out to explore more of the markets, I discovered there were 15 markets scattered throughout the area.  One was in a castle courtyard, another dubbed a medieval market and another with packaged and baked food items.  As the following day was Saturday and I knew the markets would be even more crowded I wandered through several of the main markets while taking in some of Munich’s sights. A stop at a brew hall was in order along with a giant pretzel. In the evening I found a place that was smoking salmon on cedar planks that made for delicious sandwiches on German rolls. On Saturday the markets were barely passable with the throngs of people so I toured some of the cathedrals and walked around the city to take in the Old City that was reconstructed after the bombings of WWII.  I returned in the evening for some more good German food and glühwein and to enjoy the lights of the Christmas tree and cathedral.  Munich markets were open until 9 PM with many of the food stands open later.

Munich Christmas Tree

NOTE: I never made Salzburg.  I decided that with 15 markets in Munich and with the weekend crowds that a 4 hour roundtrip train trip would be too tiring.  I also realized that I would not have the time to really see much of Salzburg and yes, the markets would be the same.  This year I am hopping a short flight to Vienna instead for 3 days to sample its pastries and coffeeshops and take in the Christmas Markets.

Market Memories

I thoroughly enjoyed my tour of the various markets and want to add a Scandinavian and French one to my list for another year. The markets do vary by region in terms of food and some of the handmade crafts. I know the French market in Bologna is a treat with all its tantalizing food and products.  But on the whole the themes are the same and you do see the same types of products in multiple markets.  To me what provides the difference is the setting and the backdrops, whether it is a castle in Trento or a cathedral in Bolzano, the snow-capped peaks in Innsbruck or the old Rathaus or town hall in Munich, each leaves you with a timeless feeling of Christmas celebrated through the centuries.