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GERMAN X MAS MARKETS



I doubt anyone will  disagree to the fact that Christmas or the Xmas markets of Europe are deliciously charming and as close to fairy tale settings as one can get. There are great cities through out Europe hosting amazing Christmas markets in their hallowed city centers...with  cozy, themed markets and twinkling lights in snow clad settings.  It was in present day Germany where the  first Christmas market originated, probably during the thirteenth century. Last Christmas, we had an impromptu plan to catch a glimpse of the celebrations in Germany. But the markets in some popular towns had then already wrapped up with the exception of Dusseldorf which still had a couple of days left. And so Dusseldorf it was, the capital of the state of North Rhine Westphalia ... about four hours drive from the Hague and we were in Dusseldorf, located at the confluence of rivers Rhine and Dussel.
We walked through the renowned Konigsallee, the Kings Avenue boulevard (or the Ko, as it is locally known) by its lovely canal  and then through the Alstadt or the Old Town before reaching the bank of the Rhine and as we walked, we saw almost all the Christmas markets on the way. For almost five hours we were continuously on our foot enjoying  every bit of the excitement around. As we hopped from one market to the other, we kept filling ourselves with the classic German spread of reibekuchen (the potato pancakes), lebkuchen (baked cookies) , the bratwursts (sausages)  and other food items so typical of the markets. The warm and delicate sips of the traditional drinks Gluhwein (the hot mulled wine) and Eierpunsch (egg based drink with wine) were delightful (and I guess impact-ful too !!!)

There were seven Christmas markets, located in and around the Alstadt within walking distances from each other and the famous Konigsallee. Each of them had their names too..the Engelchen Markt (the little Angel's market) was the first one to come as we turned left from the Konigsallee. Then came the Alstadt Markt and the Handwerker Markt in front of the Rathaus (city hall). Passing through two more markets we reached the Burgplatz market which is known for its Big Ferris Wheel.  This market was the largest and also offered a beautiful  panoramic view of the Rhine with its promenade. By the time, we walked back following the same route it had crossed eight in the evening and the markets were beginning to shut down for the day. The Konigsallee and its fashion showrooms and luxury shopping arcades continued to remain lighted  and reflections of the twinkling lights on the canals added to the Christmas experience.

If you aspire to experience as many German Christmas markets as possible within a couple of days, I recommend taking the Northern Rhine Westphalia train day tickets. The ticket costs less than fifty euros a day and offers unlimited travel within the Northern Rhine Westphalia region for five people. There are quite a few charming towns hosting their Christmas markets including Dusseldorf, Cologne, Bonn, Bruhl, Duisberg, Essen and Dortmund which are less than even half an hour from each other by train. Also do ensure you visit the markets before Christmas so that you can catch all of them before they close down for the year.
This post is for alphabet ‘X' of the #BlogchatterA2Z 2020 challenge:

X for XMas

Comments

  1. Anita SabatMay 2, 2020 at 3:01 AM

    Great pics and informative post of a fellow Odia :) I doubt if this year's X'Mas celebration will be this grand. Covid19 has spoiled many plans.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. SabyasachiMay 3, 2020 at 3:09 AM

      Thanks Anita, the days when we could travel seems like history now...if at all 2020 will be a very silent year.

      Delete

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