When it comes to festive, early winter travel, you really can’t go wrong with Christmas markets in Europe. The Christmas market tradition dates back hundreds of years, and has spread across many European countries.
During the Christmas market season (which generally runs for the 4 weeks leading up to Christmas), cities large and small across Europe turn into festive wonderlands, with wooden market stalls decorated with greenery and twinkle lights selling everything from food to home goods (and of course steaming mugs of mulled wine).
Christmas markets differ ever so slightly from country to country, and there are A LOT of them – so I know how overwhelming it can be to plan a trip to visit them (especially if you’re like me and would like to see them ALL). Which is why I’m sharing my idea of a perfect 1-week Christmas market itinerary that you can feel free to use to help you plan a trip you’ll never forget!
When to take a Christmas market trip
A very important thing to know about the timing of a Christmas market trip is that the majority of Christmas markets in Europe coincide with the religious period of Advent, which is the 4 weeks leading up to Christmas. Meaning most Christmas markets open in late November, and close by December 23rd or 24th!
There are a handful of markets that stay open through Three Kings Day/Epiphany on January 6, but the majority of them shut down by Christmas. So whatever you do, don’t plan your Christmas market trip between Christmas and New Year’s, as you’re likely to be disappointed.
The best time for a Christmas market trip in Europe is generally in early or mid-December, when all the markets are open and cities are bustling with Christmas preparations.
1-week Christmas market itinerary
This 7-day itinerary focuses on southwestern Germany and the Alsace region of France, which are two of the very best regions in Europe to go for Christmas markets. It’s the perfect area for a first-time Christmas market adventure, with a good balance of bigger cities and smaller towns to really give you a feel for the season.
Highlights of this itinerary include:
- Bigger German cities like Frankfurt and Stuttgart
- Smaller German cities with charming markets like Heidelberg and Ludwigsburg
- The famous markets of Strasbourg and Colmar in France
- Plus suggestions of additional stops to add if you have more time
And while this itinerary does focus mostly on Christmas markets, I’ll be sure to suggest some non-market activities in each city, too, in case you get tired of mulled wine and Christmas cheer.
By car or train?
I have visited several of these cities more than once during Christmas market season, and this itinerary can actually be done either by car or by train.
Doing a Christmas market road trip gives you more freedom, and is the option I would recommend as long as you are comfortable driving abroad and don’t mind planning ahead for where to park. A Christmas market trip by train is also a good option if you don’t want to drive, as long as you are okay with pre-planning your route and navigating trains in both Germany and France.
I’ll include info for both driving and taking the train in this itinerary, so you can decide which one sounds better to you!
If you need a rental car, I recommend Auto Europe (and you’ll pick up/drop off in Frankfurt, which means you’ll find excellent rates – it’s actually cheaper to rent a car for this trip than to take trains). And for trains, I like to use Trainline, as their app is quite easy to use on the go (though you’ll want to pre-book most of your train tickets to get the best prices).
Note: If you’re going to be renting a car and driving, you should get an International Driving Permit before leaving home. You legally need one of these to drive in France on a US driver’s license. You can get one at any local AAA branch – more info here.
Let’s get into the Christmas market itinerary!
Day 1: Arrive in Frankfurt
Frankfurt is a major transit hub in Germany (and in all of Europe), meaning you should be able to find decent flight deals in/out of FRA. If you’re coming from North America, you’ll likely be landing in the morning.
After going through border control and getting your luggage, you have two options: you can either pick up your rental car now so you don’t have to do it on Day 2, or you can hold off and head into the city center. The Frankfurt airport is well-connected to the city via train, so it might actually save you money to wait to pick up your car until tomorrow.
To get into central Frankfurt by train, you’ll want to follow signs for the Terminal 1 train station in the airport, and make for the suburban train lines. Then you can take either the S8 or S9 S-Bahn train into Frankfurt (probably to either the Hauptbanhof or Hauptwache station, depending on where you’re staying); buy a ticket from a machine on the platform, and then the ride takes just 15-20 minutes.
It probably will be too early to check into your hotel room, but you can at least drop your luggage off (and/or park your car if you picked it up at the airport). And then it’s time to start exploring Frankfurt at Christmas!
Pro tip: Be sure to get some cash out when you arrive; most Christmas market stalls (especially the ones selling food/drinks) are cash-only!
Frankfurt is a large city, but the city center is actually quite small and manageable – perfect for a jet-lagged first day in Europe!
Frankfurt Christmas markets
Frankfurt has a long, long history of hosting Christmas markets – as far back as the year 1393, at least! And today, the city hosts several Christmas markets throughout its Old Town.
Start at the Römerberg, or historic market square, where the main city Christmas market is. Here you’ll find lots of food stalls, a carousel, a giant Christmas tree, plus Frankfurt’s Römer (City Hall). It’s a great place to take some photos and grab something to eat (most stalls open by 10 a.m., or 11 a.m. on Sundays).
From there, walk north through Paulsplatz and towards Hauptwache station; there are Christmas market stalls all along the streets and squares between Römerberg and Hauptwache. You can also find the Rosa Weihnacht, or “pink market” at Friedrich-Stoltze-Platz; this is Frankfurt’s LGBTQ+ market, though mostly the only thing different about it is pink lighting after dark.
You can also head the other direction to find market stalls along the River Main, and I also enjoyed the small market at Roßmarkt, which had market stalls, a Christmas pyramid, and even a small Ferris wheel with Frankfurt skyscrapers as a backdrop.
You can easily spend a few hours strolling through all the market areas, stopping here and there for food or a mug of Glühwein.
A note on Christmas market mugs: At most Christmas markets in Germany and France, any hot drink you order will be served in a real glass/mug, usually unique to that city or market. You’ll have to pay a deposit on these mugs (cash required!) in addition to the cost of your drink. (In German-speaking countries, this is called pfand.) If you return the mug after you finish your drink, you’ll get your deposit back. If you want to keep the mug as a souvenir, consider the mug deposit the cost of the mug. (You can usually expect to pay €3-€5 as a deposit.)
Top things to eat/drink
In Frankfurt, look out for sausages of all shapes and sizes, pretzels, candied and roasted nuts including Maroni (chestnuts) and Mandeln (almonds), potato dishes including dumplings (Schupfnudeln) and pancakes (Kartoffelpuffer), Käsespatzle (a cheesy noodle dish), and plenty of tasty desserts including Lebkuchen (a type of German gingerbread).
To drink, you’ll find Glühwein (mulled wine) everywhere. You might also see Feuerzangenbowle, which is mulled wine with a shot of rum poured over a sugar cube that’s then lit on fire. You can also try Eierpunsch (a hot drink made with an egg-based liqueur; but it’s not eggnog!).
Other things to do in Frankfurt
You might be tired after an overnight flight, so honestly I don’t recommend planning much else today other than wandering the Frankfurt Christmas markets.
But if you want a break, a few other things you can do with one day in Frankfurt include:
- Stop in to the Frankfurt Cathedral (the Kaiserdom St. Bartholomäus), where German kings and then Roman emperors were coronated starting in the 1300s.
- Visit the Historisches Museum Frankfurt.
- See whatever exhibits are on inside Paulskirche (St. Paul’s Church).
- Tour the Goethe House, where German writer/statesman Johann Wolfgang von Goethe was born and grew up.
Total driving time today: If you drive from the airport into the city center, it’ll take 20-25 minutes.
How to do it by train: You can take either the S8 or S9 S-Bahn train into Frankfurt from Terminal 1 at the airport. From the city center, you can reach all the above recommended spots on foot.
Where to stay in Frankfurt (1 night): I’d recommend Motel One Frankfurt-Römer (close to Old Town; limited paid parking available), Scandic Frankfurt Museumsufer (close to the main train station; paid parking available), or Steigenberger Icon Frankfurter Hof (a more luxury option close to Old Town).
Day 2: To Heidelberg
If you’re driving, you’ll want to pick up your car this morning if you didn’t get it yesterday. And then it’s time to bid farewell to Frankfurt and head for a smaller city: Heidelberg, Germany!
Heidelberg is a vibrant university city built on both banks of the Neckar River. It’s home to a ruined castle and the oldest university in Germany. And it has some of the most charming German Christmas markets!
If you’re driving to Heidelberg and staying within the Heidelberger Altstadt (Old Town), you’ll want to find a parking garage close to your hotel and plan to leave your car there while you explore. (Your hotel can let you know which garage is closest if they don’t have parking of their own.)
Once you drop your bags off, it’s time to explore Heidelberg.
Heidelberg Christmas markets
Heidelberg has small Christmas markets on all of its small squares, with more than 140 stalls selling food, crafts, and more. There’s also an ice skating rink with castle views, Christmas pyramids, seating inside giant wine barrels, and rides for kids.
The squares you’ll definitely want to visit for market vibes are Karlsplatz, where you’ll find an ice skating rink with a view of Heidelberg Castle on the hill above it; Marktplatz with a giant wine barrel; Kornmarkt, with some illuminated Christmas trees; and Universitätsplatz, where you’ll find a carousel and lots of market stalls.
You’ll stumble upon all of these naturally if you just go for a wander around Heidelberg’s Old Town. You can also visit a Käthe Wohlfahrt shop in Heidelberg, which is basically a Christmas explosion of ornaments, wooden pyramids, and other decor.
Top things to eat/drink
You’ll find similar food here to what there was in Frankfurt, including sausages, potato dishes, candied nuts, and plenty of Lebkuchen. In fact, Heidelberg had some of the prettiest Lebkuchen stalls I saw in Germany!
To drink, you’ll find Glühwein and Feuerzangenbowle here, too.
Other things to do in Heidelberg
Even with just a partial day in Heidelberg, you can tick off a few non-Christmas things since it’s a small city. The top things to do include:
- Visit Heidelberg Castle (Schloss Heidelberg), where you can take a guided tour or self-guided tour using the Monument BW smartphone app. More info here.
- Ride the historic Heidelberg Bergbahn/Mountain Railway, two connected funicular railways that can take you to Heidelberg Castle, and further up to Königstuhl (I only recommend going all the way up to Königstuhl if you have extra time and the weather is clear).
- Go for a walk along the Philosophenweg (Philosopher’s Way) across the river for excellent views of Heidelberg.
And if you want to eat something other than market food tonight, I can recommend Weinstube Schnitzelbank for excellent schnitzel and beer.
Total driving time today: 1 hour 10 minutes
How to do it by train: From Frankfurt’s main train station (Frankfurt (Main) Hbf), you can catch a train to Heidelberg. There are direct routes on ICE trains, or routes that might include a change on regional (RE) trains. Travel time to Heidelberg Hauptbahnhof will be 1-1.5 hours with direct trains, or slightly longer if you’ll have to transfer. From there, it’s a very short taxi ride into the Old Town. Check Trainline for times/prices.
Where to stay in Heidelberg (1 night): I recommend staying in or near the Altstadt/Old Town so you can walk to all the Christmas markets. I stayed at Hotel Villa Marstall, which is simple but nice (parking in a public garage nearby). Other good options include Hotel Europäischer Hof Heidelberg (luxury option with paid parking on site) and ArtHotel Heidelberg (private parking available).
Day 3: To Strasbourg
Today we’ll be saying goodbye to Germany (for a few days, at least!) and heading to Strasbourg in the Alsace region of France. This city not far off the Rhine River has nicknamed itself “Capitale de Noël,” or the Capital of Christmas, and it truly is magical during the holidays with dreamy Christmas decor and lots of market stalls.
Strasbourg’s historic city center is located on an island (the Grande-Île de Strasbourg), and it’s mostly closed to cars (and doubly so during the Christmas market season). So if you’re going to be driving and staying in the center, you’ll want to check with your hotel to find out whether they offer parking, or where they recommend you park. (You can also stay slightly outside of the city center, though, and still be able to easily reach all the Christmas markets.)
You won’t need your car today, and possibly not tomorrow either after you arrive in Strasbourg.
Good to know: Strasbourg takes security seriously during the holiday season. If you’ll be driving into the city center, you’ll need to have a pre-approved permit to do so (your hotel can help with this), and will have to pass through a police/military checkpoint where they’ll want to look in your trunk. It also is not uncommon to see armed police strolling around the Christmas markets here for security.
Once you get to Strasbourg and drop your luggage off, get out into the city – specifically the historic city center and Petite France on Grande-Île de Strasbourg! There’s so much to see, including all that iconic decor and several Christmas markets.
Strasbourg Christmas markets
Strasbourg has more than half a dozen Christmas markets of varying sizes all across the Grande-Île de Strasbourg. Note that the market stalls (called chalets here!) don’t usually open until 11:30 a.m. each day.
Start with the markets near the Strasbourg Cathedral (the Cathédrale Notre-Dame-de-Strasbourg). There’s a market right in front of the cathedral (and extending into Place du Château and down Rue des Hallebardes), and another nearby at Place du Marchéaux-Poissons called the Le Quai des Délices (go here to taste local Alsatian wine!). Not far away, there’s also the Chrìstkìndelsmärik on Place Broglie near Hôtel de Ville (City Hall).
From there, I recommend crossing the Grande-Île de Strasbourg to see the small markets and decor around Petite France (like on Place St-Thomas and Place Benjamin Zix).
If you have kids, they’ll probably love the Advent Village, too, where they have storytelling shows and kid-friendly Christmas crafts, along with local products for sale. And nearby, there’s usually a more alternative market at Place Grimmeissen, where vendors are set up in shipping containers instead of chalets at the Le Marché OFF.
After dark is the time to head to Place Kléber to see the Grand Sapin, or Christmas tree. This market is always very busy after dark, but that’s because there’s a light show at the tree on the hour every hour between 4 p.m. and 11 p.m.
You can download a guide and map to all the Strasbourg Christmas markets here.
Top things to eat/drink
We’re in the Alsace region of France now, which means an entirely different food culture! Popular things to eat at Christmas markets here include flammeküeche or tarte flambée (a savory flatbread), pretzels, sausage and potato dishes, mushrooms, pain d’epice (spiced bread, like a gingerbread), and bredele cookies.
To drink, the Alsace also does mulled wine (called vin chaud here), along with other hot drinks like chocolat chaud (hot chocolate), and even spiced juices – I had a spiced orange juice that was actually pretty good!
Good to know: Like in Germany, drinks are served in special Christmas market cups in Strasbourg. They are plastic here, though, so don’t expect a cute ceramic mug to take home as a souvenir!
Strasbourg Christmas decor
And now I’m going to share a perhaps controversial take with you: while Strasbourg has perfectly nice Christmas markets, I actually think the city does Christmas decor better than actual Christmas markets! If you visit all of Strasbourg’s markets, you’ll start to notice that there are a LOT of chalets selling the exact same food, drink, and goods at most of them.
But the Christmas decor in Strasbourg? It alone is worth visiting to see. Shop fronts explode with festive decorations, and streets are draped with twinkle lights and other illuminations.
Some of the streets with the best Christmas decorations in Strasbourg include Rue du Maroquin (find the famous houses covered in teddy bears here), Rue Mercière (for the lighted angels in front of the cathedral), Rue du Chaudron, Rue des Orfèvres, and Rue des Hallebardes. Also check out Galeries Lafayette (outside, at least), and the streets in Petite France.
Other things to do in Strasbourg
Visiting the various Christmas markets and looking at all the decorations here can easily take you a full day, but if you want to break it up, I also recommend you:
- Visit the Strasbourg Cathedral, where you can climb up to an observation platform or watch the astronomical clock “perform” at 12:30 p.m. each day (each comes with a small entrance fee).
- Take a boat cruise with Batorama around the Grande-Île to sightsee (the boats are covered and heated in the winter).
Total driving time today: 1.5 hours when driving from Heidelberg
How to do it by train: Taking a train from Heidelberg to Strasbourg will require at least 1 change, likely from a Deutsche Bahn train to one operated by the French SCNF. It’s totally do-able in 2-3 hours, but will take a little more pre-planning. Strasbourg’s main train station is just to the west of the city center. Check Trainline for options.
Where to stay in Strasbourg (3 nights): I recommend using Strasbourg as a base for your time in the Alsace. If you want to stay on the Grande-Île de Strasbourg at a spot that offers valet parking and will help you obtain the entry permit to allow you to drive onto the island, I can highly recommend Hôtel & Spa Le Bouclier d’Or in Petite France, which is historic and lovely. Other good options include Hotel Hannong & Wine Bar (centrally located, with a parking discount at a nearby garage) and Hotel Cour Du Corbeau Strasbourg MGallery (not on the island but within walking distance; public parking nearby).
Day 4: Christmas in Colmar
You could easily spend a second day in Strasbourg, but most people who come to the Alsace for the holidays dream of visiting the fairytale-esque Colmar. This town looks like something straight out of Beauty and the Beast at any time of year (and in fact it’s said that towns like Colmar did in fact inspire Belle’s little French village), but it’s even better at Christmas.
Some Christmas market itineraries might tell you to stay overnight in Colmar so you can see the town in the early morning when it’s less busy, but I personally don’t love changing hotels every single day, and there are simply more hotel, parking, and dining options in Strasbourg.
If you stay in Strasbourg, it’s super easy to take a day trip to Colmar to soak up all the Christmas vibes. And, even if you’re self-driving on this trip, I recommend taking the train to Colmar. This is what I did, and it was 100% the right decision, as it’s really tough to find parking in Colmar when the Christmas markets are on.
Get an early start from Strasbourg, and enjoy the 30-minute train ride to Colmar. Once you arrive, it’s a short 15-minute walk into the Old Town area; stroll through the Parc du Champ-de-Mars on the way.
Colmar Christmas markets
Colmar feels like one giant Christmas market explosion once you get into the historic part of town, but there are actually half a dozen distinct Marche de Nöel (Christmas markets) to check out. You’ll come across them all if you just wander around Colmar’s compact Old Town.
There are decent-sized markets on Place de l’Ancienne Douane and Place des Dominicains, indoor vendors at the Koïfhus at Ancienne Douane, and you won’t want to miss the charming market stalls in Petite Venise/Little Venice (there’s also a cute children’s market here).
My favorite market in Colmar is the Marché Gourmand, or Gourmet Market. Last year, this market was along the Rue de la Montagne Verte, near the Grande roue de Colmar (Ferris wheel). Here, local chefs compete in challenges and serve up truly gourmet Alsatian food. If you’re going to eat in Colmar, make it at this market!
Top things to eat/drink
Enjoy Alsatian food here like tarte flambée, crepes, sausage with cabbage, Galette de pommes de terre (potato pancakes), and pain d’epice. Also look out for Mannele, or man-shaped brioche breads, which are popular in the Alsace and traditionally eaten on Saint Nicholas Day.
And you’ll find more vin chaud, Alsatian wines, and chocolate chaud to drink here.
Colmar Christmas decor
You’ll also find excellent decor all throughout the city – some famous spots you’ve likely seen photos of are along Grand Rue, Rue Saint-Nicolas, and in Petite Venise (especially along the Quai de la Poissonnerie).
During the Christmas season, another unique tradition you can catch in Colmar is performances by the Kaysersberg School of Music, where children perform carols from small boats at they traverse through the Petite Venise canals. Catch these performances on Tuesday and Friday evenings in December. Last year, Saint Nicholas also made an appearance at these concerts.
Other things to do in Colmar
To be perfectly honest, you likely won’t want to do anything in Colmar during the holidays beyond wandering the beautiful streets and shopping at various Christmas market stalls. But, if you DO want to add anything to your to do list, you could:
- Shop at the Marché Couvert Colmar, which is a normal everyday local market selling food goods.
- Visit a museum like the Unterlinden Museum (religious art + local history), Bartholdi Museum (sculpture art), or Choco Story Museum.
- Take a flat-bottomed boat tour on the canals in Petite Venise and the Quai de la Poissonnerie (booking ahead recommended).
You can easily spend the entire day in Colmar, and then catch the train back to Strasbourg in the evening.
Total driving time today: I don’t recommend driving to Colmar unless you decide you’re going to switch hotels and stay overnight here. It’s too hard to find parking during the holidays to make driving for a day trip worth it! (If you’re going to stay in Colmar, the drive from Strasbourg takes about an hour.)
How to do it by train: You can catch a direct train from Strasbourg to Colmar. Several trains run per hour, and the journey takes 30 minutes. You can pre-book tickets, or purchase when you get to the train station (but know that you’ll save money booking ahead).
Where to stay: If you decide to stay in Colmar, some hotels that offer parking options include Hotel Le Colombier in Little Venice, and La Maison Des Têtes for something a bit fancier. Otherwise, I recommend this be Night 2 in Strasbourg for you.
Day 5: Alsace small towns OR wine route
Still using Strasbourg as a base, today you can choose between more Christmas markets in some smaller Alsatian towns/villages, or going on an adventure along the Alsace Wine Route. Both are excellent options depending on whether you think you’ll need a break from Christmas markets by this point or not!
Small towns to visit in the Alsace
There are no shortage of Beauty and the Beast-esque towns to explore in this region, all with their own small Christmas markets. You could visit several in one day, but I would recommend just choosing 1-2 that sound the best to you so your day isn’t too rushed.
Self-driving is the best option here, as there’s only one town with an easy train connection to Strasbourg (Obernai). If you aren’t driving but still want to visit several of these, a guided tour like this might actually be a better option!
All of these towns are about an hour from Strasbourg (with the exception of Obernai, which is just 30 minutes away). They’re short drives from each other, too, and all have parking lots/garages close to the town centers – you can find parking listed on Google Maps!
- Obernai – This is my top pick for a smaller Alsatian town to visit from Strasbourg, since it’s easy to reach, very charming, and not super crowded! It has a unique Christmas market that focuses on local food and crafts – I had the BEST vin chaud here, served out of a giant cauldron.
- Eguisheim – This small medieval town is said to be one of the prettiest in France, and has a small (30 stalls) Christmas market on its main town square featuring local artisans.
- Riquewihr – I won’t lie; I did not love visiting Riquewihr on a weekend during the Christmas season. It’s on many bus tour routes, and it was SO crowded when I visited in December that it almost wasn’t enjoyable. The Christmas market just outside of the town center is actually very nice, with unique things for sale. But the village itself gave me Disney World vibes – and not in a good way. Visit on a weekday if you go!
- Kaysersberg-Vignoble – With a Christmas market that only runs Friday-Sunday, Kaysersberg is a great option for a quieter, less commercial market. The vendors here are carefully selected each year.
- Ribeauvillé – Another fairytale village, Ribeauvillé hosts a very unique Medieval Christmas market on two weekends every year (December 7-8 and 14-15 in 2024). This market features medieval performers, music, and food – but note that it does tend to get very, very crowded, and I personally have avoided it.
Note: If you’re staying in Colmar, there’s a Christmas shuttle that runs to several of these towns on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays – but note that these will be the busiest days to visit!
On my own Christmas market road trip, we visited Obernai and Riquewihr in one day, and that was honestly enough!
Alsace Wine Route
Alternatively, you could take a break from Christmas markets altogether today and go on a wine tasting tour along the Alsace Wine Route instead. This is a very popular wine route in France, and makes for a lovely day trip from Strasbourg.
If you’re going to do this, I don’t recommend self-driving at all, as France has very strict drunk driving laws. Instead, you can book a tour and let someone else do the driving.
Here are two good options:
Total driving time today: It depends how many towns you want to visit, but you can expect to spend anywhere from 1-3 hours driving today.
How to do it by train: I don’t recommend using the train today, unless you only want to visit Obernai. In that case, you can buy a ticket at the Strasbourg train station.
Where to stay: Still in Strasbourg tonight, I recommend Hôtel & Spa Le Bouclier d’Or in Petite France (parking available), Hotel Hannong & Wine Bar (centrally located, with a parking discount at a nearby garage), and Hotel Cour Du Corbeau Strasbourg MGallery (not on the island but within walking distance; public parking nearby). If you opt to stay in Colmar, look at the Hotel Le Colombier in Little Venice, or La Maison Des Têtes for something a bit fancier.
Day 6: To Stuttgart
I hope you got your fill of French food and wine, because we’re headed back across the border into Germany today! To Stuttgart, specifically, which makes another great base to visit a variety of Christmas markets.
The drive is not a long one, but if you wanted to break it up, you could stop in Karlsruhe to visit its Christmas market on the way. The markets in Karlsruhe include beautifully decorated stalls on Friedrichsplatz, and a huge skating rink in front of Schloss Karlsruhe.
Once in Stuttgart, you can drop your luggage at your hotel and then head out to visit some of the Christmas markets here.
Stuttgart Christmas markets
Stuttgart isn’t always a city that appears on lists of must-visit Christmas markets in Germany, so be prepared to be pleasantly surprised here! The markets in Stuttgart have some of the most beautifully decorated market stalls I’ve seen anywhere in Europe, with elaborate scenes depicted on top of each one. There’s even an award each year for the most beautiful Christmas market stall.
There are Christmas market stalls (almost 300 of them!) spread throughout Stuttgart’s city center, including on Schlossplatz, Schillerplatz, Karlsplatz, and Marktplatz.
The heart of the market is around Schlossplatz, with a gigantic lighted tree in front of the Königsbau shopping center, and other illuminated light displays between it and the Neues Schloss castle. There are rides here for the kids, a tall Christmas pyramid, and lots of decorated stalls selling food and gifts. You’ll also find a little eco-friendly winter village surrounding a skating rink here – in 2023, it was all roller skates!
From Schlossplatz, you can follow the crowds and meander down the pedestrian-only streets to other parts of the market.
Top things to eat/drink
We’re back in Germany and back to German market food! Including sausages of all shapes and sizes, pork sandwiches, Flammkuchen, candied and roasted nuts, potato dishes, and plenty of tasty desserts including Lebkuchen (a type of German gingerbread) and Stollen (a Christmas bread). You’ll find non-regional foods here, too, like Langos (deep fried flatbread) and chimney cakes.
And to drink, we’re back in the land of Glühwein!
Other things to do in Stuttgart
Stuttgart is known to people like my husband Elliot as being the heart of the German car industry; both Mercedes-Benz and Porsche have both headquarters and museums here. So there’s plenty of non-Christmas things to do! You could:
Total driving time today: About 2 hours
How to do it by train: There are a couple trains per day that can get your from Strasbourg to Stuttgart without any changes, but it’s more likely that you might have to change trains once or twice. On a direct train, the journey will take about 1.5 hours; with stops, expect 2-2.5 hours in transit time. You can check Trainline for all your options.
Where to stay in Stuttgart (2 nights): The EmiLu Design Hotel is a great option right in the city center, within walking distance to most of the main markets and attractions (private paid parking available). Other good options include Jaz in the City not far from the main train station (paid parking available, but you need to reserve in advance), or the Waldhotel Stuttgart, which is outside of the city but has free parking and is close to a U-Bahn metro stop.
Day 7: Ludwigsburg and Esslingen
Staying in Stuttgart for two nights means you can make easy trips to other nearby towns that have really unique Christmas markets. There are more than two to choose from, but I’m recommending you visit Esslingen and Ludwigsburg. You can reach both of these towns using the S-Bahn train from Stuttgart in less than 20 minutes, meaning no driving necessary today!
Esslingen medieval market
I recommend starting the day in the town of Esslingen, which you can reach from the Stuttgart Hbf (main train station) using the S1 S-Bahn train in less than 20 minutes.
Once in Esslingen, it’s a 10-15 minute walk to the Marktplatz (Market Square) area, where all the Christmas action happens. You’ll cross a picture-perfect canal, and then find more traditional Christmas market stalls around the Marktplatz and Stadtkirche St. Dionys.
But if you walk a little further towards Rathausplatz, you’ll enter into the real reason people visit Esslingen at Christmas: the famous Mittelaltermarkt, or Medieval Market of Esslingen.
The Medieval Market here makes you feel like you’ve actually stepped back in time, with vendors dressed in period clothing, artisan demonstrations, performers, and traditional food for sale. There’s a very cool area designed for kids with medieval-style games and even some old rides, including a small hand-cranked Ferris wheel.
Wander the streets in this part of Esslingen, and you’ll be met with more medieval market stalls set up amongst half-timbered houses, lamps and torches lit with real flame, and even a living nativity scene with live animals. Be sure to check out the pretty Rathaus (Old Town Hall) building, too.
I recommend visiting Esslingen first, as it’s definitely the busier of the two towns you’ll visit today. It gets very crowded in the evenings and on weekends (my photos were taken on a weekend evening), so visit this one in the late morning/early afternoon; the market stalls open at 11 a.m.
Ludwigsburg Christmas market
From Esslingen, you’ll probably need to head back to Stuttgart to change train lines in order to go to Ludwigsburg next (it’s served by the S4 and S5 S-Bahn lines). From Stuttgart Hbf, it takes about 15 minutes to get to Ludwigsburg.
From the train station, it’s a short 10-minute walk through town to the Marktplatz/Market Square, which is perched between the Zur Heiligsten Dreieinigkeit and Evangelische Stadtkirche Ludwigsburg, two beautiful Baroque churches.
On the square in between these churches, you’ll find one of the most charming Christmas markets in all of Germany: the Ludwigsburg Baroque Christmas Market. The market features huge wings made from twinkle lights that rise up above the market stalls, which sell a range of locally made goods, crafts, and food. Of all the Christmas markets you’ll visit on this trip, this one will have the most actual local goods!
The food in Ludwigsburg is also excellent, with everything from sausages to langos to smoked and fried fish available. You can also try Maultaschen (a type of dumpling) and Stockbrot (bread cooked around a long stick). And, alongside gluhwein and beer, you’ll also find a lot of other hot drinks and cocktails – I had a hot Hugo (a popular spritz-style cocktail) here.
Total driving time today: None is necessary! It’s way easier to just take the S-Bahn.
How to do it by train: Take the S1 S-Bahn line to Esslingen in about 20 minutes. Take either the S4 or S5 line to Ludwigsburg in about 15 minutes. You don’t need to pre-buy tickets; you can use either the VVS Mobile or SSB Move app to purchase tickets right on your phone.
Where to stay: Stay in Stuttgart again tonight. The EmiLu Design Hotel, Jaz in the City, and Waldhotel Stuttgart are all good options.
Day 8: Return to Frankfurt
And that’s the end of this weeklong Christmas market trip! It will be time to head back to Frankfurt today. You can either book your flight out of Frankfurt this afternoon or evening, or spend one more night in Frankfurt before flying home.
I will warn you, though, that it’s very likely you’ll catch the Christmas market bug on this trip; this might not be your last time in Europe for the holidays!
Total driving time today: It will take you just about 2 hours to drive from Stuttgart back to Frankfurt.
How to do it by train: From Stuttgart to Frankfurt, you can catch a direct ICE train that will take between 1.75 and 2 hours. Check Trainline for all your options.
Where to stay in Frankfurt: If you’re staying another night in Frankfurt, I recommend Motel One Frankfurt-Römer (close to Old Town), or the Scandic Frankfurt Museumsufer (close to the main train station). Or you could book a room at an airport hotel like the Sheraton Frankfurt Airport Hotel, which is right in the airport.
Make it a 10-day Christmas market trip
Do you maybe have a little more time to dedicate to a Christmas market trip in Europe? Well, there are endless ways you could add some extra days to the above itinerary. But I’m going to suggest just a few that would be my top picks.
Add on Munich
The easiest add-on to the above itinerary would be to head to Munich from Stuttgart, and spend 2 nights in the heart of Bavaria for some more excellent Christmas markets.
Munich is one of my favorite large cities in Germany to visit during the Christmas season, as it has several unique markets spread throughout the city center. My favorites are the main market on Marienplatz (head up one of the surrounding towers for an excellent overhead view), the small market with great food on Rindermarkt, a medieval market on Wittelsbacherplatz, the market in the courtyard of the Residenz palace, and the pink market at Stephansplatz.
You could also visit the Residenz palace while you’re in Munich, or head out to Nymphenburg Palace for a tour.
Total driving time today: From Stuttgart to Munich, it’s just under 2.5 hours of driving time.
How to do it by train: From Stuttgart to Munich, there are direct trains that will take about 2 hours. Check Trainline for all your options.
Where to stay in Munich: In Munich, my top picks are near the main train station (it’s actually a nice area!), with my go-to being the NH Collection München Bavaria. Other good picks include Hotel Metropol (also near the train station) and Hotel Torbraeu (near the Old Town).
From here, you could either fly home from Munich, or make your way back to Frankfurt to head home.
The full 10-day itinerary in this case would look like:
- Day 1: Arrive in Frankfurt
- Day 2: Heidelberg
- Day 3: Strasbourg
- Day 4: Christmas in Colmar
- Day 5: Alsace small towns
- Day 6: Stuttgart
- Day 7: Esslingen and Ludwigsburg
- Day 8: To Munich
- Day 9: Munich
- Day 10: Back to Frankfurt/home
Other Christmas market options
If you’d prefer to add some more smaller cities to the 7-day itinerary instead of going to Munich, the two I would suggest are Trier and Freiburg im Breisgau (both in Germany). If you added those two on, you could also visit smaller markets in Rüdesheim am Rhein and at Ravenna Gorge.
In this case, your itinerary could look like this:
- Day 1: Arrive in Frankfurt
- Day 2: Trier via Rudesheim
- Day 3: Strasbourg
- Day 4: Christmas in Colmar
- Day 5: Alsace small towns
- Day 6: Freiburg im Breisgau
- Day 7: Ravenna Gorge
- Day 8: Stuttgart
- Day 9: Esslingen and Ludwigsburg
- Day 10: Heidelberg
- Day 11: Back to Frankfurt
Note: Adding in these additional stops does make this itinerary slightly trickier to do efficiently by train. It’s not impossible, but is definitely easier if you’re renting a car and driving!
Trier (with stop in Rudesheim)
Get an early start this day, and head west from Frankfurt. Stop in the late morning in the town of Rüdesheim am Rhein, which is a very cute town on the Rhine River in wine country. It’s worth a short stroll through the Christmas market stalls and town.
From Rudesheim, continue west almost all the way to the border with Luxembourg. Here you’ll find Trier, which is the oldest city in Germany! The city itself has lots of historic sites to see, including the Porta Nigra gate (built by the Romans almost 2000 years ago), Roman ruins, and the Trier Saint Peter’s Cathedral.
The main Christmas market in Trier takes place on Hauptmarkt, spilling over into the square in front of the cathedral. This market is small and very local-feeling, but absolutely magical after dark. It’s one of my favorite Christmas markets in Germany!
Where to add it: Day 2, right after Frankfurt
Total driving time: It’s 1 hour from Frankfurt to Rudesheim and then an additional 2 hours to Trier, making it 3 hours of total driving time today. (Note that this route also includes a short car ferry ride across the Rhine River in Rudesheim; you’ll pay when you get on.) From Trier to the next stop in Strasbourg, it’s a 2.5-hour drive.
How to do it by train: Honestly I would probably skip this stop if you’re traveling by train. You *can* do it, but to get from Frankfurt to Trier by train takes nearly 4 hours and will require probably 2 changes. (If you’re going by train, I would skip the stop in Rudesheim and go straight to Trier.) From Trier to Strasbourg, a train journey would take anywhere from 4-6 hours; so again, not worth it in my opinion for just a 1-night stay!
Where to stay: The best option in Trier is the Romantik Hotel zur Glocke, a historic hotel with beautiful rooms and a very good restaurant. The hotel does not have parking, but there is paid parking not far away.
Freiburg/Ravenna Gorge
The other addition I can recommend is the town of Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany (AKA Freiburg). It’s not far from the Alsace region in France, and has several busy Christmas markets throughout its Altstadt (Old Town). Freiburg’s Old Town is also part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and has lots of beautiful architecture to see, including medieval gates, the Freiburg Cathedral, and the Historical Merchants’ Hall.
Freiburg is also a great base for visiting the very unique Ravenna Gorge Christmas market, which takes place beneath a railroad viaduct in the middle of the Black Forest. This Christmas market is one of the most unique in Germany – and is the only market I know of where you have to pre-book tickets in order to visit.
Visiting Ravenna Gorge takes some pre-planning (you need to get tickets in October, and it only runs on weekends), but if you can fit it into your itinerary, I really do think it’s worth it! I wrote a whole post about how to visit the Ravenna Gorge Christmas market, with all the important details.
Where to add it: Day 6 and 7, in between Strasbourg/the Alsace and Stuttgart; stay in Freiburg for both nights.
Total driving time: The drive from Strasbourg to Freiburg is about 1 hour. If you drive to Ravenna Gorge from Freiburg, that will take 30 minutes with no traffic (but during Christmas market weekends, expect it to take 40+ minutes). From Freiburg, the drive to Stuttgart is just over 2 hours.
How to do it by train: Strasbourg to Freiburg is easier to do by train, and will take anywhere from 1-2 hours, depending on the route you choose. Check Trainline for options. From Freiburg, the journey to Stuttgart by train takes about 2 hours by ICE train, likely with one change.
Where to stay: Good hotel options here include the Park Hotel Post (paid parking available) and the Colombi Hotel (luxury option with paid parking available). Just note that you’ll want to book as far in advance as possible if you’ll be visiting over a Ravenna Gorge market weekend.
How much does a Christmas market trip cost?
The cost of a trip like this can vary greatly depending on where you plan to visit, what sort of transport you use, and how far in advance you book. For an average weeklong Christmas market trip in Germany, you can expect to spend somewhere around $3500 for 2 people.
My friend Tamara has an excellent cost breakdown for a trip like this, including the average cost of flights, accommodation, transport, and food. Read it here: Christmas market trip budget. You can also check out this video of mine for a sense of how much you might spend on food/drinks at markets.
What to wear at Christmas markets
If you read my Christmas market tips post, you might have noted that you’ll be spending a lot of time outdoors at Christmas markets. In fact, they’re ALL outside, with very little cover from the elements. So you definitely want to dress for the weather!
The weather for a trip like this can vary greatly. You might experience temperatures anywhere from the 20s-50s F (-7 to 10ish C), and everything from bright sunshine to rain to even snow. So the absolute essentials to pack include:
- Warm layers – The weather can vary, but it’s likely to be fairly cold. So pack layers! I usually go for a merino or moisture-wicking base layer under a sweater/cardigan on top, and potentially fleece-lined leggings (like these) under jeans or other pants on the bottom. You’ll also want a good jacket, too, either a lightweight down jacket or heavier winter coat, depending on the temperature. (Last year, I wore this one.)
- Warm, waterproof shoes/boots – Your footwear might be the most important item in your Christmas market wardrobe! Be sure to bring at least one pair of warm and waterproof shoes/boots that can tackle any weather. (These Columbia boots are my go-to.)
- Hand/feet warmers – Speaking of staying warm, these HotHands hand/toe warmers are must-packs for me for any winter trip. You can put them in your gloves or boots, and they’ll stay warm for up to 8 hours.
I have a full Christmas market packing list you can check out for more specific suggestions and outfit ideas!
Check out these other Christmas market posts:
And there you have it! I commend you if you’ve made it this far in this itinerary, but hope that if you have you’re now more confident in planning your own perfect Christmas market trip! I promise you definitely won’t regret it, and hope you have a magical time if you go!
Which Christmas market(s) would you be most excited to see?
Amanda Williams is the award-winning blogger behind A Dangerous Business Travel Blog. She has traveled to more than 60 countries on 6 continents from her home base in Ohio, specializing in experiential and thoughtful travel through the US, Europe, and rest of the world. Amanda only shares tips based on her personal experiences and places she’s actually traveled!
