Dresden Christmas Market

Dresden Christmas Market dates:
late November to late December

Dresden Christmas Market hours:
Sunday to Thursday 10:00 to 21:00, Friday and Saturday 10:00 to 23:00, Christmas Eve 10:00 to 14:00.

The annual Dresden Christmas Market is the oldest of its kind in Germany. Dating back to 1434, the market is officially called the Striezelmarkt.

Dresden’s market is home to hundreds of Christmas market stalls selling all of the traditional crafts and foods for which German Christmas markets are best known. These include classic wooden Christmas pyramids, candles and candle holders, textiles, blown glass, Christmas tree ornaments, gingerbread, sausages, and hot spiced wine.

Live music and performances are an integral part of the market, as are two special events. One is the Stollen Festival, which takes place on the Saturday before the second Sunday of Advent. The other is the Pyramid Festival, which takes place on the Saturday before the third Sunday of Advent.

The market is also famous for being home to the world’s tallest wooden Christmas pyramid and the world’s biggest nutcracker. Additionally, it is known for the seasonal stollen cake, from which the Striezelmarkt got its name (the cake was historically called Striezel).

The Dresden Christmas Market is located right by Dresden’s newly rebuilt Frauenkirche, or Church of Our Lady, which is in the Dresden city centre.

Munich Christmas Markets

Munich Christmas Markets dates: various from late November to late December

The annual Munich Christmas markets are some of the biggest and best in all of Germany. Indeed, the Bavarian Christmas markets set the standard for seasonal holiday markets all over Europe.

Munich’s markets are home to hundreds of Christmas market stalls selling all of the traditional crafts that German Christmas markets are known for. They also offer classic German food and hot mulled wine as well as free live music, events, entertainment, and family activities.

Munich’s Christmas markets are located all throughout the city, from the Marienplatz in the city centre to the Munich airport. The biggest and most famous is the market in the Marienplatz, which is open from late November to Christmas Eve. It features one of the largest Christmas trees in the city as well as live Advent music daily in the evenings.

Next to it is the manger market in Neuhauser Strasse, which features some of the most impressive displays of nativity scenes in all of Europe. It is a great alternative to the traditional chalets of the Christmas market next door.

Ludwigsburg Christmas Market

Ludwigsburg Christmas Market dates:
late November to late December

Ludwigsburg Christmas Market hours:
Daily from 11:00 to 21:00

The annual Ludwigsburg Baroque Christmas Market is one of the biggest celebrations of the year in the German city of Ludwigsburg. Located just 15 minutes away from Stuttgart by S-bahn train, it’s easy to visit the Ludwigsburg Christmas Market and the Stuttgart Christmas Market in one visit.

Ludwigsburg’s market is home to over 170 Christmas market stalls selling classic crafts, hot food and wine, and all things traditional. Arches and gates glow with golden lights as they welcome visitors to the beautiful scene in front of the city’s illuminated Baroque churches.

The market also has special entertainment programmes for adults at 19:00 and children at 15.00 each day. Events include performances, music, and other entertainment.

The Ludwigsburg Christmas Market is located near Swabian Versailles, Germany’s largest and best preserved Baroque palace.