Nothing quite gets you into the festive spirit than visiting German Christmas markets in December. With Christmas markets originating in Germany back in the Middle Ages, you won’t be surprised to find some of the best offerings in the Black Forest region of the country. Here, we examine three of the best to be found in the area and other activities that will inspire you to enjoy the perfect Christmas holiday.
Freiburg
Nicknamed the ‘Capital of the Black Forest’, Freiburg is your gateway to the Black Forest region and luckily it’s only around 45 minutes from EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg.
Christmas market
With around 120 stalls and having been around since 1973 in its current format, this is one of the largest in the region. As the city is relatively compact, the market has now expanded into seven sites, all within close walking distance of each other. The must-do activity is to sip on heart-warming glühwein. It’s often tricky to decide which has the best offering, but if you follow the fashionable crowd, most congregate around the Alte Wache stand.
Food-wise look out for the kartoffelpuffer stand – these moreish German potato pancakes will help to warm your cockles as much as a glass of glühwein.
Where to eat
If you are looking for more substantial food, the diverse restaurant scene in Freiburg has plenty to offer. The five-star Columbi hotel has an annual chalet pop-up that serves up hearty Alpine-style cuisine from a cheese or meat fondue to a gorgeously tender Bavarian duck. Heiliggeist Stüble am Münster will serve up traditional Baden cuisine with a modern twist – seared scallops are served with a mango and lentil salad whilst your sirloin comes with spätzle. You’ll find the most varied offering at Markthalle with food stalls ranging from Afghan to Vietnamese food.
Things to do
Christmas markets, thermal baths and wintry weather are an irresistible combination. A short ride away from downtown is The Keidel Thermal Baths where, with 6,000 square metres of wellness area, you’ll never feel overcrowded. Water from their thermal springs has been used for over 40 years and the mineral-rich thermal waters in their eight pools are not only warming and soothing, but highly therapeutic for your body.
Let us not forget that the origins of Christmas is a religious story, so a visit to the Freiburger Münster is ideal during any visit. The grand gothic cathedral, with a stunning spire, is often considered the symbol of Freiburg. Their ornate stained glass windows have been painstakingly preserved, especially during World War II when they were taken down before the outbreak of war. You’ll also find plenty of their statues, stained glass windows and gargoyles at the nearby Augustinian Museum to help with the preservation of these items. The museum is currently undergoing a major renovation and will be at least two thirds larger when it fully reopens in 2025.
Where to stay
If you want to experience a slice of history, stay at the Hotel Roter Bären. It is the oldest inn in Germany with over 900 years of history and is situated right in the heart of the old town.
Baden-Baden
This spa town of Baden-Baden is renowned as the playground of the rich and famous and it was known as the summer capital of Europe during the Belle époque period.
Christmas market
Whilst prices are not too dissimilar to other markets, you are more likely to find upscale items on offer at the Christkindelsmarkt Baden-Baden. For example, you’ll find Loftea selling organic spices and fruits to make your glühwein, while Evergrate is selling high-quality ceramic graters. And if you are at a loss on what to try, and what to purchase, they even have a two-hour guided tour in English, which includes eight stops with culinary tastings. They are one of the few Christmas markets with live daily music performances on a specially-designed stage. If you plan, you can even book yourself a gourmet igloo experience, where you sample their ‘fonduelette’, a mixture of meat fondue and raclette.
Where to eat
Leo’s Restaurant is a popular local haunt. Their specialty is seafood often with an Asian twist, for example, the salmon tartare is served up with wakame, a prawn-like cracker and red ginger. The signature bouillabaisse is laden with treasures of the sea from Mediterranean fish to octopus. If you want to try the iconic Black Forest Gateau, head to Café König, it is owned by arguably the best chocolatier in Germany.
Things to do
No trip to Baden-Baden is complete without visiting their world-renowned casino. Even if you are not a gambler, you will feel like you’ve walked onto the film set of a James Bond movie. The town also has one of the most important contemporary museums in the country, Museum Frieder Burda. Designed by Richard Meier, it showcases the works of key 20th- and 21st-century artists such as their current exhibition on Nicholas Party.
Being the most revered spa town in the country, you will want to try their thermal baths. You can either visit the traditional Friedrichsbad or the contemporary Caracalla Spa. The former is a cloths-free experience in an iconic Roman and Irish bathing setting, whilst the latter includes a rock grotto with hot and cold pools, a soothing aroma steam bath and a brine inhalation room. The outdoor marble pools are particularly popular with whirlpools and a water current channel area.
Where to stay
Baden-Baden is a town brimming with high-end luxury hotels. If you want an elevated, boutique accommodation, make sure you check out Hotel Belle Epoque. The suites are particularly beguiling, such as the Louis XVI suite, which is designed in a belle époque style that would even impress the king of France, and it comes complete with your own private Jacuzzi, too.
Ravenna Gorge
In the heart of the Black Forest, away from the cities, you’ll find The Ravenna Gorge, a steep and narrow valley of the Höllental. The 37-metre-high Ravenna Bridge is the viaduct of the Höllental Railway and this is the backdrop to one of the most scenic Christmas markets in the whole of Europe.
Christmas market
With the viaduct arches illuminated with powerful, colourful spotlights and twinkling lights around the forty or so stalls, this magical setting will put you immediately in a festive mood. The classic food options are all present including bratwurst, käsespätzle, raclette and, most impressively, smoked salmon which is smoked in-house at the stands.
Glühwein is a key part of the experience, and there are also non-alcoholic versions such as Kinderpunsch for the children or those who don’t drink. It is about tradition but there is innovation too. You’ll find Bio Glüh Gin from the makers of Woif Gin for those who are more into their botanicals than their grapes. You are more than likely to find a Blackforest Wold Whisky stand too, they’ve won countless accolades and were recently voted the best whisky in Germany.
Unlike other Christmas markets, there is a small admission price to pay and tickets do sell out very early, so it is strongly advisable to book in advance.
Things to do
You can hike to the market from Hinterzarten and it is an approximately three-kilometre path that is a gentle slope down to the gorge. They run occasional guided torch-lit walks, from the starting point at the Kurhaus in Hinterzarten, and they include the singing of traditional German Christmas songs.
Where to stay
Hotel Coucou in Titisee is an ideal base to discover the area. It is situated next to the train station so you won’t have to worry about transporting your luggage in the snow, furthermore, they have shuttle buses from the market which take you back to Titisee.
Factbox
For more information visit: schwarzwald-tourismus.info.
