Ron Stern | Travel Writer

If you’ve never experienced European Christmas markets, you have missed out on some of the most fun and festive places to visit during the holiday season. Here are six German cities that should be on your must see wish list to make your Christmas dreams come true.

I have visited many other Christmas markets in both Germany and Switzerland but this was my first trip to these cities’ markets, which included Frankfurt, Koblenz, Trier, Heidelberg, Rüedesheim, and Wiesbaden. Typically, the markets are set up about three weeks prior to Christmas in one or more locations around town. They go all out with colorfully lit, festive wooden huts selling everything from locally made handicrafts and decorations, and, oh my gosh, the food! Bratwurst on crispy rolls with spicy mustard, potato pancakes with applesauce, flavored candied almonds and…well, you get the idea. So, let the celebration begin!

Koblenz

I started my trip in the town of Koblenz, a short train ride from the Frankfurt Airport. Situated at the confluence of the Rhine and Mosell Rivers, this city has a history dating back 2000 years starting from when it was a Roman settlement. This is vividly captured in a sculpture located within a fountain in the center of the Görresplatz. The 10 meter pillar depicts the history of Koblenz starting with the Romans (bottom of the sculpture) and moving up through the Crusades, the French Revolution, the Second World War, and up to present day.

The Christmas market, located in the old quarter, had 130 wooden huts and extended from the Church of Our Lady to various other squares. Dusk is one of the best times to visit these markets. The sky turns cobalt blue and all the lights come on in the booths illuminating merchants and customers in a warm glow.

These markets are not just for visitors, as friends and family use them to meet up and enjoy each other’s company over a hot cup of Glühwein. Probably known better as mulled wine here in the U.S., Glühwein is usually red wine mixed with various spices and served hot. This was just the thing to warm me up during a crisp winter’s eve and a good starting point for exploring the markets.

If you are visiting at any other time of the year, there are walking and bus tours, boat trips down the Rhine and Mosell and a number of interesting attractions in and around the city. Not to be missed would be the cable car ride to the Ehrenbreitstein Fortress that overlooks the town and the Kauf-und Danzhaus (now an art museum). The exterior clock of the latter has a face of the Eye Roller, which commemorates the robber baron Johann von Kobern. At certain times of the hour, he also sticks out a red tongue.

Trier

One nice thing about Germany is that trains are always close and efficient. My next stop via rail was to Germany’s oldest city, the town of Trier. Once the Roman imperial residence, Trier is located on the Mosell River and close to the Luxembourg border.

My hotel was located directly across from the impressive Porta Nigra (Black Gate). Constructed by the Romans as the city gate, it is the largest such gate north of the Alps and designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Fortunately, for me, most of the shopping areas and beautifully adorned Christmas market were located just beyond the gate’s entrance. The medieval backdrop of the Hauptmarket Square was one of the more beautiful I have ever seen. There were 95 decorated huts, each serving up food and crafts as well as a glimpse into Germany’s rich heritage. Here, I tried some freshly made, steaming hot pomms (French fries). Walking around with a camera on one arm and a cone-shaped bag brimming with fries and ketchup does take some practice, but then, I am a professional.

You never know what you might find at these booths. At Trier, I saw beeswax candles and soaps, cozy tiny houses lit from the inside, Christmas ornaments, toys, and all manor of beer, wine, and what I call snackage.

During the day, take time to explore the Imperial Throne Room built by Constantine in 310 AD and the oldest bishop’s church (Dom St. Peter) north of the Alps. Then, take a tour of the well preserved Roman baths from the 4th century. These were ingeniously constructed with underground service tunnels and even a boiler to provide hot running water.

Heidelberg

Located due south of Frankfurt, Heidelberg was the next stop on my yuletide route. Old and modern might be a good way to describe this city and they are both integrated into the town’s infrastructure. Pedestrian paths with cobblestone streets line the main shopping areas with church steeples and a towering city gate still majestically guarding the entrance to the town.

The 12th century Heidelberg Castle is perched on a hill above the city and is a great place to get a bird’s eye view of the entire town. The castle was destroyed in earlier days but the ruins are well preserved and colorfully lit for the holidays. After a short funicular ride, you can stroll the grounds and view the world’s largest wine cask, which was apparently enough to keep 5,000 guests and castle dwellers in, shall we say, good spirits.

The large Christmas market here spreads out over several squares. Assuming you still have room in your suitcase, you will have a huge assortment of items to purchase, both from the individual stalls as well as from retailers lining the streets. I found an ample supply of lebkuchen, a traditional Christmas treat that resembles gingerbread, in one of the shops and worked it into the folds of my carry on.

Heidelberg is also a romantic city. Tucked away on one of the side streets at Haspelgasse 16 is a tiny shop called the Café Knösel. Still in operation after generations, they sell a wonderful chocolaty, cookie item called a Student Kiss. Students would purchase these for the objects of their affection back in the day with hope for future romance. Today, this shop does a huge business so, of course, I had to find a bit more room in the luggage.

Other sights that should be on your must-see list while here include the Old Bridge spanning the Neckar River built by Prince-Elector Carol Theodor in the late 1700s as well as the Student Prison. Yes, you heard right. Any minor infraction would land students of Ruprecht-Karls University in what amounts to a modified detention for a few days—at their convenience, of course. Today, you can tour the jail and view the artwork created by the guests that adorn the walls and ceilings.

Where to stay:

Koblenz
Ghotel Hotel & Living (www.ghotel.com) Modern, sleek and efficient.

Trier
Mercure Trier-Porta Nigra (www.accorhotels.com) Modern and right across from the Black Gate.

Heidleberg
Hip-Hotel (www.hip-hotel.de/en/) Amazing theme hotel. Down Under room has furniture on ceiling.

For other hotels and more information about Germany, check out www.cometogermany.com and
www.germany.travel.

Travel Accessory (Sleep Number® Deluxe Travel Pillow)

I don’t know about you but I have a hard time finding comfortable pillows in hotel rooms when I travel. I also have a bad neck, which only compounds the problem. On this trip, I took along the Sleep Number® Deluxe Travel Pillow to try out. The first thing I liked was that if fit neatly into my roller board carry on (14”x19”x1”). The pillow is constructed of high density memory foam surrounded by a soft down alternative. This provided excellent molded support for my neck and gave me a good night’s sleep on the entire trip. The pillow is also hypoallergenic for those with allergy issues. I will be taking this pillow on all subsequent trips.

FTC Disclosure: All of the hotels, meals, attractions, and product review were sponsored by the German National Tourist Office, their partners and the Select Comfort Company. No money changed hands in any of these venues or offerings nor were the businesses promised any sort of positive review.

Part Two of this feature will be published in the January 6, 2012 issue of San Diego Uptown News.