Cologne's Christmas Markets: What You Need to Know

Dear Santa, I've been a very good employee this year. For Christmas, I'd like to report at a Christmas market in Germany. Who said that? It's a Christmas miracle! I'm here at the Christmas market at the Cologne Cathedral. And I'm going to tell you everything you need to know about visiting a Christmas market in Germany. We'll check out some Christmas market essentials and I'll tell you what mistakes you should definitely avoid making. This is the city's most famous Christmas market. It's also considered to be one of the most beautiful Christmas markets in Germany. This year it has 140 stands. My Christmas market strategy is first taking a walk around so I can get the lay of the land. But it's not easy to stick to my plan. They are made by plant people in our company in Saxonia. We have here 200 different brushes. Wow! Brushes for cleaning mushrooms. A brush for a brush. But I'll be strict and continue because there's so much to see. That brings me to one common mistake, not dressing warm enough. There is so much to see. You don't want to have to cut your visit short. And by the way, this market has the Rhineland's largest Christmas tree, a Nordmann fir, 23 meters high. As I'm walking around here there are so many incredible smells in the air. You have candied nuts, grilled meats and that brings me to our next topic, food. Germany is known for its wide range of Christmas market food and there's so much to try. Like Kartoffelpuffer, fried potato pancakes. In Cologne you'll find a special version called Reibekuchen, served with sour cream or applesauce. It has the sweet savory thing going on. Broccolette, you can smell the pungent Swiss cheese halfway across the market. Tastes better than it smells. And a classic, sausage, which comes in many varieties depending on the region. I try Mettwurst and kale. Don't make the mistake of bringing only credit card. At Christmas markets a lot of vendors will accept cash only. And it's not only about typical German cuisine, you'll also find dishes from around the world and many vegan and vegetarian options. Like these vegan momos, Himalayan dumplings that look so good. Authentic Christmas markets typically have live music and this one is no exception. If you want to be even more prepared you can check out the program online in advance. But now it's time to try one of my favorite Christmas market classics. Mulled wine or Glühwein. Typically it's red wine spiced with cinnamon, cloves, lemon and a bit of anise. You can also order it with Schuss, which is a shot of either amaretto or rum. Don't make the mistake of drinking too much too quickly. It's so sugary it goes straight to your head. And there are non-alcoholic versions too. The cost of the drink also includes a deposit for the cup which you get back when you return it. And while you're in town be sure to visit the Cologne Cathedral. It holds the shrine of the three kings, part of the biblical story of Christmas. The cathedral is the most visited landmark in Germany, drawing 6.5 million people every year. It also has a unique stained glass window by renowned German artist Gerhard Richter. Now it's time for our second Christmas market, the Market of Angels, said to be the city's oldest. Many German cities have multiple Christmas markets. Cologne had six this year. So don't make the mistake of thinking you're going to come to a German city and see everything really quickly. It can take time to get from one to the next. Let's talk about gifts. This market has only 70 stands so that still gives us plenty to check out. Christmas markets offer many chances to support local artisans and producers. Let's take a look at some of the wooden items at the giant Katerwollfahrt stand, found at many German markets. These pyramids are from the Ohr mountains in East Germany and I really really love this. This is a great example of typical kind of wooden handicrafts that you find in Germany at Christmas markets. When you light these candles, the heat from the candles actually makes the little propeller spin and these little figures here spin around. So cute. And another classic. You've probably seen this guy before. These are the typical nut crackers which are also from the Ohr mountain region. They date back to the late 17th century. Is it just me or is it time for some sugar? The number of sweet treats you can find at German Christmas markets is pretty mind-blowing. Here we have a couple of typical ones. These are candy nuts, all different kinds of varieties and these Lebkuchenherzen or gingerbread hearts. Speaking of Lebkuchen, Germany's gingerbread, there's a special kind at this market called Printen. It comes in many varieties. Candied fruits and almonds, all sorts of different kinds. It's very good. It's something between hard and soft. Is that who I think it is? It's Santa's helper, the Christmas angel. Hello. Sarah, thank you for your letter. This is your big wish. The Christmas market in Cologne, it's for you. Thank you so much for making my Christmas wishes come true. Well, I think we've seen all the Christmas market essentials. We've had delicious food, mulled wine, entertainment, sweets and, of course, a great atmosphere. But remember, no two Christmas markets are exactly alike, so you're sure to discover much more when you come on your own. Let me know what you like most about my visit to these Christmas markets in the comments and see you next time.