A Christmas market in Bratislava, Slovakia
The homey smell of cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves wafting through the air; stalls offering steamy mulled red wine laden with raisins, almonds and cinnamon sticks and steeped in acquavit or schnapps, scrumptious fruitcake, gingerbread cookies, cheeses and other homemade goodies on display, jewelry, knits and handmade crafts. This and more is what traditional European Christmas markets are all about and visitors are in for a festive cultural experience like no other.
In downtown Salzburg, Austria is the Christkindlmarkt, one of Europe’s oldest markets and known for its large Advent calendar located at the Schloss Helbrunn, a 17th century palace. Stalls sell pewter crafts, slippers and loden coats.
Meanwhile, Rome comes alive with elaborate Nativity scenes all over the city - papier mache and terracotta figurines dotting the city landscape. The main market can be found on Piazza Navona where they sell toys, doughnuts and 101 different types of peanut brittle.
Prague has two popular Vanocni trh (Christmas markets) - one situated on the slope of Wenceslas Square, and the other is a medieval movie set in the Old Town Square where they put up a giant Christmas tree, a Nativity scene and a petting zoo for children. Good finds are Czech marionettes, Bohemian crystal, wooden toys and all sorts of sweets and pastries.
Nuremberg, Germany is famous worldwide for its Christmas market where candy cane striped stalls greet over two million shoppers yearly. Pick up some Nuremberg Plum People, tiny puppets made of prune limbs, fig torsos and walnut heads. Munich has a 100-foot Christmas tree in the center of its Christmas market in Marienplatz where they sell gingerbread, potato pancakes and sausages.
Dresden’s Striezelmarkt on the other hand boasts of a four-ton fruitcake paraded through the medieval streets by the Stollenmadchen, or “Fruitcake Maiden“. The oldest Christmas market in Germany also offers the best crafts from top artisans around the regions.
Photo: -12°C
What Next?
Follow us on Twitter
Become a fan at Facebook
Subscribe to offtoeurope.com here
Related posts:
Follow us on 
Become a fan at 
