Christmas markets river cruises 2022 infos and tips

[sharonann24]

So, I am wondering what the prices are like for some of the typical souvenirs at the markets.  We are coming prepared with euros since it seems as if that is best for the markets.  For example, what would be considered reasonable for a nutcracker, or hats?  I plan on doing some Christmas shopping.  We also have two toddler grandchildren (ages 15 and 22 months) so I am very excited to see what kind of toys or trinkets I can bring back for them to put under the tree or stuff a stocking.  10 days to our flight and 11 days to the cruise on the Viking Alruna!

[Canal archive]

The weight might be to much but you absolutely cannot beat the wooden toys they are amazing.

[steamboats]

3 hours ago, sharonann24 said:

For example, what would be considered reasonable for a nutcracker, or hats?

 

You can get pretty reasonable prices regarding nutcrackers but then they are made in China. German made nutcrackers are more high priced.

 

Hats? Not sure what exactly you are thinking of...  Souvenir hats are cheap, a real good handmade felted hat is pretty expensive. But you won´t find those on markets but in specialty shops.

 

steamboats

[notamermaid]

3 hours ago, sharonann24 said:

We also have two toddler grandchildren (ages 15 and 22 months) so I am very excited to see what kind of toys or trinkets I can bring back for them to put under the tree or stuff a stocking. 

Perhaps others can help you with prices. For toys for small children, I think that is tricky as for that age group it needs to be safe and much stuff is made in Asia. Cuddly toys seem the obvious choice as they are also lightweight, but those made in Europe or Germany are hard to come by sometimes and expensive. You can also go for building blocks made of wood. Having said that, there are some really nice toys coming from India and China.

 

I do not think I will have time to shop and take photographs. Plastic toys like Lego, Brio and Playmobil exist for the age group and are reasonable. But those are more in department stores and toy shops, not on markets.

 

notamermaid

 

[Ritabob]

Have you started the grandkids' Christmas ornament collection? A new one every year, so when they eventually move into their first apartment they will have their own decorations.  There are hundreds of ornaments available at the markets, from delicate glass to wooden ones. 

RB 

[ural guy]

6 hours ago, notamermaid said:

I don't think I have consciously seen it in the shops, a bit weird, I know. Aniseed, yes, I hope that does not come out too much in the taste. Will try it out.

 

Oh my goodness!! I mean the quantity...

 

You are in Karlovy Vary? I am so envious. I would love to see that spa town. I hope you come out all smooth-skinned and refreshed after that treatment. 🙂 Sounds a fun thing to do.

 

notamermaid

 

The beer spa was a nice thing to do, you are in basically a wood jacuzzi with hops and barley, with a beer tap right there, accessible from jacuzzi.  Skin does feel nice, but that could be from massage I lined up afterwards.  I’m getting credits with the Mrs now for when I inevitably mess up later.

 

Karlovy is a beautiful town to wander through, with a huge pedestrian zone and gorgeous architecture; would love to see the flowers in Spring.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I love this mural, so much going on. 

 

Above the city, you can take a funicular up to Diane Tower for great views.  They also have a small petting zoo and butterfly house, which we really enjoyed. Along with the simple pleasure of good Gulasch soup, with the thick bread and a side of boiled parsley potatoes for the hike down.

 

Wonderful day, bus to Prague in am and we turn ourselves over to Vantage. Ma and I set a high bar for fun this first 6 days, hope they can maintain that

[HoneyJan]

I have bought a couple of wool hats at the markets, about 20 -25 euros. I find they are much warmer than the ones I find at home with a soft wool lining that covers your ears well. German made nutcrackers are a higher quality than ones made in China and are easy to spot with extra details especially on the faces that are more than painted on (example eyebrows or a mustache made of wood.) The nutcrackers come in all sizes and are priced accordingly. They start about 35 euros and go up, and up!

[sharonann24]

5 hours ago, Ritabob said:

Have you started the grandkids' Christmas ornament collection? A new one every year, so when they eventually move into their first apartment they will have their own decorations.  There are hundreds of ornaments available at the markets, from delicate glass to wooden ones. 

RB 

Yes thank you.  That is a family tradition and I plan on continuing it.  My own children had boxes of ornaments once they moved out.

[sharonann24]

Thanks so much to all who answered.  I think the bottom line is that once we bring any purchase home it becomes special and unique, as it is a reminder of our experience.  

[Canal archive]

Bit late here Steiff make wonderful teddy bears for the little ones but I’m pretty sure some at least are made in the East. 

[notamermaid]

4 hours ago, Canal archive said:

Bit late here Steiff make wonderful teddy bears for the little ones but I’m pretty sure some at least are made in the East. 

Steiff is great, heirlooms no doubt. You can get smaller animals that are not so expensive. Steiff had been in China but as far as I know production is these days split between Germany, Portugal and Tunisia. The quality in China was not up to their standards and they scrapped the idea.

 

Steiff can be bought in large toy shops and department stores like Kaufhof Galeria. Here is the online shop for ideas: https://www.steiff.com/en-uk

 

11 hours ago, sharonann24 said:

I think the bottom line is that once we bring any purchase home it becomes special and unique, as it is a reminder of our experience.  

I agree. Just looking at the fridge magnet of the Budapest baths brings back memories of the guy I bought it from, the special time with a beloved person on the river cruise and how I even managed to go on that trip. A small bit of plastic with a big story behind it.

 

notamermaid

 

[steamboats]

First market done - Weihnachtsdorf in der Residenz in Munich.

Got my egg nog...

Not very many people at noon but most of them tourists. Heard American English, Spanish besides German of course.

 

steamboats 

[loriva]

In researching our Viking extension to Poland, I found this website:  https://christmasmarkets.io/europe/best-christmas-markets-in-europe/

 

I found the information about specialties at each market especially useful.

[ural guy]

Passau- looks like they are putting the final touches on, heavy work is done.

 

 

[Canal archive]

Our nearest Christmas Market in Bath starts on the 24th Nov., they are worried about rail strikes, I’ve never heard of a river cruise strike so enjoy everyone.

[AnhaltER1960]

On 11/5/2022 at 12:38 PM, loriva said:

There is not much out there on the Christmas markets on the Elbe sailings, so would love to hear any tips from @frenchhorn(an instrument both DH and I played in school orchestras!)

As the Elbe cruises spend some time in Saxony, there will be a wide choice of Christmas markets in December. And this year there is no indication that the markets will be cancelled due to Covid, as had happened last year.

 

Dresden does have several markets, not only the large Striezelmarkt. My favourite is the rather quiet Christmas market in the courtyard of the residence castle, as it does not have electricity - just torches and no loudspeakers whamming the laaaast Christmas (or German favourites like Helene Fischer).

 

But also the smaller cities like Wittenberg, Torgau and Meissen do have their markets. And as they are all in historical surroundings in those medieval cities, they all do have their special atmosphere. My choice is Meissen. The Christmas market on the central market square is next to the city hall, which has its windows decorated as an advent calendar.

[MVPinBoynton]

On 11/12/2022 at 10:18 PM, CPT Trips said:

Trivia time. 
Aldi and Lidl are not related in any other than each originated in Germany. 
Aldi was started by two brothers, the Albrechts. They had a business disagreement,  not as serious as that of the Dassler brothers, and agreed to split and operate cooperatively in different areas of Germany. One corporation is Aldi Süd; the other is Aldi Nord. 
Aldi Süd expanded into the US as the Aldi we know. They operate similarly to the way they do in Germany. 
Aldi Nord later decided to operate in the US. Rather than split the country and also operate under the Aldi name as they did in Germany, they acquired and operate as Trader Joe’s. 

I had no idea. Thanks so much for that info.  Looking forward to our Christmas markets cruise in 2.5 weeks. 

[Canal archive]

CPT the brothers thing I can blame fair and square on my DH. Ohhhhhhhh!

[steamboats]

Made it to market number 2 here in Munich - the closest one to my home - the Glühwein Festival. Forget the drinks... I had a Captain Jack which should have been a hot chocolate made of delicious dark chocolate with Jack Daniels. O.k., the last part was o.k. but the hot chocolate was more milk with a little cocoa powder. But regular cocoa and not dark one.

 

But the food booths are better. I had my dish from Uganda with beef - yummy! I also bought an Arrancino con Spinaci (rice ball filled with spinach from Sicily) and a Sfogliatella con Vaniglia (from Naples). The Arrancino will be my dinner tomorrow night.

 

Three rides for kids. So with small children it's worth going.

 

Tonight our mayor opened the main Christmas Market of Munich. So maybe that's one of the next I will visit.

 

steamboats

[notamermaid]

3 hours ago, steamboats said:

Made it to market number 2 here in Munich

Lovely. I am already falling behind you with visiting. Had to work and have not been to one yet. Mind you, few were open before today.

 

But I was able to get a trip into the hills in yesterday. The Westerwald hills, to a workshop that makes the huts, houses and landscapes for nativity scenes. You know, a "Krippenbauer". He buys the figures and ornaments in. Many from Italy. Spoiled for choice, oh the decoration, the smell of wood in the workshop!

 

Will get back to the place shortly in another post.

 

Today it was household duties, tomorrow it is time to start decorating. Deck the halls - but not with bows of holly.

 

notamermaid

 

[Host Jazzbeau]

Maybe an idea for holiday ship decor:  cover the decks and bows with hauls of holly!

[Coral]

On 11/18/2022 at 8:26 AM, steamboats said:

First market done - Weihnachtsdorf in der Residenz in Munich.

Got my egg nog...

Not very many people at noon but most of them tourists. Heard American English, Spanish besides German of course.

 

steamboats 

Sort of surprised - I was in Munich on Nov 25th in 2018 and we were too early for Christmas markets that. year there.

[steamboats]

6 hours ago, Coral said:

Sort of surprised - I was in Munich on Nov 25th in 2018 and we were too early for Christmas markets that. year there.

 

The markets usually opened Friday of the first weekend of Advent. But now they open on Thursday or even Monday prior to the first weekend of Advent. Some open even earlier but have to close on Sunday (the one before the first Advent Sunday) as it´s our rememberance day. So those which want to open earlier have chosen the Monday after that Sunday.

 

The Nuremberg market did stay with the traditional opening day and does open this Friday. But by this Friday all markets should be open.

 

I don´t remember when they started this earlier opening...

 

8 hours ago, notamermaid said:

Lovely. I am already falling behind you with visiting. Had to work and have not been to one yet. Mind you, few were open before today.

 

It´s all about planning 😉 - I had to go to my old office in downtown and the Residenz is close to that. So I used lunch break for that on Friday. Yesterday I was working from home and went to the Glühwein-Festival for dinner (it´s only 10 min walking from home or two tram stops).

 

steamboats

[Canal archive]

Ring out the bells, hopefully not the ships bells shhhhh 🤫 has anyone tried them to see if they work?

[notamermaid]

Castles and palaces are such brilliant settings for markets. Hopefully I can get to one this year. Some markets are only at weekends so are not so easy to fit into a river cruise schedule. In the Rhine Gorge,  a castle does such a weekend event. It is Burg Rheinstein: https://www.burg-rheinstein.de/en/

 

There are many others across Germany, Austria and I am sure other countries as well. Regensburg Schloß Thurn & Taxis is one you can reach on a river cruise easily and it is open all week. The Reichsburg in Cochem has its market from 10 to 12 December.

 

I would love to see a moated castle, or Wasserschloß as the later and bigger version, in North Rhine-Westphalia. There are some really attractive ones. So far I have only been to one (private) winter event in a small one near Bonn. A great experience.

 

As pontac has recently posted a fascinating review of their narrowboat trip, I was wondering @Canal archive have you ever read about or done a winter event trip on the canals in England? Perhaps a bit cold. Do people spend much time on the boats in winter other than the ones they live on them? There are some great markets now in England, I mean theoretically one could sail through the canals into Birmingham or Manchester to see the markets.

 

notamermaid