Christmas markets river cruises 2023 infos and tips

[Canal archive]

Your right steamboats I got my recipe many years ago when just married. Our version is Mulled Wine although a tasting session between the two could leave you just a little over the top. I do like the sound of your fruit cup so will definitely try it. Thank you. It’s in my recipe book already.

Edited November 19, 2023 by Canal archive

[Pyroforyou]

Can someone on a Viking river ruise copy thier recipe when the chief makes the vanilla crescent cookies with the guests. It was so easy but I cant find where I put my copy. Thank you. Wish we were going again to the markets this year. 

[masonpips]

On 11/19/2023 at 3:18 AM, Pushka said:

Currently due to high waters several river cruises are being disrupted. Basel is particularly impacted but other ports are as well. 

Ironically 5 years ago we had to go by bus and stay in a hotel versus the Antionette from Basel!  We are cruising her again on Dec 9 so hoping all this rain stops by then and things are normal!

[notamermaid]

On 11/19/2023 at 10:36 AM, steamboats said:

I hopefully will try out the Regensburger Christkindlmarkt (depending on Deutsche Bahn and whether they go on strike or not) which opens Nov 27th.

That is the one I would like to see. One day I will make it to Bavaria in winter... I have been to the Bavarian Forest in late winter, when the lower hills had had the snow thawed but we went up roads and could still walk in a winter forest. Really nice.

 

Deutsche Bahn is a problem... Traben-Trarbach on the Moselle is a bit worried about potential problems for their market as parking is very limited and there will we train cancellations so visitors will need to take buses to get there.

 

Last year we had an early spell of real snow at the beginning of December along the Rhine. Our Januaries are normally colder than our Decembers.

 

Looks like Munich will get a bit of snow over the weekend. I think I will be below the "Schneefallgrenze" over the weekend. A grey, cold day here. We have 2 to 6 degrees.

 

Have been to the first charity Advent do, a typical Adventsbasar in a Christian community centre, with hand-knitted socks, second-hand goods and biscuits and waffles. Good fun.

 

May get the chance to go to a small privately organised festivity tomorrow, you know, one that is allowed - exemption from Totensonntag closure.

 

I refuse to go to proper Christmas markets before Sunday of the Dead. I am a traditionalist. 🙂

 

notamermaid

 

 

 

[steamboats]

We got some snow last night - maybe a centimeter ...

 

steamboats 

[steamboats]

It snowed a litte more today... As the markets are closed today I took my chances and made it to four markets...

 

Weihnachtsmarkt am Chinesischem Turm - still very nice for the atmosphere, but hardly any booths anymore just food

Weihnachtsdorf in der Residenz - still very nice but yesterday night it was totally crowded, got my egg nog!

Weihnachtszauber am Viktualienmarkt - more or less just the Christmas lights, two boths selling food and mulled wine plus a nativity scene - not worth going anymore

Glühwein Festival - o.k. still 36 different mulled wines, some food, had a nice crepe with Nutella, banana and cocos flakes. Went there because I saw a friend is there (thanks to IG) so we met up while he was waiting for something he had bought (it had to be engraved)

 

As the Tollwood Wintermarkt is close to my office I might give it a try this week. The Christkindl Markt does not open until tomorrow.

 

It was nice but also pretty cold... the falling snow was adding some atmosphere as well.

 

steamboats

[SnowshoeCat]

Is Deutsche Bahn really planning a strike? I have a ticket for 30 Nov.

[steamboats]

4 hours ago, SnowshoeCat said:

Is Deutsche Bahn really planning a strike? I have a ticket for 30 Nov.

 

Not Deutsche Bahn but the engineers´ union 😉 - and unfortunately yes! I have various trips planned for December... So far nothing about what day they are going on strike.

 

steamboats

[SnowshoeCat]

Thanks for the heads up. I won’t fret yet🙂

[notamermaid]

On 11/21/2023 at 12:19 AM, Pyroforyou said:

Can someone on a Viking river ruise copy thier recipe when the chief makes the vanilla crescent cookies with the guests. It was so easy but I cant find where I put my copy. Thank you. Wish we were going again to the markets this year. 

As no one answered you yet, I had a look to see if Viking has posted that recipe online. Vanilla crescent cookies would normally be Vanillekipferl but I could not find that name. This is a crescent shaped cookie recipe which looks similar to what I know as the Vanillekipferl. Was it that one? https://www.vikingrivercruises.com/why-viking/community/viking-recipes/desserts/viennese-crescent-cookies.html

 

notamermaid

 

[Pyroforyou]

I will try that one. Thank you.

[notamermaid]

Weekend before last I went to the first Advent basar charity thing - We call it an "Adventsbasar". This was in a community centre of a church and apart from it making money for the organisation was also in aid of their mission. I think one in Brazil. So there were waffles, cake, soup, second hand goods, hand-made stuff like small toys, woollen socks and Christmas cards. I got nice cake and - the first biscuits for this year. All good ingredients, no industrial stuff. Apart from a certain type of gingerbread, I tend to get all biscuits locally and not in supermarkets. These were Spritzgebäck:

Simple and good. Next lot I will get from a local baker as he makes them with the ends dipped in chocolate.

 

I was wondering if you could find such small events on a river cruise. I think it will be difficult. Mostly they are only on one day and at weekends when people have time off work. If you see a poster in a town that says "Adventsbasar zugunsten von" and followed by a word like "Verein" or "e.V." you are on the right track. Or "Weihnachtsbasar". But sometimes large Christmas markets have stalls that have raffles or home-made goods sold in aid of a local charity or by the local parish.

 

By the way, Sprizgebäck biscuits are easy to make and enormous fun - at least, I enjoyed putting them through the huge meat grinder to which my grandmother attached the small tin plates that created the shapes. But you may enjoy it too, there is a child hiding somewhere in all of us.

 

notamermaid

 

[notamermaid]

I have had a look around the internet for videos of Christmas market cruises. There are some that look interesting. I mean a short video really gives you a good idea what to expect. I had wondered - after the posts about biscuit baking on the ship - what else may be offered but could not really find much out. Offering this on a German river cruise would be like carrying coals to Newcastle of course. But I am sure it is fun to do for those that bake different things at home (or nothing at all). In the end I actually watched all of the videos of one couple on an Emerald river cruise. They try so many glühweins and food stuffs... What I like about the Emerald cruise they did in 2022 is that it went to Cochem on the Moselle as well as doing the standard Rhine itinerary. For details of how that was done you would need to look up the itinerary on the Emerald website. I will post the first video so you can see if you find this interesting. I found it quite good as they also show what happens when you dock next to another ship - the infamous rafting. Here goes at 3:48: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zKGSfKylJ18

 

notamermaid

 

[SnowshoeCat]

On 11/19/2023 at 4:36 AM, steamboats said:

The first two markets in Munich opened up this week...

 

The Glühwein Festival opened up on Thursday. O.k., that might be a bit off the beaten track (but walkable from my home).

 

A bit easier to reach for most of you is the Christmas and Winter Market at Munich Airport which opened on Friday. They even have an ice skating rink.

 

the first of Advent) and opens Dec 1st (my favorite for more than 40 years now).

 

I think there are approximately 30 markets all over the city - way too many to list them all up on here. These are my favorites and the ones I usually visit (time depending).

 

I hopefully will try out the Regensburger Christkindlmarkt (depending on Deutsche Bahn and whether they go on strike or not) which opens Nov 27th.

 

@Canal archive your recipe reminded me to give my collegue a note to get me some hand made Elisenlebkuchen from Nuremberg.

 

steamboats

 

I was just in Regensburg yesterday (was it only yesterday? I went from there to the airport, and now I'm back home in the US). It was snowing and festive, and also very cold. I had soup and gluhwein 🙂  I was surprised when I was asked if I wanted red or white.  I tried the white, considering it was white wine country. 

The Munich Airport market looked nice, but it wasn't open at 6 am 😉

 

[steamboats]

8 hours ago, SnowshoeCat said:

 

I was just in Regensburg yesterday (was it only yesterday? I went from there to the airport, and now I'm back home in the US). It was snowing and festive, and also very cold. I had soup and gluhwein 🙂  I was surprised when I was asked if I wanted red or white.  I tried the white, considering it was white wine country. 

The Munich Airport market looked nice, but it wasn't open at 6 am 😉

 

 

Looks like I will be at the airport in two weeks... early in the morning... so no market for me either ;-).

 

Regensburg is next week... 

 

I´ve been to the Münchner Christkindlmarkt two days ago - still very nice! If you love Stollen - there´s Stollen Franz next to the Beck department store. They even have a vegan and a gluten free stollen.

 

At Karlsplatz/Stachus there´s the Eiszauber - they have an ice rink and a two story Glühwein area where you can watch the skaters.

 

steamboats

[Canal archive]

Thank you Steamboats, Stollen now added to my shopping list, I nearly forgot, the best in the U.K. are from one of two outlets both German in origin.

Notamermaid those biscuits look very similar to an off the shelf already dipped in chocolate that are available here. I have a biscuit shape maker that includes a shape very similar. Do you have something anything like our Christmas pudding in Germany? I tend to make a Scottish Clouti pudding  now instead it’s not quite so full of fruit. 

[notamermaid]

3 hours ago, Canal archive said:

Do you have something anything like our Christmas pudding in Germany?

No, I do not think so. Cannot think that anything would resemble it. But I am not familiar with regional traditions that much. Perhaps a Northern part of Germany may have something similar.

 

Never knew that Bremen has got its own fruit Christmas cake that has been granted "protected designation of origin". It is called Bremer Klaben: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bremer_Klaben

 

Germany is small compared to other countries of the world but is so varied. Geography, traditions, history. I mean, people from the East or North are almost foreign to me.

 

And by the way, mince pies are completely unknown to most people. We do not have Christmas crackers either, but use a fun, smaller version at New Year's Eve sometimes.

 

notamermaid

 

[iticlaudia]

On 11/19/2023 at 4:36 AM, steamboats said:

The first two markets in Munich opened up this week...

 

The Glühwein Festival opened up on Thursday. O.k., that might be a bit off the beaten track (but walkable from my home).

 

A bit easier to reach for most of you is the Christmas and Winter Market at Munich Airport which opened on Friday. They even have an ice skating rink.

 

Next week we have:

 

Tollwood Winterfestival opens  Nov 23rd on Theresienwiese (Oktoberfest grounds).

 

The Weihnachtsdorf in der Residenz (small, but one of my favorites - best egg nog, but first have a big bite at Mittelalter Markt as there´s a lot of rum involved!) also Nov 23rd.

 

Weihnachtsmarkt am Chinesischen Turm also opens Nov 23rd (for the first time after the pandemic,last year there were construction works going on - also a must for me because of the nice surroundings). 

 

The main market - Münchner Christkindlmarkt opens Nov 27th.

 

Also the Mittelalter Markt München opens Nov 27th (another of my favorites regarding food).

 

The Schwabinger Weihnachtsmarkt still sticks with the traditional opening day (Friday before the first of Advent) and opens Dec 1st (my favorite for more than 40 years now).

 

I think there are approximately 30 markets all over the city - way too many to list them all up on here. These are my favorites and the ones I usually visit (time depending).

 

I hopefully will try out the Regensburger Christkindlmarkt (depending on Deutsche Bahn and whether they go on strike or not) which opens Nov 27th.

 

@Canal archive your recipe reminded me to give my collegue a note to get me some hand made Elisenlebkuchen from Nuremberg.

 

steamboats

The market in Schwabing is probably my favorite.  It's more local and non-touristy.  

In fact, I'll be there on Tuesday.  I have a ton of stuff I need to buy and bring home on Wednesday.  🙂

Then on Friday the hubby, my father and I will be flying to MUC (hopefully) to do a short cruise on the Mozart for my father's 80th birthday.  The weather looks cold and yet beautiful..... love snow!  

BTW I'm going to try to find a beautiful Nutcracker on Tuesday if you have any suggestions in Munich where to buy.  My plan was to buy one in Mainz a week ago, but I ended up with Covid and didn't go to work.  Now I'm trying to do two trips of shopping in one.  I'll look like a pack mule coming home.  

[steamboats]

@iticlaudia currently nothing's going anymore in Munich. The airport is closed at least until tomorrow morning 6am. No trains, no Public transportation. We had heavy snowfall for more than 24 h. We have app. half a meter of snow. Maybe in Monday air traffic is back to normal. Trains may take a while too.

 

Schwabing is all local artists (not all from Munich but also surroundings). 

 

Nutcrackers are more famous for the Erzgebirge. You may find some at the main market - Münchner Christkindlmarkt. There you find a lot of wood work especially nativity scene figures. So maybe also nutcrackers.

 

steamboats 

[iticlaudia]

1 minute ago, steamboats said:

@iticlaudia currently nothing's going anymore in Munich. The airport is closed at least until tomorrow morning 6am. No trains, no Public transportation. We had heavy snowfall for more than 24 h. We have app. half a meter of snow. Maybe in Monday air traffic is back to normal. Trains may take a while too.

 

Schwabing is all local artists (not all from Munich but also surroundings). 

 

Nutcrackers are more famous for the Erzgebirge. You may find some at the main market - Münchner Christkindlmarkt. There you find a lot of wood work especially nativity scene figures. So maybe also nutcrackers.

 

steamboats 

I'm scheduled to work the flight to MUC on Monday so I guess we shall see how that goes.  Given the fact I haven't had a canceled flight in years (even though I fly every week) I'm sure it will operate.   I know our flight that was to land today in Munich ended up landing in Frankfurt.  And of course, I read the news of the mess all the weather has created.  Even my uncle in Ludwigsburg says it's snowing there.  

I have a place in Mainz that I've bought from in the past.  I buy them for family and not for myself.  I collect the Hutschenreuther bells/balls and picked up the 2023 bell and ball already a few weeks ago.  It's just the nutcracker and candy...lot and lots of Kinder candy that I bring home for the grandchildren and our friend's grandchildren.  

[steamboats]

3 minutes ago, iticlaudia said:

I'm scheduled to work the flight to MUC on Monday so I guess we shall see how that goes.  Given the fact I haven't had a canceled flight in years (even though I fly every week) I'm sure it will operate.   I know our flight that was to land today in Munich ended up landing in Frankfurt. 

 

Yes, some TA flights had been diverted to FRA today as they we're already airborne.

 

It's still snowing but not as bad as before. But they said it should stop by 8 pm and it's 9:30 pm right now. We have app. 3.000 people stranded at MUC. They hope to be back to normal air traffic by Monday. But it all depends on the weather.

 

This is the worst snowfall I remember. We had half a meter of snow on March 5th, 2006, within 24 hours. Took us 3 days back then to get back to normal.

 

My DH is supposed to fly on Tuesday.

 

steamboats 

[iticlaudia]

5 minutes ago, steamboats said:

 

Yes, some TA flights had been diverted to FRA today as they we're already airborne.

 

It's still snowing but not as bad as before. But they said it should stop by 8 pm and it's 9:30 pm right now. We have app. 3.000 people stranded at MUC. They hope to be back to normal air traffic by Monday. But it all depends on the weather.

 

This is the worst snowfall I remember. We had half a meter of snow on March 5th, 2006, within 24 hours. Took us 3 days back then to get back to normal.

 

My DH is supposed to fly on Tuesday.

 

steamboats 

Winter travel is always interesting.  

The winters in Germany have really been very mild/dry in the last several years that this is a bit of a surprise.  But then it will be wonderful for the folks going skiing in the Alps.  🙂

I just hope that this last-minute trip I've planned for my father doesn't get complicated by the weather.  My plan is to land in MUC on Saturday the 9th and take the train to Passau.  Stay in Passau for a couple nights (still have to book a hotel) before boarding the boat.  It's a 4-night cruise that drops us off in Vienna on the 15th.  My father will fly to Stuttgart to go be with his brother for the holidays and the hubby and I will fly to MUC to head back home.  

Hope your DH doesn't have any issues on Tuesday.  Now a days the airlines are great at pre-planning and pre-canceling to get things back on track once the weather clears. Only issue is for those that have cancelled flight the loads are so high that rebooking can be difficult.  

Do you happen to have a favorite hotel and or restaurant in Passau?

 

[notamermaid]

34 minutes ago, steamboats said:

It's still snowing but not as bad as before. But they said it should stop by 8 pm and it's 9:30 pm right now. We have app. 3.000 people stranded at MUC. They hope to be back to normal air traffic by Monday. But it all depends on the weather.

 

This is the worst snowfall I remember. We had half a meter of snow on March 5th, 2006, within 24 hours. Took us 3 days back then to get back to normal.

 

Oh my, that is worse than what I read looking at the news briefly. Have been busy with work today. Here in my part of the Rhine valley not a drop of rain or a single snowflake. It passed us all by.

 

Take care,

 

notamermaid

 

[rcaruso]

1 hour ago, iticlaudia said:

Winter travel is always interesting.  

The winters in Germany have really been very mild/dry in the last several years that this is a bit of a surprise.  But then it will be wonderful for the folks going skiing in the Alps.  🙂

I just hope that this last-minute trip I've planned for my father doesn't get complicated by the weather.  My plan is to land in MUC on Saturday the 9th and take the train to Passau.  Stay in Passau for a couple nights (still have to book a hotel) before boarding the boat.  It's a 4-night cruise that drops us off in Vienna on the 15th.  My father will fly to Stuttgart to go be with his brother for the holidays and the hubby and I will fly to MUC to head back home.  

Hope your DH doesn't have any issues on Tuesday.  Now a days the airlines are great at pre-planning and pre-canceling to get things back on track once the weather clears. Only issue is for those that have cancelled flight the loads are so high that rebooking can be difficult.  

Do you happen to have a favorite hotel and or restaurant in Passau?

 

Our favorite hotel in Passau is the Passauer Wolf, right on the river in the Altstadt.  Reasonable rates and good breakfast.

[steamboats]

@iticlaudia sorry, no recommendations for Passau from my side. I've never been in a hotel there.

 

At least it stopped snowing. MUC is slowly resuming business. Trains and trams are still out of service but the first bus lines are running again (not on a regular business). So even no suburban train to go to the airport.

 

It's -7 C but it looks like the WGs are kidding... The forecast for tomorrow shows a low of -13 and a high of 0 and rain!!

 

So there might be some nice floodings when all this snow is melting quickly (plus icy roads).

 

steamboats