MY EXPERIENCE AS A SOLO FEMALE TRAVELER TO COLOGNE CHRISTMAS MARKET
CHRISTMAS MARKETS IN GERMANY – a sordid history
Christmas Markets are a must if you are in Europe during the Holiday Season. It simply brings up the magic of this period. But everything started at some point and as I am a sucker for history, let’s dig a little bit into the sordid history of Christmas Markets in Europe.
If we say Christmas Markets, we say Germany! They date back to medieval times when Germans covered a wide part of Europe. Some of the German Christmas markets date from the 15th – 16th centuries. Historical documents registered that Dresden’s market dates from 1434. Nuremberg’s Christmas market allegedly dates from 1628, though some historians say it dates from 1530.
The German Christmas Markets first began as small stalls around the village’s church with local artisans selling pottery, meat, baked goods, or sweets, depending on the price of the sugar.
The Industrial Revolution profoundly affected Christmas markets in the early 19th century. In Berlin, the Christmas market grew from 303 stalls in 1805 to 600 in 1840.
Later, Christmas markets were used as a weapon in the effort to align Christmas with Nazi ideology. After Adolf Hitler’s ascent as a chancellor in 1933, Christmas passed from a religious holiday that celebrated the birth of Jesus Christ to nationalist propaganda for German heritage.
Christmas as we know it today, is definitely German with lots of traditions, from Advent calendars to Christmas trees, emerging in Germany. Protestant reformer Martin Luther is credited by historians with putting lights on the Christmas tree after a nighttime stroll through a German forest under a starry sky.
HOW CAN I PLAN A SOLO TRIP TO COLOGNE CHRISTMAS MARKET?
I tell you, planning on traveling Solo for Christmas Markets is not an easy task. But, there is always a way, when you want something so badly, and this girl right here does not stop until she finds the easiest way.
Getting to Cologne is quite easy from all over Europe, by train, by car, or by plane. I usually take the Thalys, a direct high-speed train from Paris to Cologne, but this year for Christmas I was coming from Vienna Christmas Market, so I came by plane and landed at Koln-Bonn Airport (CGN).
How to get from Cologne-BONN Airport to Cologne city-center?
Reaching Cologne city center from the Airport Cologne-Bonn is very practical with the S-Bahn or Regional Express train. Both have a direct route from the Cologne-Bonn Airport to Cologne Central Station, for only €3 one-way. If you like to plan in advance and have the KölnCard, then you will pay nothing for the train ride. The ride takes around 11 minutes with the Regional Express or 15 minutes with the S-Bahn to get you into the city center of Cologne, directly at the Dom.
A third option would be The Intercity-Express, the fastest train from the airport to Cologne, getting you there in 10 minutes, but the price is €8 per one-way.
Cologne Welcome Card
If you are in Cologne for a few days, using public transport to get around then the KölnCard is a must! You have access to all the public transport in the city for 24 or 48 hours, depending on which card you take, as well as discounts for attractions, museums, tours, and places to eat. You can order the KölnCard online and then pick it up from the tourism office in the city center, or purchase it at the airport from any of the KVB or DB ticket machines.
Hauptbahnhof is the central station in Cologne, very well known as when you get out of the train station you get directly in front of the Dom, which is quite impressive. Here you have the most famous Christmas Market, with concerts every day and you are at five minutes walk from my favorite Christmas Market in Cologne, in Heumarkt. And it’s worth the trip, trust me.
MY EXPERIENCE OF THE Cologne Christmas Market
Christmas Market is German by definition, so it was only natural to have one on my list. I’m sure there are others more beautiful in Germany, but for me, the one in Cologne has something cozy and intimate about it.
When I think of Christmas Markets I have in my head those German stalls and beer hangars, glühwein (mulled wine), and Christmas carols filling the air. And the Christmas Market in Cologne’s Old Town, Heumarkt, has it all: the ice skating ring, the Flammkuchen (Flatbread Pizza), the Wurst (Sausages), and the Beer. I mostly like it because it’s small yet cozy, loud yet silent, tasty, and free. It’s the place where I felt so vividly the Christmas vibes and the freedom of being who you are, totally carefree of what people might think. I was alone visiting this Christmas Market but I had the impression I was together with all those people, yet still having my own space.
What I loved during Cologne Christmas Market
- The entire concept of the Christmas Market, from stalls to food and drinks and good vibes
- The Flammkuchen (Flatbread Pizza) and the Homemade bread filled with cheese and nut sauce. A delight!
- The Carols hearing in the background, which were in French, by the way
- The fairy-tale setting all over Cologne, feeling the Christmas vibe everywhere you went
- The concert at the Christmas Market at the DOM
WHERE TO EAT DURING CHRISTMAS MARKET IN COLOGNE
My favorite restaurants in Cologne
- Daikan Izaya Bar – my second favorite place in Europe for tasty Ramen. Daikan it’s a fusion restaurant, so it will not be the classic Ramen you are probably used to.
- CARUSO Pasta Bar – My italien friends recommend this place as true Italian cuisine, so don’t hesitate and take their word for it
- Antica Pizzeria Nennilo – a very good pizza place, validated, of course, by my Italian friends.
- L’Antica Pizzeria Da Michele – my favorite Italian pizza in the world opened in Cologne in 2023, and you should definitely go for it.
BONUS: VISIT THE CHRISTMAS MARKETS IN EUROPE ON A BUDGET
- Plan in advance and start early
- Make a list of your favorite Christmas Markets in Europe
- Check the opening dates for those favorite Christmas Markets
- Start with the ones that open early in November, that’s when prices are the lowest for flights and accommodation
- Plan the most optimal route – it demands time and patience
- Check trains between countries or cities, you might find better rates, and you save the planet at the same time. Santa will definitely put you on top of his list
- BlaBlaCar works very well in Europe, so this could be a great option to stay on your budget
- Try to go to big cities during the week, not the week-end when it’s full of tourists
- Find accommodation in a nearby city that is not that crowded or overrated for accommodations (I stayed in Bologna and took the train, 1H15 to Verona to see the Christmas Market)
- Allocate a maximum of 3 days per Christmas Market. It will give you time to experience also the city if it’s your first time.
CHECK OUT THE BEST Christmas Markets tours
DID YOU FIND THIS ARTICLE USEFUL?
Tell me in the comments section if you’ve been to a Christmas Market in Europe and what was your experience. If you are planning to go on solo travel ask me for some useful tips that are not in this article.
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