The fourth and final city where we based ourselves during our Christmas Market adventure was Cologne. Over 1 million people all Cologne home, making it the fourth largest city in Germany. This 2,000 year old city sits on the Rhine River and is home to the Cologne Cathedral, the tallest cathedral in the world.
Cologne is also renowned for its multiple, impressive Christmas markets. It was the perfect location to base ourselves, giving us plenty of time to explore all Cologne had to offer. Plus, Cologne is an easy train trip to other popular market cities, making basing ourselves there a no-brainer.
Cologne turned out to be one of the best Christmas market towns we visited. It was great to have time to keep going back to our favorite markets. Each market has a different theme, and a matching unique light scheme. It’s great to go in the evening to see the trees and buildings lit up, with each market shining in a different way.
All the markets in Cologne are great, but the ones we were drawn to time-and-again were the House Elves’ Winter Fairytale Market (Heinzels Wintermärchen), the Old Market (Alter Markt) in the historic market square, Nicholas’ Village (Nikolausdorf) at Rudolphplatz, and the Angels’ Market (Markt der Engel) at Neumarkt. All can easily be reached using Trams 1 and 7 that run up and down the main road through the center of town.
The House Elves’ Winter Fairytale Christmas Market
Visiting this market is like stepping into an storybook! The market is themed after the city’s famed Heinzelmännchen—the legendary house elves who are believed to take care of locals’ housework overnight as the humans sleep. The attention to detail here is astonishing, from their extremely cute, themed mugs to the large central skating rink. The market stalls are also extravagantly decorated, adding to the fairytale feel. You an even stop by to catch an Ice Stock Sport game, and stand rink side with your beer or hot wine in hand while watching the action. This place is what Christmas market dreams are made of!
The Old Market
This market is just a block or two over from The House Elves’ Market, and it is more focused on home goods and decorations than its neighbor. Located in the historic market square, it includes a small ferris wheel and hosts mini-concerts in the evenings. Also, it’s a great place to grab a bite to eat.
Nicholas’ Village Christmas Market
An adorable man-made Christmas town located in Rudolfplatz is the essence of this market. Consisting of half-timber houses and a sea of Christmas lights, this festive village is perfectly framed by the imposing Hahnentor. This stone gate of the original medieval Cologne city walls was the path the through which the twelfth- and thirteenth-century kings ceremoniously entered the city for the first time after being coronated in Aachen.
The Angels’ Christmas Market
Markt der Engel in Neumarkt square looks as magical as it sounds, with paper stars dangling from the trees and a festive village of A-frame cabins decorated in a more modern style.
The markets above were our favorites, but they were by no means the only Christmas markets in Cologne. Here are 3 other markets you may want to visit if you have the time.
Stadtgarten Christmas Market is nestled under the trees of a city park in the Belgian Quarter, giving it a “magical-village-in-the-middle-of-an-enchanted-forest” vibe. Here you’ll find more locals than tourists, artisanal food products and hand-made items for sale.
Cologne Cathedral Christmas Market is a massive market located in the shadow of the Cologne Cathedral. It has loads of vendors, but little of the charm of the other markets in town. Add in stifling crowds, and we were happy to be moving on from it.
Cologne Harbour Christmas Market (Hafen Weihnachtsmarkt) is a small market located along the Rhine River. It is popular with cruisers since it is a short walk from their moored boats. This market hosts a very limited number of vendors, but the nearby Chocolate Museum makes up for the Harbor Market’s limitations and is popular with kids.
Cologne was a fantastic destination to base ourselves. Beyond the Christmas Markets, the big city has a liveliness to it. If you are thinking about going to Cologne, here are few other items to consider.
Stay in the Belgian District – We found ourselves staying here after our original rental fell through, and we’re so glad we did. The Belgian District is a trendy neighborhood with an international flair that include excellent shops, unlimited dining options, quiet residential areas and happening nightlife. Convenient by subway or tram, it is a perfect location to explore Cologne. Most tourist stay in the old town near the river, but the Belgian Quarter is a far better experience.
Visit a traditional German Beer Hall – Local brewers specializing in the local beer, Kolsch, are an institution in Cologne. Waiters walk through taverns handing out tall, thin, cylindrical 200-millilitre glasses as they pass by your table, marking a coaster with how many you’ve had. Add some food, and you’ll have a great time. Two of our favorite breweries:
