Six Best Things to Enjoy During a Christmas Markets River Cruise
Colleen and I made wonderful new friends during our Christmas Markets river cruise in Germany.
A Christmas Markets river cruise is the very best way to enjoy the holiday season in Germany and throughout Europe. You can get to so many places over the course of a one-week journey. This allows you to see as many of the charming markets as possible.
I have been on two Christmas Markets cruises, and I love them so much. There is something extra special about the festivities in Europe during this time of year. The markets begin right after Thanksgiving and run up to Christmas Eve (and even beyond for some cities).
This warm holiday spirit flows throughout the towns and cities, as visitors and residents descend upon beautifully decorated town squares to celebrate. Christmas trees and holiday towers go up. There are carousel and train rides, delicious foods, holiday-themed drinks and hand-made ornaments and other crafts that make delightful Christmas gifts.
Colleen and I sailed this year with the new charter-only cruise line Transcend Cruises on a special Christmas Markets voyage on the Rhine River in Germany and discovered six great things to do at the Christmas Markets that we wanted to share with you.
1. Ride the Rides
The bustling European Christmas markets offer a mix of rides and attractions, and they’re not just for the kids. We saw carousels at pretty much every one of the larger markets that we visited. Plus, you might find cute little train tracks (perfect for the kiddos) or even a Ferris wheel.
We hopped on for a carousel ride in Frankfurt and had smiles from ear to ear as we spun around the middle of the town square to take in all the lights and sights. Carousel rides cost about 4 euros.
2. Eat All the Food
For me, the food is the top highlight of the Christmas markets.
You’ll be overwhelmed with so many delicious options, including great sweet treats.
We saw all kinds of goodies, like the variety of tempting sausages, hand-cut frites, crepes, cookies, nuts, candies and marzipan.
We also tried the regional specialties like Langos, a fried dough that gets all kinds of toppings and Reibekuchen, a fried potato pancake that you can dip in apple sauce or sour cream.
3. Drink the Gluhwein
A traditional Christmas markets staple is gluhwein, and the hot spiced wine comes in red, white and even rosè. We also saw a number of other hot drinks, like hot Chardonnay, hot Riesling, hot aperol or hot Hugo.
By the end of the week, we had tried the whites and reds in several markets. A recommendation: Bring plenty of euros to the markets. It’s a lot easier to make your purchases, because some vendors don’t take credit cards and things can be quite busy around the stalls.
Also, you’ll pay a deposit (about 3 euros) for the mugs, but they are yours to keep as a souvenir if you don’t want to return them to the vendor to get your deposit back.
We spent most of our cash on wine and food, obviously.
4. Go Shopping for Thoughtful Christmas Presents
The markets are a great place to pick up gifts that will feel extra special when you give them to family and friends.
Vendors sell all kinds of hand-crafted delights, like ornaments, nutcrackers, hand-carved incense smokers and scarves.
5. Head to the Markets at Both Day and Night
The markets feature a different feel depending on whether you visit during the day or at night.
Daytime is a little more relaxed and easier to navigate before the bigger crowds come out at night to fill the town squares. This is when people enjoy their nights of dinner and drinking at the Christmas Markets.
Also, at night is when you’ll see the brilliance of the lights and decorations. The markets have an even warmer and more festive feel after the sun sets. We usually stopped over in late afternoon to get that last bit of daylight and then also could enjoy sunsets and the vibrant night scenes.
6. Do It All Via a River Cruise
I’m convinced that this is the absolute best way to thoroughly enjoy the Christmas Markets. As I mentioned, we went with new cruise line Transcend Cruises on our trip in Germany. I also have cruise on a Viking Christmas Markets river cruise on the Danube, and most other river cruise companies feature fantastic Christmas river cruise programs.
Your home is a luxurious ship filled with a number of fantastic amenities. So, you can travel in comfort with a cozy cabin and onboard entertainment and enrichment.
You’ll enjoy fantastic service and delicious meals throughout the trip alongside the company of new friends onboard who also share a passion for travel and immersion in new destinations and traditions.
Plus, the ship will be decorated to put you in the holiday spirit as you sail. Each day brings you to a new port, often dropping you just steps away from the markets. You can take tours to see the sights and learn the history.
It’s a wonderful way to ring in the holiday season and make lasting memories.