Christmas Markets and Advent Traditions in Southwest Germany

Germany is high on my list of places to get back to, and Christmas market season gives me another reason to make it happen. I’m first-generation American, with family roots in Bavaria, and my great-uncle lived right on Lake Constance. We haven’t visited in a while, and getting back is one of my top travel priorities.

While Bavaria is where my family comes from, neighboring Baden-Württemberg has plenty pulling me toward Southwest Germany, too. The region has more than 150 Christmas markets, from small Black Forest gatherings to celebrations outside palaces and historic monasteries. I can already tell narrowing down the stops would be a problem.

Gengenbach would be high on my list. Its Baroque town hall becomes a giant Advent calendar, with one of its 24 windows revealed each evening at 6 p.m. Light displays cover the building’s façade, and all 24 windows are illuminated together on December 24. That’s a pretty great use of a town hall.

Photo: Dieter Wissing

The surrounding Advent market runs November 27 through December 23, with decorated stalls, regional food, mulled wine and events throughout the historic center. This is the kind of place where I’d want time to wander with my camera, find something to eat and stick around for the evening reveal.

Several other markets take advantage of Baden-Württemberg’s palaces and monasteries. Schwetzingen’s Electoral Christmas Market runs over four Advent weekends from November 26 through December 20. Illuminated tents fill the palace square, with crafts, food and entertainment, plus a carousel and children’s train.

At Maulbronn Monastery, approximately 120 decorated stalls fill the UNESCO World Heritage Site during its December 5 and 6 Christmas market. The setting alone makes this one worth a look, although the short schedule means planning around it.

The smaller Black Forest celebrations have their own appeal. Wolfach holds its centuries-old Kuchenmarkt on December 17. In Waldkirch, choirs perform from the tiers of a nearly 30-foot “Singing Christmas Tree” from December 4 through 13. Yes, I would absolutely stop to see people singing from a giant Christmas tree.

Rottweil, the oldest city in Baden-Württemberg, hosts its market December 3 through 13. Karlsruhe’s Christmas season begins November 23, while Baden-Baden’s Christkindelsmarkt runs November 26 through January 6. That later closing date is useful if getting to Germany before Christmas isn’t in the cards.

Lake Constance is the part I’d especially want to build into a return trip because of my great-uncle’s connection to the area. Around the lake, markets and holiday destinations stretch across Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Liechtenstein. Konstanz hosts its market beside the water, while Mainau Island becomes a Christmas Garden filled with light installations. Getting back to the lake and having all of that to explore would be a pretty wonderful combination.

Photo: Achim Mende

And then there’s the food, which OF COURSE would account for a substantial part of my itinerary. Roasted chestnuts, cheese dumplings, gingerbread filled with marzipan and potato dumplings are among the regional options, along with several local variations on warm spiced drinks. I’d leave plenty of room to try things along the way.

There are a lot of places I want to travel, but getting back to Germany has a more personal pull. I’d love time to revisit places connected to my family and explore some new ones, too. If we can make that happen during Christmas market season, even better.

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Greeblehaus is a Denver-based blog sharing travel stories, practical tips, and real experiences from the road, along with a long-running focus on live music.