I might be biased, but you need to trust me when I say: Cologne is the best place to go if you want to visit traditional Christmas markets in Germany. BUT you no longer have to just take my word for it: in December 2023, popular Instagrammer Chelsea of Cheap Holiday expert @cheapholidayexp visited 7 Christmas markets in 6 countries around Europe and named Cologne as the best. And can an account with 337,000+ followers be wrong?
But what makes Cologne the best place to visit for German Christmas markets? Cheap Holiday Expert gave Cologne a score of 9/10, focusing on food, affordability and entertainment. But honestly for me, the best thing about the Christmas markets in Cologne is the sheer variety: you’ll find at least five ‘main’ markets in the centre, all with their own character, on top of which practically every neighbourhood here has it’s own market.
In this blog post I’ll cover the city’s best markets, Cologne’s most unique festive experiences, some markets close to Cologne and some top tips for visiting Germany for the Christmas markets. (The words “Christmas markets” have already lost all meaning…)
The best of Cologne’s Christmas Markets
Christmas Market at the Cathedral / Weihnachtsmarkt am Dom
Cologne Cathedral is the city’s most recognisable landmark, most visited site and biggest draw, so it only seems natural that it would also be home to one of the city’s most beautiful markets. Located on Roncalliplatz (Roncalli square) directly next to the cathedral, the market is centered around a stage with live entertainment and sits beneath a capony of fairy lights which reach a peak in the centre.
This is the market you will see on Google / Instagram to advertise the markets – it is the true poster child. But it is also really good and has great food options and a lot of varied stalls. In previous years, they had a ‚guest’ stall which was run by Cologne’s twin cities and rotated every week or so.
Top tips for visiting the Cologne Cathedral Christmas market:
- Enter from the south of Roncalliplatz (the stalls closest to the train station get super busy)
- Go during the week for smaller crowds
- There’s also a smaller little market right next door on Am Hof, opposite the CityClass Hotel. Definitely worth checking out for a Glühwein.
Heinzel’s Winter Fairytale on Heumarkt / Heinzels Wintermärchen am Neumarkt
Another absolute showstopper of a Christmas market. The market on Heumarkt is also pretty recognisable, thanks to being built around an elongated ice rink. The market still has some good stalls and food options, but the highlights for me are the wooden bridge over the ice and a two-floor chalet so I can comfortably watch those braver than me on the ice below.
This market is my favourite for Feuerzangenbowle, which is served literally on fire. It’s a nice drink (and also very strong) and best drunk on the top floor of the two-floor chalet. (God knows how the building hasn’t burned down by now.)
Top tip for visiting the Christmas market on Heumarkt:
- There is always room at the top of the chalet! The stairs get packed, but once you push your way through there is always at least one corner free that you can occupy. It’s worked every year for me.
- Though it technically covers two squares (Heumarkt and Alter Markt), the best stuff is on Heumarkt.
- This market is traditionally still open between Christmas and New Year
Market of Angels on Neumarkt / Markt der Engel am Neumarkt
Another really beautiful Christmas market is this popular one on central Neumarkt. The market is located beneath a canopy of trees, from which twinkling star lights are hung to create the feeling of the night sky.
This is a popular market for locals meeting up for a drink after work and there are at least three large bar areas for drinking and chilling. You’ll also find a bar which specialises in hot Christmas cocktails, including a hot Aperol Spritz. I get one every year, seemingly forgetting how awful they are. Another speciality of this market is the teenage girls that are dressed up as angels and sent around the stalls to give sweets to kids. Bit weird, but possibly makes it a good market for little ones.
Nikolaus village on Rudolfplatz / Nikolausdorf am Rudolfplatz
This is a smaller market, but probably the one that I have spent the most time at. Situated directly in front of the medieval Hahnentor city gate, this is another market which is a) very pretty and b) popular with locals for mid-week drinks.
The stalls here are built to mimic a cute medieval village and it’s really picturesque. There’s also the most amazing place selling Prager Schinken (Prague ham) – a cob/bread roll overflowing with tender roasted ham.
Top tip for visiting the Christmas market on Rudolfplatz:
- The Glühwein mugs you get at this market are in the shape of a little boot, so definitely one of the cuter ones on offer if you fancy taking it home as a memento.
- This market is probably the best location if you fancy doing for dinner or drinks after, as it’s located just opposite the trendy Belgian quarter. (Do people still say “trendy”?)
Stadtgarten Christmas market
In my opinion, this is the best Christmas market to visit during the day and by far the best one for any serious shoppers looking to get something special and locally produced. The market is located in the Stadtgarten park between the city centre and Ehrenfeld. The stalls here change frequently (every two weeks if I am not mistaken) so you’re treated to the best of Cologne’s independent businesses selling a real range of items (I saw sex toys discretely on sale there once). There’s some great food on offer here, too – the Spätzle is particularly good in my opinion, and so are the empanadas – and another large bar for having a Glühwein.
Christmas markets in Cologne’s Südstadt
As I mentioned, a lot of Cologne’s Veedels (neighbourhoods) have their own markets and I think the Südstadt, being one of the coolest neighbourhoods, is definitely worth a visit.
The market on Chlodgwigplatz is ‘klein aber fein’ or ‘small but nice’, with some great food options – including a pasta prepared in a giant parmesan wheel. The market also benefits from the background of another medieval city gate.
Not too far away, you’ll also find the market centred around the harbour, directly next to the Chocolate museum (top tip: do not visit the museum, it is absolutely not worth it). The real highlight of this market is the huge ferris wheel to give you a great view of Christmassy Cologne. Due to my massive fear of heights, I’d rather die than go on it but I heard decent things.
Close to Südstadt you’ll also find Cologne’s smallest Christmas market – in a church. I visited this adorable little market for the first time last year. Run by the local Ponyhof carnival club, this Christmas market is located in the pretty courtyard of the Kartäuserkirche church and consists of just a handful of stalls. It makes a real departure from the more sprawling markets in the city centre.
Unique Christmas experiences in Cologne
Aside from the more traditional Christmas market experience, Cologne also has some festive experiences to offer. As I mentioned, this diversity is just one of the reasons why I think Cologne is the best city in Germany to visit in winter and below are just three perfect examples.
Christmas Heavenue: the LGBTQ+ Christmas Market on Schaafenstraße
Now full disclosure: Heavenue Christmas market hasn’t taken place for the past two winters as there is a bit of a dispute between the organisers and an outdoor bar that occupies the space, but fingers crossed this market will return in 2024. The market is the most colourful in the city, decorated in pink and purple, but the real reason to visit is the live entertainment, featuring the city’s best drag performers and, in previous years, a gay pagent to crown “Mr. Christmas Avenue.” The market is very popular at the weekends with a great atmosphere, hoping it will re-open this year! Watch out for the latest news here.
Glühweinwanderwege / Glühwein walking routes
One of the best things to come out of the pandemic was the popularity of the Glühweinwanderweg. Originally started in the very cool Südstadt, the principle is very simple – a network of bars, beergardens and cafes all offering Glühwein to go and creating a great Glühwein walking route. Since the first during lockdown, the idea only grew in popularity and in 2023, there were several Glühweinwaderwege in different neighbourhoods. It is still to be confirmed if this will take off again in 2024, but I think it’s highly likely.
Veihnachtsmarkt: Cologne’s entirely vegan Christmas market
I’ll be honest: this is a new one for me. In fact, I only came across it while checking some facts for this article, so the following is entirely taken from the City of Cologne’s website. Offering entirely vegan and sustainable food and drink, the market also has a “cosy bonfire” and will be held on two weekends in December in Cologne-Kalk. One for my to-do list for this year!
Best Christmas markets near Cologne
Now if you’re visiting Cologne for a long weekend, you might want to get out of the city and see a bit more of the region – as well you should. Maybe you’re also wondering if there are any other beautiful, picturesque and instagrammable markets to explore within a few hours of Cologne. Lucky for you, the answer is: yes, of course! Below is a quick list of honorable mentions.
Aachen’s Christmas market is first on the list and is around an hour away from Cologne by train, located on the border with both Belgium and the Netherlands. Why visit? The market surrounds the very imposing cathedral for a beautiful setting, but the real icon here are Printen, special Lebkuchen/gingerbread biscuits which are traditional for Christmas and originate from Aachen. Read more on Aachen’s Christmas markets on my blog here.
Valkenburg Christmas caves: if you cross the border into the Netherlands, you won’t have to drive too far before you come to Valkenburg, a snug little village outside of Maastricht. The town is famous for its network of underground caves, at least two of which host very popular Christmas markets. I visited for the first time last year and was genuinely taken aback at how good and big the markets were. Read more about Valkenburg in this post.
Siegburg’s Medieval market: the small town of Siegburg, around 20-30 minutes from Cologne by train has a really nice Christmas market with a medieval theme in the town square. The best reason to go in my mind is for the food, including smoked salmon prepared over an open flame. If you’re in Siegburg, don’t miss the Siegburger Brauhaus, a very cosy and traditional German pub. Siegburg is also the starting point for a hike I love, you can read more here.
Burg Satzvey: a Christmas market in a castle. It’s actually quite common for castles in the region to have a markets for just one or two weekends of advent – as you can discover here (German only), but Burg Satzvey is pretty close to Cologne and one that I have heard good things about at Christmas time. It’s also a very photogenic castle, with a moat. You can read more about Burg Satzvey in my blog post on nearby castles.
Monschau Christmas market: if you want a fairytale experience, then Monschau is the destination for you. About 90 minutes’ drive from Cologne and nestled up against Belgium’s border, Monschau is tucked away in a little valley in the High Fens, meaning there is a really decent chance of snow. The town itself is beautiful any time of the year, but with the lights of the Christmas market, it’s extra special. But be warned, it’s also extra busy. Expect crowds. Read more on my favourite beautiful small towns in Germany – including Monschau – here.
Things you should know about visiting Germany for the Christmas markets
- It actually might be more beneficial to visit during the week: the markets in Cologne get very busy at the weekend with day trippers from the Netherlands and Belgium and other cities in Germany. My recommendation would be to come for a long weekend starting as early as Thursday, to allow you to do some of the popular markets before it gets too busy.
- Cash is king: while most places now do accept card, there will inevitably be some stalls which still only take cash.
- Don’t forget the Pfand / deposit: you will pay a few Euros extra at each market for the mug or glass you drink comes in. This can be as much as €5 on top, but you get it back once you return the drinking vessel. Alternatively, you can keep the mug (after all, you just paid for it) and each market will have its own specific design made, so you can even collect a range of them.
- The four Sundays of advent: German Christmas markets are generally open for the four Sundays of advent, which means that they don’t open until late November – much later than markets in the UK. Advent also plays a bigger role here generally – you’d be surprised how often markets are advertised as being open simply „on the second advent“ rather than the specific dates.
I hope this guide to Cologne’s Christmas markets is helpful in your planning. And if you’re in the city for Christmas, then Frohe Weihnachten and Guten Rutsch ins Neue Jahr!