OT - Christmas markets in Cologne
Red Devil
I am off to the Christmas markets in Cologne at the weekend, and I was
wondering if anybody has any good suggestions on, the 'must' places to see,
and which food and drink to sample.
Grateful to hear of any experiences, good or bad.
TIA.
fishyfodder
Cathedral in Cologne. Food and drink - everything on the markets, especially
the fruit dumpling things! Bargains - very few really. Buy the Gluhvien
(mulled wine) from the many Aldi/Lidls there - about 80p a bottle and quite
palatable warmed.
Oo
http://travel.independent.co.uk/europe/western/story.jsp?story=589410
Take a shopping trip to the traditional Christmas markets in this medieval
German city, and turn the festive frenzy into a relaxing break, says Lizzy
Davies
Published : 04 December 2004
WHY GO NOW?
The city plays host to six of Germany's favourite Christmas markets. Let
yourself get caught up in a flurry of bright lights and haggling sellers.
Ward off the cold with roasted almonds, grilled bratwurst and a mug of the
mandatory glühwein (mulled wine). Stroll around the Roncalliplatz in the
shadows of the magnificent cathedral, or watch blacksmiths and basket
weavers at work at the medieval market on the Rheinpromenade next to the
chocolate museum while minstrels perform their ditties.
TOUCH DOWN
British Airways (0870 850 9850; www.ba.com) and Lufthansa (08457 737 747;
www.lufthansa.com) fly from Heathrow to Cologne-Bonn airport; easyJet (0871
750 0100; www.easyJet.com) flies from Liverpool and Gatwick; Germanwings
(0870 252 12 50; www.germanwings.com) flies from Edinburgh, Gatwick and
Stansted. From the airport, a 20-minute train journey on S-Bahn line 13
takes you to the central train station or Hauptbahnhof. It costs ?2 (£1.40),
while a taxi from the airport to the city centre is about ?25 (£16).
GET YOUR BEARINGS
The enormous cathedral, known as the Dom, towers over the rest of the city
and acts as a useful landmark. The tourist office (Köln Tourismus) is
opposite at Unter Fetterhennen 19 (00 49 221 2213 0400; www.koeln.de) and
opens 9am-9pm, Monday-Saturday, and 10am-6pm on Sundays. You might want to
spend ?9 (£6.40) on a Welcome Card, which gives you free travel on public
transport anywhere in Cologne and Bonn for 24 hours and reduced entry to
museums and galleries. Many of Cologne's chief attractions - its museums,
historic Roman sites and its rambling Altstadt (old town) - are located
within a few streets south of the cathedral. To the west lie the major
shopping districts and the trendy nightlife areas - the Latin quarter (or
Kwartier Lateng) and the Belgian quarter, haunt of more discerning Kölners.
CHECK IN
Cologne's most prestigious residence is the Dom Hotel at Domkloster 2a (00
49 221 20240; www. lemeridien-hotels. com), where you can book a double room
from ?160 (£114), with breakfast an extra ?20 (£14). For something
different, try the Hotel im Wasserturm at Kaygasse 2 (00 49 221 20080; www.
hotel-im-wasserturm. de), located in what was once Europe's largest water
tower. Doubles from ?190 (£130) with breakfast.
For those on a tighter budget, Das kleine Stäpelhäuschen at the Fischmarkt
1-3 (00 49 221 25 77 862; www.koeln-altstadt.de/ stapelhaeuschen) is one of
the city's most romantic hotels. It was built in 1235 and offers
traditional, cosy accommodation and an excellent wine cellar. Doubles from
?60 (£43), including breakfast.
TAKE A VIEW
Climb the 509 steps up the tower of the cathedral and, on a clear day, you
can make out the dramatic outline of the Siebengebirge national park across
the Rhine. Tours starting from inside the front entrance run every day from
9am until 4pm and cost ?2 (£1.40).
TAKE A HIKE
Starting at the cathedral, take a turn down Am Hof, and have a look at the
Haus Saaleck at No 50, a terrific reconstruction of a Gothic-style building
with a gallery of local Kölner art in the basement. Head down Unter
Taschenmacher and you'll get to the Rathaus (town hall) with its Renaissance
decor and Gothic tower decorated with figures from German history, such as
Karl Marx and writer Heinrich Böll. The glass shelter in the middle of the
Rathausplatz covers the underground remains of the medieval Jewish bath, or
Mikwe, which is thought to date from when the Jewish community thrived in
this area around the town hall. Cross over Untere Goldschmied on the other
side of the Rathausplatz and take a passageway into the An Farina complex.
Start sniffing for traces of Cologne's most famous product - eau de cologne:
it was in this neighbourhood that Johann Maria Farina began making the
perfume in 1709. Head down through the Gülichplatz, to the Kasinostrasse,
taking care to note house No 3, where Romantic writer Friedrich Schlegel
lived. Directly opposite lies the St Maria im Kapitol church; have a look
around and then head left into Marienplatz and the Immunitätsbezirk - once
the sacred privilege of men of the cloth. Walk behind the Immunitätstor to
the Rheingasse. Admire the Overstolzenhaus at No 8, which, finished in 1230,
is the oldest example of late Romanesque architecture in the city. Turn
north towards the cathedral, through the Heumarkt to the Alter Markt, where
you can have a well-deserved rest in one of the many bustling cafés.
LUNCH ON THE RUN
Grab a bite of something spicy at cheap and cheerful café MexAttack, painted
in a garish green on the corner of Zülpicher Platz and Hohenstaufen Ring.
Wraps, tacos and burritos all come at about ?3-?4. It also offers takeaway
cocktails: Long Island ice-teas, ?4 (£2.85).
CULTURAL AFTERNOON
The Museum Ludwig at Bischofsgartenstrasse 1 (00 49 221 221 261 65;
www.museum-ludwig.de) is a modern art gallery with impressive collections of
German Expressionist, Avant-Garde, Surrealist and Pop Art. Andy Warhol's
Marilyn Monroes greet you in the entrance hall, and an Edward Hopper
exhibition, including classics such as Nighthawks, is showing until 9
January. The museum opens 10am-6pm Wednesday-Saturday, 10am-10pm on Tuesdays
and Sundays, admission ?5.50 (£3.90).
WINDOW SHOPPING
High-street favourites - Diesel, French Connection et al - are on
Ehrenstrasse, as is the Wingenfeld cheese shop (No 90) filled with delicious
(but smelly) products (open Monday-Friday from 10am-7pm and Saturdays
9am-6pm). Browse the handbags in Cocinelle, then cross over into leafy
Pfeilstrasse, a street lined with boutiques selling all manner of chi-chi
objects which would look fabulous in your home, if only you could defy the
baggage allowance. Take a peek in Marrakech Interiors at No 44 for
affordable knick-knacks with an oriental flavour. (Open Monday-Friday from
11am-7pm and on Saturdays from 11am-6pm). For a designer fix, head to
Rainbow on the corner with Rudolfplatz and then wander around the square,
full of antiquarian bookshops and an organic ("öko") food market every
Wednesday and Saturday. On the other side of the Hahnentor, one of few
remaining towers of the medieval city wall, a Christmas market is held daily
from 11am-9pm.
AN APERITIF
Rosebud is a classy cocktail bar deep in the student quarter at
Heinsbergstrasse 20 (00 49 221 240 1455; www.rosebud.de). Most drinks cost
from ?7.50-?10 (£5.35-£7.15) but Happy Hour runs every week night from
8.30pm-10pm, when a caipirinha or a mojito will cost you ?5.50 (£3.90).
Alternatively, try the bitter local beer, Kölsch, almost anywhere.
DINING WITH THE LOCALS
Brauhaus Sion at Unter Taschenmacher 5-7 (0049 221 257 8540;
www.brauhaus-sion.de) is a Kölsch brewery which has also functioned as a
restaurant since 1912. Dine on pork kidneys or roast beef in almond and
sultana sauce.
SUNDAY MORNING: GO TO CHURCH
The awe-inspiring Gothic cathedral was begun in the 13th century and took
more than 600 years to complete. See the Sarcophagus of the Magi, the
largest reliquary in the world which some Christians believe contains the
remains of the Three Wise Men. It opens 7.30am-7pm daily, admission free.
OUT TO BRUNCH
Café Fleur is a gem which hides away in a quiet, understated street (00 49
221 244 897; Lindenstrasse 10). Brunch here comprises Brötchen with salami,
an egg or two, lashings of yogurt on muesli, rounded off with cake and
coffee.
TAKE A RIDE
Catch the Bimmelbahn Express imitation train from outside the cathedral
entrance. It goes daily every half-hour from 10am-6pm with a round-trip
costing ?4 (£2.85). The ride takes you a mile along the Rhine promenade to
the gates of the Flora botanical gardens and zoo.
A WALK IN THE PARK
The Flora gardens at Amsterdamer Strasse 34 (00 49 221 560890) are almost
150 years old and bursting with flora of all kinds - from the exotic to the
native German. Sweat it out with the tropical plants in the jungle
greenhouses (open daily 10am-4pm), check out the cacti - then take a stroll
down the more European walkways (open from 8am until dusk daily; entrance is
free). The nearby zoo is home to some 650 species and specialises in
primates. It opens 9am-5pm daily, ?10 (£7.15).
WRITE A POSTCARD
Pick up cards either in the cathedral shop or in Museum Ludwig and head to
Café Reichard at 11 Unter Fettenhennen (00 49 221 257 8542), a sparkling
establishment ideal for penning a thoughtful card. Relax with a traditional
slice of Baumkuchen with cream and pistachios, or Pfannkuchen (pancake)
topped with apples, cinnamon and sugar.
THE ICING ON THE CAKE
At the Imhoff-Stollwerk chocolate museum at Rheinauhafen 1a (00 49 221 931
888 0; www.schokoladenmuseum.de, you can visit the greenhouses in which the
museum's own cocoa beans grow and watch the finished product gush out in
liquid form from a fountain. It opens 10am-6pm from Tuesday to Friday,
11am-7pm at weekends, ?5.50 (3.90).
This may also be of interest:
From: http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/lifestyle/travel/
Where to shop for presents in the open air
By Cathy Packe
22 November 2004
WHERE AND WHEN DID THEY START?
Christmas markets are thought to have originated in Germany. They developed
from the traditional winter markets at which people could meet to buy and
sell local produce and home-made decorations crafted out of wood, straw and
tin. There was a December market in Vienna as early as 1294, although it was
very different, in content and location, from the modern Viennese
Christkindlmarkt, or Christmas market, (00 43 1 24555;
www.christkindlmarkt.at), which is now held on the Rathausplatz and takes
place this year from today until 24 December.
Traditionally, Christmas markets were held in the square in front of the
local church in the hope that those attending a service would also be
enticed to buy something. But by the 17th century, pre-Christmas shopping
had become so popular that church attendance in some towns dropped, much to
the irritation of the clergy.
WHEN IS MARKET SEASON?
Typically, the larger markets open in late November, often on the first
weekend of Advent, and continue until Christmas Eve. Opening hours vary, but
most open from mid-morning until the middle of the evening and later at
weekends. Christmas markets have an atmosphere of their own, probably helped
by the smell of cinnamon that oozes from the decorations, biscuits and cups
of mulled wine that are usually on sale. Most acquire a magical feel as the
lights come on after dusk, and there is often some kind of music or live
entertainment. Don't be surprised to find Father Christmas putting in an
appearance from time to time: in Innsbruck he will arrive at the market on
the Landhausplatz (00 43 664 3422342; www.christkindlmarkt.cc) by helicopter
on 5 December. The market itself takes place in the square from 18
November-23 December.
SO THEY ARE NOT JUST IN GERMANY?
No, although the German markets are the best known, possibly because there
are several thousand of them. The oldest German market is the Striezelmarkt
in Dresden (00 49 351 4919 2100; www.dresden.de), which dates back to 1434.
This year it will be held from 25 November until Christmas Eve, and will be
open 10am-8pm from Sunday to Thursday, until 9pm on Friday and Saturday and
until 2pm on 24 December. Dresden is celebrated for its Christstollen, a
cake made with dried fruits, nuts, yeast and cinnamon, and this is always on
sale in the market.
The most-visited market in Germany is the Christkindlesmarkt in Nuremberg
(00 49 911 233 6123; www.tourismus.nuernberg.de), which is held from 26
November-24 December in the town's main market square. There is plenty of
entertainment for children in Nuremberg, too, with a double-decker carousel
and Father Christmas's sleigh. There are several other markets worth
visiting while you are down in Bavaria, including the one in Augsburg (00 49
8 21 502070; www.augsburg-tourismus.de), which dates back at least 500
years, and where angels appear in the sky to entertain shoppers with
celestial music.
You can easily combine all three of these. Take a Ryanair (0871 246 0000;
www.ryanair.com) flight from Stansted to Altenburg, then continue by train
to Dresden. From there, connect via Air Berlin to Nuremberg, and then, with
another short hop, to Augsburg. For the return to Stansted, take the train
to Munich and catch the easyJet flight home (0871 750 0100;
www.easyjet.com).
ARE THERE ANY IN UNUSUAL LOCATIONS?
In Cologne, a floating market on board the MS Wappen von Mainz (00 49 221
201 9875; www.k-d.com), a Rhine cruise boat, is a variation on the
traditional theme. It is moored on the Rhine Promenade, the main walkway
along the river in the centre of the city, and the decks are filled with
stalls selling gifts and regional foods. It will be open between 25
November-21 December from 11am-9pm Sunday-Thursday, and 11am-10pm Friday and
Saturday. Cologne's five other markets take place outside the cathedral and
in some of the city's main squares. You can fly to Cologne from a wide range
of UK airports.
WHAT ABOUT OUTSIDE GERMANY?
The market tradition is strong in the eastern French towns of Alsace, which
in the past were part of the Holy Roman Empire, with its Germanic
connections. The largest of these markets is in Strasbourg (00 33 3 88 52 28
28; www.strasbourg.fr), where the Marché de Nöel, which specialises in
Christmas decorations, has been held in the Place de la Cathédrale since
1570. This year it will run from 27 November-31 December and will open from
10am-8pm every day. There are now several other markets in the city, with
gingerbread and other local delicacies on sale in front of the railway
station, crafts in Place Broglie, and a charity market under a huge
Christmas tree in Place Kléber. Air France (0845 0845 111;
www.airfrance.com) flies from Gatwick to Strasbourg.
In Prague, Christmas celebrations begin on 4 December, the day before
Mikulas, when St Nicholas, an angel, and the devil all appear at the market
in the Old Town Square to question local children about their behaviour.
This market, and another on Wenceslas Square, remains open until 6 January.
Look out for traditional biscuits baked into festive shapes that are ready
to hang on the tree, and hand-made wooden puppets that represent characters
from Czech folk tales and make lovely presents. There is barely a big UK
airport that does not have cheap links to Prague.
Not all Europe's Christmas markets have a long history. In Riga, a market
was established three years ago and all its proceeds go to a local
children's home. Christmas has always been taken seriously here, though.
According to popular myth, Riga is the place where the tradition of
decorating Christmas trees first originated, and a plaque marks the spot on
the town hall square where the first decorated tree stood in 1510. You can
fly there on Air Latvia, BA and Ryanair.
CAN I GO ON AN ORGANISED TRIP?
Several tour operators offer short Christmas market breaks. The German
Travel Centre (020 8429 2900; www.german-travel-uk.com) has a good selection
of one-night packages with 11 German destinations to choose from. Prices
start from £112 per person for travel and accommodation, and flights depart
from Birmingham, Bristol, Edinburgh, Gatwick, Heathrow, London City,
Manchester, Newcastle and Stansted airports.
Cresta Holidays (0870 238 7711; www.crestaholidays.co.uk) also offers
Christmas market packages to destinations including Bruges, Copenhagen,
Vienna and Krakow. Prices start at £216 for three nights in a two-star hotel
in Bruges, travelling on Eurostar. Regent Holidays (0117 921 1711;
www.regent-holidays.co.uk) offers trips to the more unusual, although less
traditional, destinations of Tallinn and Vilnius, as well as the Slovak
capital, Bratislava. For the first time, this year Bridge Travel (0870 191
7270; www.bridgetravel.co.uk) has published a brochure dedicated exclusively
to Christmas markets, with 16 destinations on offer. Prices start at £109
for a two-night break in Lille. And Kirker Holidays (020-7231 3333;
www.kirkerholidays.com) also offers a selection of Christmas market
destinations including Prague, Salzburg and Stockholm.
CAN I GO SOMEWHERE JUST FOR THE DAY?
Northern France is easy to reach by ferry or train from London and the south
of England. SeaFrance (08705 711 711; www.seafrance.com) is offering day
trips from Dover to Calais for £37 until 22 December, while P&O Ferries
(08705 202020; www.poferries.com) offers day trips on the same route from
£39. If you book at least a day in advance, a day-trip ticket on Le Shuttle
(0870 840 0046; www.eurotunnel.com) from Folkestone will cost £45.
Calais will be holding a market on the first weekend in December, but others
in France run for longer. The one in Béthune, an attractive small town with
a cobbled main square, begins on 27 November and continues until Christmas
Eve. In Lille, which is easily reached from London on Eurostar (08702 649
899; www.eurostar.com), the market spreads across the old city, and is
dominated by a brightly-lit Ferris wheel. Lots of the towns and villages in
the Calais region have Christmas markets that sell local produce. In the
seaside town of Gravelines, between Calais and Dunkirk, the market is set
out on the beach, where the stalls replace the more conventional beach huts.
This predominantly food-centric market takes place from 17-24 December and
is an excellent place at which to buy locally smoked fish.
DOES ANYWHERE STAGE A GOOD TURKEY MARKET?
Head to Licques, a small town in northern France, about half-an-hour's drive
from Calais. Licques (00 33 3 21 35 05 42; www.licques-volailles.com) has
been renowned for its turkeys since monks introduced them to the town in the
17th century, and there are now more than 200 turkey farms in the area. A
festival is held on the second weekend in December (11-12 this year) that
consists of a Marché du Terroir (selling regional produce) and a turkey
procession on the Sunday morning, during which the fattened fowl parade
through the streets, preceded by local dignitaries and followed by the
Knights of the Order of the Turkey. Spectators are given a glass of the
local liqueur, licquoise, and then have the chance to buy their own bird.
MY FAMILY DOESN'T LIKE SHOPPING
Then take them somewhere that provides entertainment as well as stalls. A
good place for this is Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen, where the annual
Christmas market opened yesterday and continues until 23 December. There is
plenty to occupy keen shoppers, while others can enjoy around 20 of Tivoli's
regular rides, as well as the shooting galleries and other games that are
open for the season. The lake will be transformed into a skating rink, and
there will be shows in the concert hall including a production of The
Nutcracker by the Royal Danish Ballet. Tickets are available from the box
office (00 45 33 69 69 69; www.kgl-teater.dk).
The main entrance to Tivoli is at 3 Vesterbrogade (00 45 33 15 10 01;
www.tivoligardens.com), and the gardens are open 11am-11pm from Monday to
Thursday, 10am-11pm on Saturday, and 10am-10pm on Sunday. Tickets cost Dkr65
(£6) for adults and Dkr35 (£3.25) for children, while a pass covering all
the rides is Dkr75 (£7) during the week and Dkr150 (£14) at weekends. Closer
to home, the Historic Dockyard in Portsmouth will be holding its fifth
Festival of Christmas from 26-28 November. The market will be open each day
from 10am-7pm, and the festive lights will be switched on at 5pm on the
Friday by Matt Goss. There will be plenty of shopping opportunities in a
European-style Christmas village, as well as an open-air French market and
plenty of live music and entertainment. Tickets cost £10 for adults, £8 for
children and £33 for a family (023 9283 9766; www.christmasfestival.co.uk).
This may sound a little pricey, especially if you are planning to buy gifts
while you are there, but tickets include entrance to all the dockyard's
attractions, including the Mary Rose, HMS Victory and the Royal Naval
Museum.
IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE IN THE UK?
Several British towns are catching on to the idea that by providing a bit
more than just town centre stores with Christmas lights they could attract
extra visitors. Among the best Christmas markets are the ones in Lincoln -
the biggest in Europe, at least in terms of the number of stalls - and Bath.
Lincoln (01522 873213; www.lincoln.gov.uk) began holding a market more than
20 years ago after residents visited the market in the city's German twin
town of Neustadt an der Weinstrasse. The market is held on Castle Hill, in
front of the cathedral, and will be open from 2-5 December. Its opening
hours are 4pm-9.30pm on the Thursday, 10am-9.30pm on Friday and Saturday,
and 10am-7pm on Sunday.
The market in Bath (01225 477223; www.bathchristmasmarket.co.uk), starts on
the same day and continues until 12 December. It will be held in the square
between the abbey and the Roman baths, and will comprise more than 80
stalls. The market will open from 5-9pm on the first day, then 10am-7pm
Monday-Wednesday, 10am-9pm Thursday-Saturday, and 11am-7pm on Sundays.
Throughout its run there will be a variety of entertainers performing in
Abbey Green and Kingston Parade. There will be a German market in Princes
Street Gardens in Edinburgh (0131 473 3600;
www.edinburghscapitalchristmas.co.uk) that will open 10am-10pm daily from 25
November until Christmas Eve. The site will also include an ice rink and a
Ferris wheel.
Swansea will stage a craft market on Oxford Street from 26 November-15
December, and a traditional street market from 3-12 December
(www.swansea.gov.uk). Durham (www.durhamtourism.co.uk) holds a market on the
first weekend of December, while in York (01904 621756;
www.yuletideyork.com) there is a choice of markets, beginning with the St
Nicholas Fayre from 25-28 November, where gifts and local food will be on
sale. A Continental market selling edible gifts from northern Europe will be
set up in Parliament Street on 7-9 December, and there will be a Yorkshire
Christmas farmers' market on 11 and 12 December at the same place.
IS THIS JUST A EUROPEAN TRADITION?
Yes, although that hasn't stopped European expatriates exporting their
customs to other parts of the world. German and Swiss settlers in the US
Midwest have established many of their traditions across the Atlantic.
Largest of these is the Christkindlmarket in Chicago, now in its ninth year,
which is modelled on the market in Nuremberg and sells crafts and
European-style food and wines. It takes place at Daley Plaza, and on
Washington Street, between Dearborn and State Streets, from 25 November-22
December, and is open daily from 11am-8pm, and until 9pm on Fridays and
Saturdays (001 312 644 2662; www.christkindlmarket.com).
On a smaller scale, the town of Ferdinand (001 812 367 1303;
www.ferdinandinchamber.org/christkindlmarkt.cfm) in Indiana (built in parts
to resemble a Bavarian village), has its own Christkindlmarkt, which will
take place next weekend. The emphasis here is on antiques, regional food and
gifts, while the live entertainment includes glockenspiel performances and a
Black Forest organ-grinder. The market will be open on Saturday from 9am-5pm
and 10am-4pm on Sunday.
CHRISTMAS ART
In Schwabing, a chic suburb of Munich, there is a Christmas market devoted
to selling original works of art. It was started by a small group of artists
in 1976, and now 120 painters, sculptors and ceramicists sell their works
from huts along Leopoldstrasse. A jury decides who will be allowed to
exhibit, and all the works are sold by the artists themselves, rather than
dealers. The market (00 49 89 338133; www.schwabingerweihnachtsmarkt.de)
runs from 29 November-24 December, and is open noon-8.30pm Monday-Friday,
11am-8.30pm at weekends, and from 11am-2pm on Christmas Eve.
Titus A Ducksass - AKA broken-record
wrote:
>Just come back from there - Preferred Bonn to Cologne although see the
>Cathedral in Cologne. Food and drink - everything on the markets, especially
>the fruit dumpling things! Bargains - very few really. Buy the Gluhvien
>(mulled wine) from the many Aldi/Lidls there - about 80p a bottle and quite
>palatable warmed.
Especially mit a shot of cointro.
Teus.
<A message to top posters. Type your reply here>
--
Never be afraid to try something new. Remember that a lone amateur
built the Ark. A large group of professionals built the Titanic.
JP
"Red Devil" <C.BoylanGe...@mentorbs.com> wrote in message
news:cp3s80$312$1$8302...@news.demon.co.uk...
Cologne is wonderful.
The catherdral is a must see.
Shopping is suberb, last winter I got a merino sweater for under 30 euros.
Also another must see is the area between Hohenzollern Bridge and the
Severins Bridge is called
the Altstadt.
You must try the Kölsch pubs, often owner run and serve superb food.
Try the sausage and black pudding
A few pubs I like are
Fruh am Dom on sreet called, Am Hof
Also any on strret called Alter Markt (near the Xmas market!)
Alt Köln am Dom
The Alt Köln (means Old Cologne) is a brewery and restaurant at the same
time. Adress: 7 Trankgasse
Enjoy and let us know what you think.