Christmas markets - what do you do?

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Can anyone tell me about European Christmas markets? I really like the idea and thinking of going with some friends, but not sure where to start…if we were to decide on, say, Cologne, do we just book travel and hotel and just wander? Or are there tours? Do we go to one market or several? Should we book restaurants or are we better off just eating market food for several days?! I feel like I want someone to create an itinerary for me! Too many decisions!

Food... usually there's things like pork sandwiches, mushrooms, curry wurst chips with ketchup etc available. Nice as an odd meal, not sure if I'd want to eat it constantly! (Even the churros, nice as they are!)

Never seen a tour, but we went to the smaller ones in the towns/villages where we lived, not a major city.

I've always gone independently I'm sure there are packages but wouldn't see the point. Germany is very reasonable in terms of price for food so eating at a restaurant in the evening would prob cost less than having a hotdog and pint at the Christmas markets over here

As for food the potato cakes 😍😍😍😍

Just wonder has been my experience, and perhaps consider other things you can visit whilst there. For example the Cathedral and museums if you go to Cologne.

I am German and love wandering around the Christmas markets if we go back in December but we normally do it together with other things in the area.

So, unless we visit family, we look at museums, castles, go shopping or if the weather is nice and the area suitable, go for a walk. It obviously depends where you want to go and for how long.

If you go to a major one like Nürnberg or Munich and you stay in the city center you may want to book a restaurant for dinner, especially if you are there over the weekend. We normally get lunch at one of the stalls but I don't really fancy it for all meals and every day.

I never heard of tours unless you think of a guided tour through the city.

Quite a few companies do trips I was thinking of using it to see the churches, museum's etc as seemed a cheap way to do it. Interested in Bruges and Ghent.

It's basically an outside pub. You meet your friends, drink, eat, listen to music and talk.

If you go during the day there is less drinking and more shopping. I probably wouldn't want to go to several... One is fine.

I went to Cologne markets a few Christmases ago. There are several, but people don't really go to them until it starts getting dark (and pretty). We had hotel breakfast, saw a few museums during the day and the cathedral, and wandered the shops, and drank ate at the markets in the evening. 3 days was plenty.

You can take trips on the Rhine during the day. I love Germany

Would love to do this but not crazy about crowds - is the Cologne market very busy (as in you can't easily move around)?

I did the Frankfurt Christmas market a few years ago and it was great, in a very pretty Square and right by the river. Quite small maybe in comparison to others in Germany? But very compact. So you definitely wouldn't need a tour but big enough for a weekend trip. Food was good but you'd want to go to a restaurant for an evening meal I would say, it can be cold so going inside for a meal is a good option. Lovely shopping streets and shopping mall nearby too.

I would just do one Xmas Market if it rains you will be stuffed they are nice buy not spectacular.

Vienna! Fabulous Christmas market and a wonderful city to explore aswell

Have been to markets in Cologne and Aachen and enjoyed both. Most German towns and cities have them - the Cologne one is very extensive with sites all over the pedestrianised main area.

I always viewed them as essentially Christmas shopping trips with visits to the German department stores and then the Christmas market as well. Very easy to get to Cologne - either driving from Calais or get the Eurostar and change in Brussels for the high speed train to Cologne (both journeys 4-5 hours)

Yes.

Absolutely gorgeous place especially at Christmas

Düsseldorf was lovely. Several Christmas markets busy but not stupidly so and the city itself is beautiful with lots of shops both high end and regular. The alstaad is not to be missed either