Cologne for Christmas markets… will we be disappointed?

[djlon]

We liked Berlin, wanting to try Cologne as it’s pricing out as cheaper than Vienna and other festive destinations. Is it nice in Cologne at Christmas, is there much to do for 2 or 3 nights?

It’s very nice - a large Christmas market and if you go, you should do the nativity trail which is pretty unique. All the inner city churches have wonderful, often life sized nativity scenes - from ancient to very modern and in a range of styles and materials. Would have missed it if a friend hadn’t shown me - I really enjoyed it.

It’s nice, you will probably enjoy it.
I prefer Munich or Nuremberg but just because I know and love them as cities anyway

So much to do in Cologne for 2-3 nights. I used to go to Cologne every month as DD lived there.

Christmas markets are great and busy. There’s even a little road train that goes around all of the markets.

As a city it’s not as spectacular as Vienna but also try the local beer, Kölsch - fun times in the Brauhaus as well.

Think I need to head off there soon 😄

We loved Cologne.

Realised quite quick that the markets were similar to those in Manchester so we visited the cathedral and had a walk along the river before finding a cocktail bar and getting smashed in happy hour and in a karaoke bar till 3am.
We still laugh about it now!!

It was early December and glorious weather to walk off the hangover the next day!

Probably not very helpful I know!

We went to Cologne Christmas markets last year, it was heaving. Like Oxford street during peak sales, you could only move at the speed of the person in front of you. During the day was better but obviously the atmosphere wasn’t quite the same.

if you are ok with crowds then go for it.

Uh oh, what time of year did you go? We’re thinking mid week early December

We are planning a Cologne Christmas market trip!

What swung it for us is that there is loads of stuff to do during the day that isn't Christmas markets so we can go round museums all day then off to the market for sausages and a cosy drink.

DH used to live in Munich so have done the market there a lot - same thing, we'd meet up when he finished work and mooch about.

That sounds lovely! Is there anywhere in particular on your list to go whilst you’re there? I wasn’t sure if there would be as many museums as Berlin

heard Munich is fantastic but expensive, not sure if you can confirm or deny?

@djlon It was mid week, Tuesday through Thursday, 2nd week in Dec.

Thank you. Did you find much else to do other than markets?

@djlon just realised, it looks like we didn’t enjoy it, we did! But it was much much busier than I’d expected compared to, say, Copenhagen or Salzburg or Innsbruck where we’d been previously at similar times of the year.

Blimey, am spamming the thread, sorry!

We went to the cathedral, a museum, the Lindt factory (I think!) and just walked between all the markets, across the bridge with locks etc., etc. And we visited all the markets (there are multiple) more than once.

Munich doesn’t have to be expensive, depends where you stay.
One thing to bear in mind in Germany is how great public transport is generally so you can stay a couple of stops on the u Bahn away

Thank you! Sounds so fun

From Cologne if you're there a few days it's easy on the train to head to Bonn or Düsseldorf to look at the markets there too.

I'm biased but prefer Düsseldorf to Köln as it's less busy. And quicker to get to for me, only 20mins train.

We loved it

I went a few years ago and there is a lot more than just the markets as others have noted.

There are 7 different Christmas markets in Cologne! We’ve been several times; each one has a different theme and a different gluwein mug to collect. Definitely the best place to go in my opinion.