We are thinking about going Europe for Christmas this year. The plan
is to do some of the usual tourist things (museums, Castles,
Cathedrals...) but the main focus would be to experience how Christmas
is celebrated in Europe. I know much of the American Christmas
tradition comes from Germany. We plant to go to some Christmas
markets, perhaps take in a concert, look at the way cities are
decorated... I'm thinking of visiting Vienna, Saltsburg and Prague,
some Mad Ludwig sites (Neuschwanstein, Linderhof).

I wonder what other people have done. I'm open to any good
suggestions as to where to go and what to see.

Thanks
Steve Gerdemann

NÃŒrnberg is not bad either for an atmospheric Xmas market
You mention a lot of out of Germany places ....


"steve" <[email protected]> a écrit dans le message de news:
[email protected]. com...
> We are thinking about going Europe for Christmas this year. The plan
> is to do some of the usual tourist things (museums, Castles,
> Cathedrals...) but the main focus would be to experience how Christmas
> is celebrated in Europe. I know much of the American Christmas
> tradition comes from Germany. We plant to go to some Christmas
> markets, perhaps take in a concert, look at the way cities are
> decorated... I'm thinking of visiting Vienna, Saltsburg and Prague,
> some Mad Ludwig sites (Neuschwanstein, Linderhof).
>
> I wonder what other people have done. I'm open to any good
> suggestions as to where to go and what to see.
>
> Thanks
> Steve Gerdemann
>

On Apr 23, 5:22 am, steve <[email protected]> wrote:
> We are thinking about going Europe for Christmas this year. The plan
> is to do some of the usual tourist things (museums, Castles,
> Cathedrals...) but the main focus would be to experience how Christmas
> is celebrated in Europe. I know much of the American Christmas
> tradition comes from Germany. We plant to go to some Christmas
> markets, perhaps take in a concert, look at the way cities are
> decorated... I'm thinking of visiting Vienna, Saltsburg and Prague,
> some Mad Ludwig sites (Neuschwanstein, Linderhof).
>
> I wonder what other people have done. I'm open to any good
> suggestions as to where to go and what to see.
>
> Thanks
> Steve Gerdemann


Stuttgart has Europe's largest and most visited Christmas Market, and
is also one of the oldest and most beautiful. Nearby, accessable by
local transportation in 15 minutes by S-bahn are two smaller large
themed Christmas markets that attract over a million visitors each:
Ludwigsburg Baroque Christmas market close to Germany's largest
perfectly preserved Baroque palace with an excellent tour of the
king's, queen's and duke's chambers, four excellent museums, two
associated smaller palaces, and extensive gardens which won't be at
their best at this time of year; and the Esslingen Medieval and
Christmas Market in the Altstadt of this excellently preserved
medieval old town center.

Stuttgart also has a Christmas circus. There are many other excellent
places to visit and things to do within and close to Stuttgart
including the excellent Mercedes Benz museum with 120 years of
automotive history on display in the form of 160 vehicles from the
world's first car (after all, Stuttgart is where the automobile was
invented), Mercedes through the ages, racing cars, and cars driven or
used by famous people such as the Popemobile. This museum is loved by
all visitors regardless of age or sex. The current smaller Porsche
museum would appeal to its fans and people interested in racing, but a
new larger museum opens next year. There are also the three large
mineral baths; Europe's largest combination zoo-botanical garden,
Wilhelma, enjoyable any time of the year; and excellent art galleries,
music, ballet and opera. The fairytale-like Hohenzollern castle,
family seat of Germany's most important family, is a short distance
south of Stuttgart.

See www.stuttgart-tourist.de

George

steve wrote:

> We are thinking about going Europe for Christmas this year. The plan
> is to do some of the usual tourist things (museums, Castles,
> Cathedrals...) but the main focus would be to experience how Christmas
> is celebrated in Europe. I know much of the American Christmas
> tradition comes from Germany. We plant to go to some Christmas
> markets, perhaps take in a concert, look at the way cities are
> decorated... I'm thinking of visiting Vienna, Saltsburg and Prague,
> some Mad Ludwig sites (Neuschwanstein, Linderhof).
>
> I wonder what other people have done. I'm open to any good
> suggestions as to where to go and what to see.
>
> Thanks
> Steve Gerdemann
>

Probably the most interesting experience was a Christmas concert at St.
Stephen's cathedral in Passau.

You might consider visiting there. I have no idea how you would
discover the concert schedule though. We just happened to be there the
evening of the concert in mid December.

On 22 Apr 2007 20:22:14 -0700, steve <[email protected]> wrote:

>We are thinking about going Europe for Christmas this year. The plan
>is to do some of the usual tourist things (museums, Castles,
>Cathedrals...) but the main focus would be to experience how Christmas
>is celebrated in Europe. I know much of the American Christmas
>tradition comes from Germany. We plant to go to some Christmas
>markets, perhaps take in a concert, look at the way cities are
>decorated... I'm thinking of visiting Vienna, Saltsburg and Prague,
>some Mad Ludwig sites (Neuschwanstein, Linderhof).
>
>I wonder what other people have done. I'm open to any good
>suggestions as to where to go and what to see.

Christmas markets are good to go to if you've never been to one, but
they get really old really fast, because they all offer the same eight
items (mulled spiced wine, handcarved wooden toys that no one would
play with, overpriced ornaments, decorated cookies, sausage with
french fries, etc). I recommend Cologne, right around the immense,
beautiful cathedral. Nurenburg is possibly the most famous one, and
it's good, but far, far too crowded.

On Mon, 23 Apr 2007 13:59:28 -0400, Viking <[email protected]>
wrote:

>Christmas markets are good to go to if you've never been to one, but
>they get really old really fast, because they all offer the same eight
>items (mulled spiced wine, handcarved wooden toys that no one would
>play with, overpriced ornaments, decorated cookies, sausage with
>french fries, etc).

There you go, Viking! Something we agree upon!
--
Barbara Vaughan
My email address is my first initial followed by my surname at libero dot it
I answer travel questions only in the newsgroup

On Mon, 23 Apr 2007 20:44:43 +0200, B Vaughan<[email protected]> wrote:

>On Mon, 23 Apr 2007 13:59:28 -0400, Viking <[email protected]>
>wrote:
>
>>Christmas markets are good to go to if you've never been to one, but
>>they get really old really fast, because they all offer the same eight
>>items (mulled spiced wine, handcarved wooden toys that no one would
>>play with, overpriced ornaments, decorated cookies, sausage with
>>french fries, etc).
>
>There you go, Viking! Something we agree upon!

*laugh* I'm sure we have plenty we agree upon.

steve wrote:

> We are thinking about going Europe for Christmas this year. The plan
> is to do some of the usual tourist things (museums, Castles,
> Cathedrals...) but the main focus would be to experience how Christmas
> is celebrated in Europe. I know much of the American Christmas
> tradition comes from Germany. We plant to go to some Christmas
> markets, perhaps take in a concert, look at the way cities are
> decorated... I'm thinking of visiting Vienna, Saltsburg and Prague,
> some Mad Ludwig sites (Neuschwanstein, Linderhof).
>
> I wonder what other people have done. I'm open to any good
> suggestions as to where to go and what to see.

"Hansel & Gretel" at the Volksoper (especially a
pre-Christmas matinee, with all the Viennese children in the
audience dressed in their festive best). If you're going to
be there through New Years (as who would not be, if you've
made it there at holiday time?), then "Fledermaus" at the
Staatsoper on New Year's Eve is a MUST! (IMO, of course.)

steve schrieb:
> We are thinking about going Europe for Christmas this year. The plan
> is to do some of the usual tourist things (museums, Castles,
> Cathedrals...) but the main focus would be to experience how Christmas
> is celebrated in Europe. I know much of the American Christmas
> tradition comes from Germany. We plant to go to some Christmas
> markets, perhaps take in a concert, look at the way cities are
> decorated... I'm thinking of visiting Vienna, Saltsburg and Prague,

umm, none of these cities is in Germany

> some Mad Ludwig sites (Neuschwanstein, Linderhof).
>
Ok, New Disneyland is, but it's not a city.


> I wonder what other people have done. I'm open to any good
> suggestions as to where to go and what to see.
>
Just about every town has a christmas market, so unless you feel you
have to see THE christmas market in Nuremburg, just take your pick.
The smaller ones often have more interesting things on sale. Our local
one has items made and sold for charity which you might not find at the
big commercialised markets where the traders have to pay a high rental
for their stands. Also, you are not going to be one of x million
tourists if you go to a smaller market. Oh, and don't drink too much
gluhwein unless you want a really bad headache.

> Thanks
> Steve Gerdemann
>

On Mon, 23 Apr 2007 22:17:59 +0200, Tom Peel <[email protected]>
wrote:

>steve schrieb:
>> We are thinking about going Europe for Christmas this year. The plan
>> is to do some of the usual tourist things (museums, Castles,
>> Cathedrals...) but the main focus would be to experience how Christmas
>> is celebrated in Europe. I know much of the American Christmas
>> tradition comes from Germany. We plant to go to some Christmas
>> markets, perhaps take in a concert, look at the way cities are
>> decorated... I'm thinking of visiting Vienna, Saltsburg and Prague,
>
>umm, none of these cities is in Germany

Surely Saltsburg is? Austria's already taken the name Salzburg, so
Satsburg must be in Germany...

On Mon, 23 Apr 2007 22:17:59 +0200, Tom Peel <[email protected]>
wrote:

> Oh, and don't drink too much
>gluhwein unless you want a really bad headache.

Now what's that stuff they sell at the Hamburg Christmas market?

It's a big vat of mulled rum with a sugar loaf suspended in it.

You don't get a headache from drinking it, you just fall over.

(Highly recommended but I still can't remember what it's called,
probably because I fell over after drinking it).

:-)



Keith, Bristol, UK

On Apr 23, 8:44 pm, B Vaughan<[email protected]> wrote:
> On Mon, 23 Apr 2007 13:59:28 -0400, Viking <[email protected]>
> wrote:
>
> >Christmas markets are good to go to if you've never been to one, but
> >they get really old really fast, because they all offer the same eight
> >items (mulled spiced wine, handcarved wooden toys that no one would
> >play with, overpriced ornaments, decorated cookies, sausage with
> >french fries, etc).
>
> There you go, Viking! Something we agree upon!
> --
> Barbara Vaughan
> My email address is my first initial followed by my surname at libero dot it
> I answer travel questions only in the newsgroup


You might enjoy the Stuttgart market. As I live close to it, I
usually visit every day. The Finnish part has salmon cooked pegged to
boards in front of a wood fire, inexpensive shots of good Finnish
berry liquors, and they also sell inexpensive reindeer hides. The
sight and smell of the salmon cooking is excellent, and it's wonderful
to eat, in a large tepee with a fire if desired. The mackerel on a
stick in the main Christmas market always looks interesting, and there
are numerous choices of other foods including all Swabian dishes.
There is also an antique part of the market that is enjoyable to
visit, and the usual Saturday flea market will have increased
considerably in size offering many inexpensive nice items. With over
250 stalls there is enough variety to make repeated visits
interesting. I particularly like watching the thrilled small children
riding a minature steam train, and the ice skating rink can be fun.

Also by Stuttgart are the themed Christmas markets at Ludwigsburg for
Baroque and Esslingen for medieval, making a change from just another
Christmas market.

When visiting other Christmas markets it's interesting to observe the
things they sell that others don't have, oftentimes regional and/or
local food specialities.

George

Viking schrieb:
> On Mon, 23 Apr 2007 22:17:59 +0200, Tom Peel <[email protected]>
> wrote:
>
>> steve schrieb:
>>> We are thinking about going Europe for Christmas this year. The plan
>>> is to do some of the usual tourist things (museums, Castles,
>>> Cathedrals...) but the main focus would be to experience how Christmas
>>> is celebrated in Europe. I know much of the American Christmas
>>> tradition comes from Germany. We plant to go to some Christmas
>>> markets, perhaps take in a concert, look at the way cities are
>>> decorated... I'm thinking of visiting Vienna, Saltsburg and Prague,
>> umm, none of these cities is in Germany
>
> Surely Saltsburg is? Austria's already taken the name Salzburg, so
> Satsburg must be in Germany...

I just checked, there's a Salsburgh in Scotland.

T.

Keith Anderson <[email protected]> wrote:

> On Mon, 23 Apr 2007 22:17:59 +0200, Tom Peel <[email protected]>
> wrote:
>
> > Oh, and don't drink too much
> >gluhwein unless you want a really bad headache.
>
> Now what's that stuff they sell at the Hamburg Christmas market?
>
> It's a big vat of mulled rum with a sugar loaf suspended in it.
>
> You don't get a headache from drinking it, you just fall over.
>
> (Highly recommended but I still can't remember what it's called,
> probably because I fell over after drinking it).
>
> :-)

Feuerzangenbowle (literally "tongs bowle")

On Mon, 30 Apr 2007 21:12:45 +0100, [email protected]lid (Robbie
Pickering) wrote:

>Keith Anderson <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> On Mon, 23 Apr 2007 22:17:59 +0200, Tom Peel <[email protected]>
>> wrote:
>>
>> > Oh, and don't drink too much
>> >gluhwein unless you want a really bad headache.
>>
>> Now what's that stuff they sell at the Hamburg Christmas market?
>>
>> It's a big vat of mulled rum with a sugar loaf suspended in it.
>>
>> You don't get a headache from drinking it, you just fall over.
>>
>> (Highly recommended but I still can't remember what it's called,
>> probably because I fell over after drinking it).
>>
>> :-)
>
>Feuerzangenbowle (literally "tongs bowle")

That's the stuff!

Thanks for the reminder!

Keith, Bristol, UK