Let me preface all this by saying that German Christmas Markets do live up to the hype. 

As an American expat navigating the bustling streets and vibrant stalls, I discovered that the hype surrounding German Christmas Markets is not only real but wildly understated. Join me as I share my whirlwind experience in Cologne, a city that turned my hectic relocation chaos into a magical Christmas wonderland.

After a grueling 90 days or so of chaos associated with this move from Oklahoma to Germany, my husband and I got out of our little bubble and left the dogs with a sitter for the day. We spent last Saturday, December 2nd in Cologne Germany for the Christmas markets and I was blown away. Cologne is one of the most popular markets from my understanding, and I could see that during my visit. The crowds were overwhelming, but I had some hot mulled wine, or glühwein, to ease my nerves. We opted for group travel for our mode of transportation from Baumholder to Cologne, but the trip was completely self-guided once you arrived. This made things super convenient but also limited our time to about 5 hours. If you are traveling from the US specifically for the Christmas markets, I will assume that you are going to have more time to explore this city.

Budget

Eager to indulge, I budgeted €120 per person for the day, a figure that included food, gifts, and, of course, glühwein. We ended up spending around €60 each simply because the crowds made it difficult to easily get to all the stalls, those not inclined to shop excessively could comfortably stick to a €60 budget. It’s all about finding the right balance for your travel needs.

A quick note on transportation: the bus/shuttle from our base to Cologne was about $80 per person, but that cost won’t apply to a whole lot of people reading this. Your transportation costs are going to vary. 

I didn’t keep an itemized list of everything that I purchased because I was simply distracted by all the activity and, of course, the towering 516-foot-tall cathedral above me! 

Here is a rough list of everything that I was able to get with €60; an order of Käsespätzel or potato pancakes, 3 mugs of glüwhein, 4 decorative gingerbread cookies, a package of roasted nuts, a bar of handmade soap, several postcards, and nic nacs at the Cologne Cathedral gift shop, and a votive candle holder with a spinning top. I think my money went a long way for one day. 

Clothing

This is an important one in Germany! I saw many people wearing what looked to be brand new Doc Martens and I just knew their dogs would be aching by the end of the day. Wear comfortable shoes that will keep your feet dry. You can find stylish shoes that don’t need such a long break-in period like Doc Marten boots. I wore a pair of Columbia snow boots and wool hiking socks that didn’t look as sleek as the black leather combat-style boots (believe me, I’ve been there), but my feet were warm and comfortable throughout the day. These cities are bound to have portions of the original cobblestone road in areas so wear some shoes that give you stability. I won’t go into a whole lot of detail on gear because you know what is most comfortable for you. 

Remember to pack a good base layer. I found a pair of fleece thermals before we left for Germany and I believe they were from Walmart. Over the base layer, I wore a pair of Lululemon leggings, a thin sweater, a knee-length puffer coat, a long fuzzy scarf, and a warm (water-resistant) beanie. This outfit worked out perfectly for me. I’ve had about a month of 

German weather to experiment with different layers so that helped me out a lot. 

Accessories and gear

My husband wore a medium-sized cross-body bag and I wore a Fjällräven Kanken backpack because it has been great for travel in the past and it is one of my most water-resistant bags. Both bags worked out great for us and I would recommend not planning to bring anything large or bulky. 

We each packed an umbrella in case of rain or snow, but with the crowds on a Saturday in Cologne, we wouldn’t have been able to use the umbrellas even if there was snow or rain. We had a dry day so we left the umbrellas on the bus. I will bring them again for our next trip to Rothenburg just to be safe because there is nothing worse than being cold, wet, and stuck outside for hours. I am expecting the crowds to be less dense at Rothenburg as well. 

I also packed my waterproof camera, but it turned out to be to much effort to switch between my phone and my camera within the crowds. If you plan on photographing the markets, try to visit on a weekday so you can get some actual shots of the booths and activities. A lot of my photos included a sea of strangers’ heads with the tops of buildings in the background. 

What I would do differently

Next time, I am going to try to learn to pronounce some of the typical food and drink items at the German Christmas markets beforehand because ordering food or drinks other than glühwein was pretty nerve-wracking for me. I mispronounced feuerzanenbowle, which translates to fire tong punch, and is delicious and heavy on liquor! The lady taking orders was very concerned and didn’t have the greatest sense of humor about it. I would also plan to stick it out in the food lines and try some different things. The crowds got the best of me and I ended up eating McDonald’s on the drive back home for dinner. I’m eating that Christmas market food next time! I would try to talk to more people and immerse myself in the experience rather than trying to rush to see everything. I know we will have a similar time constraint at the next market so I will try to be more realistic about what we can fit into a few hours. Lastly,  I’d like to get some better-quality photos at the next market and fewer videos. I got caught up in the moment and forgot to snap photos and now I am forced to grab screenshots of my iPhone photos which aren’t going to be the best camera. I might resort to using only my camera and leaving my phone in my bag for most of the day. 

If you plan to visit the Christmas Markets in Cologne, Germany, I wish you all the best. Don’t miss the Cathedral, and get in line for some amazing food!