Köln Christmas Markets

There is no better way to ring in the Holiday's in Deutschland than attending one of the 100's of Christmas Markets that are held from the end of November right through till Christmas.  I really didn't think I would need to hit the markets this year since we did the AMA Christmas Market Cruise last year and were just about "Christmas-Marketed-Out."  But when a friend asked, earlier in the Fall, if we'd be interested in going to the Köln Markts I couldn't say no because we'd been wanting to see the city and it's magnificent Dom for quite a while.  There was a last minute change in plans as Dave remained in the States after a business trip for his Grandfather's funeral.  (Rest in peace, Grandpa Andersen.  You lived a wonderful 96 year long life and will surely be missed.) After we decided that I wouldn't head back to the States, we kept our reservation in Köln and I took my surrogate daughter, Brittany along with so that she could experience the wonders of Germany at Christmastime. 

It was a beautiful 2.5 hour drive north with snow covered trees and peaking sunshine.  We arrived in Köln at about noon, parked immediately nearby the Altstadt Hotel Hayk and checked in before heading out to explore.  We walked through a few of the extremely festive markets directly to the Dom.

Köln or Cologne - yes Eau de Cologne was originated here in 1709 - is mostly known for its massive cathedral, a World Heritage Site that was erected in 1248 but not finished until 1880.  It is the largest Gothic church in Northern Europe and has the second-tallest spires and largest facade of any church in the world.  While 95% of Köln was destroyed in WWII the cathedral held up fairly well. Glass and art treasures were taken to shelters and saved in anticipation of the bombings.

 

Stepping inside the cathedral absolutely breathtaking, the beautiful Gothic architecture, the history, the chapels, and the stained glass!  The far end of the Dom is the oldest, behind the altar and is called the Chapel of the Three Magi.  It features the church's oldest window (from 1265)  in the center.

In front of the Chapel is the Shrine of the Magi, right behind the high altar. Inside this shrine sit the bones of the Magi, 3 skulls with golden crowns.  The 3 Magi were the 1st to recognize Jesus as the Savior ad the 1st to come as pilgrims to worship him.  They inspired medieval pilgrims and countless pilgrims since.  For 1000 years, a theme of this cathedral has been that life is a pilgrimage...a search for God. 
This is a quite an impressive reliquary!

Well I saw all I wanted to see in Köln now, time to hit the Glühwein!   It was crowded, and it was chilly, and it was nearly impossible to belly up to the booths to shop but we could eat, and we could drink and that makes for a good Weihnachtsmarkt!  To escape the cold and warm our bones we went into the Peters Brauhaus and had the most delicious Kartoffel Suppe but not the most delicious beer.  The Kölsch is a Cologne brewed beer and very hoppy - not my fave.

We met up with 2 JD families back in the Market and hopped aboard the Weihnachtsmarkt Express that drove to the 6 different Markets.   Peters Brauhaus is actually right behind the train!

At night the Markets get even more beautiful, with trees lit up and other lights that we can't even see during the day. 

We had fun getting bumped around, I mean walking around the Markt :) but I never managed to spill my Glühwein.  Which reminds me though, I do need to get my wool coat dry cleaned because of  the Glühwein that was spilled on me - irresponsible Glühweindrinkers!  Next on the list was indulging in another Christmas Markt delicacy- Potato Pancakes with Applesauce.



I have to say, I'm not impressed.  Perhaps I was carbed out for the day but these mass produced, super fried little cakes were not as spectacular to me as I hoped them to be.  I will give them another try sometime though, maybe at a different Markt or make them myself with cinnamon and nutmeg!  We popped into TK Maxx - yes that's right - the German version of TJ Maxx, to warm up a bit before we hopped back into the little green train and circle our way back to the Alter Markt.  There were 11 of us huddled around a tree stump with a tea light lantern and Glühwein trying to stay warm.  We didn't last too much longer.  Brittany and I ventured back towards our river front hotel along with Shane, Nicole and their 2 kids.  We were looking for an inside place to warm up with a drink and a bite but everything was very crowded!   We found outside seating right next door to our hotel at the Löwenbräu  Restaurant and Hotel, with heaters and fleece blankets and decided that would do.  Another bowl of soup and a beer and us cold little chick-a-dee's were ready to call it a night.

Sunday we woke to a pretty miserable rainy/snowy mix but we HAD to find ornaments and souvenirs (other than the Glühwein mugs :) to take home.  The Markets open at 11:00 so we slept in and the ventured our to the nearby Dunkin Donuts on the Hohostraße shopping street for, sadly, a disappointing DD experience.  I should know better than to try the American places anymore!  So back into the Weihnachtsmarkt we went in search of the perfect thing to take home.

No, we didn't take this meat-on-a-stick home but it sure was delicious!   It was getting crowded again but we were able to browse through more of the booths.  It's always fun to see the people working on their crafts right there in the booths.  I was very happy to find a wooden Köln Christmas Ornament to add to my collection.  Brittany and I both found a beautiful candle holder with a very thinly carved wood veneer panel of the Köln skyline.  I got the lighter wood, and she bought the darker. 

We got into the car, cranked the heat on high, warmed our bottoms on the heated seats and got back home mid-afternoon.  It was a great weekend with my little Brittany, I'm so happy she's here in Germany!  We both agreed that having our men with us at the Christmas Markets would have made it a little more special but perhaps we can do Köln again in the much warmer weather!!

Link to the remaining pictures.