Christmas (Market) Spirit

Holidays are traditionally for family time, so I rarely sneak away for field trips at the end of the year. For the past several years, I have made Austin my home base between Thanksgiving and Christmas to spend quality time with my family. A couple years ago I decided to fly from a business trip in LA straight to Germany to cross a few of the famed Christkindl markets off my bucket list before heading home for the season. It was the first time I’d ever planned a big solo trip beyond an extended business trip or quick overnight away, and it was probably the true beginning of the adventure I’ve embarked upon as a solo female traveler. This year, I’m looking at house sits that will keep me far from home for the holidays, and it got me thinking about this incredible trip from three years ago. COVID means you can’t really visit most of these places this year, but I had a lot of fun mentally revisiting my memories this year.

Trip planning can get overwhelming, so I’m a big fan of identifying tent pole activities and filling in around them. I’m a life long Sound of Music fan, it’s a family favorite, as are a Disney movies. Even though I had brief layover explorations in Munich and Salzburg six ago, Neuschwanstein Castle (the inspiration for the Disney Castle) and the Sound of Music Tour were going to anchor this adventure. I was slammed with projects at the end of the year, and a friend had started a travel agency, so I tasked her with planning an epic movie-centric adventure for me. Salzburg and Neuschwanstein Castle were my two tentpoles, and we filled the rest with all of the festive Christmas markets my feet, wallet, and liver could handle. It was pure bliss, and I’d gladly start every holiday season with a Christkindl market or two… or ten.

I started with one of the oldest and most famous in Nuremberg, Germany. I was a little surprised to find my hotel at the edge of the Red Light district, and passed a bevy of half naked women hanging out of open windows as I stumbled to my hotel after a very long travel day. The next morning was full of wholesome fun as I visited the original Nürnberger Christkindlesmarkt, filled with candy cane striped awnings, +150 stalls, the famous giant gold angel, and the world famous clock show at the Church of Our Lady. No Christmas Market trip is complete without some piping hot Lebkuchen (the soft spicy gingerbread,) the famous Nuremberg Sausages, Glühwein (the mulled wine served piping hot in souvenir glasses,) and roaming the stalls of ornaments and locally made goods. The Zwetschgenmännle, or Prune People, are a total hoot. Dressed in local outfits and positioned in amusing vignettes, it’s a must see stall on your visit. I wandered over to the Sister Cities market around the corner, and toured the wares of Europe exploring the diverse stalls representing dozens of neighboring countries. The Kinderweihnacht, or Children’s market, has a lovely carousel, a nativity exhibit, and the kids were all rocking such happy faces it was impossible to keep a massive grin off my own face.

You’ll want to walk over the adorable cobbled Fleischbrücke for your introduction to the world’s largest Feuerzangenbowle, a 3,000 Liter cauldron of bubbling spiced wine, individually set aflame through a rum soaked sugar cube. It takes 2 full days to bring this brew up to temperature, and you will definitely want a high octane sample.

I’m a big fan of art, pickles, and beer, and all have an interesting history in Nuremberg. If you’ve seen George Clooney’s The Monuments Men, you’ll recall the importance of underground tunnels preserving historic treasures from pillaging nazis. There are several tour options for the rock tunnels in Nuremberg, and you can learn all about the beer, pickles, and priceless treasures that have been stored in the dark halls. I popped into a brewery around the corner and thoroughly enjoyed the brewery/distillery offerings of Alstadthof. If you are more artistically talented than me, the Faber-Castell art supplies are made at the actual Faber Castle and they offer very unique tour experiences that I couldn’t quite fit into this trip, but would have loved to heck out.

Next up was Salzburg. I had a couple of hours to explore Mozart’s home town and was captivated by Mirabell Palace and Garden on my first visit. I was BEYOND excited to do the Sound of Music Tour, head up to Nonnberg Abbey (where Maria’s story begins) and stroll around the Hohensalzburg Fortress, meander around the markets, and try the famous Sacher Torte.

The Tour was everything I could have possibly dreamed of. Our guide was engaging and fun, we sang songs from the film on the bus trekking between the filming locations. We hit all the highlights, including the beautiful Basilica St Michael from their wedding in dreamy Mondsee, and the exteriors of Leopoldskron Palace and Schloss Hellbrunn with the trick fountains and famed gazebo. I even took a bus out to the Trapp Family Villa and did the self guided tour of the family’s actual home.

I am admittedly directionally challenged. I very frequently get extremely turned around and lost even in very familiar journeys. I found it remarkably easy to navigate each of the cities I visited on this journey but particularly Salzburg. It was intimate and easy to navigate. I felt right at home here, and the Kelly Clarkson recording of Favorite Things played me into the magical market in Salzburg. It was incredibly dreamy and delightful. Horse drawn carriages ferried tourists about, there was a skating rink in front of the Silent Night museum, and I drank Bombardino and Mozart Trunk cocktails as I walked around the whimsical twinkle lights and culinary delights.

I walked myself all over Salzburg, marveling at the magic around every corner. They are very proud of hometown hero Mozart, Sacher Tortes, and all of the music and art preserved in its storied streets. I was disappointed when I hauled my tired body up to the top of the fort only to find that they weren’t open that day. I wandered down to the festive Stiegl Taproom for a very traditional feast and samples of their incredible fruit beers as a welcome consolation prize. I can’t say that I’m a huge fan of the Sacher Torte- it’s a little dry and boring to scintillate my fairly dormant sweet tooth, but the Hotel Sacher served one of the best martinis I’ve ever had, and the jazz pianist playing holiday favorites made it worth the stop.

I bussed back out to Hellbrunner Adventzauber for the beautiful Advent celebration. Pay special attention as you approach because you’ll pass the lane and long yellow gate that Maria sees as she approaches the Von Trapp house for the first time in the movie. Each window is decorated as another day in a massive advent calendar and the family friendly activities were delightful. There really was something for everyone there and I had a marvelous time.

Then it was back to Germany to explore the myriad of markets in Munich. I took a day trip out to see Neuschwanstein Castle, and we had quick stops at Schlosspark Linderhof, Oberammergau, and Schwangau. It was a spectacular day, and I highly recommend taking the time out to explore. Neuschwanstein was everything I wanted it to be, and the Quarkballchen (cheese hushpuppies) in the parking lot were may favorite food of the entire adventure.

Munich has several wonderful Christmas markets, and I think it is important to visit them all.

• The Marienplatz is home to the original market and it is MASSIVE. There are vendors for what feels like miles. The old fashioned Christmas Pyramid had mindbendingly good wood plank roasted salmon sandwiches, and I also found the most amazing spaetzle of my life.

• Wittelsbacherplatz (Medieval Market) had the most unique stalls and gifts, the animated dioramas were a riot, and the souvenir glasses were insane terra cotta confections. They had show stopping blue flaming Feuerzangenbowle, which was totally worth the headache and pain associated with drinking red wine for me.

• Viktualienmarkt in the Farmer’s Market was packed with seasonal treats and eats, and I particularly enjoyed the sign made of pretzels.

• The LGBTQ Pink Market was high on my list. I wanted to gift my friends hunky mermen ornaments, but they only had ones wearing American flags left. Luckily the market was wonderful anyway, and bonus points that the mermen are now available on Amazon.

• Though a bit lackluster compared to the other markets, it was a lovely walk around the Chinesischer Turm Weihnachtsmarkt and the adjacent English Garden. I was a little bummed that there weren’t any surfers hanging ten in the Eisbach River, but the grounds were gorgeous and absolutely worth a tour.

I also made sure to visit the Endless Stairs installation, Van Gogh Sunflowers at Neue Pinakothek, and the Paulaner Brewery, and the iconic HoffbrauHaus.

I’ve been applying to all kinds of international housesits, but I’m afraid Omicron is going to put a damper on those plans. Even if I don’t make it to Europe as I intended this year, I’ll gladly revisit my mental archives every Christmas until I can make it back and revisit this food and beverage wishlist!

F&B Wishlist:

I compiled all of my research for the trip here for reference, but I at least wanted to drop in my food and beverage wishlist for the trip. I made good progress on it!

EAT:

• Spaetzle (Personal favorite in Munich at the Marienplatz market)

• Raclette (I actually got this in Switzerland on my layover. Hot cheese is always the answer)

• Flammkuchen (creme fresh/bacon flatbread)

• Lebukuchen (gingerbread)

• Champignons in Knoblauchsosse (Mushrooms in garlic sauce)

• Rohrnudel: dumpling in vanilla sauce

• Apfelkucherl: spiced fried apple rings

• Leberkase: Meatloaf on a bun

• Steckerlfisch: Fish on a stick

• Brotzeit: Charcuterie plate

• Obatzda: soft cheese, butter, paprika/spices

• Quarkballchen (quark cheese batter donut balls in powdered sugar (Sold by a street vendor halfway up the hill to Neuschwanstein Castle) These sound so gross and weird, I had to try them, and I devoured my order of 3 and have been dreaming about them in the years that followed. Each person needs an order, you’ll preserve familial harmony if you don’t bother sharing.

DRINK:

• Apfel glühwein, a version made with hot apple cider.

• ApfelShorle: Apple Soda

• Honigwein: Mead

• Feuerzangenbowle  – A bowl of red wine is topped with a sugar cone that is then doused in rum and set ablaze. The alcohol-soaked sugar drips into the wine and you have a Feuerzangenbowle. Don’t miss it at the Munich Medieval market, it comes in beautiful terra cotta chalices.

• The Salzburg market offers Hot White Russians and Bombardiers