Germany Christmas market itinerary by train is a journey bursting with festive promise through the land where the tradition runs deepest. From the world’s oldest Christmas market in Dresden to the legendary Christkindlesmarkt in Nuremberg, planning a Christmas market itinerary in Germany means choosing between some of the most celebrated festive destinations in the world, all connected by one of Europe’s best rail networks. Centuries-old customs and joyous celebrations transform historic centers, turning a German Christmas market tour into one of Europe’s most compelling rail vacations.
Part of the magic lies in an expansive rail network that eases travelers between the best Christmas markets in Germany, from the world’s first in Dresden to one of its most spectacular in Nuremberg.
With cities and towns across the country sparkling with seasonal cheer, we’re looking at four of the greats for a spectacular 7-day Germany Christmas Market Itinerary: Dresden, Nuremberg, Munich, and Cologne.
Rail Escape crafts personalized tours around the best Christmas cities in Germany. We plan a German Christmas market itinerary around you, with seamless connections, first-class seats, and superior hotels all wrapped up. Ask for a tailor-made itinerary to discover why Germany is the perfect destination for a festive rail tour.
Why Train Travel Is the Best Way to Follow a Germany Christmas Market Itinerary
Germany’s festive banquet begins with timeless traditions played out in historic centers. Home to many of the world’s oldest Christmas markets, it’s an immersive voyage through authentic traditions and cities rich in heritage.
It’s a variety best explored on Germany’s expansive rail network.
The German national rail operator, Deutsche Bahn, operates a modern network that whisks travelers between the best Christmas markets in Germany. High-speed ICE (InterCity Express) links major cities, connecting with regional services to reach festivities off the tourist trail.
They unlock a dizzying array of Germany Christmas market itineraries, including those in our Germany Christmas market tours and rail packages. Tours that take on extra sparkle during the festive season, all customizable to call at the best Christmas cities in Germany.
How Rail Travel Enriches Your Christmas Market Itinerary in Germany
The frequency of trains lets you write your own Christmas tale at your own pace.
Stepping off the train at city center stations, refreshed and with luggage in hand, feels effortless. Book a hotel near the station, a feature of Rail Escape packages, and a mug of glühwein (mulled wine) is never far away.
Other perks of rail travel include a greener journey as you see more, relaxing in a heated carriage as views flash by. Add in first-class seats on high-speed routes, a staple of Rail Escape tours, and the journey becomes part of the memories.
Making festive memories is what a German Christmas market itinerary is all about. And you can’t go wrong with our pick of four of the best Christmas cities in Germany.
Dresden, Nuremberg, Munich, Cologne: A Sparkling 7-Day Germany Christmas Market Itinerary
Nuremberg, Dresden, Munich, and Cologne host some of the most spectacular Christmas markets in Germany. And they fit snugly into a 7-day Germany Christmas market itinerary.
Dresden (1 Night): Begin Your Germany Christmas Market Itinerary Where It All Started
The restored grand architecture of Dresden, capital of Saxony, would make a dramatic backdrop to any Christmas market. But this is not any Christmas market. It is the oldest in the world and the spiritual home of many enduring traditions.
When the first took place in 1434, it was a one-day market selling meat to mark the end of Advent fasting. Today, Dresden’s Striezelmarkt welcomes over 200 stalls for five weeks of feasting and festive merriment.
Local customs and traditions made their way from Saxony across the country and around the globe. Dresdner stollen, a sweet and fruity icon of a German Christmas, is a local speciality. As are the hand-painted wooden nutcrackers that came down from the nearby Ore Mountains.
Another Dresden highlight that went global is the Christmas Pyramid. Overlooked by the Romanesque Kreuzkirche church, Dresden’s is the world’s largest. They can also boast the largest Christmas candle arch that’s big enough to walk on.
It’s an incomparable heritage and one of the leading destinations for a Germany Christmas market itinerary. If one night feels too short (and it might), speak with our travel specialists about extending your time in Dresden. It’s a city that rewards slow exploration, and Rail Escape can adjust any Germany Christmas market itinerary to give you more time where it matters most. Spend a night here before heading to Nuremberg in Bavaria, around four hours by train from Dresden.
Nuremberg (2 Nights): Germany’s Most Famous Christmas Market
Although a little younger than Dresden’s Christmas market, Nuremberg’s Christkindlesmarkt is perhaps Germany’s most famous.
The Bavarian city is steeped in history, and so are the Advent celebrations, with the first Christmas market in Nuremberg dating back to 1628. Now, over 180 chalets fill the Hauptmarkt in Nuremberg’s handsome old town.
Freshly grilled Nuremberger bratwurst is a must-try local specialty; Nuremberg lebkuchen (gingerbread) is another. Late-night revelers will want to try the legendary feuerzangenbowle scooped from the largest bowl of punch in the world.
With absorbing museums and an imperial castle dominating the old town, Nuremberg enlivens any Germany Christmas Market itinerary. Two nights gives you time to explore beyond the Hauptmarkt. The Imperial Castle offers sweeping views over the old town, and the Germanic National Museum is one of Germany’s finest. Both make excellent half-day excursions before returning to the market for an evening of glühwein and lebkuchen.
Munich (2 Nights): Bavarian Charm on Your Germany Christmas Market Itinerary
Munich, the state capital and epicenter of Bavarian culture, is the next stop on this 7-day Germany Christmas market itinerary. Taking a little over 1h 20 mins on direct trains from Nuremberg
A charismatic city for all seasons, Munich’s walkable old town takes on new life during Advent with a Christmas market first held in 1642.
The handsome Marienplatz public square centers the festivities. Steaming food stalls sit beneath the fabled glockenspiel clock and a soaring pyramid. Just for Christmas, the home of Oktoberfest and Germany’s oldest beer cellar, the Hofbräuhaus, forgoes beer and makes way for mulled wine and spiced punches.
Munich readily fills a two-night stop on this 7-day Germany Christmas market itinerary. A collection of fantastic museums and royal palaces helps build an appetite for festive feasting. You can even blend history and festive fun at the magnificent Residenz; the former royal palace hosts a bijou Christmas market.
With so much to see and do around Munich, it’s an anchor destination that all-season tours pivot around. For travelers with an extra day, a day trip to Neuschwanstein Castle is one of Bavaria’s unmissable experiences, especially in winter, when snow-covered turrets emerge from the Alpine mist like something from a fairytale. Rail Escape can factor day trips like this into your Germany Christmas market itinerary. Itineraries like our Alps Christmas market tour through Munich, Salzburg & Zurich through wintry landscapes in Austria and Switzerland, and our tour through Central Europe, are perfect for those who want to see Munich and experience yuletide contrasts in neighboring countries.
Cologne (2 Nights): A Festive Finale on This Germany Christmas Market Itinerary
With two to three nights left on this 7-day Germany Christmas itinerary, our last stop changes up the cultural vibes by heading east to the Rhine city, Cologne. A journey through the heart of Germany that takes just over four hours on fast, direct trains.
The residents of Cologne clearly love Christmas markets with themed festivities popping up all over the city. The biggest sees around 150 distinctive red-topped chalets dishing up Christmas cheer beneath the imposing Cologne Cathedral, a Gothic architectural jewel.
Contrasts to the classic Bavarian Christmas experience abound. But even within Cologne, you’ll find contrasts between Christmas markets, many walking distance apart.
Spend a couple of nights in Cologne to round out this 7-day Germany Christmas itinerary, and you might find time to enjoy the views from the cathedral tower. Or take a day cruise down the Rhine. Cologne’s Christmas markets stay open later than most in Germany, making evening visits particularly atmospheric. The reflection of the cathedral’s illuminated facade on the Rhine is one of the most photographed scenes of any Germany Christmas market itinerary, and one of the most memorable
A wonderful city to drop anchor, Cologne is a popular destination on Rail Escape tours. Not least on our Rhine River tour that skips from the Netherlands to Switzerland via the vineyards and castles of the UNESCO World Heritage Rhine Valley. Ideal for turning a German Christmas market tour into a multi-country festive odyssey.
Alternative Germany Christmas Market Itineraries to Consider
With Christmas pyramids twinkling across the country, a German Christmas market tour by train is a festive gift wrapped in many layers. Countless rail itineraries offer the chance to unwrap the layers, whether on an extended vacation or other routes.
Like our balanced 8-night German Christmas market tour through Munich, Nuremberg & Cologne that stops at three of the cities we spotlighted: Munich, Nuremberg, and Cologne. An 8-night German Christmas market tour that gives you more time to explore these culturally rich cities and soak up their inimitable festive vibes.
Consider a German Christmas market itinerary where the festivities are just part of the appeal during Advent.
Examples include our 8-night Germany History and Culture tour from Berlin to Munich package that connects the heritage-laden German capital, Berlin, with Munich via the maritime city, Hamburg.
And our German castle tour via the Fairytale Road, a romantic journey from Munich, stopping beneath the famous castle in Heidelberg before heading to Stuttgart, home to one of Germany’s biggest Christmas markets.
Adventurous travelers might look for more offbeat destinations on a German Christmas market tour. From picturesque settings like Ravenna Gorge in the Black Forest to atmospheric time capsules amid the half-timbered houses of Esslingen am Neckar near Stuttgart. Or turn a German Christmas market tour into a multi-country adventure linking cities in the nine countries bordering, all of which share excellent cross-border rail services.
If you have ideas for a unique Germany Christmas market itinerary, ask our travel specialists for a tailor-made travel package. And find more inspiration for cross-border odysseys in our ultimate guide to touring Europe’s magical Christmas markets by train.
Germany Christmas Market Itinerary: Practical Travel Tips
Travel with Rail Escape, and handle route planning, rail travel reservations, and book quality 4*hotels in sought-after locations. But a few tips can help all travelers when planning a Germany Christmas market itinerary by train:
Early booking is recommended, especially if you plan to visit the biggest and best Christmas markets in Germany. Festivities typically last around five weeks and keep growing in popularity. Book early to get the trains you need and superior hotels close to the festivities.
Christmas market opening times can shape routes around the holiday markets in Germany. Most markets open on the last weekend in November and close on December 24. Consider the optimal direction for a German Christmas market tour.
Weekends are busiest. Plan your Germany Christmas market itinerary to visit the busiest holiday markets in Germany during the week for fewer crowds. Or the reverse, if you want to join the party-like atmosphere of weekends, when special events like Advent parades, carol singing, and concerts often take place.
Let Rail Escape Plan Your Dream Germany Christmas Market Itinerary
Advent is a wonderfully evocative time to tour Germany. A chance to blend cultural escapades with all the traditions and vitality of the world’s oldest Christmas markets.
Rail Escape turns festive travel dreams into a complete travel package with carefully planned rail itineraries and tickets for all the right trains. First-class seats are locked in on available services, and we select premium hotels, conveniently located for onward travel and Christmas markets.
Ask for a tailor-made Germany Christmas market itinerary that turns your dream Germany Christmas market itinerary into the ultimate way to celebrate the season of goodwill.
