Christmas & Holiday Markets on a Danube River Cruise 

I enjoy revisiting the picture-perfect images from my Christmas Market River Cruise down the Danube with Tauck. I can still vividly picture the guests returning to the ship after an evening visit to the Market, cheeks rosy from the cold (or maybe a little from the gluhwein?), bundled in coats and scarves, fingers blackened from the roasted chestnuts they’ve been enjoying. They return to the ship chattering away and sharing their purchases and stories with each other. 

This was not my first visit to the Christmas Markets of the region; I was lucky enough to spend a year of University in Austria. So, like the locals, I visited the Markets near me many times during the weeks they were open. The local restaurants and beer gardens all participate in the markets – their regular clients move their lunch and evening dining and drinking plans away from their usual haunts. They instead spend much of their time at the Market, enjoying the libations & food stalls, their neighbors & friends. The Markets become the social hubs during the weeks they are open and add a cozy warmth to an otherwise dark and dreary time of the year. 

I’ve travelled a number of times in the December month since my time living abroad and always try to visit whichever Market is convenient. However, these trips were mostly city stays and land vacations, not done by boat on the river. When I was able to try a Danube Christmas Market trip on Tauck a few years ago, I wondered if I would be bored with visiting Markets every day. If that turned out to be the case, I planned to wander out on my own away from the bustling Markets and into the cities and towns themselves (many of which I had visited before and love dearly). However, as with so many things on Guided Vacations and Riverboats, having a planned and curated experience took the Market visits to a whole other level. Tauck meticulously chose particular markets in particular cities which were each unique and different enough from each other that my wonder and attention were kept the entire time. 

Nueremburg Christkinlesmarkt in Germany has one of the oldest and most famous Christmas Markets. Nuremburg itself is a historic city, easy to explore on foot with a lot to see. This market, and many others, has a section for food and drink (in this case, famous bratwurst and an award-winning gluhwein), another section for local hand-crafted items, and plenty of booths with Christmas decorations from all over the world.   

This is a common grouping, although a few cities don’t allow goods made outside of the country or region to be sold. In large cities, there may be 5 or 6 different markets with different themes, including ones selling housewares with vendors hawking the latest kitchen gadgets, as we’d have here in the United States at county fairs. Some markets are more about the food and drink, some offer very high-end art pieces, and a many focus on local crafts, like woodcarving, lacemaking, and more. 

Many different itineraries on the Rhine, Danube, and Main rivers begin or end in Nuremburg. It’s worth extending a day or two to explore this approachable city, or combine it with nearby Munich which may be where your arrival or departure flights will operate. Munich is always a lovely city to explore and while the famous biergarten is open year-round, it is enhanced with the holiday markets and public decorations. 

Romantischer Weihnachtsmarkt auf Schloss Thurn und Taxis is a personal favorite. Held in the courtyard of the lovely Thurn und Taxis Castle in Regensburg, Bavaria (Germany), parts of the Castle are open for touring or concerts in addition to a very upscale and elegant Christmas Market. This one requires an entrance fee, so it feels more private and exclusive. 

Salzburg, Austria was the one I visited most often when I was a student, and my trip back with Tauck made me so happy! I was overjoyed to find the local ‘konditorei’ (pastry shops), ‘backerei’ (bread shops), restaurants, and biergartens still have their own stalls in the market. Local crafts, including wooden instruments and toys, dominate in this city of Mozart. Located in Domplatz (the plaza in front of the Cathedral), this small and easy to navigate market goes back to the 15th century. 

Finally, the city of Vienna knows how to celebrate the Holidays! Home to more than 20 different Christmas Markets, the city decorates its streets to the nines and has many outdoor and indoor concerts, street illuminations, and events in December. Wiener Christidlmarkt am Rathausplatz (known as the ‘Viennese Dream Christmas Market’) offers elaborate lights and decorations, an ice-skating rink, carousel, and a huge Christmas tree. The adjacent park is decorated in lights and offers a unique nighttime experience. 

For our California travelers, the opportunity to dust off those seldom used winter clothes (or purchase a few new ones) and find out how the holidays are celebrated in places dark and cold in December can be particularly unique. But I think this part of Europe is particularly interesting for anyone, and you will come to find the locals enjoy these events even more than the tourists!