Explore a variety of European Christmas Markets with hotelbook.
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Hello, and thanks for tuning into the latest Hotelbook® Podcast.
In this episode, we will explore a wide variety of Christmas Markets that characterize the spirit of the holiday season in Europe and the UK. A tradition that was founded in 1434 in Germany, these markets are open-air events that typically last during the Advent, or the four weeks before Christmas Day. Featuring authentic handicrafts like Nutcrackers, sculptures, toys, hand-woven clothing, and fantastic food and drink such as gingerbread and hot mulled wine, each market offers a little something different and provides a great window into European culture.
Let’s begin with Munich, one of the most popular markets in Germany. The Schwabinger Weihnachtsmarkt in the trendy shopping area of Munich features over 100 juried artists' stalls – ideal for finding just the right trinket for that special someone. Marienplatz, Munich's town square, features delicious food and drink as well as a few hundred booths selling all the great Christmas gifts you can carry home. Visit the Kripperlmarkt (crèche market) to buy terracotta, wax or wood nativity figures handmade by local artisans. If you’re looking for a place to stay in Munich, consider the InterCity Hotel Muenchen. This urban hotel is just a little over one kilometer from the center of the city and is close to a main railway station.
Combine a little culture with your Christmas shopping at the Winter Tollwood festival held on the Theresienwiese, the same place where Oktoberfest is held. Music, theatre and dance performances take place in the tents and you can enjoy the Christmas markets as well.
In Denmark, home of the “yuletide carol,” dive into Scandinavian Christmas pageantry at the Copenhagen Christmas Market. The market takes place at Tivoli Gardens, the city’s famous amusement park epitomizing Denmark’s unique culture. Crowds can look forward to a “Christmas magic” theme complete with musical performances, over 7,500 meters of lights adorning the trees and buildings surrounding Tivoli Lake, and nisser, the Danish elves who pop up all over town. Visitors to Tivoli Gardens market also find great handcrafted gifts, candles, decorations, and delicacies like peppernødder (small round cookies with cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg), brune kager (thin gingerbread with finely chopped nuts), and gløgg (Copenhagen’s own variant of mulled red wine with raisins, almonds, cinnamon sticks, and cloves).
If you’re looking for a place to stay in Copenhagen, the Admiral Hotel is a relaxing boutique property conveniently located near the Opera House, Copenhagen Harbor, and Tivoli Gardens, The hotel has been designed in cooperation with Danish furniture classic designers Trip Trap, who have decorated each room with custom-made teak wood furniture. Guestrooms are all unique in design; no two rooms are the same! However each room does offer great amenities like internet access, mini-bar and state-of-the-art televisions.
If you’re looking for another opportunity to discover a Scandinavian Christmas celebration, try a visit to Stockholm, Sweden, which is home to a variety of great Christmas markets. For example, in the old town of the city, Gamla Stan, a brilliant market can be found at Stortorget Square featuring traditional handicrafts, unique decorations, seasonal delicacies, and the town’s unique version of gløgg. Also, be sure not to miss the world’s largest open-air museum, Skansen on Durgarden Island, which has a large traditional market interwoven amidst all of the historical displays. To make your trip even better, visit Drottninggatan, one of the city’s longest pedestrian streets, featuring holiday handcrafts and a great amount of Christmas lights and decorations.
While visiting Stockholm, we suggest staying at the Berns Hotel. The Berns Hotel provides guests an intimate atmosphere in true boutique hotel style. A nightclub is housed in the basement of this stylish hotel, and the upper floors contain an Asian restaurant with sushi and an a la carte menu. An extensive Swedish and international breakfast buffet is also served each morning. Each of the 65 spacious rooms, at the Berns Hotel are equipped with a tea/coffee machine, complementary internet access and the deluxe parkview rooms, also offer private balconies.
In the UK, venture no further than London’s Hyde Park to find one of the best Christmas markets. Numerous wooden chalets circling Hyde Park’s bandstand sell a wide range of unusual gifts offering a great high-street alternative. This German-style festival tempts visitors with seasonal treats such as roasted almonds, mulled wines, and hot bratwursts. The entire German Christmas market is open seven days a week from 10am to 10pm, so enjoy shopping, eating and drinking in the midst of the choirs, whose carols by candlelight will surround the marketplace with the sounds of the festive season. The market runs alongside London’s Winter Wonderland which also features Europe’s largest outdoor ice rink and an appearance by Santa Claus.
Looking for a place to stay in London? Consider the Fifty Four Boutique Hotel, located in fashionable Kensington. The boutique property offers an exclusive 26 guestrooms and provides great extras like chromium rain showers, designer toiletries and a nice Continental breakfast.
Well, that’s all for this episode of the Hotelbook Podcast Series. We hope you’ve enjoyed this look into the unique Christmas markets available throughout Europe and the UK, and that you get the opportunity to experience them for yourself.
Also, if you venture to these markets, don’t forget our recommended hotels, the Intercity Hotel Muenchen, Admiral, Berns in Stockholm, and the Fifty Four Boutique hotel in London. Each of these properties will help you get the most out of your visit to the Christmas Markets, and will also ensure your experience is as authentic as possible. For links with more information regarding these properties, visit us at blog.hotelbook.com.
Thanks again for listening, and stay tuned to the next episode in the Hotelbook® Podcast series
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