European Christmas Markets are Merry and Bright
From a street overlooking a canal in Colmar, an ancient French town in the Alsace region, I have a bird’s eye view of a boatful of wide-eyed kids that could be a postcard for the joyous holiday spirit inspired by the town’s six Christmas markets. In the twilight, the Medieval half-timbered houses that flank the channel gradually become bright, their Christmas lights softly reflected in the still water. Père Noël (Santa Claus) smiles down on the children from a low-slung roof, and whimsical illuminated polar bears seem to observe the boat’s progress.
The youngsters must have made the “nice” list because somebody gave them the present of sailing through a fairytale, something they are likely to remember long after the presents under the tree are forgotten. Colmar is just one of many memorable excursions on this 8-day Viking river cruise that sails on the Rhine River from Basel, Switzerland, to Amsterdam, with stops at a variety of Christmas markets throughout France and Germany. So far, this is my favorite, mostly because of the Old-World backdrop that makes me feel like I’m inside an enchanted snow globe. I’ve been to Europe many times, but this is my first visit during the holiday season, and it’s even more magical than I dreamed. Many Americans romanticize Christmas past, proudly displaying models of quaint Christmas villages as part of their holiday decor, and here I am, smack in the middle of the real thing, strolling well-trodden cobblestone streets while embracing a mug of glühwein (hot spiced wine) to warm my chilled fingers.
I’m on a mission to whittle down a Christmas list longer than a string of holiday lights, but every time I head toward the cluster of vendor booths, I get distracted.
There’s so much to take in, and I don’t want to miss a thing.
It would be unthinkable to stroll past majestic St. Martin’s Church without getting that perfect Instagrammable shot, and when I come across families on carnival rides, I pause to enjoy the scene.
Okay, now it’s really time to get serious about shopping for… Hey, what’s that delicious smell? I’m suddenly ravenous. An embarrassment of culinary riches surrounds me, and my head spins with the overwhelming choices. The smell of plump sausages frying is tempting, but I’m also a cheese lover, and the gingerbread smells like Grandma’s house, and is that foie gras?
In the end, I devour what must be the tastiest chocolate-filled crepe in all of France. Right off the griddle, the warm, gooey chocolate brings back memories of Christmas desserts I loved as a child. An elegant dinner aboard the Viking Mani is ruined, but I have no regrets.
Cologne, Germany
The crepe wasn’t my last chocolatey holiday indulgence. The Cologne Chocolate Museum was the first attraction I saw when I disembarked in this busy modern metropolis that retains much of its historic character.
Visions of sugar plums don’t dance in this head, and you can keep your candy canes, but I’ve never turned down a mug of hot chocolate. The Chocolate Museum traces the 5,000-year history of chocolate from its Mesoamerican origins to its status as a luxury good.
My sweet sojourn began at a replica of a cocoa plantation that showcases how football-shaped cacao pods filled with dozens of bitter beans are harvested, ground, and made into candy and other treats. Upstairs in the chocolate factory, visitors get a look at the chocolate making process and see chocolate goodies come right off the line.
An exhibit of chocolate molds featured an array of fanciful figures, including Father Christmas, but the Easter bunny overshadows him as the most produced chocolate figure in Germany.
The big attraction here is a massive chocolate fountain topped with 40 golden cacao pods, a dream come true for museum founder Hans Imhoff. A sort of German Willy Wonka, Imhoff grew up in humble circumstances near Cologne’s Stollwerck chocolate factory that filled his childhood with tantalizing aromas. He couldn’t know then that he would one day run the company. Today, the Lindt & Sprungli chocolate factories partner with the museum, and it’s Lindt chocolate in the fountain.
Just as I was wondering if I could dip my finger into it unobserved, I was offered a sample. Next, off to the Cologne Christmas markets. The Harbour Christmas Market overlooking the Rhine is just steps from the museum, and that’s where I showed that Christmas list who’s boss. Vendor booths sell colorful glass Christmas ornaments, candles, wooden nutcrackers, handmade lace, and other items crafted by talented local artisans.
Ambitious shoppers who want to visit several Christmas markets can hop aboard the Christmas Market Express, a tram that stops at four of the most popular ones. The largest is the Christmas Market at Cologne Cathedral. Even the towering Christmas tree is dwarfed by this marvel of Gothic architecture, a World Heritage site in the heart of the city.
This holiday extravaganza not only offers sweet treats (try a cathedral-shaped waffle) and rides for the kids, but dozens of music performances sure to get you in the Christmas spirit German style.
Beer lovers toasted the season with tall mugs of Kolsch, a light ale brewed only in Cologne, but I stuck to glühwein so I could add a keepsake mug to my growing collection. Prost! (Cheers!)
Geneva, Switzerland
While in Europe, I took a side trip to Geneva, an international city with stunning views of the Alps that wasn’t on the Viking cruise itinerary. I was keen to see Noël aux Bastions, a new Christmas market that opened in 2018. Apparently, not all European Christmas markets date back to the Middle Ages.
Bastions Park, one of the most picturesque parks in the city, was transformed into a winter wonderland with almost endless activities for children and adults.
Little ones went round and round on a carousel, while older kids in tasseled hats zipped across an ice rink beneath a glowing canopy of Christmas lights. You don’t have to understand French to know they were shouting something like, “Last one to the railing is a rotten egg!”
Adult skaters formed a sort of conga line where each skater holds the waist of the one in front, gliding along in an elegant train. Nobody wants to be the weak link that let’s go and breaks up the fun.
Joining the skating party was tempting, but when I took to the ice last year, I ended up splayed face down on the rink like that grandma that got run over by a reindeer. It was bad enough embarrassing myself as ice rink roadkill in my home country, and I had no desire to repeat the experience in a foreign land.
Much safer to keep my feet skates-free and enjoy a few Christmas tunes, so I caught up with a crooning trio in furry Dr. Zhivago hats.
I was swaying to a jazzy version of “Jingle Bell Rock” when I realized the time.
Yikes! I would have a blue, blue Christmas if I missed the tree lighting at the Beau Rivage. I strolled into the hotel lobby just in time. Guests counted down to the big moment, “…three, two, one.”
There were cheers and applause as the 30-foot-tall tree lit up with clear lights making thousands of Swarovski crystal ornaments glitter like icicles. This historic, five-star hotel overlooking Lake Geneva delivers comfort and joy on a grand scale. After a long day of sightseeing at Saint Pierre Cathedral, the Botanical Gardens (worthwhile even in winter) and the Initium watchmaking workshop where visitors can make their own mechanical Swiss timepiece, the two-story Elizabeth Taylor suite was my luxurious oasis.
The hotel’s Alpine Terrace serves some of the best fondue in the city. Snuggle up with that special someone inside a private stationary ski gondola with doors that close against the cold, then enjoy the show as a server melts gruyere and vacherin cheese together in a fondue pot, infusing the bubbly goodness with dry white wine to keep the mixture smooth and creamy.
As my time in Europe came to an end, I realized I needed a Christmas miracle. How else was I going to get a bulging suitcase full of Christmas gifts and glühwein mugs home without incurring extra baggage fees? Where’s the bearded guy with the sleigh when you need him?
