Alternative christmas markets in the midst of high terror alert
 

We are flying through Frankfurt next week with a 4 day stopover to experience a few Christmas markets in the area but in light of the terrorist high alert in Germany, we plan to train to Alsace or Belgium from the airport. Which cities have better christmas markets, Strassbourg-Colmar or Brussel- Bruge.

I miss the connection between "high terror alert" and going to a different Christmas market.

I agree Alan. I am going to several markets and do not plan to change my plans. (But, I don't know the answer to your question, sorry.) CJ

I dont think the high terror alert will really impact you seeing the xmas markets, other than perhaps more security at the air ports.

No one here panics because of those alerts, and no one will restrain from visiting Christmas markets because of that.

On the other hand, the Christmas markets in Strasbourg are definitely more atmospheric than the one in Frankfurt.

Really don't understand why you are changing your plans

I know we should not let fear affect our travel but at the same time we don't feel good after reading all the recent series of news like this one for example:

Christmas at risk by German terror alert
By DAVE GRAHAM, Reuters
 An increased terror threat to Germany will put security forces in a "state of emergency" until at least the end of the year, with the country's traditional Christmas markets at special risk, a senior official said.

Germany stepped up security measures this week on the basis of intelligence pointing towards a planned attack at the end of November, and said it was braced for the threat of an assault of the kind
that killed 166 in Mumbai in 2008.

"Security officials are getting set for the state of emergency to last until the end of the year," Wendt said, adding that the country's police force was facing "its biggest challenge in the post-war history (of Germany)."

The threat to civilians was not just restricted to Germany's biggest cities like Berlin, Hamburg and Munich, he added.

"So long as the Christmas markets are on, we have to expect attacks at any time, and we will protect the population with a visible presence on these markets," Wendt said.

Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere ushered in the latest heightened alert on Wednesday, saying intelligence services had received word of planned strikes by Islamist militants.

Citing security officials, the mass-selling daily Bild said German police were seeking two Indian and two Pakistani Islamist militants already believed to be in the country.   "Their names and faces are unknown," the paper said.

Intelligence services believed the four militants were planning an attack between Monday and Thursday in the final week of November, the paper added.

  http://realtruth.org/news/101119-002-terrorism.html
 http://www.dispatch.com/live/content...t.html?sid=101
http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/World/20.../16215891.html

Really, you have more chance of being run over by a bus. If I'd avoided anywhere with a terrorist alert when working in London during the IRA bombings I'd never have gone to work. You are letting them win.

Recheck the news sources. The German newspaper they quote is the worst yellow press paper in the entire country, apart from the soccer results you can't believe anything they write.

Amazingly enough, the news in Germany create less panic and report in a more matter-of-fact way.
The presence of more police on the markets means more safety, not less - perhaps we'll have less pickpockets this year.

I thought the point of traveling was to enjoy it. If somebody doesn't want to go to a Christmas market after reading a terror alert, why try to talk them into it?

Do the rest of you go to Christmas markets and therefore have a helpful answer in terms of alternatives? That's what the OP asked for help with, not some bolierplate ideology about travel-is-always-good-and-let-me-talk-about-myself-here.

For what it's worth, I think the notion that the "terrorists win" when we all don't volunteer to get blown up at a Christmas market is ridiculous. The "terrorists win" when people in democracies let their governments carry out brainless wars against Islamic populations. That's how they get their strength.

Coincidenza,

I don't go to Christmas markets so I can't suggest alternatives, but you might want to repost, omitting the reason why you would like to know which are the best Christmas markets outside of Germany.

Quokka,

I take Reuters more seriously as a news source than I do Fodor's.

TBH if you had all the security alerts for each country/city, some people would never go anywhere....It's a shame to miss out on your original plans.

Strasbourg has one of the best Christmas markets in Europe, but you will see soldiers strolling with automatic rifles.

Been to Bruges and Strasbourg, enjoyed them both.

Not trying to convince you to do anything you dont want to do, however if you are concerned you may want to note that France is on hightened security alert too:

18 Oct 2010:
(CBS/AP) Saudi intelligence services have warned of a new terror threat from al Qaeda against Europe, particularly in France, Interior Minister Brice Hortefeux said.

He said Sunday the warning of a potential attack by al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula was received "in the last few hours, few days."

European officials were informed that "al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula was doubtless active or envisioned being active" on the "European continent, notably France," Hortefeux said during a joint TV and radio interview.

"The threat is real," he said on RTL-LCI-Le Figaro's weekly talk show.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/...n6968447.shtml

This isnt stopping me from going to Paris for my anniversary this week though :) Cant wait!

Perhaps you should avoid Schengen totally as there's nothing stopping German Evul Duers from crossing into Denmark, Poland, Czech Republic, Austria, Switzerland, France, Luxembourg, Belgium or The Netherlands as well as the other Schengen countries that don't border Germany.

Zeppole expressed my thought spot on.

As the GERMAN INTERIOR MINISTER stated, there is enough reason to worry but not to panic. If I live in Germany I would not panic, but as a traveller, it's a reason to worry and minimize my risk exposure during vacation. We travel frequently so it's not like we're gonna lose our chance in life to see the german christmas markets. In fact this becomes an opportunity for us to enjoy the Belgian or Alsatian Christmas markets. Thank you to all who provided info on the Belgian and Alsatian markets, give me more comparisons if you can.

Bon anniversaries jamikins!

Coincidenza ! 10 people who were planning a terrorist attack in Belgium have been arrested today.

Dang those stupid jihads. alanRow is right, we should rethink the whole Christmas market stopover.

I'm not entirely sure that alanRow was being serious....

The Strasbourg Christmas market is huge and delightful. There are also Christmas markets in smaller towns in many countries. There are also jihadists all over the place.

Most people, certainly Coincidenza, are very poor at risk assessment. And focus on low risk but ignore truly high risk.

.....it's a reason to worry and minimize my risk exposure during vacation......

If the existing risk is about the same as a lightning strike, then how do you minimize that risk. Your highest risk of personal injury will be the drive to and from your local airport. Yet you do it, and rarely give it second thought. We will be in Germany at several Christmas market over the holidays and I will be more worried about pickpockets.