allthatjazzz

Hi everyone!

Would like to seek some help on my itinerary and some suggestions on what to do over Christmas.
Main aim of this trip is to explore and see the markets !
​​​​Here's my tentative itinerary

13th Fly into Frankfurt (9pm)
14th Frankfurt Christmas Market
15th Train to Heidelberg, Christmas Market
16th Explore Heidelberg, Castle etc
17th Train to Strasberg, Christmas Market
18th Explore Strasberg
19th Train to Colmar, Christmas Market
20th Explore Colmar
21st Train to Basel, Christmas Market
22nd Explore Basel
23rd.. Stay in Basel? Fly into Nantes?
Spend Christmas in Basel or in Nantes?

Have added Basel to the list as it's the nearest AP to fly to Nantes from Colmar.
Have to reach Nantes by 27th /28th Dec...

Am unsure whether I should be taking the train or driving for the above itinerary... If there are any suggestions on places to stay rather than the cities above... It would be greatly appreciated.
Not too sure where to go/stay from 23rd to 25th as I'll need to take a flight to Nantes by 27th /28th... Where would be nice to spend Christmas?


Will also be travelling with a 2 year old by then....

Thanks in advance for your help!

PalenQ

Well, for mainly cities take the train - if want to meander countryside car but you have little time for that. Paris is a great place to spend Christmas and has nice Christmas markets too - I was there n Christmas Day and the city was full of strollers as French celebrate Christmas on Christmas Eve with family gathering and meal then - many small shops and cafes were open in Paris and even some museums. Take train Basel to Paris then train Paris to Nantes - two fairly short train trips - flying would be more a hassle unless wanting to fly direct to Nantes. Anyway book trains early for discounted fares - usually up to 2-3 months in advance. Go to national rail sites for each country - www.seat61.com has loads on doing that yourself online -general info trains also www.ricksteves.com and BETS-European Rail Experts.

mike1728

Thats a lot of travel in the space of ten (10) days, especially with a two (2) year old. We, too are going to Heidelberg in December for the Christmas Markets....and also flying into Frankfurt (then train to Heidelberg from the airport). We are basing eight (8) days from Heidelberg and will take trains too other Christmas Markets (within short journeys in Germany from Heidelberg). We are looking at day trips to Stuttgart, Speyer, Worms, Ettlingen to enjoy their respective Christmas Markets.
We have driven most of the route you described apart from Basel. Flew into Frankfurt, rental vehicle to Heidelberg, then Strasbourg, Colmar, Rudesheim, and back to Frankfurt airport. Very easy drive.

That being said, the Christmas Markets in Strasbourg and Colmar are beautiful!. And the food!!!!!

Kathie

I agree with Mike, that is a lot of traveling with a 2 yr. old! Your two year old - and you - will be happier if you cut down on the number of stops and spend more time in each place. You have just two nights in each place - only one full day. All of those places are worth more than a day.

StCirq

Not only is it a whole lot of bouncing around with a 2-year-old, at a time of year when the weather could be dreadful, but I think I'd tear my hair out spending day after day at Christmas markets. They are not exactly all that different. I mean, how many cheap ornaments can you bear to look at? How many glasses of glög can you drink? How many apple fritters and penny candies do you want to taste? Yes, they are fun, but a couple would be plenty, really. There are other Christmasy activities you could participate in - concerts, window displays, e.g.

And I have to disagree with Mike1728 about the food. I've never eaten anything at all memorable at a Christmas market, except the ones in Paris, and even that wasn't terribly special.

mike1728

Agree with StCirq. The markets are truly special. But they are pretty much all the same. We plan our day trips more to see the respective villages, enjoy the sights, cathedrals, castles, ect....the markets are a plus, but we will return this year from our day trips every day by 4pm to enjoy the Heidelberg Market. I tell my friends who want to travel Europe...the worst thing you can do is to try to see too much in one visit...In my opinion

greg

My take is that the Christmas market is a German thing. I found French markets to be uninspiring except for the Strasbourg. Even though the French offerings at French restaurants are interesting, that does not extend to the Christmas markets. When it comes to food at the Christmas Markets, I take the German offerings over the French offerings. Colmar Christmas market itself was ok, but what made it worthwhile was the city itself. Colmar is pretty independent of the market.

Among German markets, I liked the ones near the Erzgebirge such as Dresden, Leipzig, Chemnitz over the ones in the West and in the South. The Dresden ones, while not the largest, felt intimate and family oriented and offered items and food not easily found elsewhere.

The first time I went to the market, it was freezing and snowing half of the time. I traveled between markets by train. Several train rides were through snow white outs. It would have been interesting days to drive if I rented a car instead. There was one afternoon the temperature went over freezing. The second time I went, it was above freezing temp everyday and not a hint of snow flakes.

KayF

I agree that you seem to be doing too much in a short time. We had a week in Strasbourg one Christmas and caught the train to a couple of smaller towns for the day, including Colmar. It was minus five during the day one day and I was miserably cold, even with all the warm coats, hat, etc etc, so being outside was not always enjoyable. There were a number of areas with Christmas markets in Strasbourg, they all had similar stuff. It was nice for a look around but nothing we would buy, except wine or something to eat.

Why not think about having two bases during your trip and do day trips from each one? Moving on constantly can be tiring and wastes a lot of time. Also with longer stops you could try and get an apartment so you have more space and somewhere to eat meals or do laundry, with a young child that would seem a better alternative to a hotel room.

Kay

kerouac

My personal limit per season is about two Christmas markets and even then 90% of the stuff is the same, even when you change country.

WeisserTee

I agree that you have too many things packed into your itinerary.

First, I strongly agree with the Dresden suggestion. It's not one Christmas market, it's several. Also, it has a nice range of aparthotels (we prefer Altes Dresden https://www.aparthotels-frauenkirche...resden-en.html ), which will give you gorgeous views right from your window, some room to spread out, a small kitchen and a washing machine. The historic center is fairly compact, meaning you could see a lot with just a short walk.

I live in Basel, so admittedly my view is slightly biased, but it has a very nice market split into primarily two places -- Barfusserplatz (in the center of town) and up by the Munster. It's a family-friendly city with plenty of things to do with a young child (I can give you specifics if you want). There will be restaurants open on Christmas Day, almost all connected with hotels. My rec is the brasserie at the Hotel Basel. Good food, good service, reasonably priced (for Switzerland) or the restaurant at the Teufelhof Hotel. FWIW, if you opt to postpone your trip for a year, the Teufelhof will be opening in early 2019 an attractive aparthotel across the street Der Teufelhof Basel » Hotel, Gast- & Kulturhaus

IMO, you're ranging all over the place and that's not the best recipe for a fun and relaxing trip with a young child -- plus the trains will be quite full around that time of year. IMO, you should pick one location and use that as a base. My vote is for Dresden -- with your 2 yo, you could daytrip or do a short overnight to Erzegebirge mountains. Other day trip options include Berlin, Leipzig, Prague, Goerlitz. Strasbourg could also be a base -- with day trips to Colmar, Nancy, Baden-Baden (the entire town of BB is beautifully lit and decorated for Christmas).

Also, FWIW, if you're seriously shopping for quality holiday-themed items, one of the best stores for that in Dresden is Tradition & Form. Tradition & Form - Wendt und Kühn Dresden, Björn Köhler, Herrnhuter Sterne Fachhändler We've bought some beautiful, but not cheap, holiday decorations from them.

WeisserTee

"I mean, how many cheap ornaments can you bear to look at?"
You can look at plenty of lovingly crafted and definitely not cheap items at the markets in Dresden. Not all markets are the same.

PalenQ

Not all markets are the same but after spending a week in Darmstadt (got cheap hotel near train station only reason I stayed there) and visiting every Xmas market possible - all - all I went to were very enjoyable and unique - one thing they have in common - all were neat - sometimes the lesser known ones surprised me.

greg

Some Christmas markets are more family oriented than others.
At Dresden Striezelmarkt, the whole market is family friendly. You will be wondering among families with small children.
Larger markets like Nürnberg have children's markets. The main market is very very crowded with tons of tourists.
Munich has a market geared towards small children at a separate location at the Chinese Tower in the English Garden. Don't be discouraged that you would have to walk through the park in the dark to get there. You will likely be walking among parents pushing strollers to and back from the Chinese Tower.
Many Christmas markets in the middle of the city feel more like happy hour places for business people to socialize after work.

StCirq

I haven't been to the one in Dresden. Of the German ones I've been to, Nürnberg stands out. Strasbourg was ho hum, but big.

allthatjazzz

Awesome
​​​​​Totally feel like switching my trip to Dresden
But it is a bit far from Paris/Nantes

Will definitely look into doing Xmas in Paris now
​​​

allthatjazzz

Paris during Xmas sounds great! Would you happen to know if Nantes is open during NY?

mjs

I was not impressed with Paris Xmas markets at all. A pale imitation of the German ones.

greg

I also give a pass at Paris Christmas markets. Many are just regular stalls repackaged in Christmas booths perhaps except for the Vin Chaud booths. What is interesting are the big department store exhibits -- both outsides and insides. They have low scaffolds right in front of the show windows to allow small children to be able to see the animation exhibits without adults obstructing the view. Parents also get to be in front of all other adults onlookers