Christmas Markets
Germany and Austria 2014
Germany and Austria 2014
This trip started out a little different than previous trips abroad. This marked the very first time that I flew solo on an international flight. There are pros and cons to solo travel, but I was lucky enough to briefly cross paths with Tom in the airport in Atlanta. We saw each other long enough to give a quick 'hello' and then a quick 'see ya in Germany'!
I arrived in Munich a little ahead of the group, so it gave me a great chance to relax before the trip officially started. Once everyone was together, we were off - on our way to Salzburg, Austria.
The Christmas market in Salzburg was my favorite market of the entire trip. Perhaps this is because it was the first market we visited... as a lot of the markets have similar ornaments, decorations, and holiday treats. The city of Salzburg was beautiful, but I discovered a unique ornament that was not to be found at any other market we visited. These ornaments were made out of a hollowed out eggshell. They are incredibly fragile, but decorated so beautifully. There are a variety of designs to choose from - all ornate and fantastic! While it caused a little stress to get this item back to the States in one piece, it was absolutely worth it and definitely one of my more prized purchases!
We continued our journey with a quick pitstop in Innsbruck. This was a beautiful and colorful town nestled among some mountains. It was a great market, but the best part of our time in this town was a trip to a rooftop bar. From this vantage point, we were able to get an incredible panoramic view of this winter wonderland. The pastel colored buildings really stood out with the snow covered mountains as their backdrop.
Next up on our adventure was the village of Schwangau, which is home to the popular tourist destination Castle Neuschwanstein (Schloss Neuschwanstein). This breathtaking castle served as the inspiration for the castle seen in Disney's Cinderella. It is a majestic building; however the tour was a little disappointing, as only a small section of the castle is open to the public. Even with a limited tour, this castle offers spectacular views both inside and out!
From Castle Neuschwanstein we travelled to my overall favorite city of the trip - Rothenberg, Germany. This little town is a picture of perfection when it comes to holiday spirit! The buildings, the ornate signs, and the brick streets were just so charming and inviting. Even though the weather was rainy and gloomy while we were in Rothenberg, nothing could put a damper on our time in this city! There were so many friendly chats with locals and other visitors at many of eating and drinking destinations! This place was also overflowing with Christmas shops and goods - my suitcase definitely gained a few pounds worth of souvenirs during our time in Rothenberg!
We made our way to the Christmas market in Nuremberg, Germany. At the beginning of the market, we encountered a small nativity setup; however there only appeared to be a camel on duty that day! It was an interesting sight... the first of many at this market :) The main market square was big and crowded. There was one thing that happened that seemed to stop everyone in their tracks and gave them pause from the hustle and bustle of the market... the church has a musical display that took place on the hour. It included beautiful music but also small figures that that danced and entertained above the crowd. It was incredible to see everyone just stop and look up to enjoy the show!
The final stop on our trip was Munich, Germany, which offered all of the greatness that you expect from a major city. There was a massive Christmas market spread out across several squares throughout the city. We were able to enjoy the architecture and holiday decor during both the daytime and nighttime hours - both were equally impressive! We enjoyed a dinner and show at Hofbrauhaus, which was an interesting experience. A friend of mine from Atlanta was also in Munich at the same time, getting ready to travel back home after a week in Austria for work. He was able to partake in the Hofbrauhaus show as well - we all enjoyed a few steins of beer and the atmosphere of long cafeteria-style tables!
The trip ended the same way that it started - with me flying solo back to the States. It was such a great trip, so full from start to finish! I enjoyed a lot of sleeping time on the journey back home. It was great to arrive home about a week before Christmas. I was able to enjoy many of my purchases immediately - wrapping up presents I had purchased and hanging my new ornaments on my Christmas tree. As I decorate my tree every year, I'll be reminded of all of the great times I had in Austria and Germany!
As the Germans say ... Frohe Weihnachten! (Merry Christmas!)
I arrived in Munich a little ahead of the group, so it gave me a great chance to relax before the trip officially started. Once everyone was together, we were off - on our way to Salzburg, Austria.
The Christmas market in Salzburg was my favorite market of the entire trip. Perhaps this is because it was the first market we visited... as a lot of the markets have similar ornaments, decorations, and holiday treats. The city of Salzburg was beautiful, but I discovered a unique ornament that was not to be found at any other market we visited. These ornaments were made out of a hollowed out eggshell. They are incredibly fragile, but decorated so beautifully. There are a variety of designs to choose from - all ornate and fantastic! While it caused a little stress to get this item back to the States in one piece, it was absolutely worth it and definitely one of my more prized purchases!
We continued our journey with a quick pitstop in Innsbruck. This was a beautiful and colorful town nestled among some mountains. It was a great market, but the best part of our time in this town was a trip to a rooftop bar. From this vantage point, we were able to get an incredible panoramic view of this winter wonderland. The pastel colored buildings really stood out with the snow covered mountains as their backdrop.
Next up on our adventure was the village of Schwangau, which is home to the popular tourist destination Castle Neuschwanstein (Schloss Neuschwanstein). This breathtaking castle served as the inspiration for the castle seen in Disney's Cinderella. It is a majestic building; however the tour was a little disappointing, as only a small section of the castle is open to the public. Even with a limited tour, this castle offers spectacular views both inside and out!
From Castle Neuschwanstein we travelled to my overall favorite city of the trip - Rothenberg, Germany. This little town is a picture of perfection when it comes to holiday spirit! The buildings, the ornate signs, and the brick streets were just so charming and inviting. Even though the weather was rainy and gloomy while we were in Rothenberg, nothing could put a damper on our time in this city! There were so many friendly chats with locals and other visitors at many of eating and drinking destinations! This place was also overflowing with Christmas shops and goods - my suitcase definitely gained a few pounds worth of souvenirs during our time in Rothenberg!
We made our way to the Christmas market in Nuremberg, Germany. At the beginning of the market, we encountered a small nativity setup; however there only appeared to be a camel on duty that day! It was an interesting sight... the first of many at this market :) The main market square was big and crowded. There was one thing that happened that seemed to stop everyone in their tracks and gave them pause from the hustle and bustle of the market... the church has a musical display that took place on the hour. It included beautiful music but also small figures that that danced and entertained above the crowd. It was incredible to see everyone just stop and look up to enjoy the show!
The final stop on our trip was Munich, Germany, which offered all of the greatness that you expect from a major city. There was a massive Christmas market spread out across several squares throughout the city. We were able to enjoy the architecture and holiday decor during both the daytime and nighttime hours - both were equally impressive! We enjoyed a dinner and show at Hofbrauhaus, which was an interesting experience. A friend of mine from Atlanta was also in Munich at the same time, getting ready to travel back home after a week in Austria for work. He was able to partake in the Hofbrauhaus show as well - we all enjoyed a few steins of beer and the atmosphere of long cafeteria-style tables!
The trip ended the same way that it started - with me flying solo back to the States. It was such a great trip, so full from start to finish! I enjoyed a lot of sleeping time on the journey back home. It was great to arrive home about a week before Christmas. I was able to enjoy many of my purchases immediately - wrapping up presents I had purchased and hanging my new ornaments on my Christmas tree. As I decorate my tree every year, I'll be reminded of all of the great times I had in Austria and Germany!
As the Germans say ... Frohe Weihnachten! (Merry Christmas!)
Check out David McGuffin's Exploring Europe to find out more about the opportunities to experience this trip ... and many many more!