Cologne Christmas Markets

In mid-December, my friend Donna and I took a long weekend trip to Cologne, Germany to visit some Christmas markets.  We chose Cologne because we could catch a Friday night late flight from Adana and get to Cologne by about 2:30 a.m.  On Saturday morning, we woke up and immediately went in search of a great breakfast joint where we could find some bacon!  If only we knew what kinds of delicious food would be awaiting us at the Christmas markets.  Thanks to some very nice Germans who worked at the Cologne Starbucks, we found our way to the city center and bought a Christmas market train ticket that would take us to three markets that day.  

Cute Christmas train that took us around to the markets

Donna and I thoroughly enjoyed all of the markets that we visited.  The first one had a gnome theme, with little gnome mugs to drink your gluhwein from.  I thought of my good friend Chelsey Kornetzke the entire time and how she would have died and been in gnome heaven :) Each market had different types of Christmas knick knacks, food, and of course delicious, hot gluhwein.  To say that I overdid it on food, drinks, and knick knacks would be an understatement (see photo at the end of all my purchases).  We were lucky to have decent weather for the day, staying warm enough with our winter gear and a hot drink in our hands.  Here are some photos of the first market:

Christmas Gnome Market!  

Keeping the gluhwein flowing!

Hand painted ornaments at the market

The next market the train took us to was by the chocolate museum.  Of course, we had to go in the gift shop and buy some treats and gifts for our teachers and friends back in Tarsus.  This market wasn't quite as good as the gnome one, but we still managed to find our mugs and eat some more sausages!

Cologne Chocolate Museum

We took the train back to the city center and to one of the bigger markets in Cologne, the one by the big cathedral.  This was a really great market to be at night, as there were beautiful lights, music, and plenty of options for food and drink.  I loved hearing the live Christmas music and being able to enjoy the backdrop of the big Cologne cathedral as well.

Cologne cathedral all lit up at night, one of the only buildings in the city not destroyed in WWII

Entrance to the Cathedral Christmas market

Huge tree and lights!

Enjoying some live Christmas music

The place to be on a Saturday night

The next day, we enjoyed our breakfast at the angel Christmas market.  At this market, we found some awesome curried sausage, spiked egg nog, homemade cookies, gouda cheese, and more ornaments and knick knacks.

Another great day at the Cologne markets!

Angel mugs at the market

In addition to the markets, we also stopped at one of the Kolsch beer houses.  True Kolsch beer comes from Cologne, and from what I could see, it was the only kind of beer that you could buy there.  It is served in small glasses and the server will continue bringing them to you until you put your coaster on top of your glass!  With all the hot gluhwein and kolsch beer, I did not think I would be able to find anything better....until Donna and I returned to the gnome market and found this spiked hot apple cider...absolutely delicious!

Apple cider with apple brandy = tasty!!!

Cute quartet singing carols

Brass group blasting some Christmas jams

On our way back to where we were staying, we stopped at one more market close by that was in a park by a fortress in the city.  We got our last mug and last opportunities for German food and drinks.  I feel so lucky to be able to have gone to a Christmas market, as I know it is highly unlikely I will ever do this again.  If you ever find yourself over in Europe for the holidays, I recommend checking out a market or two (or five, if you are like me!).  It was awesome to be able to get this dose of Christmas, which we don't get in Turkey.  And it made me excited to return to Germany in April with my parents to do more traveling in the Munich/Bavarian region!

Big plate of sauerkraut, sausage, and cabbage.  Washed down with some gluhwein and that's satisfaction!

Last market of the trip

All the gifts and knick knacks purchased!  Success!