During Advent, the center of Freiburg in Germany comes alive with festive lights. Its Christmas market (from November 22 to December 23, 2018) is the perfect chance to explore the city, enjoy browsing through stalls, savor local specialties and take part in creative workshops.
At the Freiburg Christmas Markets, you’ll find fine ceramics, colorful ornaments, felt and wool products, as well as gourmet treats. Set amidst charming medieval and Renaissance squares around the elegant Gothic cathedral, the Freiburg Christmas Market truly offers a bit of everything.
Strolling among the many wooden huts, you can tick off your December shopping list while the air fills with the scents of ginger and cinnamon, staples for holiday pastries in northern Europe.
The Freiburg Christmas Market is also a delight for families: kids can have fun in the candle-making workshop or try their hand at baking traditional Christmas cookies to take home.
For an extra touch of magic, visit the nativity scene in St. Martin’s Church, where you can listen to ecumenical Christmas carols each evening.
Bo-Gart Weihnachtsmarkt and Munzingen Christmas Markets
On Advent weekends, Freiburg’s traditional market is joined by the Bo-Gart Weihnachtsmarkt at Bollschweil Castle, where you can browse fifty exhibitors’ tables at your leisure, wandering through 18th-century gardens and courtyards beautifully lit with torches and fires (December 15-16). In addition, the Munzingen Christmas Market takes place at Reinach Castle, an elegant hotel in a historic setting. The inner courtyard here features stalls offering crafts, Christmas decorations, and gourmet gift ideas (December 16-17).
Freiburg: Christmas Markets and More
Not far from Freiburg, you can enjoy skiing, hiking or simply have fun in snowy landscapes. The nearby Black Forest offers romantic trails and toboggan runs. The pre-Christmas period is the perfect time to celebrate — and in Freiburg, it’s also the season for special Christmas beers and Glühbier brewed following a secret recipe.
At Schauinsland mountain, you’ll find slopes for downhill and cross-country skiing as well as snowboarding, plus scenic snowshoe trails. There’s even a special toboggan lift, letting you ride to the top of a 300-meter sled run for a thrilling descent.
Christmas Beer in Freiburg
The local Christmas beer in Freiburg is definitely worth tasting during the holiday season. It’s richer and spicier than the usual brew, crafted by Martin’s Bräu craft brewery and available throughout December.
While mulled wine — or Glühwein — is a Christmas market classic, the Ganter brewery in Freiburg has created Glühbier, a spicy, wintertime twist on their beer.
The recipe, still a secret, starts from a dark, aromatic lager brewed since 1898. You can sample Glühbier every Friday and Saturday at the Ganter brewery’s venue on Cathedral Square in Freiburg, from November 23 to December 22, 2018.
Freiburg, Capital of the Black Forest
Freiburg in Breisgau, southern Germany, is a vibrant city known for its historic center, striking Gothic cathedral, and excellent quality of life.
Home to a renowned university and dedicated to eco-sustainable living, Freiburg is considered the capital of the Black Forest and boasts more sunshine hours than any other German city. Cultured and elegant, Freiburg is the ideal destination for a city break and offers year-round attractions: spring and summer music and food festivals, autumn harvest celebrations, and Christmas markets during Advent. From Italy, Freiburg is easily reached by road or with direct flights to the EuroAirport (Basel/Mulhouse/Freiburg) from many cities, including Rome and Venice. The train from Milan to Freiburg takes less than five hours.
