Holidays are coming.

It is the end of the third weekend of Advent which means it is also the end of the third weekend of Christmas markets. Reubs came to visit for the week which meant I had the perfect excuse to visit plenty of Christmas markets. Not that I really needed an excuse. I was definitely the more enthusiastic, but that is more a testament to my unrelenting enthusiasm for all things Christmassy than a comment on Reubs. The Weihnachtsmarkt concept was introduced with a trip to Hildesheim which is not my favourite market but fun nonetheless. The town square has a lovely atmosphere but the rest of the city is a bit too city like to do 'Christmas magic'.

It will come as no surprise that we went travelling at the end of the week, stopping off at Goslar for a couple of hours on our way to Wernigerode. Yes, I ventured out of Niedersachsen and into Sachsen-Anhalt. Wernigerode is just on the edge of the Harz mountains and known as one of the best small Christmas markets. Our hotel was wonderfully close to the Weihnachtsmarkt. However, as we wandered along the main street we came across another Weihnachtsmarkt... there were two! Amazing! I had Glühwein from a boot shaped mug, Reubs had white hot chocolate and we wandered the Christmas markets. Although there was nothing particularly unusual about Wernigerode Weihnachtsmarkt, the setting and atmosphere were brilliant. The following morning we walked up to Wernigerode Castle, standing on a hill overlooking the town. Predictably the views were lovely, straight into the mountains.

Wernigerode Rathaus // Schloss // Märchenwald

Goslar is my favourite Weihnachtsmarkt. This sounds like a bold and foolish statement, but I promise you, it is AMAZING. There are all the usual stalls selling roasted almonds, Lebkuchen, Glühwein, the best cheese pretzel I have tasted in my life, Schneeballen ('snowballs' made of holly-leaf shaped pastry held together with marmalade and dusted in icing sugar), half metre sausages, mushroom stir fry and then there's a bakery. An actual bakery, with bread ovens and bakers kneading the dough in the middle of the square. Genius.

Christmas markets smell incredible and it is primarily thanks to the sweet stalls. They are adorned with hanging Lebkuchen and the counter is full of roasted almonds, some sugared, some mixed with cinnamon, some with desiccated coconut. 

Goslar Weihnachtswald // Feuerzangenbowle // Bakery // Weihnachtsmarkt

As mentioned in my previous post about Goslar Weihnachtsmarkt, there is also a Christmas forest. The idea is that you buy your Glühwein/alternative alcoholic beverage and enjoy drinking it in a forest, conveniently located just off the main square. In case you hadn't noticed, I am absolutely obsessed with the Weihnachtswald [Christmas forest]. I think that all towns should have one. Fetcham may be a disappointment.

Just to confirm Goslar as the most wonderfully Christmassy place to be in the world, by pure coincidence the Coca Cola Christmas truck stopped there that day! Explanation:

Basically, the Coca Cola trucks (as seen in the Christmas advert) go on tour during the build up to Christmas. You can go along, get your name printed on a coke can and generally enjoy what happens when Coca Cola and Christmas collide.

That's it for another week. This time next weekend I should be on a plane whizzing back to England! Wow! But do not fear, there is plenty to do between now and next weekend...