We've learned that many cities in Germany have multiple Christmas markets and Cologne has been no exception. The main Christmas market is next to the cathedral. However, there are a number of others throughout the city squares and parks. We went to this market on Friday while visiting the cathedral. It was similar to the one in Frankfurt, except the stalls and decor were much better coordinated around a common theme. We toured two other markets on Saturday after getting back from Aachen, with different themes and vibes.
Stretching across the Alter Markt and Heumakrt squares is the Heinzels Winter Fairytale. It pays homage to the legend of
Heinzelmännchen, friendly household spirits that would come out at night to help with chores and help craftsmen finish their work. Although not a direct translation, we would think of Heinzelmännchen as gnomes. The decor and theme for the entire market centered on gnomes. This is the largest market in Cologne and also has an outdoor ice skating rink and curling. Rather than just have a small oval-shaped rink, this one has 100-meter long straightaways and circumnavigates a horseman statue in the middle of Heumarkt square. These two squares are in the Old Town section of Cologne near the cathedral (and several beer halls) and it definitely had the largest crowds.
The Markt der Engel (Angel's Market) was in Neumarkt square and was the closest to our hotel -- less than a 10-minute walk. This market is in a tree lined square, with plenty of stars and hanging white lights giving it a fairytale feel. This smaller market with its atmosphere and decor had an intimate feel even with a large crowd.
While each market has lots of glühwein and similar food offerings, there is still uniqueness and character. We have many more markets to visit, so it will be interesting to see if any one jumps to the top of the list as our favorite.
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