The Christmas market in Esslingen, Germany, is by far the most unique market we visited throughout our two-month Christmas market adventure, which took Caleb and me to over 50 markets throughout Europe! There are flame eaters and mulled wine on fire! Really!
This storybook town was also one of the most charming, and we felt like we were wandering through a real-life Hallmark movie at every turn. Do not lie. You are aware that you are also secretly watching them.
In this guide, we’ll tell you everything you need to know to decide whether to visit, how to spend your time, and what to eat and avoid!
✔️ Quick information:
📅 Opening dates are November 26th to December 22, 2024.
⏰ On weekdays, the best time to go is late afternoon or shortly after sunset.
🏨 Stay in Stuttgart and visit Esslingen throughout the day.
💴 Payment: Most businesses accept cards. Bring euros just in case.
Markets in this tour (Quick Navigation): the traditional market, the medieval market, and the advent market
What to Expect and Know If You Decide To Visit:
If you’re planning a Christmas market holiday and wondering if Esslingen is worth a visit, we think so! But, let’s play devil’s advocate and provide some good and poor points to consider:
The Good: Visit Esslingen If You Want Originality:
If you want to visit a Christmas market unlike any other in Europe, Esslingen’s medieval Christmas market is the best option (in our opinion).
We cannot overstate how much work they put into this market and how “all out” they are! If it weren’t for all the selfie sticks, we might have *thought* we had traveled back in time.
If you don’t like the entire “medieval thing.” Esslingen also boasts a typical Christmas market right next door, so you’re prepared on both fronts. We call it the “Christmas” Christmas market. The stalls are modestly adorned but cheerful, and they do not scream over-commercialization like other markets.
Put those in front of the cute, colorful, half-timbered houses, and we’ll die on the hill of “This is one of the prettiest Christmas markets in Europe.” The structures “Hafenmarkt 4-10” are Germany’s oldest row of half-timbered houses, having remained unharmed during the wars. History and Mulled Wine? Esslingen has everything.
On both sides of the market, practically everything we saw was made by local artisans, and there was a distinct lack of mass-produced, manufactured-in-China things, which is a plus if you want to do some unique Christmas market shopping.
The stages and cultural performances are what truly distinguish the Esslingen Christmas market from all others. There are several stages set up throughout the old town, and the city hosts over 500 cultural performances during the season, making it well worth a visit.
You may watch local choirs and music groups, as well as medieval entertainment such as the fire eater and stilt walker we saw. If you want to truly immerse yourself in a unique market and experience local culture (without the fire eaters), Esslingen should be on your itinerary.
The Bad: Do Not Visit Esslingen Expecting An Over-The-Top Christmas Experience:
If you’re hoping for HUGE wooden mulled wine tents, Christmas pyramids, and a billion different snacks and drinks, we’d advise you not to go.
While Esslingen offers a better blend of “classic, touristy, Christmas market meets local market” than adjacent Tubingen, it is still not comparable to larger markets in Europe, such as those in Prague.
We thought the cuisine here was some of the worst we’ve tasted.
…But it only means more space for mulled wine. 😏
Esslingen At Christmas is For You If…
To help you decide whether or not to visit, here are some factors that might make it worthwhile if you agree with all or most of them:
- You want a real German experience.
- You prefer a relaxed pace and enjoy basic beauty without the necessity for a festive atmosphere.
- You want to experience a unique marketplace.
- You want to understand the culture of the city you’re visiting.
Esslingen Around Christmas May Not Be Suitable For You:
On the other hand, if you agree with these sentiments, we’d recommend you take Esslingen off your list:
- You want to hit multiple markets in one city.
- You primarily want to visit markets to eat.
- You’re hoping for a big Christmas market with a “party” atmosphere.
How To Get To Esslingen:
The best method to get to Esslingen is by rail, which takes 10-20 minutes from Stuttgart. Esslingen Am Neckar (its full name) is technically a separate city, but it is part of the Stuttgart region.
We took the MEX 16 train from Stuttgart’s central rail station, but there are a few other options that will take you there in the same amount of time, so you have plenty of options!
Traditional Christmas Market:
As your thinking brain would expect, this market is what you envision when you think of a traditional European Christmas market: a tiny square with roughly 80 wooden chalet stalls covered with glittering lights, garlands, and gorgeous red, silver, and gold ornaments.
It is located on Marktplatz, in front of my favorite building in Esslignen, the red and green half-timbered “Alfred Kielmeyer Haus.”
We had a lot to look at because the majority of the vendors were selling local products. We saw everything from hand-carved nativity figurines to clay houses, clothes, furs, and jewelry, but I decided to buy this GORGEOUS hammered silver ornament to surprise my grandmother.
Afterward, we stopped at the lone food area in the traditional part of the market (you won’t miss it with its modest Christmas pyramid) and tasted the local apple mulled wine (with brandy, because why not?). He then proceeded to the Medieval section of the market.
Esslingen Medieval Christmas Market:
This market is located on Rathausplatz, directly in front of the striking red city hall building. It’s just beside the conventional market, and you can’t miss it because it’s LIVE.
We love this market in the afternoon, but we think it’s much better after the sun goes down and the lights turn on; even though it started, it gets packed shortly after 6 p.m.!
We’d never seen such dedication to a theme, and we wandered through all these medieval taverns for drunken beverages, wooden stalls like Viking homes, and simple tents with old-style flags. The sellers were also dressed in “ye-olde” style outfits!
Inside the marketplaces, we spotted a large, old-style stage with a medieval-dressed man playing a guitar-like instrument. Extremely unique!
When we walked around the market into the Hafnmarkt area, we were astounded by the size of the medieval market. They also feature a children’s area with a miniature, hand-operated Ferris wheel and small games like archery and cannon shooting.
It’s also enjoyable for adults after a few alcoholic beverages. 😏
This region is centered on drinking and eating. We did get some Kasespatzle, which is essentially German mac and cheese and one of my favorite Christmas market treats. However, it was so dry and nasty that I had to toss it out.
This also happened with Caleb’s Thuringer Bratwurst, which was overcooked to the point where it was no longer white and shriveled.
I’m not sure…but stick to booze here.
If you want to do some unique, non-Christmas shopping, take the time to investigate these vendors beyond the food. We purchased some delicious rum in a potion bottle and saw lovely handcrafted leather and wooden goods with a medieval theme.
The Advent Market:
If you want truly artisanal souvenirs, go to Esslingen on an advent weekend. Head to the Ritterstraße, where over 30 craftsmen have set up shop to sell their wares. The tiny market is very attractive and worth visiting between the Medieval and typical Christmas markets!
Regional Foods To Try:
While the food at the Esslingen Christmas market isn’t the *best*, there are two items we recommend you try, as well as some boozy cocktails for culture.
- Maultaschen – we tasted this at a restaurant in Stuttgart, not in Esslingen, but we saw it offered at market stalls. It’s like if meatballs and ravioli had a baby. It’s not our favorite dish, but it’s unique to the Swabia region, and we love sampling new foods.
- Venison – You’ll see food kiosks called “wildspezialitate” that serve unique venison dishes that we haven’t seen anywhere else in Germany.
- Apfelgluhwein – Because the area is rich with orchards, they make apple mulled wine!
We added Calvados (brandy) to ours, which was powerful but delicious! It isn’t overly sweet and goes down easily.
- Feueranzangenbowle, our favorite Christmas market drink! It’s essentially mulled wine with a sugar cube soaked in rum placed on top and set on FIRE, allowing the sugar to drop into the drink.
Normally, everything is produced in one huge pot, but this was one of the few places where you could receive an individual cup with your very own FLAMING, rum-soaked sugar cube. It’s served in a medieval-style cup, which we also brought home.
Yes, we went for second.
Nothing says medieval more than mead, or honey wine. When will you be in Esslingen?
Don’t Miss This Next: Don’t Miss This Next:
If you’re in Esslingen and have some free time, we recommend visiting nearby Tubingen! To assist you, we created a comprehensive guide to visiting Tubingen during the Christmas season!
Check out our packing recommendations for Christmas markets to stay warm and comfy, without relying on mulled wine.
Unless you want to.
So, will you be visiting Esslingen?
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