The German 'Weihnachtsmarkt', or Christmas market, is definitely something of an institution in this country, and it seems to be spreading worldwide too. I have now been to quite a few Christmas markets in various cities around Germany and Austria; Munich, Berlin, Salzburg, Vienna and many more. But I can definitely say that the one in Hannover is up there with my favourites. I would actually recommend it as one of my favourite things to do in Hannover overall and I look forward to it all year! I thought I would put in a blog post all of my personal highlights of the Hannover Christmas market - what I think are the best things to eat, drink, do and see, what you will find there and why it's so fun. If you have never been to Hannover, it might give you a bit of wanderlust and inspiration for a trip next Christmas! Otherwise, it will give you a little insight into Christmas in the city that I live in.
One of the things which I think makes the Hannover Christmas market so unique, is that the whole market is divided up into different sections, each offering a totally different personality and vibe, with different things to do. There is the typical shopping area around the old church, the 'forest', the medieval section and the Scandinavian market as well. One aspect that does bring the whole market together, though, is that it is completely set up in Hannover's Old Town. This makes the market extremely beautiful and gives it an 'old-worldly' quality. Wandering around all the different sections of the market, through the old cobbled streets, is really such a nice thing to do, especially with a nice hot drink in hand!
Bites to eat
There is a huge variety of food throughout the market. If you are only peckish, look for the delicious toasted, sugared nuts (you will smell them in the air), or the fried garlic mushrooms. There are also plenty of stands selling pommes (fries), pickles, candy floss and more smaller snacks. If you have more of a hunger, though, I would HIGHLY recommend heading over to the Finnish section of the market (in the Scandinavian area) where they roast salmon atop open fires! It's some of the most delicious salmon I think I've ever eaten! For those who want to try more traditional German food, my favourite stall for this is called 'Mundgerecht', which translates roughly to 'palattable'. Here you will find lots of different 'Würstchen', or sausages, ham steaks, special 'Grünkohl', or kale (which is a speciality of northern Germany) and lots more, which you can get with bread or rosemary potatoes. Don't forget to add the spicy mustard!
Finnish fire-roasted salmon!
Drinks!
Of course, it wouldn't be a Christmas market without 'Glühwein', or mulled wine, and there are so many options for it in Hannover! Firstly, you must decide which Glühwein stall looks best, and I would personally recommend heading into the 'Wald', or forest, for this. It is an area of the market that they have sectioned off with high fir trees - you can't see in from the outside. Inside is like a little secret; there are lots of hidden Glühwein stalls and places to socialise, and it really feels like you are in the middle of a forest! It's also much warmer in there. I love coming here to drink in the evening, but do beware that it can get extremely crowded, especially at weekends so best to time your arrival either around 6pm, before the crush, or closer to closing time which is 9pm.
Secondly, you must choose your drink! If you want to opt for Glühwein, you could get it just plain, or with a splash of rum or another liqueur in it - whichever way you choose to drink it, I promise it will be tasty. If you are not so fond of Glühwein, the Hannover market has a huge selection of mead, which is also really delicious and very different. I would recommend heading into the medieval section of the market, to the Port Royal Tavern, to try some of this. Back in the shopping district around the church, you can find lots of other drink options, including Beer, Eierlikör (an egg liqueur - I'm not such a fan of this), hot chocolate (also available with rum) and Kinderpunsch for the kids! For me, Glühwein with rum is my absolute favourite choice of drink, and I make sure to drink as much of it as I can, because I miss it for the rest of the year!
Entrance to the Wald!
Port Royal Tavern
Shopping
Whether you are shopping for Christmas gifts, souvenirs, small Christmas trinkets or something special, there really is a lot on offer to buy at the Hannover Christmas market. There are lots of stalls around the church which are totally dedicated to Christmas decorations and ornaments. There are also stalls selling jewellery, kitchen utensils, spices, toys, hats and gloves, homemade candles and soaps and much, much more. I really love to wander through the stalls in the medieval market, where there are glass blowers, antiques, things like buttons and gorgeous candles. Shopping at the market is not cheap, and I would say to do the majority of your real Christmas gift shopping elsewhere. But the market is perfect for those small and special items that you can't really find anywhere else. Plus, giving someone a gift that comes from the Christmas market is such a unique and one-off gift.
medieval market
Activities
There is actually quite a lot going on at the market. There are musicians and carollers, and there are also medieval street acts, with performers dressed in costume! If you happen to catch one of these, they are really fun to watch. In the medieval market, you will also find activities like archery, and you have the chance to watch people practising masonary and other such crafts. Otherwise, the market is really a great place for just wandering around, exploring the old streets, observing all the different stalls and people watching.
Things to know
🎄 The Christmas market is open every day from 11am-9pm.
🎄 If you intend to spend some money there you must go with cash - there is a bank nearby at Marthalle station.
🎄 It's best to go when you have lots of time and are not in a rush, particularly at the busy times when it gets very crowded.
🎄 You can follow the market around in a circle, so don't worry about getting lost!
🎄 It's most beautiful by night.
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