The Erfurt Christmas Market is one of the most beautiful Christmas markets in central Germany. Set to the backdrop of the grand cathedral and church with a towering real Christmas tree, you will be excessively delighted!
Don’t forget to bring your camera and dress up warm because you will want to stay for quite some time. After all, there are 17 locations and mini Christmas markets in Erfurt. They all have their very own charm and specialties. Here’s your handy mini guide.
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Erfurt Christmas Locations
In total, there are more than 200 wooden stalls and huts in Christmas market locations around Erfurt.
If you want me to guide you around Erfurt and be your private holiday photographer that knows the best spots and angles, book my services here.
Erfurt Christmas Market
In 2018, this Christmas Market is being held for the 168th time. That’s pretty amazing, if you ask me. Not only that but it’s the biggest among the Christmas markets in Thuringia, Germany’s most central state.
The market is set up to the backdrop of medieval buildings and the grand cathedral.
What stands out at first glance are four things: The big lettering of the name at the entrance of the “Erfurter Weihnachtsmarkt”, the Christmas tree, the Christmas pyramid and the ferris wheel. Year after year these are set up and never fail to impress
Read next: Guide to Jena’s Christmas Market
The real and lavishly decorated Christmas tree is 25 metres in height and the original Ore Mountain pyramid is 12 metres high. Leading up to Christmas, you will easily get festive spirits at the market stalls.
There are traditional handcrafted items, sweets, mulled wine, amusement stalls and more. Plus, there is a full event calendar. Listen to live and traditional German Christmas music, for instance.
Location: Domplatz, 99084 Erfurt, Germany
Dates: 27 November 2019 – 1 January 2020
Opening times: 10AM-8PM (So-Wed), 10AM-9PM (Thu), 10AM-10PM (Fri-Sat)
Willy-Brandt-Platz Christmas Market
Right in front of the train station lies Willy Brandt Square. This means that already upon your arrival you will feel super festive.
For starters, there’s a huge Christmas tree in the entrance hall of the train station but a welcoming Christmas market on top of it all outside is pretty sweet, too.
There’s a giant LED screen to show you the various locations of the Christmas markets in Erfurt so you know where to go from here.
Fun fact: The square was named after former chancellor of the Republic of Germany (Willy Brandt), who met with the then president of the German Democratic Republic (Willi Stoph) in 1970. It was the first German-German summit meeting.
Anger Christmas Market
Walking from the train station to the city centre, you will cross the Anger Square (Anger in German means “small grassy square”). Here too a small Christmas Market is set up with traditional stalls, a merry-go-round and beautifully lit trees.
Inner City Christmas Market
Walk on and you will see some more huts in front of the City Hall. You are very close to the Cathedral Square (“Domplatz”) now. Turn left and into the small shopping street.
Krämerbrücke Christmas Market
An absolute must is the Merchant Bridge with its beautiful light garlands strung above the coble stone streets and unique artist shops. Walking the bridge is a must do in Erfurt and the best time surely must be at Christmas. The vibe is so glorious!
Wenigemarkt Christmas Market
Are you surprised that the “Puffbohne” has its own Christmas Market? Formerly the medieval Christmas market in Erfurt, it is now dedicated to the iconic vegetable. Here, the deal is to just eat. It’s perfect for foodies!
More Mini Christmas Markets in Erfurt
Check opening times here.
- Cathedral Garden (“Domgarten”) – right next to the cathedral but more intimate
- Discalced Church (“Barfüßerkirche“) – Fair trade and sustainable market in a church ruin
- Mary Meadow (“Marienwiese”) – medieval Christmas market
- Kaisersaal Garden – with 200m ice rink
- Luther Market
- Zum Güldenen Rade – live music in restaurant yard
- Almhütte Petersberg
- Kaisersaal Erfurt
- Hof Restaurant „Faustus“
- Hotel Krämerbrücke
- Christkindlmarkt Augustiner
- Zughafen
- Erfurter Heizwerk
- Kürschnergasse
- Engelsburg
- Terrace of Restaurant Siju
Christmas Market Staples
Food
While you’re in Thuringia in winter, why not try classic staple dishes you can’t get anywhere else. (With the same yummy quality that is. Other states try to recreate them but it’s definitely not the same.)
This includes Thuringian sausage (“Thüringer Bratwurst”) and German dumplings (“Thüringer Klöße”).
The first are spiced (but not spicy) sausages fresh from the grill and with a nice firm bite. Eat them with mustard if you want to keep it real Thuringian.
German dumplings like no other, made from mashed and grated potatoes in equal measure. Eat them with gravy, red cabbage and beef roulades. (There even is a dumpling museum nearby!)
Read next: Where to find the best restaurants in Erfurt
Another specialty is Erfurt Schittchen, a local variation of the stollen, which is a Christmas bread with raisins, almonds, lemon, brand/rum and powdered sugar.
There even is an official stollen queen (“Stollenkönigin”), who will ceremonially cut the first stollen of the year on the Christmas market in Erfurt.
More amazing things to try food- and drinkwise are: mulled wine (“Glühwein”), langosch and gingerbread. When it comes to sweet treats, try roasted and sugar caramelized nuts, chocolate fruits and fairy floss/cotton candy.
Souvenirs
If you visit a German Christmas market, typical souvenirs worth taking are anything to decorate your Christmas tree. Fine German handicraft is displayed in wooden hangers that are intricately carved, delicate hand painted baubles and decorative Christmas stars for the top of your tree.
The Ore Mountains are close and anything from there is a classic as well. This includes traditional incense with wooden incense figurines, wooden pyramids and “Schwibbogen”.
If you need a treat to eat on the way home, stock up on caramelized nuts, candied or chocolate coated fruit and Christmas cookies.
Should You Visit Erfurt’s Christmas Market?
Well, duh! It is super pretty, there are soooo many sites to be discovered, the city is worth a day trip anyway and the nightly atmosphere is just so cosy. I love returning here whenever I can, so I highly encourage you to visit too.
Were you aware of the many Christmas Markets in Erfurt?
More from the Germany blog
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- 50 activities and attractions in Jena you cannot miss
- Where to go for a scenic hike around Jena
- Visiting Oberfhof in Thuringia in Winter
- How to get into the Christmas spirit when you’re abroad
- The top 40 castles of Germany
- A three day trip to Dresden’s castles
- The best local food to try in Stuttgart
- What’s the historic Xmas market in Jena like?
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