Dresden is the capital city of the Free State of Saxony. If you would
walk from the centre of town 58 kilometres to the east, you are already in the Czech
Republic. It is so lovely to spend the whole day at the Christmas markets. They
are all in such close proximity to each other that it nearly feels like Dresden
is one massive Christmas Market.
You feel the Christmas spirit all over town. Most stalls at the markets offer traditional Christmas angels, incense smokers (these little wooden traditional German dolls), and the famous Christmas Pyramids. The scent of spices, baked traditional delicacies, roasted nuts, and hot mulled wine runs through all little lanes. You will soon forget the cold and the low-hanging grey winter sky of the Elbe valley.
Christmas Market Augustusmarkt 2023
This Market is one long row with stalls on both sides. It is on the
right side of the Elbe, in the Dresden borough of Neustadt. Eat, drink, and be
merry, there even is a merry-go-round for the little ones.
Information. Opens 29 November 2023 to 7 January 2024. Monday to Thursday: 11am to 9pm. Friday: 11am to 10pm. Saturday 10am to 10pm. Sunday: 10am to 9pm. Closed 24 December, 26 December 2023, and 1 January 2024.
Medieval Christmas Stallhof Dresden 2023
A really special place to visit is the Medieval Christmas Market in the
Stallhof inside of the castle. Stallholders, mostly tradespeople, are dressed
in traditional clothes of their guild from medieval times. The variety of
wooden and wrought-iron objects they produce at their stalls are excellent
examples of traditional German craftsmanship. This place gives you a very
detailed idea of how life in medieval times used to be. Try your luck at
archery at one of the stalls, it is big fun.
Information. 29 November to 23 December 2023. Hours: 11am
to 9.30pm. 27
December to 30 December 2023, 11am to 9.30pm. 2 January
to 6 January 2024, 11am to 8pm.
Traditional Christmas Market at Frauenkirche Dresden 2023
This enchanting market is
right between the very famous Frauenkirche and the Brühl Terrace.
Information Christmas Market at
Frauenkirche Dresden. Münzgasse, Dresden, Germany. Hours: 29 November
to 24 December 2023. Sunday to Thursday: 10am to 9pm, Friday and Saturday:
10am to 10pm. 24 December 2022 10am to 2pm.
Romantic Christmas Market Anno 1900 in 2023
The Romantic Christmas market
offers everything you would have found between the years 1800 to 1920. The industrialization
and urbanization had a huge impact on the quality of life. Go for a stroll at
this market to see with your own eyes why that period is called the century of
the bourgeoisie.
Information Romantic Christmas Market Anno 1900. Neumarkt, Dresden. 30 November to 22 December 2023: 11am
to 10pm. 23 December 2023: 11am to 8pm. 27 December 2023 to 7 January 2024: 11am to 10pm.
Striezelmarkt Dresden 2023
The biggest of all markets is the Striezel Markt. It has been in this
exact same spot ever since 1434. Its name is derived from the German dialect
for Struzel or Striezel, which is the Dresdner Stollen. You can buy Christmas
Stollen in all towns in Germany but only the ones from Dresden are allowed to
carry the name Dresdner Christollen, and those ones proudly carry a medal, to
prove their identity.
The Christmas Stollen is made from yeast dough with raisins and almonds,
and very important marzipan. In medieval times it was prepared during
pre-Christmas Lent. During these times the church made it illegal to eat butter
and milk, and obviously, the cake didn't go down too well. The pope changed the
law, from then on people were allowed to use these ingredients and the Dresdner
Christstollen as we know it today was born. Around 1500 they sold the first one
at the Striezelmarkt in Dresden. Happy end. Please make sure you buy one to
take home with you. If you are vegetarian, please ask for ingredients, it is
often made with lard.
Information Dresdner Striezelmarkt. Altmarkt, Dresden. 29 November 2023: 4pm to 9pm. 30 November to
23 December 2023: 10am to 9pm. 24 December 2023: 10am to 2pm.
Plan your trip to visit Dresden’s Christmas markets now. It is beautiful
indeed.
How to get to Dresden
Visit the website of the Deutsche Bahn to see how to get here by train. Say no to domestic flights, but use the train. For flight connections visit the website of Dresden airport.
From Berlin with love
The article has been updated in October 2023 for accuracy.