If you’ve ever thought about visiting the German Christmas Markets, this is the guide to help you eat and drink your way through!

Let’s start with my favorite- the drinks. In my opinion, there’s really only one way to truly celebrate and embrace the culture and it starts with a drink called gluhwein. Gluhwein is a traditional mulled wine that’s usually enjoyed around the holidays. There are over 20 variations of this delicious beverage.

From adding a shot of vanilla vodka to amaretto (my favorite!) you can pretty much enjoy this drink with any liquor you like. What I love about these little markets is how clever they are about these drinks. When you walk up to purchase your drink they ask for a 2 Euro deposit on top of the price of the drink and hand you an adorable cup to drink it in. When you’re finished you can either take the cup back and retrieve your 2 Euros or you can keep the cup and they can keep the 2 Euros. 2 Euros for an adorable festive cup? I’m sure you can assume which one I chose to go with!

Now, let’s talk food! Once I get you booked for this trip I will tell you everything you need to pack for the best experience, however, after you read the list below you might have an idea (lots of stretchy pants)!

Let’s start with the most popular- Wurst (Sausages)

The ones I tried this past trip were absolutely amazing and I know there are tons more out there that I’m sure are just as good! I know some of these may sound a little out of your comfort zone, but I promise they are all worth a try!

Bratwurst - pork sausage 
Currywurst - they fry the bratwurst and then sprinkle curry on top or curry ketchup (uh yum)
Hirschwurst - reindeer sausage (taste like deer sausage)

Moving on to some of my other favorites from the trip!

Flammkuchen- Think flat bread pizza, but with even more amazing bread and all the yummy toppings you can think of!

Reibekuchen - This is a potato pancake topped with apple sauce and sour cream. It’s basically heaven.

Pommes - Okay, yes these technically are french fries. However, these take fries to another level. They are perfectly crunchy and soft and are usually served with mayo or another special dipping sauce that would put the ones we’re used to having in the States to shame.

Champignon- These are mushrooms. While it’s a simple dish, it’s one that’s cooked in a giant pot with garlic and then tossed in a delicious sauce.

Rahmklecks or Handbrot - This is basically the best hot pocket I have ever had in my life! You have the option of cheese with either mushrooms or ham. The pairing between the warm bread and the gooey filling is incredible.

Christstollen- Aka fruit cake - don’t roll your eyes just yet! Keep reading. This cake isn’t the fruit cake you’re used to finding in the U.S. It’s bread is buttery, filled with raisins and dusted with powdered sugar. To give you an idea of just how good this was, I don’t even like raisins and I ate the entire thing!

Schaumkusse - Of course I had to save the best for last. This is a chocolate covered marshmallow. Trust me when I say these are nothing like the ones back home. These are filled with the creamiest marshmallow filling you can find, not to mention that there are over 40 different flavors including gingerbread and rum!

While I could probably write an entire book about this, I think this is a great start! Visiting the German Christmas Markets is an experience like no other. It truly is so magical and my hope is that I can plan the perfect trip for you to experience it as well.