Essen is located in North Rhine-Westphalia and is the 10th largest city in Germany. Like many other German cities, Essen transforms into a winter wonderland during Christmas
The streets of the city are illuminated with lights, and the city welcomes everyone to celebrate the festive season.
Essen Christmas Market isn't as large as some other famous Christmas markets, but it offers a very unique experience. One special aspect of Essen’s Christmas market is its international flair, with some stalls offering crafts and food from countries around the world. You’ll find products from places as far as Finland, Poland, and Morocco, providing a diverse shopping experience.
The Essen Christmas market is smaller and cozier, attracting mostly locals rather than large numbers of tourists. Even if the weather turns bad, there’s plenty of space to take shelter.
There are also activities for kids, including a small carousel, toy stalls, and even occasional visits from Santa Claus.
I have lived in NRW, Germany, for quite some time during my studies and I got the chance to explore different Christmas markets in the region. In the Winter of 2018,
How to Reach Essen:
Train:
Essen is located between Dortmund and Düsseldorf and is highly accessible by Public Transport. The best and most effective way is to take Regional Bahn or ICE.
If you are already living in North Rhine Westphalia it's highly recommended to take an NRW day ticket costing or use a Deutschland Ticket to travel to Essen. Be aware that you can't use ICE or any other high-speed train.
Bus:
You can also take a Flixbus. It's a cheaper option but takes more time than the train.
Essen Christmas Market:
1. Christmas Market at Kennedyplatz in Essen:
As you leave the Essen Central Station, you can see the lighting of small Christmas stalls in front of you. The Main Christmas Market is set up at Kennedyplatz which is the large square in Essen.
The Christmas Canopies and wooden huts are set up and the streets are decorated with hanging lights and chandeliers giving the feeling of walking in a fairyland.
The small wooden huts are selling different Christmas Souvenirs, wooden carved decors, and winter specialties like wooden socks, scarfs, Shawls, and caps. There are also stalls selling local delicacies like bratwurst and gingerbread.
There are also live performances and concerts that take place which add magic to the Christmas season.
2. Christmas Market at Willy-Brandt-Platz in Essen:
If you take a short walk from Essen main train station also known as Essen Hauptbahnhof and follow the twinkling lights, you will reach the Christmas market at Willy-Brandt-Platz.
There are stalls on the way offering German favorite street food like roasted almonds, crepes, and various regional specialties.
3. Christmas Market at Flachsmarkt in Essen:
One of the unique Christmas markets on the Medieval theme is located near Grillo-Theater. The Christmas Market is known as Mittelaltermark and it is located at Flachsmarkt.
The Mittelaltermarkt takes back to the Medieval times and it has unique sections with rustic wooden stalls, traditional crafts, and performances inspired by the Middle Ages. The vendors also often dressed up in the costumes. They are selling specialties like leather goods, pottery, and metalwork.
There are also entertainment opportunities like fire shows, minstrels playing medieval instruments, and craftsmen demonstrating traditional techniques,
4. Christmas Market at Kettwiger Straße in Essen:
The main shopping street of Essen "Kettwiger Straße" also embraces the christmas festivity. There are also stalls set there and it connects with another part of the Christmas Market at Kennedyplatz and Willy-Brandt-Platz.
Most of these stalls are decorated with festive lights and sell food from from German sausages to international treats.
5. Christmas Market at Marktkirche in Essen:
If you want to experience the intimate Christmas festivity, then you can also visit the christmas market located at Marktkirche. There are also seasonal events hosted by the church aswell. There are stalls that offer traditional Christmas snacks like Mandels, Wurst, Pommes, Crepes, and Glühwein.
6. Ferris Wheel in Essen during Christmas:
The most beautiful surprise of the Essen Christmas Market is its Big Ferris wheel which offers a spectacular view of the Christmas Market from the top.
Ending Note:
If you want to experience the most amazing Christmas market, we would highly suggest you visit the Christmas Market of Cologne,
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