Top 7 stall at Stuttgart Christmas market 2019

If you feel like Swabian food, have the Schwaben Liebe plate at curlles culinarium! It comes with one Maultasche (they even have vegetarian ones!!) and Käsespätzle (Swabian cheese noodles). And at currles the Käsespätzle are not made with a random cheese, no! They have a huge cheese wheel of Bergkäse/mountain cheese where they put the hot noodles in. Käsespätzle and Maultaschen are not a traditional Christmas dish but if you want to try local food while visiting Stuttgart Christmas market, this is your chance. currles culinarium is located at Marktplatz, next to the fountain.

Top 6 stall at Christmas market 2019

Here comes a traditional food of Stuttgart Christmas market that isn’t even German: Langos! Langosh is a Hungarian speciality and consists of deep fried dough with various toppings. My favorite topping: garlic sauce! If you don’t want to smell like garlic for the rest of the day, sour cream and cheese is also awesome and very popular 🙂 There are two stalls that sell Langos that I can recommend personally. One of them is also located at Marktplatz next to the fountain, the other one is next to Altes Schloss, in Dorotheenstraße.

Top 5 stall at Stuttgart Christmas market 2019

Christstollen, a traditional German fruit bread, is very popular for the Christmas season. You can buy it in many bakeries and even supermarkets like Edeka and even Aldi sells them. I have to admit I was never a huge fan because mostly the bakeries use candied fruits and raisins and the bread tastes too sweet and is a bit dry. BUT this year I have found a stall that sells what I think is the best Christstollen in the whole wide world! 🙂 Directly at Schlossplatz you find Beckabeck and they sell Albstollen. You HAVE TO try it! Instead of raisins they use cherries and that makes a huuuuge difference. The bread is juicy and sososooooo tasty! I came back 3 times to buy new Christstollen this year! 🙂

Top 4 stall at Stuttgart Christmas market 2019

You find the BEST Glühwein of Stuttgart Christmas market at Schillerplatz. The stall Zum Schäfer sells Glühwein that is made with wine from the local vineyard Zaiß. They produce high quality wine and therefore the Glühwein is also really good. Next to the traditional red mulled wine they even sell white and rosé Glühwein! How awesome is that?! 😀 My favorite is the white one.

Top 3 stall at Stuttgart Christmas market 2019

The Finnish version of Glühwein is called Glögi and you can try it at Karlsplatz at the Finnish Christmas Village. Glögi is made of Finnish berries. If the German Glühwein is a bit too sweet for your taste Glögi might be your drink of choice. Less sweet, more fruity.

Top 2 stall at Stuttgart Christmas market 2019

If all these fruity hot drinks are not your thing, how about Mead?! There is only one stall at Stuttgart Christmas market that sells it and you find it next to Schillerplatz on Kirchstraße (in between Schillerplatz and Marktplatz). This stall is super traditional and has been around for 40 years! They even sell an alcohol free punsh that is infused with real honey and tastes REALLY good (as a breastfeeding mom I am always super thankful when I find yummy alternatives to the alcoholic drinks and this punsh made my day :-)). This year, Moritz has tried their Mead with cherry juice and liked it a lot, too. This stall also sells a lot of honey themed (alcoholic) beverages and products for take away.

Top 1 stall at Stuttgart Christmas market 2019

Two words: Smoked salmon! No, four words: World best smoked salmon!!! “Where?!?” you might ask now. At the Finnish Christmas Village at Karlsplatz. Seriously, if you like salmon you DO NOT WANT TO MISS this stall. Their salmon is amazing. They have open fires next to the stall and smoke the fish right there. You can order a plate of smoked salmon or smoked salmon in a bread roll. Either option tastes delicious. Again: YOU DON’T WANT TO MISS IT! Trust me! 🙂

These are my personal top 7 stalls at Stuttgart Christmas market 2019. Do you have a favorite stall, too? What makes it so special and why do you like this one in particular? Let me know in the comments! 🙂

More information

Christmas markets in the region

Stuttgart Christmas market

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Christmas Markets in Stuttgart

• The most obvious Christmas Market to visit for anybody living in Stuttgart is the big one in Stuttgart. It stretches from Schlossplatz via Karlsplatz all the way to Marktplatz. Stuttgart Christmas Market is not only one of the biggest Christmas Markets in the area, it’s also particularly pretty because all of the stands display an individual roof decoration. There is even a competition going on and one lucky stand wins a prize for the most beautiful decoration every year! Next to many food stands you also find some fun rides for kids at Stuttgarter Weihnachtsmarkt. Moreover you can enjoy a concert for free every evening as choirs are performing daily on the stairs in front of the city hall. Tip from a local: Take the public transport to get to Stuttgart Christmas Market! The U-Bahn stations Schlossplatz, Charlottenplatz and Rathaus are close by as well as the S-Bahn stations Hauptbahnhof and Stadtmitte. Stuttgart Christmas Market is open from November 27 until December 23.
  
• One special part of Stuttgarter Weihnachtsmarkt is the Finnish Christmas Village (Finnisches Weihnachtsdorf). Here you can enjoy smoked salmon, drink a glass of Glögi (the Finnish version of mulled wine) and shop for Scandinavian products. The Finnish Christmas Village is located at Karlsplatz, right next to the U-Bahn station Charlottenplatz and it is open from November 27. to December 22.
• Also part of the Christmas Market in Stuttgart but technically a market for itself is Wintertraum at Schlossplatz. If offers an ice rink as well as several food stands. Moreover, it is open even after Christmas, from November 20 until January 1.
• Not really a Christmas Market but a very special Christmas attraction is Christmas Garden at Wilhelma. When it is getting dark, the botanical and zoological gardens at Wilhelma light up brightly. More than 20 light installations await you along a 2 km loop and food stands invite you to take a break and enjoy the romantic atmosphere. Christmas Garden is open between November 14 and  January 6. Mind that you have to buy a ticket in advance in order to get inside. If you want to get an idea of what awaits you check out my post about my visit to Christmas Garden at Wilhelma from last year.
  
• There is an alternative Christmas market going on at Marienplatz between November 29 and December 15 called Wouahou Winterdorf / Wouahou Winter Village. Not only food stands and little shops await you but also information stands for sustainability and a big tipi.
• At Adventsmarkt im Hospitalhof you can shop for handmade products on December 3.
• A Beer Adventsmarkt will take place on December 6 and 7 at Cast Brauerei Stuttgart. There will be more than 50 different beer styles available to drink and purchase as christmas gifts for your special someone!
• A small and very cozy Christmas market is Adventszauber at Mozartplatz/Heusteigviertel on December 15. Local shops like present themselves with stands and next to yummy food and drinks, live music, a special fire show and attractions for the kids await you.
• On December 21 the first Vegan Christmas Market of Stuttgart will take place at Karl-Kloß-Jugendbildungsstätte. Next to vegan food you might find the one or other Christmas gift.
• Most  the quarters of Stuttgart have their own, small Christmas markets going on, mostly only for a weekend. For example in Vaihingen from November 30 to December 1, in Weilimdorf from November 30 to December 1 too and in Bad Cannstatt from November 26 to December 23.

Christmas Markets around Stuttgart

• The Esslingen Christmas Market is probably one of the most famous markets in the area because of its medieval part. At the Esslingen Medieval Market you can find merchants in historical garments offering their goods, craftsmen like pewterers, felt-makers, and glass-blowers demonstrating their craftsmanship and artists fascinating their audience with juggling, music and more. Definitely worth a visit! Tip from a local: Go early and during the week! It is always crowded there but it get’s worse on weekends and in the evening. The Esslingen Medieval Market and Christmas Market is open from November 26 until December 22.
• You find another historically themed Christmas Market in Ludwigsburg. With all the light installations the  Ludwigsburg Baroque Christmas Market is definitely a beauty. Nestled between two baroque churches and underneath the huge illuminated wings of angels you will feel enchanted right away. It is open from November 26 to December 22.
• Another very special Christmas market takes place between December 3 and 8 in Tübingen: chocolART! You might guess it already: it’s all about chocolate!! 😀
• In Fellbach a Christmas Market as well as an ice rink await you. Moreover a special program for kids is organized next to the town hall. Fellbach Christmas Market is open from November 30 until December 21.
• The beer garden Schwabengarten in Leinfelden has turned into a Winter Village. WinterdörfLE is not a real Christmas Market as the stands where you can buy gifts are missing. But you find four food stands and an open fire there. And if you’re into curling, you can go for it here, too.
• Castle Hohenzollern is worth a visit anyway but on when it turns into a medieval Christmas Market it is even more stunning. You can visit the Royal Christmas Market / Königlicher Weihnachtsmarkt from November 29 to December 2 and again from December 6 to 8. Please mind that you have to pay an entrance fee to get in the castle.
• Ever visited a Christmas Market in a stable? You can do so at Gärtringen-Rohrau on December 7 and 8 as well as 14 and 15. Rohrauer Stallweihnachtsmarkt awaits you in the stable of an organic farm. Here you find stands from local producers who are selling handmade goods and you can watch traditional craftsmen performing their work.
• At Waiblingen Christmas Market you will find something very special: Christmas cellars! In these cellars handmade goods as well as an exhibition of Christmas calendars await you. The Christmas Market in Waiblingen is open from November 29 to December 19.
• Shop for the perfect Christmas tree while enjoying a glass of Glühwein or browsing through locally produced artwork at Christbaummarkt Prevorst in Oberstenfeld-Prevorst on every weekend before Christmas starting on December 8.

These are just some of the many, many Christmas markets in the region. What are your favorite ones?

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We made our way over to Schillerplatz and strolled through the stands of Christmas market 2014.

Check out the decoration on top of the stalls! This sort of decoration on a Christmas market is actually special to Stuttgart. And each year, the stall with the most beautiful decoration wins a price.

Then we headed over to Marktplatz and the city hall.

Fun fact: Can you spot the numbers in the windows? Each December, the city hall (Rathaus) turns into a huge Adventskalender. From the 1st of December until the 23th one number will convert into the coat of arms of one of the quarters of Stuttgart. A choir from this quarter will perform for free on the stairs in front of the Rathaus. These mini concerts always start at 6 pm. Well worth visiting!

Now it was time for mulled wine. If you haven’t already, try white “Glühwein” ! It’s delicious! Hot chocolate with rum is nice, too by the way 😉

When you visit Stuttgart’s beautiful Christmas market 2014, you shouldn’t miss:

-having a Glühwein

–eating Magenbrot (which translates literary into stomach bread…. but is in fact very yummy biscuit, like gingerbread)

-buying at least one very cute but also very unnecessary piece of Christmas decoration

-visiting the Finnish Christmas Village at Karlsplatz

–having your picture taken of you next to the big nutcracker at Marktplatz

The Christmas Market 2014 will be on until the 23rd of December from 10 am till 9 am (on Sundays from 11 am until 9 am).  So you have 28 days, make the most of it!

More information about:

Stuttgart Christmas Market 2014 (only in German)

Stuttgarter Weihnachtsmarkt in general

Advent concerts in front of the town hall (only in German)

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I was lucky when I went to the Christmas market in Stuttgart during my lunch break as it had just begun to snow. And of course Christmas markets always look amazing when it’s snowing…

A great thing to do for kids is ride the miniature steam-train on Schlossplatz:

The Christmas market in Stuttgart is one of the oldest of its kind in Europe. Its roots date back to the 16th century. And it is also a very large one, including parts of the Schlossplatz, the whole Schillerplatz, several streets between Schillerplatz and Marktplatz and the whole Marktplatz. Around 280 beautifully decorated stands offer food, drinks, Christmas decorations and much more. Especially the roofs of the stands are worth looking at.

Poet Friedrich Schiller looking down on what’s going on on “his” square, the Schillerplatz.

Because of all the lights, it is always a stunning experience to visit a Christmas Market at night. So here are some impressions of one of my visits:

Two angels in front of the city hall on the Marktplatz:

Of course, the steam-train runs when it’s dark, too.

When it gets too cold, it’s a good idea to step inside the Sporer Alm, between Marktplatz and Markthalle. It’s warm and cosy inside.

Some of the stands offer very cute Christmas decorations. I have to admit, I do get weak sometimes…

When visiting a Christmas Market, it’s a MUST to have a Glühwein (mulled wine). This year, I got a bit adventurous and tried Eierpunsch, which consists of egg-nog and white wine… well, I can’t recommend it… If you want to have something different from the traditional Glühwein, try a white Glühwein. That tastes very nice.

What I found very fascinating, but didn’t have the guts to try, were these chocolate-covered chillies…

One of my favourite places on the Christmas Market in Stuttgart is the Finnish Village (Finnisches Dorf), which is located on Karlsplatz, close to the U-Bahn sation Charlottenplatz. They don’t serve Glühwein there but Glögi, which is made of berries and tastes very nice. And they sell the best salmon I ever had – seriously! You can have it on the plate for 10 Euro or in a bread-roll for 5 Euro. But they also offer a lunch special for 7,50 Euro for the plate. If you’re lucky, you find a seat inside the tent, close to the fireplace. Very cosy!

The next Christmas market I went to this year was the medieval one in Esslingen.

Actually, only a part of the Christmas market in Esslingen is called “Mittelaltermarkt” (medieval market), there is also a “normal” Christmas market around it. When you enter the gate to the Mittelaltermarkt, you step into another world…

… and meet people you would not expect…

Actually, the Grim Reaper turned out to be very polite and didn’t mind me taking a picture of him. Who would have thought that?? But I still asked him to keep his distance for some more decades… And he promised to do so! 🙂

When it comes to food, I made one epic discovery: Waffles with Nutella and cherries taste fantastic! How could I have lived without them for so many years???

There is one more Christmas market I would love to introduce to you: The Barock-Weihnachtsmarkt in Ludwigsburg. It takes place on the Marktplatz and is surrounded by baroque buildings and churches.

What blends in very nicely with the baroque surrounding are the illuminated angel statues in the middle of the market square.

Don’t they just look beautiful?

Unfortunately, it was raining heavily when I visited Ludwigsburg, so I didn’t take a lot of pictures. But I hope you can still get an idea of how lovely the baroque Christmas market is.

These were the Christmas markets in and around Stuttgart that I have visited this year. But of course there are many more around Stuttgart. I hope I get the chance to go to some of them next year.

That leaves me with only one more thing: I want to wish all of you a very merry Christmas with your friends and families! Have a good one!

More information about:

Christmas market in Stuttgart

Medieval Christmas market in Esslingen

Baroque Christmas market in Ludwigsburg

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