Although I love St. Pete, it’s no surprise to anyone how much I miss New England, especially the Holiday Season. Every year as Fall rolls around I start dreaming of the nostalgic charm and festive spirit of Christmas. The twinkling lights, the mulled wine, and all the cozy clothes. So this year, we decided to get into the spirit by taking a trip to Switzerland to visit the Christmas Markets.
Weinachtsdorf Christmas Market
Hands down, our favorite Christmas market in Zurich was the Weinachtsdorf, located in front of the Zurich Opera House. It must have had at least 50 adorable wooden huts selling every food, drink, and Christmas gift you could imagine.
Our first stop, the bar hut for “Glöggli”, the Swiss version of mulled wine – and basically the whole reason we went on this trip. I told Dave, “All I want for the holidays is to be cozy walking around a European Christmas Market drinking mulled wine and buying ornaments”.
With our Glöggli in hand we set off for snacks. We couldn’t resist a few sausages and of course, raclette. Raclette is a stinky melted cheese that you can basically spread on to anything, we chose latkes with pickles and chili flakes. And for dessert, cinnamon sugar donuts that resembled more of a beignet with chunks of apple inside.
Beyond hot drinks and every food item under the sun, the Weinachtsdorf Christmas Market has a beautiful merry-go-round and big huts filled with beautiful hand made ornaments.
We stayed at La Reserve which proved to be a smart decision not only for it’s luxury, but it was only a few minutes walk in the cold from the market.
Fondue
One of the highlights of our Swiss adventure was indulging in a traditional fondue, a deliciously rich and creamy pot of melted cheese served with crusty bread and a side of pickles and onions. The experience was made even more memorable by the cozy log cabin watching Swiss families and other travelers enjoy this tradition.
With a hop skip and a jump we crossed the boarder into France to visit Strasbourg, the Alsatian city known world wide for its commitment to celebrating Christmas.
Strasbourg
Visiting Strasbourg during Christmas felt like stepping into a fairy tale, with its half-timbered houses covered in twinkling lights and festive decorations.
Wandering through the illuminated streets, crossing charming walking bridges over the chilly waterways, I was captivated by the enchanting blend of history, culture, and holiday magic that made Strasbourg truly unforgettable during the festive season.
Around every corner and in every square you’ll find something Christmas.
Christkindelsmärik
Unlike Zurich with its few larger markets, Strasbourg is basically on giant Christmas Market. Every single square, no matter how big or small is filled with huts selling ornaments, vin chaud, soft pretzels and more.
And what’s even more incredible is that every restaurant, shop, and city building has their exteriors decorated with wreaths, bows, and lights.
Christkindelsmärik started back in 1570 in the main square in front of the Cathedral Notre Dame.
Colmar
Dating back to the 1600’s, Colmar felt like going back in time. It also felt like Disney! It was perfectly enchanting, small and intimate, and I would have to say probably our favorite market of all the ones we visited.
We ate at this little pop up cabin and had a glass of wine and a tissue paper thin Alsatian pizza. It was heaven.
With a full heart (and full belly) we left the Christmas markets behind and headed back to sunny Florida, I couldn’t help but carry a piece of that festive magic with me. With Christmas just two days away, the memories of twinkling lights, mulled wine, and handcrafted treasures will infuse our festivities with the warm spirit of the European holidays.
From Abroad With Love – AG
