German Christmas Markets

It was a joy to head to Germany this week for a couple of days photographing the traditional Christmas Markets. First of all we enjoyed an evening at the Stuttgart Christmas Market, and then the following day a trip to nearby Esslingen to enjoy one of the most beautiful and unspoilt towns in the whole of Germany.

The Stuttgart Christmas Market is one of the oldest (and largest) in all Germany. Dating back to the 17th century with hundreds of stalls spread out around the main squares of Schlossplatz, Marketplatz and Karlsplatz it really is spectacular.

Every year it is famous for the stalls going the extra mile and creating very beautiful and highly decorated stalls and it's amazing to see with many stalls selling Wurtz german sausages and Gluwhein hot mulled red wine.

The following evening we headed to Esllingen. A small town, just 20 minutes on the train from Stuttgart, famous for not being damaged by the Second World War and its Aldstadt still has many very old wooden medieval houses. This makes it the perfect place to enjoy it's wonderful Christmas Markets which are very different to the ones in Stuttgart.

Many of the stallholders here dress up in period costume and its easy to imagine being back in the middle ages as you wonder around the very old and beautiful cobbled streets. It is well worth the short journey from Stuttgart if you are in the area, and our party actually preferred its laid back and intimate Christmas markets to those in Stuttgart.