All the Christmas markets have their own special charm, but the one in the Stadtgarten is simply the most enchanting of all.

Up the road from Friedensplatz, the Stadtgarten is a music venue, restaurant and beer garden, surrounded by a park that tends to be full of families, dog walkers and office workers on their lunch break. It’s nothing special to look at for most of the year – but when the Christmas market opens, the magic begins.

It starts as soon as you walk through the arch at the entrance. As the ‘craftiest’ Christmas market in town it’s filled with handicrafts and somewhat more unusual toys, books, gifts and trinkets. It has also got fantastic food, and some very tasty – if rather expensive – bio-Glühwein.

A veritable winter wonderland

With the twinkling lights festooned in the trees above, the friendly stall owners and the jolly Glühwein drinkers, it’s a pleasure to walk through this market. At the back there’s a stage which puts on Christmas puppet shows for the kids, but it can get a bit chilly so wrap-up warm.

The only downside to the Stadtgarten Weihnachtsmarkt is the fact that everyone knows it’s lovely,  so it gets very full in the evening. The best time to visit is around 4pm as it’s just starting to get dark – you’ll feel like you’re really walking in a winter wonderland.

Click here to see the full Weihnachstmarkt program.