urbanCGN Xmas – Alternative Christmas markets

Cologne’s major city-centre Christmas markets are perfect for hunting gifts for your friends and family – and of course for yourself too – plus they offer an ideal atmosphere for meeting up with friends for some Christmas cheer in the form of a cup of mulled wine and/or a snack at one of the many food stalls.

But they’re not the only show in town. Cologne’s veedels (boroughs) are home to some very lovingly designed alternative Christmas markets. Organised by members of the local community, they range from innovative and small, like Ehrenfeld‘s Christmas market, to large and established, such as the Christmas market at Stadtgarten. In addition, on each weekend in Advent there are several indoor Christmas markets across the city that sell gifts and trinkets to suit all budgets.
The stallholders are artists and designers whose creations are usually not that easy to get hold of. Each market follows its own theme: fashion and accessories by local designers; upcycled products such as multi-tier cake stands made from Granny’s old china plates or make-up bags crafted from disused basketballs; or home-made delicacies like jams and chutneys.

Of course shoppers don’t have to starve while browsing – there’s always mulled wine and tasty snacks. And if it just doesn’t feel christmassy enough when you’re indoors, simply take your Glühwein outdoors and enjoy the more or less wintry temperatures in the fresh air!

In 2016, Angelika’s gone out to capture the atmosphere at the alternative Christmas markets for us. This year’s dates are listed below. Enjoy the result – our urbanCGN Xmas clip!