Great Gemütlichkeit: Goslar's twinkling Christmas forest

There are scores of great Christmas markets all over Lower Saxony, but the one town square just crying out for elves and reindeer is at the heart of beautiful half-timbered  Goslar, surrounded by Renaissance buildings with peaked window gables that look like witches’ hats poking out of their roofs. Here, in the lee of the Harz Mountains, the 80-stall market is set in a Christmas Forest of some 50 ten-metre-high fir trees, twinkling with tens of thousands of little lights.

The market is kicked off by the city's children on November 27 by a lantern procession through the medieval heart of the city.
 

Great Gemütlichkeit: all around Weimar's Christmas tree

If it wasn't for a generous Weimar bookseller, the festive season would be much less cosy. Originally only well-off German families had Christmas trees in their homes, but then in 1815 Johann Wilhelm Hoffmann donated a large tree on the market square for everyone to enjoy, thereby starting a worldwide tradition. The beautifully lit tree is still the centre point of the Weimarer Weihnacht market which runs until 5th January. The entire old town is transformed, including Theatre Square with the Goethe and Schiller memorial. Weimar has a special “Winterliebe” (winter love) package including two overnights, a 3-course menu, and a guided city tour from €125. tourist-info@weimar.de

Great Gemütlichkeit: cosy up to coffee & cake in Leipzig

What could be more gemütlich than the wonderful German tradition of coffee and cake? Leipzig does this embodiment of cosiness particularly well and is home to Germany’s oldest coffee house: the Coffee Baum was opened in 1694 and is still a local favourite. Meanwhile Café Riquet and Café Kandler, with delicious cakes, are further options when in need of warming up. Leipzig offers guests a special “cosy package” (from €99 per person) including two overnights and coffee & cake at Coffee Baum plus a visit to the coffee museum on site. 

Great Gemütlichkeit: Kuhnle's promise of sun on the water

Christmas time, with the home fires burning and the icicles forming on the eaves, is not necessarily the moment to think about going boating. But the new year is not far away, and people need to have something to look forward to. Houseboat specialists Kuhnle-Tours have, therefore, come up with the concept of Christmas vouchers, which can be personalised in different designs and denominations. With the voucher in hand, the recipient will be able to do more than just dream about sunny skies; he/she will be able to get the map out, and get planning.

Great Gemütlichkeit: Frankfurt's Christmas variety cruise

If you cannot, however, wait until Spring before taking to the water (see above), then Frankfurt has a seasonal riverboat package for anyone seeking a lively Christmas-themed cruise. Primus Line’s luxury ship Nautilus is hosting ‘Weihnachtissimo!’ which combines a variety show (music, dance, magic and juggling) with a three course meal. The appetizer is waitress-served, while the main course and dessert you choose yourself from the buffet. Most drinks, including mulled wine and sparkling wine, are included in the ticket (€105), as is the performance, of course! Nautilus sets off along the Main from just by the Iron Bridge in downtown Frankfurt at 7.45 every evening until 20th December.

Great Gemütlichkeit: Regensburg's romantic market

Regensburg, of UNESCO World Heritage status and superbly located on the Danube, features the very special Romantic Christmas Market (28 Nov – 23 Dec) in the courtyard of the Thurn and Taxis Palace, where it is lit with thousands of candles, lanterns and torches. Add to that the smell of mulled wine, roasted almonds and Bavarian specialities, and you might find yourself staying longer than intended. The stalls sell traditional hand-made items and Europe’s one and only master craftsman for both ladies’ and men’s hats, Andreas Nuslan, can be found here.  

Great Gemütlichkeit: SouthWest Germany's Xmas treats

Medieval, romantic, half-timbered and very cosy: Christmas markets in SouthWest Germany call for an intensive research trip to explore all things Glühwein and gingerbread. Esslingen, for example, only 15 km from Stuttgart and a delightful town of half-timbered houses provides a perfect setting for a Medieval & Christmas Market (26 Nov - 22 Dec). Stuttgart itself hosts one of Europe’s largest markets (27 Nov - 23 Dec) in front of the Old Palace, while the Advent Market (30 Nov - 23 Dec) in the quaint old town of Gengenbach in the Black Forest is home of the world’s biggest Advent Calendar with one window of the Old Town Hall being opened every day in the run-up to Christmas. If you’re after a truly unusual setting, head down further south in the Black Forest where the Ravenna Gorge Christmas Market stands beneath a railway viaduct at the entrance to the Ravenna Gorge, east of Freiburg. And there's more, with details here.