A trip to Germany is a must do for me each year just so I can visit various Christmas Markets around the country. I hope this Dusseldorf Christmas Market review helps you make a decision…there are a number of top Christmas Markets in Germany and I’ve visited many of them over the years.
Garrison Keillor once said “A lovely thing about Christmas is that it’s compulsory, like a thunderstorm, and we all go through it together” and while some people avoid Christmas; others embrace it and go wild like a Christmas Tornado…it’s safe to say that I fall into this category.
Where to Stay in Dusseldorf
We booked in to stay at the Intercontinental Hotel in Dusseldorf, a truly stunning however it is located on the most dangerous street in Dusseldorf – Koningsallee; the home of every designer shop that you can imagine!
Through the Ambassador programme we were upgraded to a lovely suite, this particular hotel offers their Ambassadors a two room upgrade which is pretty nice perk. That shower was just pure bliss!
The suite included a balcony which gave us a great view of a Dusseldorf icon.
The hotel is very modernistic in design which fits in well with the city itself. The lobby is bright and airy with the Club Lounge located on the second floor with a lovely area to relax in.
Where to Eat in Dusseldorf
We decided to head out for dinner on the Friday however the many recommendations made by the Concierge were fully booked (a sign of great recommendations so make sure you contact the concierge well in advance of your visit) so we decided to eat at hotel restaurant where they made sure I had great gluten free food.
G said he had the best ice cream, he announced this as he was shoving the last spoonful into his mouth much to my horror!
Located at Konigsallee 44, Leysieffer makes the most delicious looking cakes and chocolates however if you are gluten free then the cake choices are extremely limited, almost nil however I did find a particularly yummy chocolate Mousse which was incredible. No photo was taken as I was scoffing it while taking photos of G’s cake.
Dusseldorf Christmas Market Review
The reason we visited Germany was for the Christmas markets; I decided to go the last weekend in November as when I tend to visit in December, I get stuck in Germany due to bad weather. The Christmas Markets in Germany are the best way to get yourself in the Christmas spirit.
There is so much on offer at the markets including gorgeous candles,
Gigantic biscuits,
Traditional German decorations which can be found at Käthe Wohlfahrt…
…Fun Fairs…
…and then comes the food….gluten free wise there is not a great selection available except for Pomme Frites (hey I love pomme frites so I’m not complaining!). I’m missing my Stollen, so if anyone can recommend where I can find a gluten free stollen please let me know.
And it wouldn’t be a Christmas Market without a Nativity scene.
While Dusseldorf is one of the easiest German Xmas Markets to visit from the UK…it doesn’t have a huge amount of things to do in the city BUT if you love to shop then you’ll love the city.
Cologne is an easy train journey from Dusseldorf, if you want to visit a much bigger and popular German Christmas Market which you could easily do if staying 2 nights in Dusseldorf.
The Dusseldorf Christmas Market is perfect for folks that don’t enjoy big crowds or would just like a quieter German City Break destination in December.
European Christmas Markets: Salzburg, Smaller Christmas Markets in Germany, Vienna, Dresden, Nuremberg and last but not least, my Top 10 tips for Exploring the Christmas Markets!
Dusseldorf Shopping
Dusseldorf has the most incredible shopping with Konigsallee the biggest draw card; set on a beautiful canal with every luxury branded shop a woman could ever dream of…and I did dream. While G was shopping in the Mont Blanc shop we bumped into Paul and Emma and we couldn’t stop playing with them, they were super cute.
We ended up visiting Licht Im Raum which was a very cool light shop however it did feel more like an art gallery. Guess which one I want?
If you love unique jewellery then Galerie Cebra should definitely be on your must visit list when in Dusseldorf. The designs are stylish and there is something for everyone. I may have possibly left with a pair of earrings.
Each day I walked passed this Lady and child; they were always wearing something new.
On my walk around the Christmas Markets I bumped into the Rhine as you do! Hey Rhine!
What to Wear in Germany
A good old pair of Converse sneakers were perfect for walking around the Christmas Markets and then I found the perfect way to keep my tootsies warm during winter – duvet slippers! I’ve written a detailed post on how to keep warm when walking around the German Christmas Markets…learn from mistakes so you don’t freeze to the bone like I have over the years.
Dusseldorf Airport
Dusseldorf Airport Lounge was unfortunately a huge let down, the food was still partly frozen (G pointed this out) and there was no gluten free food items except for a handful of Haribos. Not sure if anyone else finds the airports in Europe a gluten free disaster zone.
xx
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