Tuesday, December 22, 2015

Nuremberg - The Nurnberger Christkindlesmarkt



The Christmas Marts at Nuremberg were just listed by
CNN as one of the top 15 places to go to celebrate Christmas,
and we are here!  This city pulls in over 2 million visitors for
this event each year.  

One of the celebrated centerpieces is their two story old
fashioned carousel in the children's section.


Nuremberg is a very old city, first being mentioned in records
in 1050 AD, and it was the center of the German Renaissance,
so there are beautiful old buildings, churches and a castle to visit here.



Much of Nuremberg was bombed during WWII, so much of it
has been rebuilt, and it is a quaint and varied cobblestoned city.




Nuremberg has a Christmas Market Council, that 
according to CNN, makes sure that "only traditional handmade
toys and holiday goods are sold." in their red stripe canopied
stalls.  We had just experienced a few blocks of stalls in
Paris on Champs Elysees, and although they were charming
and varied stalls, many looking like Swiss Chalets, the goods
they had to offer seemed pretty cheap.

Here, there are so may stalls and we have had two days
of sampling our way through them - the food ones,
that is!


These are chocolates - coated with cocoa powder to look
like rusty tools.  Hubby wouldn't believe us that these were actually 
chocolates!

We were super healthy today - we ate
11 mini meals - or let's just say we grazed all day long!!

The top left photo is the famous Nuremberger Bratwurst
with three little tiny sausages put in a hard bun.  They
have mustard available if you like.  It is hot and delicious
on a cold day.

We visited churches, saw ornaments galore, rode in what
was like a royal carriage around town - they blew the trumpet
every so often and people waved at us as we drove by.

We shopped and shopped and took pictures, and ate some more.



The St. Lawrence church was rebuilt after WWII bombings and
is just stunning.  We spent a long time in there, enjoying the beauty
and handiwork of those who have gone before.



I could just fill my suitcase with so many tempting things.


I loved the way they hung ornaments to show them off.


The architecture is so quaint and varied.  It makes for
a very charming city.




They decorate with fresh trees everywhere, inside and
outside.  There are fresh trees along sidewalks.  It is just
so charming.

We also enjoyed incredible meals.  We asked the staff at
the hotel for a recommendation.  We did this everywhere,
asking locals for a recommendation and felt we had a
huge treat every time.


This was the Heilig Crist Spital Restaurant, located here - 


just above the water - how charming.





 It was up a grand stone staircase, and
inside it looked like a royal hunting lodge all decked
out for Christmas.  Truly charming.  I went back
the next day to get some photos as it was dark
and packed with people at night.


They had some Christmas features, so we tried some.  This
was a fried Camembert cheese with cranberry whipped cream.
I would never have thought of pairing the two, but it was amazing.



 This is a cheesy spaetzle dish is also off the
Christmas menu. It was
like a macaroni and cheese dish but with spaetzle.  We also enjoyed
a tomato orange soup that was marvelous.  It had some Christmas
spices in it, like clove and cinnamon.  We had beef in a gingerbread
sauce and a pork roast with a huge dumpling. 


This was a gingerbread souffle with walnut ice cream that
we had at another restaurant.  The food here has been
amazing.


 Although this may look like more food, this is actually
a miniature that I had to purchase from a charming
shop owner.  The stores in Nuremberg are as amazing
as the Christmas Mart, and we have had a lot of fun
in the stores too.  

I have always wanted to go to Germany.  My  great grandfather
was from this Bavarian region of Germany, and I can see
why they moved to Wisconsin, as driving along the highway
it looked very much like driving along the highways in 
Wisconsin, except for the red tiled roof villages everywhere.


Der Beck was our favorite bakery. This chocolate covered
croissant was also filled with loads of chocolate.

We tried all kinds of treats, every day, but split them five
ways, which made us able to really taste our way through
the marts.


Another favorite -Kusses - huge creamy marshmallow
kisses with a cookie bottom.


What a treat Nuremberg has been, and the weather
has been in the high 40's and low 50's with just
a little drizzle today.  I couldn't ask for nicer
weather, as everyone is getting dumped on
with snow at home.


Jacqueline
Jacqueline

Chocolat - French for Chocolate. I adored chocolate from a young age when I had to sneak in the cupboard to find where my mother had hidden the Nestle's Chocolate Chips. Having read about the famous chocolat shoppes in Paris, when I finally got there I was determined to try a chocolate from every Paris shoppe. I invite you to share my adventures in creating, in travel, and in life.

4 comments:


  1. Merry Merry Christmas love Ria ❤️❤️❤️

    ReplyDelete
  2. You are seeing and doing so much! Love the mini:)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Such a lovely adventure. thanks again for taking us along on your beautiful tour of Germany. The chocolates are amazing as is the shopping. I am sure we will be seeing some fabulous new finds when you return. Merry Christmas.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Jackie,
    Don't you LOVE Christmas in Germany?? Isn't it such a joyful spirit at the the markets?? I don't know why we don't do them like that here in the states... Such fun it would be! We are planning to go to Germany again this Christmas, it will be so wonderful with the youngest grand at 18 months old! I am leaving in a week to be there, actually! Son inlaw has a 3 week class so I get to spend a month there with Daughter 1 and the Grandgirls! I'm so excited to go again. Hope all is well, glad you loved your Christmas vacay!
    Hugs,
    Betsy

    ReplyDelete

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