Cities across Europe hold Christmas Markets every year – with tens of millions of people descending on city centres across the continent.
However, perhaps nowhere takes it more seriously than Cologne, with the German city’s Christmas attractions bringing more than four million visitors into the city in the run up to December 25.
The city – named one of the ‘best’ in the world to visit at Christmas by Conde Nast Traveller – hosted its first Christmas Market all the way back in 1820, however more than two centuries on there are a sprawling array of them held across the city.
These include the huge market outside Cologne Cathedral, which boasts a towering Christmas tree and a stage programme featuring more than 100 free events.
Visitors to the market can also browse ‘selected handicrafts and organic culinary delicacies’ – according to the city’s tourism website.
Elsewhere, visitors can sample the more than 70 stalls at the Cologne Harbour Christmas Market.
Sitting next to the River Rhine and the city’s Chocolate Museum, the market also offers the chance to sit and sample a hot mulled wine on a wooden three-masted ship.
The site also boasts a 157-feet tall ferris wheel offering views over the rest of Cologne.
In the Old Town, visitors can take in the Heinzels Winter Fairytale, which has themed alleys and presentations, as well as an ice rink on the Heumarkt.
Over on the Rudolfplatz, visitors can take in the Nikolausdorf (Village of St Nicholas) with its ‘cosy village lanes’ and the chance to drink from a Nicholas Boot Mug.
On the Neumarkt, visitors can experience the Market of Angels – which includes stalls selling oysters and truffles as well as ‘illuminated mythical creatures on stilts and magical angels’.
If all this sounds slightly overwhelming, then the inner courtyard of the Kartäuser Church boasts ‘the smallest Christmas market in the city’.
This offers ‘hot mulled wine, cool Gaffel Kölsch beer, a changing range of food and evening live music by great Cologne bands’.
Other Christmas events and markets also take place throughout the city, with most running until Monday, December 23 this year.
Flights fly directly to Cologne Bonn Airport from UK airports including Heathrow, Manchester and Bristol. Â