Monschau Christmas Market

A Magical Experience: Exploring Monschau Christmas Market with Kids!

The Christmas season is here and with it comes the joy of festive markets, full of lights, sounds, and smells. One of the most magical places for this is the Monschau Christmas market in Germany. It’s the perfect place to take your family for a holiday adventure, and especially for kids, there’s plenty to explore, from the carousel to the glass-making demonstration and the Christmas market… Read on for practical tips to plan ahead your visit to the Christmas market in Monschau with kids

When: last week of November – last Sunday before Christmas
Fridays and Saturdays 11.00-21.00, Sundays 11.00-20.00
(exact days to be announced)

Here’s a (very) short video to get an idea of what it’s like

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Monschau Christmas Market – for details see link in bio! #monschau #christmasmarket #travelingwithkids #familytravel

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Tip
A Family’s Guide To Christmas Markets: Tips on planning your visit with kids
The following tips will help you know what to expect and to plan ahead your Christmas market experience with kids

Monschau Christmas Market

The beautiful Monschau Christmas Market is located in the small town of Monschau, Germany. It’s one of the most popular Christmas markets in the area, and it takes place every year during Advent (the four weeks leading to Christmas). The market is surrounded by ancient, half-timbered houses, cobbled streets, and the impressive Monschau Castle. The whole place is lit up with Christmas lights and decorations, and the atmosphere is magical.

The Monschau Christmas Market attracts both locals and visitors from all over the world, and it’s the perfect place for a weekend with the family. There’s something for everyone, from the carousel and glass-making demonstrations, to the delicious food and festive atmosphere for the adults

Tip
The Christmas market in Monschau is open only on Friday, Saturday and Sunday!

What to See at Monschau Christmas Market

Monschau Christmas Market

You can’t help but be amazed by the sheer beauty of the Monschau Christmas Market. The main Christmas market is at Marktplatz (the main square of the town). There are also several “Christmas pockets” around the town. The town is full of stalls selling traditional German Christmas decorations, handmade candles and wooden toys, handmade jewelry and pottery, and local specialties like Bratwurst and Glühwein. You can also find a range of international culinary delights, from Italian pasta to French crepes. The market is also home to local artisans, selling everything from leather goods to glassware

The main market at the central square is also a great place to take the kids, with its colorful stalls and the carousels. It’s the perfect place to spend a fun-filled family day out

Museum Rotes Haus

The Museum Rotes Haus Monschau (Red House Museum in German) offers a window to the bourgeois life of the cloth manufacturer Johann Heinrich Scheible. It was a trading center with an office, warehouse and wool laundry. A clear sign of his success. The museum is open 01.4-30.11, so if you are visiting for the Christmas market, there is a good chance it will be temporarily closed. Next to Rotes Haus you will find one of the most iconic views of Monschau

At the back of the photo you can see Haller-Ruine, the ruins of the old tower of Monschau

Don’t forget to snap a photo! Also check the Sherlock Holmes statue at the corner (it is made by Peter Sussner, see more about the artist right below)

Monschau Burg

The Monschau castle is visible from the other side of Rotes Haus. Today it is a youth hostel and it hosts concerts and operas in the summer

Angel Statues

At one of the “Christmas pockets” you can find Peter Sussner making these beautiful angel statues. Take a photo between the two angels and speak with the artist. He loves his work so much and he is such a warm and funny person

PS: Make sure you take a look at the back side of the angels to see who has ordered 🙂 Spoiler: looks like Elon Musk and many more are fans!

What to Eat at Monschau Christmas Market

The Monschau Christmas Market is a great place to sample some of the local culinary delights. Traditional German dishes like Bratwurst (sausage), Kartoffelsalat (poato salad), and Reibekuchen (potato pancake) are all available, as well as international dishes like French crepes. Monschau also produces its own mustard at mustard at Senfmühle (Mustard Mill), where the 5th and 6th generation of owners is producing it in a similar way as their ancestors

There’s also a range of festive sweets and treats, from Lebkuchen (a honey-sweetened German cookie) to hot chocolate and mulled wine. Aachener Printen are a type of Lebkuchen that are made in Aachen and Monschau has its own version, Monschauer Printen. Do not forget to taste some local delicacies like Dütchen (cream filled biscuit cones) and Vennbrocken (pralines)

The best stall to eat something quick at the Christmas market in Monschau and where people are always queueing is just a few minutes away from the main Christmas market at Marktplatz. Here is the exact spot:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/ykn8UQ3RCCYcq73r6

We have tried several restaurants throughout the years. We especially liked the restaurant at the other opposite side of the Rur river to Rotes Haus. If the weather is good, the view is excellent. It is also centrally located to spend the night
Hotel HORCHEM & BRAUKELLER Monschau
Rurstraße 14, 52156 Monschau, Germany

Shopping at the Christmas Market

The market is a great place to pick up some unique gifts and souvenirs. There are stalls selling traditional German decorations, handmade jewelry and pottery, and local specialties like Bratwurst and Glühwein. You can also find a range of international culinary delights, from Swiss tartiflette to French crepes

Very close to Marktplatz you will find Weihnachtshaus (Christmas house in German). There you can shop everything related to Christmas all year round
Markt 6, 52156 Monschau, Germany

Watching the Art of Glass Making

On your way to the main Christmas market you pass by a vintage handmade market and Glashütte (glasshouse). This indoor market is vintage – not necessarily in a good way. Be warned that this is not ideal for toddlers, as there are glass works and more fragile items at the handmade market – but the glass-making demonstration makes it a worthwhile short stop with older kids. There is a small café/restaurant too inside

The market features a glass-making demonstration, where kids can also help with making a glass ball for a small fee. The demonstration is run by experienced artisans, who show the basics of glass-making and the kid can help create their own unique piece. It’s the perfect way to get creative and take home a special souvenir from your trip

Tip
Photos of the glass-making demonstration are not allowed, so there is no photo for this section of the post

What to Do with Kids: Erlebnis Museum

Right next to the vintage handmade market mentioned above you will find the Erlebnis Museum. This is a museum with over 1,000 specimens of taxodermy, so it could make for a short visit in combination with the handmade market, as they are next to each other. It is also good value for money

What to Do with Kids: Carousel

One of the highlights of the Monschau Christmas Market is the antique carousel. It’s a great way for the kids to have some fun and get into the festive spirit. The carousel turns slowly, so it is great for kids

Tip
Be very careful with estimating your toddler’s ability to stay on the carousel even though it turns slowly and it seems relatively safe. A toddler can still decide they want to get off the turning carousel immediately and without a warning and fall (ask me how I know..)

Making Memories at Monschau Christmas Market

The Monschau Christmas Market is the perfect place to make some special holiday memories with your family. From the carousel and the iconic views, to the delicious food and festive atmosphere for the adults, it’s the perfect place to celebrate the holiday season. So why not make your next family holiday a magical experience and explore the Monschau Christmas Market with kids!

Practical stuff

*When: 25.11-18.12.2022 Friday to Sunday
Fridays and Saturdays 11.00-21.00, Sundays 11.00-20.00
*Every Saturday Nikolaus visits the Monschau Christmas market!
*Cost: Free entrance
*There is a carousel and stalls at the central square, a few small Christmas pockets around the town as well
*You can find more info on the official site of the Christmas market here

How to get to Monschau

Reaching Monschau by train

There is no train station in Monschau. The closest you can get by train is either Aachen in Germany or Eupen on the Belgian side. From there you need to take a bus to Monschau

Reaching Monschau by bus

If you want to use public transport, then you can either get to the train station in Aachen or Eupen (on the Belgian side), then take a bus to Monschau

Reaching Monschau by car

If you drive to the entry point of Monschau, you will redirected to the nearest parking place. There are several parking places. If the first one is full, then you need to drive a bit further until you reach one with a place to park. See more details right below

Parking at Monschau during Christmas Market

The last few years you can only park at specific places and take the shuttle to the Christmas market. The market is not easy to get to, as you have to park at one of the available parking places and then take a shuttle to get to the town. The official website says that the shuttle runs every 10 minutes, the driver told us every 15 minutes and in reality it was more like 20 miutes and the crowds were piling. About half of the people waiting to leave did not manage to get in the shuttle

VIsiting Monschau was easier when we could park closer to the town center and definitely a lot easier before we had kids. As you can imagine, waiting in the cold to get the shuttle at the end of the day is quite difficult with young kids. If you are planning on visiting the Monschau Christmas market with kids, then it might be a good idea to dress warmly and try to leave a bit earlier to avoid the crowds. Although we really love the picturesque little town and we have been visiting every year for the last 10 years (except 2021 when it was canceled), unfortunately it is not very well organized in this aspect

See the map for parking places here

Aachen or Monschau Christmas Market with Kids?

Deciding between Aachen Christmas Market and Monschau Christmas Market for a festive family holiday can be tricky. Ideally you would do both over a weekend, since they are located so close to one another. But what if you can only visit one of the two?

While both markets offer a wonderful selection of Christmas delights, Aachen has a few advantages when it comes to traveling with kids

First, Aachen is more organized and less crowded than Monschau. This means kids have more room to move around and explore. In Monschau you can park at one of the parkings available and take the shuttle to the center of the town. It is important to realize that this arrangement is not ideal especially when you want to leave. The kids are tired after a long day and having to wait in the cold to take the shuttle is really too much with young kids. There are also more things to do with kids in Aachen, such as the Aachen zoo and carousels. Aachen also has more accommodation options and is closer to other attractions, like the Aachen Cathedral. All things considered, if you’re looking for a more family-friendly option, Aachen Christmas Market is the perfect choice

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A Family’s Guide To Christmas Markets: Tips on planning your visit with kids
The following tips will help you know what to expect and to plan ahead your Christmas market experience with kids

Aachen Christmas market is one of our favorite ones! Ideally you would do both Aachen and Monschau Christmas markets during a weekend. However, if you have to choose which of the two to go for, we’ve got you covered – check Aachen or Monschau Chrismas market with kids? You will find lots of practical details to plan ahead and activities to do with kids in our Aachen Christmas market guide!

Aachen is only 40 minutes away from Monschau by car or one hour 15 minutes by bus

Aachen is only 40 minutes away from Monschau by car or one hour 15 minutes by bus

Cologne Christmas market is about 1.5 hour away by car

Here is all you need to know to plan ahead your visit with kids at the Dusseldorf Christmas market – practical tips, photos and a video

Dusseldorf is about 1.5 hour away by car

Christmas markets are the perfect way to get into the holiday spirit. From twinkling lights to delicious treats, there’s something for everyone to enjoy. But when you’re travelling with children, it can be hard to know which markets are the best – and which ones make the most sense for your family. So, here are the 10 best Christmas markets near Brussels to visit with kids and practical tips to plan ahead

Monschau is one of the best Christmas markets in Europe. Check the post to see more Christmas markets in Europe and get inspired!

Weisser Stein is a great place for family fun in snow with a great slope for skiing and sledding, a small playground, a restaurant and a forest to enjoy nature even more. It is about 30 minutes drive from Monschau

Here are practical tips, kids friendly restaurants, playgrounds and activities to make the most out of your family visit at Hautes Fagnes. Hautes Fagnes is about 20 minutes away from Monschau

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