Leipzig Christmas market dates all the way back to 1458. Open from November 28 through December 23, its six areas are set in chime with the fascinating historical scenery of the Leipzig city centre. With more than 250 twinkling stalls embedded harmoniously in the historic centre, Leipzig Christmas market is not only one of the oldest but also one of the most popular and largest Christmas markets in Germany. Visitors are offered a multitude of festive delights; they can indulge in numerous culinary specialties or explore the city’s traditional medieval market.

Traditionally, the main area of the Christmas market is Marktplatz (market square) where visitors can marvel at a Saxon spruce Christmas tree of at least 20 metres height, and enjoy a wide variety of performances at the market square stage. On Augustusplatz square a 38-metre-high Ferris wheel offers seasonal views from a lofty height. The Finnish village on Augustusplatz has become a classic over the years. The enticing scent of smoked salmon and fruity Glögi – a mulled wine made from berries – draws visitors to the Scandinavian tents and stalls.

Leipzig Christmas market is also valued for the many pleasures it holds for children. Be it the Fairy Tale Forest in front of Leipzig Opera House with its many scenes from various fairy tales or the market square stage where kids can meet Santa Clause for a chat, little visitors will definitely enjoy being here. At Café Zimtstern, they can even try their luck at Christmas cookie-baking. As for grown-ups, there is a wide variety of traditional handcrafts and local food on sale. The historical Christmas market of “Ancient Leipzig“ at the Naschmarkt square entices visitors with local traditional crafts and art, such as candle makers or artisan blacksmiths, as well as medieval specialties like mead, hot punch or the popular Handbrot, a whole wheat bread with a gooey cheese and – if desired – bacon inside which is then baked in a wood-fired oven and then slathered with crème fraîche and sprinkled with chives.

Dainties such as oven-fresh pretzels, Pulsnitz gingerbread or the very popular red wine punch invite visitors to stay just a little bit longer. Other main attractions include handcrafted Christmas decorations from the nearby Erzgebirge (Ore Mountains) or a large selection of toys, earthenware or herbs. After all, Saxony is the home of Christmas.

Opening hours:

Sunday-Thursday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Friday-Saturday from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

on December 3 and 17 the shops in the city centre will be open for Sunday shopping from 1 pm until 6pm

Christmas Carols and Concerts

In Leipzig, the City of Music, the Christmas season will be accompanied by many cultural events and concerts. Visitors may not want to miss the traditional performance of the trombonists staged at the balcony of the Old Town Hall (Mon-Fri at 6 p.m.) overlooking the Leipzig Christmas market, or the festive Christmas concerts with St. Thomas Boys Choir in St. Thomas Church. For the Christmas Oratorio with St. Thomas Boys Choir and the Gewandhaus Orchestra from 15-17 December 2017, advance booking is recommended. www.gewandhausorchester.de; www.thomaskirche.org

Christmas time is family time, too, so the Leipzig Opera and the Musical Comedy Theatre offer a calendar full of works for young and old during Advent season – from a Christmas soiree to performances of Tschaikowsky’s Nutcracker by the Leipzig Ballet and “Hänsel & Gretel” by Engelbert Humperdinck to the Cinderella story both as a ballet (“Aschenputtel” by Johann Strauss at the Musical Comedy Theatre”) and as an opera (“La Cenerentola” by Giaccomo Rossini). www.oper-leipzig.de

Alternative Christmas markets at Connewitzer Kreuz and Kunstkraftwerk Leipzig

The popular Christmas market at WERK 2 in the alternative neighbourhood of Connewitz features crafts, creative gift ideas and special snacks – without the typical hustle and bustle but in a relaxed atmosphere within the halls and the courtyard of the cultural factory. The range of merchants covers traditional crafts, ceramics, self-designed commodity items, fashion, accessories, candles, soap bars and jewellery as well as graphic arts and calendars. www.werk-2.de

Leipzig’s latest hotspot, the Kunstkraftwerk Leipzig, will again be organizing an international Christmas market. The old power plant in Plagwitz has been converted to an experimental factory for art, illusion, culture, design, communication, and happenings and opened in 2016. For more information, please check out: www.kunstkraftwerk-leipzig.com

Christmas in the Leipzig Region

In the towns and villages around Leipzig, you can rediscover the charm and nostalgia of an “olde time Christmas” and enjoy the wintry landscape. Whether a horse carriage ride in Döbeln, the lovely Christmas market of the old manor Kahnsdorf, organ music with candlelight in a local church or a spa treatment with gingerbread peeling in the Saxon Heathland – you will be spoilt for choice. Trebsen Castle even hosts a festive 5-course banquet with Christmas songs and lute music.

Christmas concerts and performances (Selection)

St. Thomas Church

·         J. S. Bach: Christmas Oratorio with the St. Thomas Boys Choir & the Gewandhaus Orchestra, 15-17 December 2017

·         A Night of Christmas Carols with the St. Thomas Boys Choir, 20-22 December 2017

·         J. S. Bach: Christmas Oratorio with the Leipziger Vocalensemble, 8/9 December 2017

·         Christmas concert “In nativitate Domini – Vocal Christmas music from the Middle Age and Renaissance“ with Leipzig’s vocal ensemble amarcord, 19 December 2017

www.thomaskirche.org

Leipzig Gewandhaus

·         Advent concert with the Gewandhaus children’s choir, 9/10 December 2017

·         Charity Concert Christmas Oratorio with the Gewandhaus Choir & camerata lipsiensis, 9 December 2017

·         Advent Organ Hour, 9/16/23 December 2017

·         Sixth Miners’ Christmas Concert with the Schneeberg Miners’ Parade, 16 December 2017

·         Christmas Concert of the Gewandhaus choirs, 17 December 2017

www.gewandhausorchester.de

Leipzig Opera

·         E. Humperdinck: Hansel und Gretel , 10/12/21 December 2017

·         P. Tschaikowski: The Nutcracker, ballet, 1/5/6/18/19/20/23/25 December 2017

·         Christmas soiree, 17 December 2017

www.oper-leipzig.de

Musikalische Komödie (Musical Comedy Theatre)

·         J. Strauss/G. Rossini “Aschenputtel” (Cinderella), dance theatre, 9/10/29 December 2017

·         F. Baum “The Wizard of Oz”, musical (sung in German), 1-3/5/21-23/25 December 2017

www.oper-leipzig.de

St. Nicholas Church

·         J. S. Bach: Cantatas BWV 61, Magnificat with the Leipzig BachChor and the Leipziger Festivalorchester, 2 December 2017

·         J. S. Bach: Christmas Oratorio with the Leipzig BachChor and the Leipziger Festivalorchester, 16/17 December 2017

·         Advent Music with the trombone choir and community choir of St. Nicholas, 15 December 2017

www.nikolaikirche.de

Information, travel offers, room reservations:

Leipzig Tourismus und Marketing GmbH, Tourist-Information, Katharinenstr. 8, 04109 Leipzig, Tel.: +49 341 7104-260, info@ltm-leipzig.de, www.leipzig.travel

Photo: Leipzig Christmas market - Old City Hall, © Andreas Schmidt