travel tips
9flats top tips: November festivals in Germany and the Netherlands
And we’re back. Today, as promised, we’ll be sharing our European top tips for November with you.
By this time of the year, temperatures will definitely have dropped a few degrees, our warm and woolly winter clothes will no longer be waiting in the back of our closets and the idea of staying in for a night with a cup of hot chocolate and our favourite type of Christmas treat won’t seem that bad at all. But you know what, enjoying that cup of hot chocolate and the accompanying biscuits will feel much better after having enjoyed a bit of the frosty winter weather outside and thanks to this 9flats Top Tip guide, you won’t have any problem finding the right thing to in November. Our two suggested destinations for your November trips are The Netherlands and Germany.
Mid November: Celebrating Sinterklaas in The Netherlands
Sinterklaas, photo by faceme
The story goes like this; two weeks before his officially celebrated Feast day, Sinterklaas (Saint Nicholas) arrives in The Netherlands by boat from his home in Spain. Accompanied by his white horse and his helpers the Zwarte Pieten (Black Peters), his arrival signifies the start of the holiday season. Each year, he arrives in a different city and from there, makes his way to the main Catholic church in Amsterdam, the St Nicolaas Kerk. In Amsterdam, Sinterklaas’ journey becomes a procession and a real spectacle. It is estimated that about 300.000 children per year join and follow him all the way through town until they all reach the church. This fabulous inauguration procession is broadcast live and really shouldn’t be missed.
Here’s a selection of our favourite Amsterdam 9flats that we’ve picked out for you especially for this occasion. As with our previous post, and with all future 9flats Top Tip posts, simply click on the image for more information about the flats.
Amsterdam: beautiful master bedroom
Amsterdam: flat in hip area of town
Late November-End of December: Christmas Markets in Germany
Parallel to the inauguration festivities in Amsterdam, pre-Christmas traditions are also being celebrated in Germany. Here, it is the history of wonderfully decorated, warm, colorful and fattening Christmas markets that attract the masses. With roughly 2500 markets set up and run each year there really is an incredibly huge selection to pick from which is why we’ve prepared a collection of very special Top Tip Christmas markets and hope to make your decision easier.
Weihnachtsmarkt, photo by rene-germany
The Nürnberger Christkindelmarkt
This is the most well known Christmas market in the world and as such attracts more than 2 million visitors a year. It’s a combination of both the delicious wide range of food and drink on offer and the lovely historic center of Nürnberg surrounding the market that make it as special as it is. It is strongly recommended to visit the market on a weekday, as this makes it far easier to really pick up on all the small decorative details that are lost to your eyes amidst the big weekend crowds.
The Münchner Weihnachtsmarkt
Located directly infront of the Rathaus building on the historic and world renowned Marienplatz, this German Christmas market is another worthwhile highlight for you to make a note of in your diary. When you go, make sure to taste the traditional Bavarian Dampfnudeln they prepare there and slowly wander around the many stalls, admiring gorgeous glass and crystal Christmas tree decorations, handmade candles, hand-carved wooden figurines and much more.
The Bamberger Weihnachtsmarkt
Our third and last Top Tip for German Christmas markets is the Bamberger Weihnachtsmarkt. Set up in the middle of this city’s world heritage historic center, this is a rather more calm and silent Christmas market which nonetheless also attracts a considerable amount of guests each year. Its main highlight are the fir tree decorated rooftops on the two main wooden huts which protect guests, food and drinks from snow and rain. A further speciality of this market is the white mulled wine made from white Riesling and traditional mulled wine spices.
Here are our 9flats Top Tips for you to consider when planning a trip to Germany in November.
Nürnberg: Groud floor apartment decorated with much love and attention to details with a south facing wooden garden terrace.
Bamberg: quiet, fully equipped flat in ‘the garden city’
Munich: quiet room in the heart of town
Again, we hope this post has given you inspiration for your next little trip. We’ll be back tomorrow with more Top Tips.