Christmas markets (Weihnachtsmärkte), Glühwein, sausages, Lebkuchen biscuits, potato cakes, sweets, wooden toys, and music are the highlights of Advent in Germany. In 2021, most markets are scheduled to take place. German Christmas markets (Weihnachtsmärkte) are outdoor markets held in the month leading up to Christmas. The exact composition of Christmas markets varies … [Read more...]
Christmas and Winter Rhine Cruises from Frankfurt and Rüdesheim
Rhine and Main River day-trip pleasure cruise boat excursions are possible during the pre-Christmas advent period from Rüdesheim and Frankfurt. Rhein boats also cruise the Loreley Valley some winter days. Day-trip riverboat cruise excursions on the Rhine are far less common during winter than in summer. However, in winter, KD riverboats often cruise on the Rhine from … [Read more...]
List of Top Ten Best Christmas Markets to Visit in Germany
The list of the top ten best Christmas markets (Weihnachstsmärkte / Christkindlesmarkt) to visit in Germany include Nuremberg, Dresden, Berlin, Frankfurt, Munich, Lübeck, Leipzig, Rothenburg, Cologne, and Dortmund. A selection of the top ten best Christmas markets (Weihnachtsmärkte) to visit in Germany is not easy. Every town in Germany seems to have a Christmas market in … [Read more...]
Best Christmas Markets in Switzerland in 2020
The best Christmas markets (Marché de Noel or Weihnachtsmarkt) to visit in Switzerland usually are in Basel, Bern, Geneva, Montreux, Pilatus, St Gallen, and Zurich. However, in 2020, most were canceled or several in the German-speaking part of the Swiss confederation are planning to remain open. In recent years, many Swiss cities have introduced Christmas markets to bring … [Read more...]
See Schloss and Park Linderhof in Bavaria, Germany
Schloss Linderhof, a fantasy castle of Bavarian King Ludwig, is a small, opulent palace in a park with fountains and grotto near Oberammergau and Ettal in the Alps in Germany. Schloss Linderhof is the smallest of the opulent palaces and castles built by Bavarian Mad King Ludwig II. It is the only one of his fantasy castles that was mostly completed. The more famous … [Read more...]
R301 Transportation to Berlin-Tegel Airport (TXL)
Cheap and Fast Jet Express Bus TXL and X9 to Flughafen Tegel Public transportation is the cheapest and fastest way to Flughafen Berlin-Tegel Airport with JetExpressBus TXL, X9 and 109 running from Mitte, Hauptbahnhof, and Zoologischer Garten areas. NOTE: Berlin Brandenburg International Willy Brandt Airport (BER) will replace Berlin Tegel (TXL) and Berlin … [Read more...]
Visit San Zeno Maggiore Church in Verona, Italy
The large Basilica San Zeno Maggiore is the finest church in Verona and one of the most important Romanesque churches in Northern Italy. San Zeno Maggiore is architecturally the most important church in Verona. This large Romanesque basilica, with cloisters and a separate bell tower, was part of a Benedictine monastery that often housed the German Roman emperors. The … [Read more...]
Visit Aachen Cathedral to See Charlemagne’s Throne and Shrine
The imperial throne and tomb of Charlemagne in a gilded shrine are top attractions to see in the Carolingian Aachener Dom in Germany. Aachen Cathedral (Aachener Dom) is one of the most famous and most interesting historic buildings in Germany. It was originally the palatine chapel of Charlemagne and for almost six centuries the church where German kings were crowned. Much … [Read more...]
Interior of Aachen Cathedral
Aachen Cathedral blends original Carolingian elements with later mostly Gothic decorations and additions as well as modern Byzantine-style mosaics. Aachen Cathedral is one of the shiniest cathedrals in Germany. The interior shows an unusual amount of gold while the Byzantine-style mosaics add color and bling to what is in part a fairly dark building. The core of the cathedral … [Read more...]
The Building and Exterior of Aachen Cathedral
Aachen Cathedral’s core was built by Charlemagne but later additions enlarged the palatine chapel that became the coronation church of German kings. Aachen Cathedral (Aachener Dom) in western Germany is one of the oldest continuously in use buildings in Germany. The octagonal core of the church was built by Charlemagne as a Mary chapel attached to his palace in Aix-la-Chapelle … [Read more...]
See the Gothic Choir of Aachen Cathedral
The choir of the Aachener Dom contains the shrine of Charlemagne, further relics, and magnificent Ottonian and Romanesque art. The magnificent choir area of the Aachen Cathedral in western Germany has the remains of Charlemagne (Karl der Grosse / Charles the Great) in a large gilded early 13th-century shrine (Karlsschrein). The Mary shrine (Marienschrein) from the same era is … [Read more...]
See the Aachen Cathedral Treasury in Germany
The Aachener Domschatz is one of the most important treasuries in Europe with art related to Charlemagne, German royal coronations, liturgy, and relics. The Aachen Cathedral Treasury (Aachener Domschattz) is one of the largest and most important treasuries of medieval Christian artworks in Europe. The treasury has over a hundred works that are exhibited in a large museum … [Read more...]