Freiburg Germany Christmas Market | Don’t Skip This Cozy Black Forest Gem!
Welcome to Freiburg im Breisgau — one of Germany’s most enchanting Christmas markets and a true hidden gem of the Black Forest. We visited the Freiburg Christmas Market with absolutely zero expectations. In this Germany travel vlog, we take you inside one of the most authentic and cozy German Weihnachtsmärkte, a place that quickly became one of our favorite winter destinations in Europe.
Whether you’re planning a trip to Germany, dreaming of visiting a traditional German Christmas market, or simply looking for winter travel inspiration, we hope this video lets you experience the magic of Freiburg at Christmas.
Located on the edge of the Black Forest (Schwarzwald), the Freiburg Weihnachtsmarkt offers a warm, fairytale atmosphere that feels worlds away from the overcrowded tourist markets. Twinkling lights, festive stalls, the scent of roasted nuts and mulled wine, and a relaxed local vibe make this Christmas market feel truly special. We explore multiple market areas, taste traditional Christmas market food, and show you why Freiburg deserves a spot on every Germany winter travel itinerary.
Freiburg is also the perfect base for Christmas market hopping in the Black Forest, Alsace and Switzerland. From here you can easily visit the famous Colmar Christmas Market and Strasbourg Christmas Market in France (both about an hour away), take a free train ride to Basel, Switzerland with your Deutschland Ticket, and even ride the direct shuttle to the magical Ravenna Gorge Christmas Market. Stay in Freiburg, explore more, skip the stress, and save money – hotels here are easier to find and far more affordable than in nearby hotspots like Colmar, Strasbourg, or Basel.
As retired Americans living in Germany, we’ve visited many famous Christmas markets across Europe, but Freiburg surprised us in the best possible way. We honestly didn’t know what to expect — and that’s what made discovering this market so magical. Every moment felt cozy, festive, and unforgettable.
If you want to see how Freiburg compares to the famous Colmar Christmas Market just across the border—and why it’s a totally different experience—watch our Colmar video next. And for even more Germany Christmas markets, don’t miss our guides to Cologne, Strasbourg, and other European Christmas favorites in our Christmas playlist.
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We’re Betty and Lee, a retired American couple living in Germany. We create practical travel guides around Germany and Europe, plus honest insight into expat life and retiring abroad.
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32 Comments
Would you choose cozy Freiburg over the big Christmas markets like Cologne or Strasbourg? And which German Christmas market is your favorite?”
Koln, Strasbourg, and Colmar were just way too busy. The crowds made them hard to enjoy. We all loved BernKastel-Keus. The whole town was a Christmas village.
Thank you for sharing the video!👍
The Christmas Market is truly wonderful.❤
Freiburg looks so cozy and a perfect place to visit Christmas markets. I really want a potato pancake. That looked so delicious. Thank you for the tour and suggestions.
What a beautiful market(s)! The food looks great – especially the potato pancake with garlic sauce. It looks like a great sort of undiscovered town for Christmas Markets. Thanks for showing us this town.
Schupfnudeln: "Bubespitzle": The name comes from the Alemannic language area and refers to the finger-thick, tapered shape of the noodles, which is reminiscent of a boy's penis.
I also like them as a side dish, without cabbage and bacon, with game dishes for example, which are more common in Baden cuisine.
Ah, Germknoedel! (Dampfnudel.) I thought that was only a Salzburg/Tiroler thing. With melted butter. They have the vanilla sauce with the apfelstrudel. Tirolerknoedel is yet another thing in my eyes, a small bread knoedel with speck (bacon) and maybe onions.
Im Südwesten? Dinnele, oder Dinnete, oder Deie im Stuttgarter Raum ist ähnlich dem Flammkuchen, aber der Teig ist anders. 😋
In the southwest? Dinnele, or Dinnete, or Deie in the Stuttgart area is similar to tarte flambée, but the dough is different. 😋
I suppose you mean sautéed onions when you say fried. (crispy) Fried is a source for misunderstanding between English and other Germanic languages. Fried potatoes f.e. Fries or home fries, or like the German fried potatoes you showed, which I agree are delicious. (And why can you never get them at restaurants in USA, except for breakfast. Or boiled!)
I haven't been much to Freiburg, but I remember the little tiny streams
guttersthat run through the streets, easy to slip into, had they covered them for the market?My hometown ❤
Good evening Betty and Lee. I am glad you found the way to Freiburg a really nice university city. You will surely enjoy it in spring and summer too. There are also lovely towns up in the black forest. Try the blackforestline and the Triberg waterfalls under. Don't miss the Bergbahn to the Belchen when nice weather you will have a stunning view across the Rhine valley to the french Vogesen mountains. Nice hiking area the black forest and not far from Freiburg 😊. Have a merry Christmas both and your whole family in US.. and hope your cold gets better.
This really captures why smaller Christmas markets feel so special. Freiburg looks incredibly cozy.
Thanks so much for another great one!
Excellent my friends have the best weekend enjoy the holidays 👍👍🎁🎁🎉🎉👌
Another great video! We always wonder where you put all that food. 🙂 We hope you share it fairly. We wish you both and your family in the States a wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year. See you soon…Jutta und Frank aus Aachen
Beautiful video 👍 I love Freiburg, it's my second home ❤️❤️ have a nice time 👍👍
Let me give you a tip. Try potato Pancakes (Pfannkuchen) *hast super ausgesprochen*👍in the Rhineland style, with salmon, parsley and remoulade sauce 😉 They're really delicious.
Looks really lovely! Kartoffelpuffers sound delicious!
Just got back from a small-ish cozy Christmas market on an estate (Gut) near Augsburg to find your video. Freiburg looks amazing. I really prefer Christmas markets in mid-sized cities and smaller historic towns that are not quite as famous. Much more authentic and prices for food and drinks are not as crazy. Thank goodness I had a delicious „Rote“ (Red bratwurst), potato pancakes and Kokoswürfel (chewy gooey coconut candy) – all my favorite Christmas market staples – and was beyond full before watching your video. Really looks like you sampled almost every food option available – I‘m deeply impressed 😂. Thanks for another great video and have a wonderful Christmas both of you! Hope your cholesterol levels will get the chance to go back to normal starting January 😉
Amazing market, yes. Never have been there, but I put it on my list for next season. BTW… why am I not surprised, that you're eating yourself through this place again. 😆🤓 Very efficient!
Beautiful Christmas market and original German schwabian food. Btw I'm born not far away from Freiburg. Now living near Heidelberg. Thanks for sharing,
Merry Christmas ❤❤✨💖💖
Beautiful Christmas market without a doubt. I visited Freiburg for the very first time a few months ago and really enjoyed it. The Christmas market there looks cozy and festive, and is now placed on our Christmas markets to visit. This was the first time that I saw pizza at a Christmas market, lol. It is great to know that a lot of the stands are accepting cards, which is liberating. It was great seeing you and Betty together i the video :). I want to eat ALL of the food at the Christmas market, lol!!
I‘m glad you enjoyed your stay in „our“ town of Freiburg. I’m glad you got the bells from the Münster at two spots in the video.
Sadly, Chirstmas markets are all very overpriced! Portions are getting smaller and prices keep going up!
This positive review does not take any German by surprise. Happy for you that you made your way to Freiburg and greetings from there :)!
Freiburg is a very cozy City where I was also several times. It's well decorated in Christmas time and for me I did eat the Kartoffelpuffer and the Lange Rote with Onions… this is what I also prefer at Trier Christmas Market. The prices at the last Christmas Market are really affordable. The others are normal prices in my Opinion. You did again a very informative Video. 👍🏼🫶🏼
So much food. Just got back from Freiburg last week. Was hoping to see more stalls for people to shop at. We got great food on our cruise ship. Didn’t have much room left for food at the market.
I like the Schupfnudeln mit Sauerkraut und Speckwürfel 🤤
Awesome video ! I love it so much . Thank you for sharing it with pleasure ….!!!
What a Great Video. Top Images. Thank you so mutch. Greeting from north rhine westphalia. Come to us : the Area called Sauerland. The Home of 1000 🏔️ & 🎄🎄🎄🎄 in Winterberg All the best.
Went to Freiburg in the summer by train from our location in the Black Forest LAKE TITISEE-NEUSTADT, it was beautiful in the summer, I can only imagine during Christmas!