I went to the velvet cave Christmas Market for a USO trip some time back. It was one of my first…read moreUSO trips and one of my only times in the Netherlands. The town was adorable. Small and quaint with cobble stone streets. But what towns aren't in Europe? The caves were decorated both inside and out. I think that was the coolest part. The market was small, so really the main attraction is the cave.

The Valkenburg Christmas market is held in a labyrinth of caves under the town which sounds unusual…read more& picturesque but it is not that exciting and a little disappointing. There are rather amateurish Christmas scenes of Christmas trees, Santas, elves,etc. with no flair. The theme changes every year. The stalls are unimaginative & some poorly lit. There are some Christmassy bits & pieces and traditional toys but strangely also some household goods. There is no thrill, no magic & little atmosphere. The Gemeentegrot (Municiple cave) was the original market but because of the success has now been extended to the Fluweelengrot (velvet cave) across the road. The caves were made when quarrying for the soft stone over hundreds of years. They also carve the stone into candle holders etc for souvenirs. There is an entrance fee of around £3 for these markets and the queues can be long & disorganised. The caves can get uncomfortably busy, when it isn't a case of stopping to look but to go with the flow. If you really want to shop try to visit when it is a little quieter or at least when all the coaches have gone. Tourist Board is in main square & helpful about parking. Now the town itself is sheer delight. There are masses of wonderful, picturesque restaurants, coffee shops & bars all twinkling with lights & candles. Many have tables & chairs outside, with some kind of heating, and it is lovely to sit people watching, snuggled up with hats & scarves, drinking Glühwein or hot chocolate topped with whipped cream. The food is good and the welcome warm & friendly. There are normally some animated Christmas decorations around the town.

Went here for a day trip out of Cologne, and I didn't think the market was very different from what…read morewas offered in Cologne. I did enjoy the Printen themes though!

We had been to the Christmas market in Aachen about 30 years ago and went back for the first time…read more It has still got it. Around the Dom, Rathaus and Markt are plenty of stalls with food, gluehwein and Christmas merchandise. The size of the market is quite big but it has a good vibe. A nice place to spend 3 hours getting into the Christmas spirit.

The Pützchens Markt is a huge fair that runs for just 5 days beginning on the Friday before the 2nd…read moreweekend in September. It brings together hundreds of stalls where you can play carnival games, enjoy varieties of food (German classics such as Bratwurst and Currywurst, crépes, noodles, waffles and the usual delicious sweets). You'll even find a Bavarian beer hall to help you prep for Oktoberfest. There's a tonne of fun to be had with the many rides as well, ranging from several "house of horrors" to dodgem cars to spinning rides, shooting rides, roller coasters and the carnival classic strap-people-in-then-throw-them-around-and-spin-up-in-the-air craziness. All-in-all a great time for everyone! Weekends are typically crowded, as is the final evening with the fireworks show at 10pm. If you come for the final day (Tuesday), you'll enjoy some great bargains at the dutch-style plant auctions (pick up a bunch of house plants for your entire apartment for just a handful of Euro!). Entrance is free - just pay per ride (typically €2 - €7,50).