Stepping into the beautiful old town of Idstein always feels like a mini-vacation or perhaps that I am walking into a movie set. The Christmas Market is held for only 3 days, so I knew that I could not miss to see what this picturesque town looks like with a splash of Christmas on it!
Last time I was in Idstein, it was shortly after Halloween and I went up the Witches Tower alone! Now the pumpkins have been swapped with Christmas trees and the hanging ghosts are now red shiny balls.
The market is located in the old town square and it spreads out on a few small cobble streets that surround the center. Every market has its’ own character and this one seemed to focus on enjoying comfort food while taking in the charm of the old town.
There were so many delicious options and everyone seemed to be eating! This is a small market but with the many vendor options there were no long lines for the food and drinks. The food that we saw was all very tempting warm Christmas fest food. They had thick stews, hot dogs, steaks and fresh baked breads.
I saw some great shopping stalls, while the stores were open and were very busy. The shopping stalls had mostly modern goods for sale compared to other markets I have recently been to. I think it is great to have this variety among the Christmas Markets because some might prefer modern gifts while others enjoy handmade ones.
The Idstein Market had two big rides for kids to go on, which of course we went on both about 3 times each! Both were fast with fun music and of course every time she went by on the train we had to high-five!
They had a living nativity scene set up! They encourage you to come into the manger and you can also touch the feathers on the wings of the beautiful angel. The shepherd even had real sheep and donkeys you can pet.
We went on some fun rides, had a nice walk through the old town and also bought a few goodies to take home. So it was time to leave this enchanting town. I love how you actually enter and leave through the archway of a tower!
The sights and the smells of this yummy fest gave us a craving for some Christmas comfort food! So we went home and made gingerbread men, just like we saw at the market!
Granted, ours didn’t turn out as pretty as theirs, but they sure tasted good! Here is a link to the recipe we used: http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/1031634/german-gingerbread-lebkuchen
Author’s Profile: Gemma is a mom, a veteran and an Army civilian living in Wiesbaden, Germany. With New Jersey roots, she is enjoying her extended European vacation.
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