Last updated on March 27th, 2023 at 11:24 am
Do you plan on visiting Trier in December? If so, read on to hear all about the Trier Christmas Markets and more interesting things to do.
Trier is located near the Luxembourg border and is the oldest city in Germany. It is situated on the Mosel river and is also known as the ‘Rome of the North’. There are many Roman ruins to be found around the city still.
December is a nice time to visit the city as then you can see the wonderful Trier Christmas Markets as well. They are located in the charming centre of Trier, where you will find Christmas decoration stalls, food stalls, jewellery stalls and much more.
Go To:
- How Long To Spend In Trier?
- Weather in December
- Trier Christmas Markets
- Food and drink at the markets
- More things to do in Trier
- Places to eat & drink
- Where to stay
- Getting around
You may also want to visit Dusseldorf Christmas Markets, check out the details on my post – Dusseldorf Christmas Markets
Or maybe you would like to see what Berlin has to offer? 3 Day Berlin Itinerary: The Best Spots In Berlin
Or take a 7 day road trip: Germany, Austria & Switzerland
How Long To Spend In Trier?
If you are passing by, you can see the city in a day as it is easy to get around and is not the biggest of cities. If you are flying just to visit Trier, I would go for 2 days at least as the airports are a bit of a trek away and it is a lovely city to spend some time taking it in.
Weather in December
The weather in Trier in December is usually quite cold. When I was there, the temperatures hit -4°C and we had some snow fall as well. So be sure to bring your your warm jacket and pants, scarf, gloves and hat.
Trier Christmas Markets
Dates: November 24th to December 22nd 2023
Opening Times: Monday to Saturday 10:30am – 8pm, Sunday 11am to 8pm
The Trier Christmas markets are well worth a visit. They are located on the Hauptmarkt and Domfreihof which are 2 squares located directly beside each other in the centre of Trier.
The first markets you will see are those in the Hauptmarkt where there is a big square filled with timber huts decorated with fairy lights. You will find many food options here and stalls selling Christmas decorations. If you have kids there is a carousel to keep them entertained for a while.
Then you walk up sternstraße where you will find more markets on Domfreihof. Another square filled with various stalls offering festive treats and plenty of Christmas gift ideas. Spend some time strolling around browsing the stalls and soaking in the atmosphere.
Head down to the Kornmarkt after where you will find the ice arena. Maybe you want to do some ice-skating. The price for an adult is €6 plus €5 for rental of the skates, so a total of €11 per person.
Food and drink at the markets
- Flamkucchen – a flatbread with toppings (similar to pizza)
- Churros
- Waffles
- Lebkuchenherzen – gingerbread heart cookies
- Gluhwein – mulled wine
- Bratwurst – a long sausage on a bread roll
- Currywurst – chopped bratwurst in a curry ketchup sauce
- Reibekuchen – hash Brown like Potato Pancakes
More Things To Do In Trier
Visit Some of Trier’s Landmarks
Trier was said to be one of the four capitals of the Roman Empire between the 3rd and 4th century. There are Roman ruins scattered around the city which are worth a visit. The Porta Nigra or black gate was one of the four gates in the wall around the city.
As well as this, there are three Roman Baths located in the city – the Imperial Baths, the Barbara Baths and the Forum Baths. Another 10 minute walk from the imperial baths, you will find the trier amphitheatre used for gladiator fighting in Roman times.
Admire the architecture of the Cathedral of Trier, the Liebfrauenkircke and the Electoral Palace too.
Go Shopping
Trier has a nice variety of shops on some of the main shopping streets – Simeonstraße, Hauptmarkt, Palaststraße, Brotstraße and Fleischstraße. Muller and Woolsworth are two massive shops that have great bargains, especially if you are looking for Christmas presents. Mountain warehouse is another shop that had some great offer for those interested in the outdoors.
Places to Eat & Drink
If you want to get some shelter from the cold, here are some recommendations for food and drink:
- Brasserie zur sim – if you are going here get the flammkuchen, it was very tasty. Vegan and vegetarian options.
- Hans Im Glück – if you are looking for great burgers, eat here. Offers vegan and vegetarian options here too.
- Burger House – if you are looking for more great burgers, eat here. Vegan and vegetarian options.
- Daily Dose – this café is perfect for sandwiches and coffee. They do great paninis and have some vegan bagels.
- Schlabbergass – they offer a nice Guinness as well as other food and drink in a cosy atmosphere (its no pint of Guinness, its only 0.4L, but it’s still nice).
- Taglich – this pub is best for cheap drink, €2.90 for a Jameson, Jack Daniels or Captain Morgan.
Tip: Not all restaurants have English menu’s, so be sure to download the google translate app. This way, you can take a picture of the menu and translate it to English.
Where to Stay
Exquisit Crew Only Loft Apartment
We stayed here and this was a great apartment, right next to the Porta Nigra. Really warm, perfect for a couple. There is a double bed and a fold out bed in the one room. Also there is a nice couch that is comfortable to sleep on. So it would be ideal for a group of 4 friends also.
There is a supermarket straight across the road so perfect if you are on a budget or want to eat in the apartment. We paid €86 per night for the apartment. You can book a room here.
Park Plaza Trier
Located in the city centre and rated very good on booking.com, Park Plaza Trier is a good option if you are looking for a bit more luxury. This 4 star hotel costs roughly €150 per night for a double room.
Getting Around
- The closest airport to trier is Luxembourg Airport, which is about a 35 minute drive or you can get a direct train. The direct train which takes about 45 minutes and costs just €6 one way on the omio app.
- Then Frankfurt Hahn is next closest airport, roughly a 1 hour drive. But public transport is not good from Frankfurt Hahn to trier. So you may have to end up getting a taxi or uber which is about €150 one way.
- When you are in trier centre, all the main attractions are within walking distance.
I hope you enjoyed this post about Trier in December. If you found it helpful, share it with your friends. You can subscribe for the latest posts and information below.
Thanks for reading,
Lisa