Getty Images/Juergen Sack
Some have described Christmas at Lüneburg as a fairy tale come to life. With all the romance of a Brothers Grimm’s fantasy, Lüneburg attracts thousands of holiday tourists every year. And no wonder, this Hanseatic town south of Hamburg perfectly captures the romance Europe is so famous for.
In the run up to Christmas, fairy lights begin their magical twinkle, blinking their eyes from around the gabled rooftops and baroque facades of lower Saxony. Medieval churches and modern institutions surround the plazas upon which market vendors sell their wares everything from hot chestnuts, to German bratwurst and Glühwein (mulled wine). A great wreath is hung up on the town’s water tower, a communal reminder of the upcoming merriment that succeeds the contemplative season of Advent.