Christmas Market Nuremberg: Culinary Tour & Traditions

Two hours tasting gingerbread, sausages, mulled wine and the stories behind them

A two-hour guided food tour through Nuremberg's Christkindlesmarkt, the world's most famous Christmas market, with tastings of local culinary classics and explanations of German Christmas traditions and handcrafts. A local English-speaking guide leads small groups through the festively decorated city, stopping to sample signature foods and learn the history of iconic items like Nuremberg gingerbread and traditional wooden ornaments. Vegetarian options are available with advance notice. The minimum age is 14.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Nuremberg Christmas Market

• Guided tour through decorated city
• Taste Nuremberg gingerbread and sausages
• Enjoy mulled wine and culinary classics
• Learn about German Christmas traditions
• Discover Arts and Crafts like Zwetschgenmännle

The experience

You arrive at Nuremberg's Christmas market with a free afternoon and no plan for what to eat or where to start. A local guide meets you and walks you through the stalls, stopping to taste the foods that define the season here: the dense, spiced gingerbread the city has made for centuries, the thin Nuremberg sausages grilled over charcoal, mulled wine warming your hands. Between tastings, the guide explains what you're tasting: why the gingerbread tastes the way it does, how the sausage recipe came to be, what mulled wine means in German Christmas tradition. You're not rushing through a market. You're learning it through food.

The tour also covers the handcrafts that fill the stalls: the Zwetschgenmännle (plum people made from dried fruit and cloves) and the Rauschgoldengel (tinsel angels made from gold-colored paper). These aren't just souvenirs. They're part of how Germans have celebrated Christmas for generations, and the guide explains their origins and how they're still made. The market itself is decorated for the season, and you move through it at a pace that lets you absorb both the food and the atmosphere without feeling hurried.

The whole experience runs two hours, which fits into a free afternoon or a morning before other plans. If you're vegetarian, let the operator know when you book and they'll adjust the tastings. You'll need to be at least 14 years old to join (the mulled wine is alcoholic), and the tour is wheelchair accessible, though the market itself is crowded during peak hours.

What’s included

• Local English-speaking guide.
• tastings of Nuremberg gingerbread, sausages and mulled wine.
• explanations of German Christmas traditions and handcrafts like Zwetschgenmännle and Rauschgoldengel.
• access to the Christkindlesmarkt during the tour.

Before you book

Days and timesTuesday to ThursdayDeparts at 12:30Last departure this season: 31 Oct

Book up to1d before

AgesAdult (14 to 90 years) · Under 14: can't be booked

GroupUp to 4

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends at a different place from where it starts.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 4 days ago

Good to know

Moderate physical effortWheelchair accessible

Operated by Wie schmeckt meine Stadt GbR

Is this one for you?Two hours leaves room for other activities in your day, whether you want to explore more of Nuremberg's old town afterward or grab a full meal elsewhere. If you're looking for a longer immersion in Christmas market food and culture, this focused tasting works best as part of a bigger day rather than your only stop.

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Top questions

What exactly do you taste on this Nuremberg Christmas market tour?

You taste Nuremberg gingerbread, the city's famous thin sausages, and mulled wine: three of the most iconic foods at the Christkindlesmarkt. The guide explains the history and tradition behind each one as you sample them.

How long does the tour take and when does it fit into a day in Nuremberg?

The tour runs two hours, so it works as a morning activity before lunch elsewhere, an afternoon outing, or a way to spend a free block of time without committing your whole day.

What are Zwetschgenmännle and Rauschgoldengel?

Zwetschgelmännle are small figures made from dried plums and cloves, and Rauschgoldengel are delicate angels crafted from gold-colored tinsel paper. Both are traditional German Christmas decorations you'll see throughout the market, and the guide explains their origins and how they're still made by hand.

Is there a vegetarian option for the food tastings?

Yes, vegetarian tastings are available. Let the operator know when you book if you need this option, and they'll adjust the foods you sample accordingly.

What's the minimum age to join this tour?

The minimum age is 14, since mulled wine is part of the tastings and is alcoholic. Children under 14 must be accompanied by an adult but cannot participate in the wine tasting.