This article was created in partnership with ULRICHSHOF FAMILIENHOTEL.
Every December, travelers crowd into the same famous German Christmas markets, shuffling shoulder to shoulder for a mug of Glühwein (a delicious hot spiced mulled wine, perfect for the holidays!). Meanwhile, in the quiet folds of the Bavarian Forest, something far more enchanting is unfolding. Snowy castle courtyards glow with candlelight, treetop paths shimmer with thousands of lights, and five completely different Christmas markets sit within easy reach of one welcoming home base: ULRICHSHOF.
Tucked into the Bavarian Forest in Rimbach, ULRICHSHOF was recently named Germany’s Best Family Hotel by Falstaff. It is slow luxury at its finest, with spacious family suites, a large wellness area and a parents’ spa. Advent is a quiet season here, and that is exactly the point. You get fewer crowds and more wonder, with unhurried resort days woven between festive adventures.
Regensburg: A Palace Lit by Torchlight
Picture stepping through the gates of a regal courtyard after dark, with flames flickering along the path. That is the Thurn und Taxis market, where St. Emmeram Palace turns into a romantic, cheery Christmas market, lit by candles and lanterns with a huge Christmas tree right in the center. Artisans work at their trades inside decorated wooden huts, and the air carries the scent of regional and international treats. Children will head straight for the Kinderzauberwald, a small enchanted forest of vintage rides and farm animals, where the Fürstliches Christkind (a Christmas angel) sometimes appears. Leave time for Regensburg’s UNESCO-listed old town afterward. This market runs from November 2oth through December 23rd.
Sankt Englmar: Christmas in the Canopy
What if a Christmas market lived in the treetops? At the WaldWipfelWeg, glowing walkways lead up to the 55-meter high Waldturm, a lookout with views that reach the Alps. Once night falls, thousands of lights wash over the forest. Families can wander into a Christmas cave, visit the quirky Haus am Kopf, or hang a wish on the Christkind’s tree. Fire shows and St. Nicholas add to the evening, and an actual Airbus A319, the Bayerwald Flieger, offers a virtual flight above the forest. This one-of-a-kind magical experience is open from November 20th, every weekend until Christmas. (Please note that this market is only open on the four Advent weekends, not during the week). After Christmas, the winter market will be open daily from December 27th – 30th.
Straubing: The Storybook Version
Some travelers simply want the classic, and Straubing certainly delivers it. Wooden stalls fill the historic Ludwigsplatz and Theresienplatz, with the old Stadtturm overhead and an enormous tree as the centerpiece. Order a Glühwein (or several), try the Bavarian specialties like lebkuchen (a soft, spiced gingerbread cookie) and hunt for handmade gifts while the kids claim seats on the children’s train. The market runs November 19th through December 23, 2026, and the city’s Advent events spill beyond the stalls into the old town.
Bodenmais: Christmas Made of Glass
Here, Christmas decorations are made from gorgeous glassworks created by some of the world’s most talented glassmakers. JOSKA, a family business blowing glass in Bodenmais since 1960, turns its Glasparadies into a glittering gallery each season. Stand beneath Germany’s largest glass Christmas tree, an eight-meter creation built from wine glasses, and look for the largest hand-blown bauble around. Outside, the Winter Wonderland brings polar bears, penguins and a reindeer sleigh to life in lights. This market is open throughout November and December. The Winter Garden Market, which features additional crafts, takes place on November 14th and 15th.
Schloss Guteneck: A Castle Fairytale
Somewhere between a storybook and a time machine, Schloss Guteneck swings open its gates every Christmas season. The surrounding forest, garden and centuries-old courtyard all glow after dark, and you’re free to wander through every corner of it. Come hungry and curious: around 120 stalls are scattered across the grounds, serving up regional treats and handcrafted finds, with live music drifting between the huts. Y0u really will feel like you’ve traveled back in time to the Middle Ages at this Bavarian forest Christmas market. For visiting families, along with visits from St. Nicholas, and some photogenic alpacas, there’s also a pint-size train for kids to ride!
This market holds the “Excellent European Christmas Market” quality seal, an honor that has gone to only three castles and twenty cities in all of Europe. Running from November 19th – December 20th (Thursday-Sunday), there is plenty of time to make sure you can visit this market too!
Come Home to Christmas
The festive feeling follows you home. A six-meter Christmas tree rises in the lobby, a countdown builds toward the 24th, and children’s programs take on an extra dose of Christmas spirit, cookies included. St. Nicholas pays a visit on December 6, and on Christmas Eve, the Christkind arrives.
Best of all, you won’t need a car. The hotel can help arrange transport to the markets, so you can raise a mug of mulled wine without a worry about the drive home.
For travelers who want a European Christmas that feels authentic, unhurried and a little bit secret, the Bavarian Forest is waiting.
