Aachen and Monschau Christmas markets
The Monschau and Aachen Christmas markets in one day: no parking to hunt for and no driving after the mulled wine. Request a quote for your Advent outing.
Aachen and Monschau Christmas markets
Mulled wine and a night drive on the E40 do not mix, and the roads into Monschau are jammed every weekend in Advent. This outing solves both problems at once: a driver takes you to Monschau in the morning, on to Aachen in the afternoon, then back to Belgium once the stalls have closed. Nobody in the group has to forgo a glass to take the wheel, and nobody has to watch the clock for the last train. You spend the day browsing, tasting and filling your bags; the car simply waits to set off again.
Monschau, which French speakers still call Montjoie, lines up its half-timbered houses along the Rur, beneath a castle whose outline has dominated the town since the thirteenth century. Over the four weekends of Advent, from Friday to Sunday, the lanes are lit up and a tall Christmas tree stands in front of the Red House, an eighteenth-century cloth merchants' mansion. On those days, the access roads to the old town are closed and the town runs shuttle buses from car parks on the outskirts. On the banks of the Rur, the historic mustard mill, whose millstones have been turning since the late nineteenth century, is one of the most popular stops.
Aachen takes over at the end of the day. Its Christmas market, open every day from the second half of November until a few days before Christmas, fills the squares around Charlemagne's cathedral and the town hall: Münsterplatz, Katschhof and Markt. This is the place to try Printen, the crunchy spiced biscuits unique to the city, as you wander between the craft stalls. When the lights go down, there are about two hours of motorway to Brussels, spent in the back with your shopping stowed in the boot. For a specific date, a simple quote request is all it takes.
A typical day
- 01Departure at about 08:30 via the E40, then the roads of the Eifel: just over two hours to Monschau.
- 02Late morning in the old town, among cobbled lanes, half-timbered façades, the Red House and the banks of the Rur, before the afternoon crowds.
- 03Lunch at your leisure in a Monschau inn, or on your feet between two stalls.
- 04About three quarters of an hour's drive north to Aachen.
- 05Late afternoon and evening around the cathedral, the Katschhof and the Markt as the stalls light up; an optional stop at a Printen confectioner's.
- 06Departure from Aachen at the time of your choice and arrival in Brussels about two hours later, with no compulsory stops.
- Car and driver reserved from morning to evening, including during market hours
- Arrival in Monschau planned around the Advent weekend traffic arrangements
- Boot space for decorations, Printen and jars of mustard
- Timings matched to both markets' calendars, with a Cologne or Lille alternative on request
Planning your day trip
Can we do this outing on a weekday?+
The Aachen market opens every day throughout its season, but the Monschau market only runs on the Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays of the four Advent weekends. On a Tuesday or Wednesday, we will therefore suggest Aachen on its own, perhaps preceded by a walk around Monschau without the market. Friday remains the best compromise: both markets are open and you avoid Saturday, generally the busiest day.
How do we get to Monschau when the old town is closed to cars?+
On market weekends, the roads down to the historic centre are closed and the town runs shuttle buses from several car parks on the hills above, such as the one at Imgenbroich. Your driver checks the arrangements in place, drops you at the most convenient permitted access point and agrees a pick-up spot with you. Arriving as the market opens, in late morning, makes access much smoother.
What if we would rather go to Cologne or Lille?+
That is possible on quotation. Cologne has several markets — at the foot of the cathedral, on the Alter Markt and Heumarkt, and on the Neumarkt — generally open from mid or late November until two days before Christmas: the drive is longer, and so is the day. Lille, closer at about ninety minutes by road, sets up its stalls on Place Rihour and a big wheel on the Grand'Place until the end of December, which makes for a shorter outing, or even just an evening.
Where can we put fragile purchases, such as glass baubles or jars of mustard?+
In the boot, where your driver wedges them in at every stop so that they do not slide around on the bends of the Eifel. A sedan has room for two suitcases; if there are several of you and you plan to bring back boxes, the Van, designed for seven passengers, takes the equivalent of six suitcases. Give us an idea of how much you expect to buy in your quote request: we will take it into account when choosing the vehicle.
More ideas for a getaway
Ready for a getaway?
A dedicated driver, your own pace, no constraints — book your day.