Our Experience: Ulm Christmas Market
The Ulm Christmas Market was super cute—much bigger and busier than we imagined! Even the rain couldn’t dampen the festive vibe. Luckily, there’s an underground parking structure with plenty of spots, so we didn’t have to wait long. As you approach the market, the towering Gothic Minster, the tallest church in the world, steals the show. It’s a stunning centerpiece that makes you stop and marvel, setting the perfect backdrop for a cozy and magical holiday experience.
Walking up to the market, you are greeted by a giant Ulm sign. If you have kids, be prepared to wait 5 minutes while they climb all over it.
Seeing the wooden stalls all decorated with twinkling lights and garland just makes you feel happy and cozy inside. Things felt more original here and everyone seemed to take great pride in what they were selling. People here were friendly and excited to be there. It was a nice change!
This was the first market where we tried a chimney cake, and it was delicious! We watched it being made and rolled in the sugar. We had to wait a few minutes for it to cool off! It peels off in a satisfying and steaming swirl. It’s sweet, aromatic, and so good.
There are plenty of stalls selling gluhwein, and this was the first place we saw an orange flavor option. It was different so we had to try it. It kind of tasted like medicine, but it wasn’t terrible. I think next time I will stick to the original.
The kids’ rides here were really great. The attendants were friendly and the rides looked clean and well-maintained. Our daughter loved the swing ride, which had really cute and different options to choose from, and it seemed like it ran longer than most rides. There is also a nativity scene with live animals!
We cannot wait to come back. I don’t know what we were expecting from Ulm, but it far exceeded those expectations! The atmosphere was relaxed and festive, even in the pouring rain! We spent about 2.5 hours exploring the market and felt like it was a good amount of time, but were sad to leave. We will definitely return to explore more!
