© Daniel James Clarke

Itineraries

Christmas Traditions in Saxony (2 days)

In the run up to Christmas, Saxony is a particular charming destination, with unique century-old traditions and customs that are still a part of people’s lifes. Enjoy romantic Christmas markets and Christmas all-year-round in show workshops and museums.

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© Katja Fouad Vollmer

DAY 1: HERRNHUT – WEISSENBERG (27 KM) – PULSNITZ (50 KM) – FREIBERG (68 KM)

Visit the show workshop of Herrnhuter Sterne GmbH. During the festive season, Herrnhut stars/Moravian Stars illuminate homes, churches, squares and streets in Saxony and beyond. Short stop in Weißenberg with a visit to the “Alte Pfefferküchlerei” museum, once a gingerbread bakery, now the only such building in Europe used as a museum to celebrate gingerbread.
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Gingerbread in different variaties© Daniel James Clarke

DAY 1: HERRNHUT – WEISSENBERG (27 KM) – PULSNITZ (50 KM) – FREIBERG (68 KM)

Trip to Pulsnitz, the town of gingerbread: In nine gingerbread bakeries the centuries-old tradition of producing these tasty pastries is kept alive until this day. Visit the Pulsnitz gingerbread factory with tasting and insights into the production. Visit the municipal and gingerbread museum with show workshop.
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DAY 1: HERRNHUT – WEISSENBERG (27 KM) – PULSNITZ (50 KM) – FREIBERG (68 KM)

Freiberg: Guided tour of the historic centre, including cathedral featuring two Silbermann organs. Visit the world’s biggest minerals exhibition “terra ­mineralia” at Freudenstein Castle.
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© Wendt & Kuehn

DAY 2: GRÜNHAINICHEN – SEIFFEN (37 KM) – ANNABERG-BUCHHOLZ (48 KM)

Trip to Grünhainichen and visit of the “Wendt & Kühn” world (exhibition days with a "look behind the scenes" in the show workshops: www.wendt-kuehn.de), manufacturer of well-known Christmas decorations, e.g. the famous “Elf-Punkte-Engel” (angel figurines with 11 dots on their wings), the “Blumenkinder” (figurines holding flowers) and seasonal decorations.
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© TVE Rene Gaens

DAY 2: GRÜNHAINICHEN – SEIFFEN (37 KM) – ANNABERG-BUCHHOLZ (48 KM)

Trip to Seiffen, centre of traditional Ore Mountains wooden art: Visit the museum of toys and the show workshops of Seiffener Volkskunst eG and Erzgebirgische Volks­kunst Richard Glässer GmbH. Tour of the famous mountain church with organ play.
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Ein Kind und seine Mutter stehen vor einer Vitrine, in der Rehe stehen. Sie sind in der Manufaktur der Träume in Annaberg-Buchholz Manufaktur der Träume in Annaberg-Buchholz. © Dirk Rueckschloss

DAY 2: GRÜNHAINICHEN – SEIFFEN (37 KM) – ANNABERG-BUCHHOLZ (48 KM)

Trip to Annaberg-Buchholz: Visit “Manufaktur der Träume” (factory of dreams), a unique collection of 1,000 objects of folk art and craftsmanship of historical value that originated in the Saxon and Bohemian Ore Mountains or in the Vogtland. Tour of the mountain church St. Marien and St. Annenkirche church with its many colourful paintings of biblical scenes and the famous Annaberg mountain altarpiece. Visit the Adam Ries Museum.
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Dresden Christmas market at Neumarkt Dresden© S. Rose

DAY 2: GRÜNHAINICHEN – SEIFFEN (37 KM) – ANNABERG-BUCHHOLZ (48 KM)

When travelling in the festive season, visit the region's Christmas markets, e.g. "Striezelmarkt" in Dresden, and scenic markets at palaces and castles, witness miners parades and “Mettenschichten” (last shift below ground before Christmas Eve) in the Ore Mountains. Join a Stollen baking course with selected Stollen bakers, try a “Neinerlaa” mealsand enjoy performances of the Christmas Oratorio by J. S. Bach or similar Christmas concerts.

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