Esta vez, continuando con la tradición de visitar al menos un mercado de navidad alemán al año, hemos estado en el Weihnachtsmarkt de Leipzig, el segundo mercado de Navidad más antiguo de Alemania, reconocido desde 1458.
Lo repetiré hasta el cansancio, la época navideña en Alemania me parece como salida de uno de esos cuentos clásicos de los Hermanos Grimm, donde hay magia, un brillo especial que recubre las cosas y a las gentes, una sensación de gozo inagotable. Así que visitar los mercados de navidad en las ciudades alemanas se convierte en algo así como viajar a otra dimensión temporal, donde me descubro sorprendida y encantada por cualquier tontería.
Por si pareciera poco, Leipzig como escenario, resulta precioso! No sin ningún motivo ha sido la cuna de grandes artistas europeos a través de los siglos, y el escenario ideal para el Fausto de Goethe.
El centro histórico, o “Alt Stadt” es una zona magnífica para pasear, hay galerías, pequeños cafés donde disfrutar del Kaffee und Kuchen tan alemán y las típicas tiendas que encontraréis por toda Europa, destacando una de mis favoritas en Alemania: Hugendubel, algo así como La casa del Libro para los alemanes.
Ahora, de vuelta al mercado de navidad, no olvidéis probar la estrella de la casa: el Glühwein, y los dulces típicos de la época, como por ejemplo el Stollen.
Leipziger Weihnachtsmarkt 2017 – Christmas in Leipzig
This time, continuing with the tradition of visiting at least one German Christmas market per year, we have been at the Weihnachtsmarkt in Leipzig, the second oldest Christmas market in Germany, recognized since 1458. I will repeat it until I am tired, the Christmas season in Germany seems to me as taken out of one of those classic tales of the Grimm Brothers, where there is magic, a special glow that covers things and people, a feeling of inexhaustible joy. So visiting Christmas markets in German cities becomes something like traveling to another time dimension, where I find myself surprised and delighted by any nonsense. To make my case stronger, Leipzig as scenary is just beautiful! Not without reason has it been the cradle of great European artists through the centuries, and the ideal setting for Goethe’s Faust.
About the famous bar: “Mephisto was a place that caused you a mixture of attraction and repulses as soon as you meet him. The fact of being a bar located in the center of Leipzig provided this aspect, between ancient and modern that distinguishes the great European cities, however, even before crossing the threshold, the feeling of intoxication and restlessness invaded you completely. Once inside the panorama it did not leave much to the imagination, a small space decorated in the style of other times, saturated to the last corner of people, mostly drinking coffee and celebrating the traditional moment of “Kaffee und Kuchen”; 80% of them smokers, could not say how many really regulars of tobacco and how many influenced by the sleazy atmosphere of that bar, as “normal” and obscene as the character created by Goethe, from which he took his name.”
The historic center, or “Alt Stadt” is a magnificent area for walking, there are galleries, small cafes and the typical shops that you will find throughout Europe, highlighting one of my favorites in Germany: Hugendubel, the German version of the spanish Casa del Libro. Now, back to the Christmas market, do not forget to try the house star: the Glühwein, and the typical sweets of the season, such as the Stollen.
