From gravel trail to mulled wine

The surroundings of Cologne, especially in the direction of Bergisches Land, are predestined for the Gravelbike. You do not have to go far to experience real driving pleasure. Cologne itself has the reward ready for you in December at the big Christmas market at the cathedral.You start directly at the central station and drive directly to Cologne west. As soon as it turns green, you are in your element. About small roads, dirt roads and sometimes a trail you work on different ponds along the direction of the city forest and enjoys the green and the gravel of the outskirts, without really going far out.At the end it goes as traffic-calmed as possible back towards the center. A little detour to the Rhine is one of them, before you head for the next highlight of the day, where you are almost already there: the Cologne Christmas market is set up on the cathedral square at Christmas time and calls with mulled wine and other goodies.The Christmas market in Cologne is considered one of the most popular in Germany. No wonder: the Cologne Cathedral is also an impressive backdrop. Around 150 exhibitors will be presenting high-end and leading crafts, selected gifts and culinary highlights, creating a unique atmosphere at the Roncalliplatz. There is also a stage program and a special offer for children.Information Cologne Christmas market
koelnerweihnachtsmarkt.com
Sun. - Wed. 11:00 to 21:00
Thu and Fri 11:00 to 22:00
Sat 10:00 to 22:00

If you are in Berlin for the first time, you will not believe it is serious when someone invites you to a Gravel Tour and the meeting point is in the middle of the city. If you live in Berlin, you know it better: it is also without roads, but with many remote bike paths, lots of water and a lot of green. Gravel biking in the middle of the capital? And how it works!This somewhat longer tour starts at the Gleisdreieck in Kreuzberg and ends not far away at Potsdamer Platz. After a short detour to Tempelhofer Feld, the disused city airport of the capital, it goes directly to the Teltow Canal, which you follow for a while. At the turning point of the tour he meets the Havel, from here it goes north to the big Wannsee. Before you go back to the city, you can challenge yourself on a really nice single trail across Grunewald, so you have earned your reward.If this tour is too long for you, you can shorten it from kilometer 30.2 through the Düppeler forest. You save even more time if you omit the Grünewald trails and head straight for home via the Kronprinzessinnen Weg.The tour ends at Potsdamer Platz, where from the end of November to the end of December the Winter World Christmas Market awaits you with a delicious mulled wine. And actually you have earned yourself a few treats: From the delicious apple with chocolate glaze on tree ornaments from the Erzgebirge to the Zimtstern you should find something. At the craft market, you can watch pots, woodcarvings, baskets and baked goods being made.Info Winter World Christmas Market, 27.11. - 26.12.2017
weihnachteninberlin.de/weihnachtsmaerkte/3238975-955635-winterwelt-am-potsdamer-platz.html
Opening hours: daily 10-22 o'clock, Christmas Eve until 14 o'clock
Admission free

Stuttgart is not exactly known as the German bicycle city number one. Nevertheless - or just because - it is worth swinging on the bike. Get out of the fine dust muff, into nature. On this short tour with lots of ups and downs you will plow a few beautiful forest trails and singletrack trails, lull you right and then roll quite relaxed to the center of Stuttgart, where already the hot drink is waiting for you.The Stuttgart Christmas market is one of the most beautiful in the republic and can not be overlooked: the roofs of the 300 stalls are all brightly lit with environmentally friendly LEDs. This market is spread over three places and has three Christmas trees. Maybe a good reason to order three mulled wines?Information Stuttgart Christmas Market, 29.11. - 23.12.2017
stuttgarter-weihnachtsmarkt.de
Opening hours:
Monday to Thursday from 10:00 to 21:00
Friday to Saturday from 10:00 to 22:00
Sunday from 11:00 to 21:00
Special opening hours: 29th November from 17:00 to 21:00 & 16 December from 10:00 to 22:30

Dortmund is a city with many faces. Social hotspots, the BVB, Germany's largest Christmas tree and gaaaanz many great country roads, dirt roads and trails that invite you to enjoy the reflective winter time outside the big city hype. Go on a Dortmund tour that you would not expect.You start at the Dortmund main station, where you can throw a short view of the German football museum and the famous Dortmunder "U", before then straight on the world-famous Signal Iduna Park, the venue of BVB, through the Rombergpark towards the city limits and thus into Green is going.Here you will enjoy the great view from the Syburg, wondering what kind of remote single trails there are and maybe even wonder if you're really in one of the largest German metropolitan areas on the way.Suddenly it gets dark over you: You are just under the highway, which fortunately lets you quickly behind you and instead can enjoy total peace in Niederhofer wood. A bit criss-cross the tour takes you through the Dortmund outskirts until it finally goes back to the city center. Along the Emscher you pedal to the Phoenix Lake, an artificial lake on the site of the old steel plant Phoenix East. Pure industrial culture.A short detour through the Westfalenpark and you're back in the center of the most populous city in the Ruhr area. Where you get your reward: the mulled wine under one of the largest Christmas trees in Germany at the Dortmund Christmas market.Info Dortmund Christmas market, 23.11. - 30.12.2017
dortmunderweihnachtsmarkt.de
Öffnundszeiten:
Monday - Thursday 10:00 to 21:00
Friday and Saturday 10:00 to 22:00
Sunday 12:00 to 21:00
24.12. 10:00 to 14:00 (not all exhibitors)
26.12. 12:00 to 21:00

Hamburg and Radcross? But something of: In Hamburg, there is even a permanent cross-training track. And exactly this route is the first milestone of this not so short Hamburg-Gravel-Tour. The second goal is the eco-Christmas market in the Museum der Arbeit, but more on that later.It starts at the Hamburg central station. Whenever possible, the route will lead you along quiet roads, bike lanes or even unpaved roads to the north, where it quickly becomes quieter than in the bustling city center. A first highlight is the section along the Wandse, a small river that leads through Hamburg.At about half the distance you reach the cyclocross country Hamburg. This is a permanent training track that you can ride for free 365 days a year or even improve your driving skills by booking a course. Just look at the track for a moment or spin a few laps, just as you like. Information can be found here: cyclocross-land.deBut now continue: the detour to Stellmoor is beautiful and leads you slowly back towards Hamburg City. The destination is located on this tour a little outside of the city center: The Museum of work is held in early December, a very special Christmas market.At the Ecological Christmas Market sustainability is a top priority. There are handmade art works and delicious organic food and certainly the obligatory organic mulled wine, which warms you up after work. The market is indoor, so a visit even in bad weather offers. But beware: In contrast to the other Christmas markets of this collection, the Eco-Christmas Christmas Market Hamburg is only open from 1 - 3 December. If you can not do it this weekend, you will find enough alternatives, such as the historic Christmas market on the Rathausmarkt.Information Ecological Christmas Market Hamburg, 1.-3. December 2017
oeko-weihnachtsmarkt.de/index.html
01.12., 14.00 - 18.00
02.12., 10.00 - 20.00
03.12., 10.00 - 18.00 o'clock
Admission: 5 euros (concessions: 3.50 euros)

On this high-contrast tour, you will rediscover the Saxon capital. From the bustle of the city, you can quickly move away and enjoy a few meters along the Elbe, before heading straight for the Dresdner Heide, the huge recreational area on the northern outskirts of the city and perfect for a short, crisp winter tour with the Cross- or Gravel wheel is suitable.In addition to quiet roads and easy dirt roads, today you will also drive a few technical passages with narrow trails and a few roots. Open your eyes, then it will be a lot of fun.After you have thoroughly shaken body and mind, the route leads through the Radeberger suburb back to the Elbe, where you can briefly catch a great view of the city, then continue along the Elbe towards the center to roll.The aim of the tour is the Striezelmarkt, which is not only one of the most beautiful Christmas markets in Germany, but also the oldest. He's actually been around since 1434 and he's got his name, of course, from the delicious Striezel, which will definitely strengthen you after your work is done. Another highlight of the market is the world's largest Erzgebirge step pyramid.Info Desdner Striezelmarkt, 29.11. - 24.12.2017
dresden.de/de/kultur/veranstaltungen/dresdner-striezelmarkt.php
Opening hours: 29th November - 24th December 2017, daily from 10:00 to 21:00
Special opening hours: on 29.11. from 16:00 to 21:00 & 24.12. from 10:00 to 14:00
Admission free

This tour takes you straight out of the bustling center of the Bavarian capital: you start at the station and steer partly on a discarded tram route on the Isar shore. When crossing, you can briefly enjoy a great view before you reach the Perlacher Forst.Here, the route initially leads along a quiet railway line. Dirt roads, trails and asphalt alternate and give you a good mix of everything that is fun on the gravel bike.In the Hachinger Tal landscape park, an old runway awaits you on the recultivated area of ​​the former air base Neubiberg to be driven by you and represents at the same time approximately the turning point of the tour.Back it goes over beautiful secret ways and through the one or other park until you reach the Stephansplatz, where you take at Christmas time a market of a different kind in the reception: the "Pink Christmas Christmas Market".This Christmas market originated from the Munich gay community, but attracts everyone who has enough of the consumer-oriented Budenzauber normal markets. Here you will find a small, fine, colorful, varied and communicative market with interesting shows and yet Christmas atmosphere. And of course there is also here: the mulled wine!Info Pink Christmas, 27.11. - 23.12.2017
pink-christmas.de
Opening hours:
Monday to Friday 16 - 22 clock
Saturday and Sunday 12 - 22 o'clock
Showtime every day at 19 o'clock