Germany and Austria Christmas Markets and Krampus

This Christmas season we took the kids to see if they were truly good or bad - to the Krampuslauf in Salzburg, Austria. There, St. Nicholas and the Krampus would sort it out for us.

We flew into Munich, Germany Thursday midday and took the train to Marienplatz, center of the Christmas Market and walked a few blocks south to our hotel - a 2-floor garden house flat off the main street. From there, we had an easy walk back to browse the market and a short jog to the river walk for my daily runs.

Friday, December 5 - Krampusnacht - we boarded an early afternoon train to Salzburg, Austria, arriving around 3:30pm and walked the 1 mile to the Krampuslauf street, where we ate an early dinner and met our local guide. A wonderful older lady, she gave us the history and local insight on the Krampus event and took us to the starting point minutes before it all began. We saw them enter the street and start the rowdy parade down the cobblestones, as we followed to the open plaza and waited for them to go out and back. We followed again, getting pictures and videos and just enjoying the madness! Finally, a group pose before ending.

We continued with our guide to the main Salzburg Christkindlmarkt and into a much smaller quieter gathering with music and gluhwein in the hallowed (hollowed?) caves of St. Peter's Monastery, where she departed for the night. We exited and watched three more waves of Krampus stampede into the Christkindlmarkt before we walked back to the train station to catch our ride back to Munich.

Saturday was more somber as we toured the Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial on a cold overcast and misty afternoon.

Sunday, we took a private tour to Neuschwanstein Castle, Wieskirche and a stop in the quaint little town of Fussen for its small but fun Advent market.

We flew back Monday midday and were back home around 6:30pm. And yes, the kids were still with us - not taken by Krampus, so I guess they are good .. at least in Santa's eyes!