CHRISTMAS MARKETS UNDER THE SNOW

KAUFBEUREN

We leave at 7:30 a.m. from Varese, heading for Kaufbeuren, crossing Switzerland and the S. Bernardino pass. We have to cover about 400 km. The outward journey goes without particular problems and at around 12:30 we are at our destination. The landscape near the pass is fantastic: all covered in white like a Christmas postcard. Despite the snow, the roads are clean and easy to drive on. Every now and then we glimpse a lake, some rivers, a couple of frozen little waterfalls and pretty little houses. In Kaufbeuren we reach our Hotel, booked through Booking Hotel Goldener Hirsch € 80.00 double room + breakfast euro 6.00 per person. There are 4 of us, so we booked 2 doubles.

The hotel is very central, near the little square of the tiny Christmas market. The hotel is of average quality, nothing exceptional. However, one of the two rooms is larger and more comfortable than the one booked, also because it seems to us that the hotel is completely empty. Unfortunately, when we decide to go out for a first stroll around the city, we notice that it has started to snow. At first we take shelter and have lunch indoors in a Backerei (bakery). Then, however, despite the snow, we go to visit the market, which opens at 3:00 p.m. Perhaps this year we overdid it with the choice of small towns, because the market is really tiny despite being located in a pretty little square.

The old town of Kaufbeuren, surrounded by walls from the 1200s, is quite characteristic: there are some churches, a Franciscan convent and a pedestrian street with several shops.

First stop at the market for the traditional Vin brulè (Gluhwein) in the characteristic cups that we decide to keep.

We search in vain for a restaurant to book for dinner, but here the establishments are very few and all fully booked. So we go back to the hotel and when we go out again we notice that it has snowed quite a bit and by now the landscape is all white. Of course, with the snow and the lights, the Christmas atmosphere is guaranteed. But what a hassle with the snow! We have dinner at the market with the traditional wurstel sandwiches, vin brulè, a few photos and then we go back to the hotel because it keeps snowing and it's too cold. We hope the weather will be better tomorrow.

BAD TOLZ

We have a decent breakfast in our decent hotel in Kaufbeuren. Thankfully it's not snowing today. In fact, there even seems to be a bit of sun. But the temperatures are harsh: we're below zero and a temperature of -3 will accompany us all day. Today we have to go to Bad Tolz, about 100 km from Kaufbeuren. The route is pleasant through a typically Bavarian landscape and, in the late morning, we are there. We booked through Booking.com at the Hotel Am Wald, euro 95.00 for the double room, breakfast included. The hotel is located 1.5 km from the old town of Bad Tolz. There is also a small indoor pool, sauna and Turkish bath.

Our 2 rooms are already ready. We settle in and then go out to go downtown where the market is. Bad Tolz is a tourist and spa town. Here Thomas Mann used to spend his summer vacations. The heart of the old city is the Marktstrasse, one of the most beautiful and suggestive in Bavaria, where the Christmas market is in fact set up. Here we find a long succession of houses that once belonged to the wealthy bourgeoisie, adorned with colorful frescoes made with the "air painting" technique. In the center of the street we are struck by the imposing town hall building, all decorated in pastel tones. The riverside area is pleasant, the point where the Marktstrasse begins, with picturesque glimpses of the old town skirted by the waters.

The wooden chalets of the market are not very many but not few either. Let's say it's a medium-sized market. Mainly they sell typical food products which we don't hesitate to taste. We have lunch with cheese bretzels, sandwiches with wurstel about 40 cm long, and fruit skewers covered in chocolate. We choose chocolate-covered bananas and strawberry skewers covered with various types of chocolate (milk, dark and white). Then vin brulè or hot chocolate with cream.

In the mid-afternoon the cold gets the upper hand and we decide to go back to the hotel for a bit, taking the opportunity to have a swim in the hotel pool. Around 6 p.m. we return downtown and watch the traditional Christmas parade, with Saint Nikolaus, accompanied by the Krampus, scary furry devils, with horns and whips, who frighten people. We get a few whiplashes too, but it's all part of the show.

We have dinner in the hotel restaurant, in Tyrolean style, with steaks, cutlets, French fries and spatzle (bread dumplings). There is also room for dessert and we taste the Kaiserschmarren (emperor's dessert), a dish similar to a chopped pancake with jam and apple mousse. Then a cigarette and after that everyone off to bed. Tomorrow the long return journey awaits us and the weather forecast is not good at all. Snow is expected throughout Switzerland and Lombardy: this worries us.

RETURN

We have a pleasant breakfast all together in the pretty themed little room, furnished with benches and other wooden furnishings, typical of the place. The breakfast is quite plentiful but unfortunately entirely savory. For something sweet there's only bread and jam or nutella. There are bretzels though, and that consoles us. We pay the bill and get in the car for the return journey. About 500 km await us and we hope not all of them under the snow. For the moment it's not snowing, but when we reach Switzerland the situation worsens. At times we find snow. Once past the snow we are hit by a very strong wind and we really struggle to keep the car in its lane. We can't even get off at the Heidi service station, Heidiland, as planned, to buy chocolate: the wind would have carried us away. Once past the windy stretch and approaching the S. Bernardino pass, here comes the snow again.

Here the roads are dirty and we have to face the climbs, descents and curves of the pass. Someone puts on chains. We have snow tires, which fortunately will be enough to handle it all. After more than 20 years of trips to the Christmas markets of Northern Europe we have never had such shitty weather as this. Sometimes we've had cold, more rarely rain and almost never snow. This year we've been particularly unlucky in this respect. In any case, at 4:30 p.m. we are home safe and sound and, just to change things up, it's snowing here too. DANI, MAX, CLARISSA AND DAVIDINO