From festive miners' parades to unique Christmas decorations, Christmas in Saxony is much more than just Christmas markets. The famous markets in Dresden or Leipzig are favourites with international visitors, however, for some off-the-beaten track Christmas experiences, the Ore Mountains region is a unique destination full of age-old traditions and customs found nowhere else in the world while Saxony's enchanting palaces and castles provide perfect backdrops for festive activities:

Get festive in the Ore Mountains

In the Ore Mountains, Saxony's long mining history is reflected in the centuries-old festive customs that are still as alive today as hundreds of years ago: Each year in the run-up to Christmas, former mining strongholds such as Freiberg, Seiffen and Annaberg host spectacular miners' parades and the region's famous wooden Christmas decorations were once produced by miners to adorn their own homes. Nutcrackers fashioned to look like miners in their traditional clothing, incense smokers, wooden pyramids, candle arches or wooden angels are to this day expertly manufactured by hand. Visitors from all over Germany and indeed beyond travel to the region to buy their Christmas decoration in special shops or visit dedicated museums, detailing the Ore Mountains unique handicraft tradition. For a special festive trip, the sight of gigantic wooden pyramids on village market squares, witnessing miners' parades or simply seeing all the bright lights illuminating even the smallest towns are hard to beat.

More on special Christmas traditions in Saxony

Dates for miners' parades in Saxony

Be enchanted in Saxony's palaces and castles

For anyone wanting to experience the Christmas spirit in special surroundings, look no further than Saxony's unique range of palaces and castles that undergo an enchanting transformation during the festive season and re-emerge as locations for Christmas markets and festivities, adding a touch of baroque here and some sturdy castle spirit there. Baroque treasure Moritzburg Castle, for instance, turns into a veritable fairytale castle with a special Christmas exhibition on the film “Three Hazelnuts for Cinderella” which is a staple on German TV at Christmas and was shot in the castle, while Wackerbarth Castle, also a famous vineyard near Dresden, puts on a “Saxon Christmas” (3 & 4 Dec 2016), featuring traditional handicrafts and independent producers as well as fine wines and culinary delights.

All about Christmas in Saxony, including Christmas markets, traditions and arts & crafts here: www.sachsen-tourismus.de/en/travel-topics/christmas-special

Information

Saxony Tourism, www.sachsen-tourismus.de/en, is part of the Cultural Heart of Germany, www.cultural-heart-of-germany.com, a tourism initiative of Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt & Thuringia Tourism. The neighbouring states of Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia feature a unique cultural heritage and rich musical tradition that the Cultural Heart of Germany promotes in the UK.

Travel information:

Easy access to the Cultural Heart of Germany: Ryanair to Leipzig and all major airlines to Berlin.

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For press and image enquiries please contact:

B Connects. Barbara Geier Content Services

On behalf of Cultural Heart of Germany (Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, Thuringia)

barbara@bconnects.net, phone 07983 242 195