The command “Im Doubliertritt, Marsch!” (“In double step – march!”) traditionally opens the world’s longest procession of marksmen, a highlight of this festival celebrated since 1529. On the first Sunday, around 10,000 members of marksmen, folklore, and carnival groups march through the Old Town. Over ten days, the world’s largest marksmen festival offers thrilling rides, lively marquees, Bruchmeister (ceremonial stewards), shooting skills, and Hannover’s iconic Lüttje Lage – beer and a shot, served separately but drunk together!
A chance to experience that holiday feeling and maritime flair in the middle of town! Over 19 days, visitors to Niedersachsen’s largest local festival can take a culinary and artistic trip around the world. Year after year, international cuisine, free concerts, water sports activities, open-air dance evenings and an exciting programme for children guarantee a non-stop holiday feeling for everyone.
Enjoy the world-famous Christmas market in Goslar, the many Christmas markets in Hanover and the many larger markets in Lower Saxony. You can also find special large or maritime German Christmas markets. Discover beautifully decorated stalls with traditional crafts and typical German specialities such as gingerbread, roasted almonds and mulled wine throughout the region.
Bremen’s market square and the Schlachtepromenade shine in festive splendour during the Advent season. The historic Hanseatic city of Bremen shows its most dazzling side during the Advent season. Whether it’s the glittering lights on the UNESCO World Heritage Site, the medieval atmosphere on the Schlachte, ice skating fun in the north or Christmas shopping in style – the choice of Christmas markets is diverse.
Enjoy the unique atmosphere of the Advent season between the Elbe and Alster rivers, in historic churches, sleepy canals, lively squares and romantic corners of the Hanseatic city. Hamburg shines in festive splendour and offers many Christmas markets for every taste – from modern, urban markets to traditional ones with a nostalgic flair.
The most beautiful sailing regatta in the world takes place every year at the end of July in the Bay of Lübeck off Travemünde. Hundreds of thousands of visitors travel here to experience the unique combination of top-level international sailing sport and a maritime festival mile. Cocktails and wine bars, dancing on the beach until midnight and live music from numerous stages in front of the arriving and departing ferries.
Every two years the HanseKulturFestival takes place in one of the districts of Lübeck’s old town. Strolling through the lovingly decorated streets of the UNESCO World Heritage Site, you can enjoy music and regional food and find hidden treasures in the green residential streets and monastery courtyards. Many residents of the old town open up their gardens and living rooms and invite you to a typical North German coffee klatch.
Kiel Week is the biggest sailing event in the world! For 10 days, the city of Kiel is in a state of emergency. Sailing regattas, culinary specialities from all over the world, concerts, parties, arts and crafts and acrobatics, a colourful children’s programme and much more make a visit to this unique event unforgettable!
Every year, the festival transforms numerous locations in Schleswig-Holstein and Hamburg into a large classical music concert stage. Well over a hundred thousand fans attend the concerts in castles, manor houses, barns and shipyard halls or airport terminals. Every year, the festival is dedicated to a different theme or composer and thus always offers new highlights. The concerts in the manor houses and castles are particularly popular, with picnics in the sunshine beforehand.
JazzBaltica is one of the most renowned jazz festivals in the world. Every year in June, world-famous jazz musicians and up-and-coming talent perform and offer an unforgettable experience. Thousands of listeners flock to Timmendorfer Strand every year to enjoy the concerts by the sea, which are organised by Swedish trombonist and singer Nils Landgren as artistic director.
On five dates each year, the world’s best pyrotechnicians enchant the evening sky above the impressive backdrop of the Herrenhausen Gardens. There is also a supporting programme at many locations in the Great Garden: from theatre and cabaret to folklore and colourful entertainment for young and old. The fireworks displays by renowned pyrotechnic artists are accompanied by music and judged by an independent panel of experts.
The Hanse Sail Rostock is one of the world’s largest gatherings of traditional sailing ships and museum ships. The maritime festival has been held every year on the second weekend in August since 1991. Around 250 participating ships, together with cruise ships, ferries and naval vessels, offer a lively maritime world exhibition. The event attracts around one million visitors every year.
Opera under the stars in one of the most beautiful squares in northern Germany – this has long since become the hallmark of the Schlossfestspiele Schwerin. What began as an insider tip among opera lovers in the castle courtyard has now developed into an internationally renowned festival that attracts numerous visitors every year in June and July.
With inspiring free photo shows, XXL open-air installations, workshops and multimedia shows, the programme offers a broad spectrum of photography at an international level. The evening flood of images and bird of prey shows are also part of the diverse programme for the festival week. The photo market on the second weekend of the festival is an attractive venue, modern marketplace and creative playground.
It is the vastness of the sea, coupled with a visit to places of longing around the world, that fascinates cruise fans and dream ship newcomers alike: during the Hamburg Cruise Days, the ocean liners transform the port of Hamburg into a spectacular maritime promenade for a weekend. Innovation and environmental protection are major and important topics for which the event is also intended to be a source of inspiration and a platform for dialogue. The harbour is the impressive runway for the world’s most beautiful cruise liners.
Lübeck, the “Christmas City of the North”, invites you to one of the oldest Christmas markets in the festively illuminated old town around Lübeck Town Hall. Christmas crafts, Christmas tree decorations, sweets and savoury treats have been sold here since 1648. At the arts and crafts market in the 13th-century Heiligen-Geist-Hospital, artisans exhibit their most beautiful works in the tiny cabins of the historic nave and show the whole variety of old and new handicraft techniques. The arts and crafts markets in St Peter’s and the Hoghehus are also unique and definitely worth a visit.
Every year in May, Hamburg is turned upside down for three days when the Hanseatic city celebrates the Port Anniversary. Every year, around 1.5 million well-wishers experience the world’s largest harbour festival on the 3.5-kilometre-long harbour mile between HafenCity and the Museum Harbour. In addition to the grand entry parade, highlights include the traditional tugboat ballet and the grand fireworks display on Saturday evening. The annually changing partner cities or countries are very popular with the many visitors. The cruise ships arriving during the festival are also among the guests’ favourites.
Christmas markets are also held every year in the historic ambience of Flensburg, Germany’s northernmost city on the Danish border. Here you can feel the Scandinavian flair in the narrow streets. You can also find handicrafts from Denmark, enjoy freshly roasted almonds and the world-famous Flensburg rum – be sure to try the hot winter version!
The Festspielfrühling Rügen is the spring festival of the Festspiele Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and invites you to musical discoveries and personal concerts with exquisite artists over ten days in March. Prizewinners of the Festspiele Mecklenburg-Vorpommern take over the artistic direction of the Festspielfrühling Rügen and create tailor-made programmes for the island together with musician friends and companions.
Christmas markets with maritime charm against a historic city backdrop, such as in Husum or Flensburg, herald the most wonderful time of the year. If you are spending your holiday in the true north, you can get into the festive spirit in many towns and villages. Whether it’s cosy, rustic craft markets on old estates or the cold sea air mixed with the scent of sweet Christmas biscuits and mulled wine – in the true north, no one can escape the magic of Advent.
Every year in October, the fifth season begins in Bremen. Streamers and balloons, fragrant gingerbread hearts and bright red candy apples, smiling people and a desire to have fun. In Bremen, this means: “Ischa Freimaak!”. This is when the scent of candy floss and roasted almonds fills the air and fairground rides get the adrenaline pumping. The city has been celebrating its “market fair” year after year since 1035 and thus maintains one of the longest folk festival traditions in Germany.
When the first Advent light is switched on, the season of festive Christmas markets in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern begins again. From the Baltic Sea to the Lake District in Hanseatic towns with maritime flair, in front of romantic castles or in historic barns, the varied markets brighten up the Advent season. The delicious aroma of Christmas baked goods and regional specialities such as the popular sea buckthorn wine give the Advent markets a special charm. In combination with festive music and atmospheric light decorations, the numerous Christmas markets in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern are always worth a visit.
It is considered one of the most beautiful Christmas markets in northern Germany and is therefore always worth a visit: the Christmas market in Braunschweig. Every year, the squares around St Blasii Cathedral and Dankwarderode Castle are transformed into the atmospheric Braunschweig Christmas market. Embedded in the historical surroundings, market traders and artisans offer their wares.
Electro and jazz, acrobatics and concerts. Between the large tents and small stalls, Bremen comes together for a colourful and airy spectacle at the Weserwiesen, with over 100 bands playing and the attractive culinary offerings from regional organic producers in the eco-village on the Weser growing in popularity from year to year.
