The name rolls off the tongue in a poetic and memorable ring, the resonance tantalizing the ear like a beloved song. Dusseldorf, a little over an hour train ride from Frankfurt is world removed, and refreshingly faithful to art and fashion. Overlooking the vast Lower Rhine River in the heart of Germany, the city is brimming with energy and vitality with an elevated living standard and a five-star lifestyle, eminent among the best cities in Europe.

The creativity swirling through the city on the wings of fashion designers and students, ongoing fashion trade shows, and fervent fashion boutiques, has taken hold in Dusseldorf, not unlike the fashion cities of Milan, Rome, Paris, and London. With four public and ten private universities as well as Gallery Dusseldorf, Breuninger, and Fashion Design Institute, the dominant fashion school in Germany, everyone seems to be young, and even the older Dusseldorf folks look youthful.

The destination is one of the country’s brightest stars, yet often bypassed thanks to a rather threadbare tourist trail. With sustainability an ongoing focus, and Germany being one of Europe’s top solar producers, Dusseldorf is a green city with gorgeous leafy parks and gardens, ponds with snooty swans, impressive art centers, grand palaces smartly converted to elegant museums, and designated bicycle lanes with a cycling community not yet on the level of Amsterdam but inching forward. Bicycles or not, Dusseldorf is a compact city the residents say just relax everything in the city is only 20 minutes away, which includes the neighborhood near the main train station, home to one of the largest Japanese communities in Europe, and thriving Old Town adjacent to the Rhine River.

Fashion, City Center

For a mid-sized city, Dusseldorf has the most attractive city-center fashion shopping street in Germany, if not all Europe. The hefty bouquet of fashion influence drifts through the city center on a silver chalice. Mile-long Konigsallee, called Ko by residents and visitors alike, is lined with Prada, Miu Miu, Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Dior, Hermes, Armani, Fendi, Fashionette, Barbara Freres storefronts, and engaging fashion boutiques casting a huge presence in their shadows. Ko is separated by a large garden-like pond canopied with trees, small street bridges with Victorian-style lamps offering access to either side of Ko, while the island of green alters Ko as if it has been separated into two different streets. A visitor said, “It’s like shopping in a big park!”

Drenched with soothing morning light, Marion Strehlow’s intimate atelier in the Oberbilk city district, in a ground floor complex where she both lives and works, inspires a feeling of creativity and inspiration. Her collection of unisex garments would fit naturally on Ko with their dark, earthy colors. Smiling, “I started from zero in 1998. I spent three years in fashion school and work with Italian fabrics, cotton and cashmere, and beautiful black cloth. I love to sew and create a garment from beginning to end, and make my own look, a look that is clean with unexpected hidden details, comfortable and classy to wear, and for all ages. I follow my heart and create garments that I love. I do have a clientele, and visitors can come to the studio if they call or email me.” www.stre-low.com, in**@st******.com , 49 (0) 172 29 88 500.

“Don’t Panic It’s Organic” is Heiko Wunder’s call to sustainability. His Wunderatelier {Werk} and retail stores are a commitment to an absolute sustainable lifestyle and a fully organic fashion collection. He said, “My fabric is from Austria free of toxic chemicals, and it’s softer and more attractive, and good for your skin, and I use stone nuts in place of plastic buttons.” His casual clothing is classic, not trendy, with six retail stores throughout Germany. www.wunderwerk.com

Suzusan, is a Japanese family-owned fashion house in business for over 100 years. Creative Director, Hiroyuki Murase said, “I design the collection and they are manufactured in Japan by my family dating to the 5th generation with special age-old Japanese skills. Cashmere-a favorite.” His clothes have been worn by Natalie Portman and created for Dior. www.suzusan.com.

Dusseldorf, a luxury fashion destination has a significate assemblage of elite fashion designers, a pleasure for fashionists world-wide.

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For thousands of travelers, the summer of 2022 was a disaster: hundreds of cancelled flights, shortages of pilots, countless flight delays, a deficiency of ground crews and airport personnel, endlessly slow-moving security queues, and images of luggage piled sky-high, gave us plenty of reasons for all kinds of second thoughts about our upcoming trip to Europe. It would be our first major trip following the more than two-year lockdown. Researching airlines, including many we have flown in the past, we came upon Condor, a German leisure line based in Frankfurt, and the only major airline on the planet that did not cancel a single flight during the dreadful travel summer of 2022. Operating a fleet of over 50 aircraft, Condor also maintains their own maintenance facility, an additional bonus for sure.

We booked Condor for an early October flight from LAX (Los Angeles) to Frankfurt, both of us with one roll-on each, and added their Rail&Fly package from Frankfurt to Dusseldorf. We would be flying aboard a Boeing 767-300, Premium Economy on our way there and Business Class on the return flight. Our departure from LAX was scheduled for 5:50 p.m. An hour later we were in the clouds, but Condor made up the time with some strong tail winds, and we arrived on schedule. Announcements were in German and English, which was convenient. Walking through the aircraft, we noticed that the flight was nearly full with passengers that ranged from young collegiates returning from vacation in the United States, to couples in their 30’s and 40’s, and business travelers. Premium Economy seating meant two seats on either side of the aircraft and three seats in the middle. Chatting with passengers on either side of us, we learned that some had flown Condor numerous times, while for others it was their second or third flight with the airline. One commented that Condor could use an additional clerk at LAX check-in. The plane was clean, the restrooms were well-maintained, and the benefit of Premium Economy was adequate leg room and an intriguing menu.

Attractive flight attendants served dinner at 33,000 feet. The LAX chefs had prepared fresh, lightly marinated king prawns with smoked salmon and a dab of horseradish, and chicken breasts strips with a sprinkle of Teriyaki sauce and Asian vegetables on a bed of rice. Before catching some shut eye with a blanket, facemask, and ear plugs, we had a selection of 71 movies and 110 television shows to browse. Breakfast, served by efficient, hard-working flight attendants, was a fresh fruit salad, a warm cheese sandwich and fruit yogurt.

Frankfurt International Airport

Nearing Frankfurt, we dropped down to a landscape that was a brilliant green; Mother Nature seemed unwilling to give up her summer colors. We guessed the captain might be a former Navy pilot because of his smooth landing technique. The Frankfurt airport, third largest in Europe, was bustling with activity with various languages colliding in the background. Lugging our roll-on’s, and making a few inquiries, we soon found the train depot and with Condor’s Rail&Fly package we boarded a fast-moving train to Dusseldorf.                       

Our pre-flight research revealed that Condor began flying as a division of Lufthansa, orchestrated by former Lufthansa employees; in December 1955, they launched Condor’s first flights with a fleet of three British-made Vickers Viking two-engine propeller aircraft, with 36 seats. In 1966, Condor’s first long-haul flights were to Kenya, Thailand, Sri Lanka, and the Dominican Republic, and in 1990-92, Condor was the first airline to introduce a separate, more comfortable class into its aircrafts. In 2019, for the fourth time Condor was voted Germany’s most popular holiday line, and in 2021, they ordered 16 new Airbus A330-900neo long-haul aircrafts, addressing state-of-the-art  technology, paramount efficiency and, best of all, the highest level of customer comfort.

Condor Business Class

Business Class is an extraordinary extravagance, and at the Frankfurt airport, Condor enhances the pleasure, sharing a roomy and comfortable business lounge with Lufthansa. When we arrived before our return flight, passengers were relaxing on a quiet rainy day with tea and champagne. The lounge offered drinks, appetizers and a selection of three steaming soups, and nearby was a small “Chef’s Delight” table where local Chef Tamara Seebachter had prepared a tasty pumpkin dish with slices of fresh smoked trout, begging passengers to lift a fork.

Our return flight departed on time at 2 p.m. Flight attendants served orange juice and champagne, while at each seat were a blanket, pillow, and Refreshment Kit. A large menu listed dinner selections starting with a pastrami tartlet with chimichurri, and a fresh baby green salad with tads of tomatoes drizzled with an appetizing balsamic orange dressing. Our Main Course choices were an organic vegetarian plate with spinach leaves                                                                                           

Red lentil dal, and a chicken breast fillet dabbed in lemon butter with garden-fresh vegetables on a bed of a nicely prepared pea orzo risotto. An assortment of bread was offered as well as a semi-sweet mango coconut tartlet. The wine selection included a brut reserve French Champagne, German Riesling, New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, and an Italian Sangiovese. A nice touch at the conclusion of dinner was a sip of Port wine with a platter of grapes and cheese. Also available are special menus for children, and vegan, lactose-free, or gluten-free meals. The flight attendant supervisor in Business Class on our flight was Carina Schunk, who has worked for Condor for 24 years. She said many of the employees have been with Condor for more than 10 years. Smiling, “ It’s the Condor spirit and it’s alive and well.”

The entire flight attendants on the return flight from Frankfurt to LAX. A number of the flight attendants have worked for Condor more than ten years. They said it’s the Condor Spirit. They have stories to tell with more time in the air than  most of the passengers.

With lights dimmed, creature comfort comes full circle with seats that allow one to stretch their legs. Before landing at LAX. a snack included a mix of seasonal greens, cucumber and tomatoes with a light raspberry dressing, or a slice of grilled sausage in a savory tomato curry sauce, and lastly a raspberry tart with elderberry and pistachios. This was our 57th flight to Europe on assignment and Condor did not disappoint.

Of Note

From its Frankfurt base, Condor has connecting service to more than 100 destinations throughout Europe along with a network of airline and rail partners. Four North American gateways provide access: LA, Seattle, New York and Toronto. From other cities in the U.S. and Canada, Condor has interline partnerships with Alaska Airlines, JetBlue and WestJet. Condor’s Economy Class is value-oriented, but Business Class passengers can check sports gear and skis at no extra charge. www.condor.com.

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I lived in a village in the Swiss Alps for two years when I was a little girl and I remember the delicious crunch of the new fallen snow under my shoes on a cold, still Christmas Eve when I was allowed to attend midnight Mass in the village church. The bells rang sharp and clear in the frosty air, the stars twinkled in the dark sky and I knew I would soon see my Christmas presents. All was well with my wee world.

All that, as well as the larger world around me, is much changed. But a night in December, on a snowcovered mountain high above Zurich, its lights aglow in the valley below, brings back the memory of that Christmas Eve.

The Christmas markets, special treats of the season in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, evoke the Christmas in a child’s imagination. A grownup’s, too. A funicular ride to the top of another part of the Alps above Innsbruck in Austria and a romantic Christmas market on the tiny Isle of Women (Fraueninsel) in the Chiemsee in Bavaria spell an Alpine Christmas as it ought to be.

“Every Southerner knows the past is not dead,” the novelist William Faulkner famously said, “it’s not even past.” Not just for Faulkner’s kinsmen, but for all of us at Christmas. The Christmas season in the German speaking world begins with the Christmas markets, usually held from the beginning of Advent in late November to Dec. 23 or even into Christmas Eve, an ancient tradition that originated in Germany, with credit going to Dresden as the oldest market dating from 1434. In fact, an earlier market took place in Bautzen, Saxony, in 1384 and an even earlier December market is recorded in Vienna in 1294. Today, there are Christmas markets all over Germany, Austria and Switzerland, as well as in the United States where the largest is in Chicago.

Germany’s large cities, such as Dresden, Nuremberg, Leipzig, Frankfurt and Munich all have numerous markets, large and small. In Munich, Marienplatz, the city’s central square, is a busy warren of stalls. Crowds of marketgoers jostle one another for a look at a crystal ornament, a piece of jewelry, or a hot sausage to go with the cup of gluehwein.

Nearby is the medieval market, less noisy and redolent with the fragrance of flammbrot in the oven, a pizza like bread topped with meats or cheeses and baked in a wood burning oven. Everything is hand-made; shopkeepers and demonstrators dress in medieval costumes, lending stalls a Gothic air.

A smaller market specializes in nativity figures and scenes. One of the newer markets is located in the courtyard of the splendid Royal Residence. The most innovative of Munich’s market is Tollwood, on the huge field where the annual Oktoberfest in held. Tollwood was organized in 1991 and combines traditional booths with a wealth of international ones, some outdoors and dozens of others in tents, lighted from outside in bright colors. Huge sculptures adorn the grounds. Tollwood is a site for theatrical performances and in the bar-café tent, Munich’s music scene plays along with beer and sausages.

In Zurich, Switzerland’s largest city, the chief market is in the railroad station. An enormous fairy-tale Christmas tree, adorned with thousands of sparkling Swarovski crystal ornaments, presides over the market, the largest indoor market in Europe. Truly a wonder to behold.

Smaller markets are scattered throughout the city. On one of the downtown squares, just off Zurich’s famous Bahnhofstrasse shopping street, a “singing Christmas tree” entertains passersby in the late afternoon. The members of a Zurich gospel choir sing American gospel songs, swaying to the music in tiers in front of a large tree.

In Innsbruck, Austria, the Christmas market has taken over the Old Town. Stalls are set up beneath the vaulted stone arcades, leading to stalls in the narrow streets and alleys. Enormous replicas of fairy-tale figures adorn many of the second and third floors of the Old Town houses. The children are especially delighted.

Innsbruck, the capital of the state of Tirol, was once a powerful independent state, and in the 15th century the seat of the Holy Roman Empire. Tirol was divided at the end of World War I when the southern part was ceded to Italy, and on a three-day weekend Innsbruck is overrun with Italians up to shop at the Christmas market and to enjoy the Austrian hospitality. Tiroleans are open and friendly to visitors.

Skiers get out early on the northern and southern slopes surrounding the city, the site of the 1964 and 1976 Winter Olympics. Snow bunnies can ride up thousands of feet on the Hungerburg funicular and the ascent of the cable car that would leave James Bond breathless. At the top, there’s a splendid view of the city and a comfortable café-restaurant from whence to watch the skiers glide down the mountainside.

Visitors don’t have to climb to the top of the mountain to visit the spectacular Bergisel ski jumping stadium on the outskirts of the city. Designed by Iraqi born Zaha Hadid in 2002, the ski jump is used in January for a skiing event; in the summer, athletes train on a special plastic covering.

But perhaps the real charm of Christmas markets lies in the small towns and villages of Bavaria and Tirol. In Berchtesgaden, a historic old market town that has long been a winter and summer resort, the past is both dead and alive. Berchtesgaden was a favorite of Hitler’s. The houses occupied by Hitler and his Nazi henchmen were all destroyed at the end of World War II, with the exception of a hotel used by the Nazis. Tourists can visit Hitler’s bunkers beneath the hotel, and nearby is a small museum reflecting Hitler’s stay. The grim, gray Eagle’s Nest remains a curiosity, but more for its precarious perch on the mountaintop than for its association with the Nazis. The 20th century significance of the town is not mentioned in brochures or by tourist organizations. The locals want this past to stay dead.

Faulkner’s words come alive, however, in the curious ancient Christmas tradition on the feast day of St. Nicholas. As a rule, children leave their shoes outside their bedroom doors on the night of December 5th in anticipation of goodies left by St. Nick. In Berchtesgaden, however, it’s the white-bearded Bishop Nicholas who roams through the village accompanied by a crew of fearsome buttnmandl and krampus, the former covered from head to tow in straw, the latter in fur with both groups wearing hideous masks with a long red tongue that frighten more than the village children. Attached to their backs are enormous cow bells weighing up to 45 pounds that clank in cacophony as they run through the village streets with long switches in hand. Anyone in the path of these young men is subject to a blow on the legs — not a gentle one – and having black coal smeared on his or her face. Sometimes a girl is cornered and pushed to the ground; a child screams under the force of a blow to his legs. This is a violent reminder of a barbaric past, despite the concept that the original purpose was to drive out evil spirits, so beware.

Berchtesgaden still honors the coming of the Christ child by ringing bells and Christmas shooting, a custom dating back to the 17th century. Guns are fired every afternoon at 3 during the week before Christmas, to the accompaniment of church bells.

Not far from Berchtesgaden is Bad Reichenhall, a small spa town made rich by its saline springs. In the early 20th century, King Ludwig I of Bavaria built saltworks and a spa house in pseudo medieval style. The special Christmas market in Bad Reichenhall, where the Reber bakery and restaurant claim to make the original Mozartkugel (chocolate marzipan balls) sold everywhere in Salzburg, is an indoor craft market held in the graceful town hall in the second weekend of Advent.

As silent as Berchtesgarden is noisy, the lovely Fraueninsel (Isle of Women) Christmas market entices visitors from neighboring towns. The island on the Chiemsee is populated by a beautiful old Benedictine convent (now used as a school), a few hotels and restaurants, a handful of charming cottages and, at Christmas time, a Christmas market sprawling over the entire little island. Lit by candles and torches, the market is a magical place, especially when snow falls. In the cemetery adjacent to the convent, candles flicker in red glass containers beside each grave. This custom is honored as well in the Berchtesgaden cemetery.

Candles, nativity scenes, special pastries, wooden Christmas tree ornaments and Christmas trees galore are part of the Bavarian, Tirolean and Swiss traditions. In these regions, children are traditionally not allowed to see their tree before sunset on Christmas Eve, but the decorations and lights everywhere, and the festive atmosphere of the Christmas markets create excitement and anticipation that goes well beyond anything commercial. Christmas is still taken seriously here, and when the bells ring out with the message of the Christ child on Christmas Eve, everyone knows something special is about to happen.

When You Go:

United Airlines flies nonstop from the U.S. to Munich and Zurich. Swiss flies from New York nonstop to Zurich. Lufthansa flies from the U.S. to Munich.

Train connections between Munich, Innsbruck and Zurich are frequent and convenient. Tickets can be purchased in the U.S. from RailEurope at www.raileurope.com.

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