Bopparder Weihnachtsmarkt (Winzerzauber)

Boppard, with just under 16,000 inhabitants, is the largest town in the Upper Middle Rhine Valley World Heritage site. The historic town center with its market square, the late Romanesque Severuskirche church, and the Rhine promenade forms a cohesive medieval backdrop that takes on a very special atmosphere in Advent. The Bopparder Weihnachtsmarkt utilizes this backdrop for an unusually long period of ten days for an Advent market — from the beginning of the Advent weekend until the following Sunday.

The organizer is the Tourist Information Office of the City of Boppard, which organizes a stall application process annually. The approximately fifty Christmas stalls around the market square and in the adjacent alleys are operated by selected vendors offering arts and crafts (wood, ceramics, glass, jewelry, textiles), gift items, Advent decorations, and above all, regional sweets and specialties.

A focus is placed on the Boppard wine tradition: The Bopparder Hamm, with over 70 hectares, is one of the largest contiguous vineyards on the Middle Rhine, and local vintners serve their mulled wines, Glüh-Riesling, and hot punches at the market. The gastronomic offerings range from bratwurst, spit roast, and potato pancakes to tarte flambée and sweet specialties like gingerbread, fried dough, and candied almonds.

A characteristic feature is the dense stage program: Throughout the ten days, choirs, brass ensembles, school groups, solo artists, and occasionally professional Advent ensembles perform daily. St. Nicholas and the Christ Child visit the market on several days, and carriage rides through Boppard's old town are a popular family activity. The opening hours are generous: Sun–Thu 12 PM–8 PM, Fri and Sat 12 PM–10 PM — the long evening opening hours on weekends make the market a popular after-work destination.