At the start of this week I embarked on a very exciting trip. I headed to Cranger Weihnachtszauber, located in Herne, Germany. I thought it would be great to share my experience with all of you!
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Cranger Weihnachtszauber could be said to be the perfect mixture between Christmas market and funfair. If this article gives you the tingles to go and experience the festive atmosphere, then simply head down before the 30th of December. There’s so many rides and attractions on offer and the selection of food stalls is to die for!
Food & Drink
Some of the different types of food you can expect to see on offer include Gebrannte Mandeln, Baumstriezel (Chimney Cakes), Langos and fried mushrooms and Cauliflower. Take a look at some of the food and stalls you can expect to see on your visit in the photos below!
The food stall of most interest to me is actually somewhat ironic given the time of year. Schmalhaus Eis is a family run business which sells possibly the most delicious ice cream I’ve ever tried. What’s even more special is that at Cranger Weihnachtszauber they bring along a special selection of winter flavours and toppings. These flavours include cinnamon, marzipan, butterkeks and praline. I tried all the flavours available on the day and have to say it was absolutely to die for! This is the stall you’re looking out for when you visit if you fancy an ice cream (or two!)
I was very lucky to be presented with the opportunity to go behind the scenes at Schmalhaus. Therefore, I get to present you with some exciting behind the scenes photos of how the ice cream is made too! On the day, the winter flavours available for me to try were Marzipan, Butterkeks, Spekulatius and gebrannte Mandeln. The ice cream is made freshly approximately every hour and it’s all done by hand too! They even have a special type of funfair ice cream which is constantly rotating in the cylinder! If you’re feeling extra fancy, you can go for a chocolate glaze on the top of your ice cream. There’s other toppings to choose from too!
Rides & Attractions
Cranger Weihnachtszauber has a great selection of rides & attractions on offer, including ones suitable for children. Of course, there’s adrenaline pumping rides too for the thrill-seekers. Everything is pay per ride and whilst not as expensive as somewhere like Winter Wonderland in London, the prices are reasonably steep. For those who love admiring the views from up high, then take a trip on Around the World or the classic Ferris Wheel. For those who need their coaster-counts, there’s a Crazy Mouse rollercoaster as well as a children’s credit.
Everyone knows something special about funfairs is rides in the dark. I’ve been trying to perfect my long exposure shots and a funfair is a perfect place to practice. This is where the thrill rides really come in handy, such as the KMG XXL “Konga” or the Fabbri Booster Maxx known as “Apollo 13”- which is insane to ride by the way. There’s also a breakdance present too. Let me know what you think of the long exposures via our Instagram or Facebook channels!
Aside from the various kids and thrill rides around Cranger Weihnachtszauber, there’s lots of games stalls and arcades too. These seemed really popular with the public, in fact more popular than the rides themselves! There’s also an ice rink and plenty of other entertainment too, which we will get onto in a second!
Other Entertainment at Cranger Weihnachtszauber
As mentioned above, you can even go ice skating at Cranger Weihnachtszauber! There’s plenty of other Christmas entertainment at the event too, including a proper Christmas market where you can buy gifts and a Christmas fairy-tale walk through. The whole event is covered in sparkling Christmas decorations and there’s a really charming and festive atmosphere throughout. For those who like to drink, there’s a few different tents and indoor areas which are beautifully decorated with magical Christmas decorations. Here you can socialise with friends over a Gluehwein or a beer or two! There’s also a show twice a day where Santa flies in a sleigh across the whole event! The younger ones have opportunities to meet Santa up close too!
Cranger Weihnachtszauber is running until the 30th December, so you still have plenty of time if this has tempted you enough to visit! Please take care to make yourselves aware of the current rules before visiting, which include proof of vaccination and a mask requirement. But most importantly, don’t forget to enjoy yourselves once you’re there!
