Aachen Printen and Christmas Market Tour

The Aachen Printen and Christmas Market Tour is a three-hour specialist tour centred on Printen, the spiced gingerbread-style biscuit protected as a regional speciality of Aachen since the city has produced it for centuries. The route includes a visit to the flagship Nobis bakery, one of Aachen's best-known Printen makers, where a short demonstration shows how the dough is spiced, shaped, and baked before being sold fresh or as decorative gift boxes. From the bakery, the guide leads the group through the Cathedral district, using Aachen Cathedral's Carolingian architecture as a backdrop while explaining the history of Printen and its links to the city's confectionery guilds. Across the tour, participants sample more than ten varieties of Printen, ranging from soft to hard textures and from plain honey-spiced to chocolate-coated versions, alongside local hot drinks such as mulled wine or spiced tea, making the tastings entirely sweet-focused with no savoury component. The €40 price covers all Printen tastings, the Nobis bakery visit, the guided walk through the Cathedral area, and a gift box of Printen to take away; it does not include additional Printen purchases beyond the gift box or drinks outside the included hot beverage. While the tour is available year-round, it is most atmospheric from late November through December when Aachen's Christmas market stalls surround the Cathedral district and add seasonal spiced-drink options along the route. The pace is relaxed and walkable, well suited to families, and the flat Cathedral square area is manageable for those with limited mobility, though the historic bakery interior has narrow aisles typical of an older shop.