Street Advent calendar

Why 24 doors in the city are the secret stars of the

pre-Christmas season

If you're looking for me during Advent, you'll rarely find me at the mulled wine stand.

I walk through the streets with my collar turned up, looking up:

Which window is lit up today? Which door tells its story?

Street Advent calendars, i.e. entire building facades, neighbourhoods or squares that change day by day like a walk-in Advent calendar, are for me the secret upgrade to classic Christmas markets.

Yes, really, street Advent calendar doors are even more exciting for me than the most beautiful Christmas markets.

Of course, I always look at them through my ‘music travel glasses’: where do light, architecture and live music come together to create a small open-air Advent festival?

What exactly is a street advent calendar?

Instead of cardboard and chocolate, a street advent calendar uses what a city already has:

• Windows and doors of town halls, castles or private houses
• Squares and alleys that are gradually illuminated and decorated
• often a small ritual: every evening, a ‘door’ is opened, with a picture, story, sometimes even music and a mini-event

The stronghold of this tradition is in German-speaking countries. Places such as Gengenbach in the Black Forest, Graz or Hellbrunn near Salzburg transform their facades into oversized Advent calendars and turn them into real crowd pullers.

For travellers, this means that you are not ‘just’ booking a Christmas market, but an atmosphere that looks different every day.

Small pre-Christmas destinations: From window to window

Today, I'm going to tell you about my favourite places for a quick Advent calendar break:

Evenings in Graz:

The façade of Graz City Hall lights up like a giant Advent calendar, with different projections every evening. From 4:30 p.m. to midnight, the building is transformed into a glowing picture story above the city, while the Christmas market bustles below. There are several Advent markets within walking distance throughout the city centre, plus tower brass bands, ice nativity scenes and small concerts, perfect for ‘Advent hopping’. Graz is ideal if you like urban Advent with design, cuisine and culture, and at the same time want to experience that special feeling that the whole old town is like a single, walk-in Advent calendar.

In Hellbrunn Palace Park near Salzburg:

Dream in Hellbrunn Palace Park in front of the palace façade with – naturally – exactly 24 windows.

During Advent, the windows form an oversized Advent calendar. In front of it: an enchanted forest with over 700 conifers and around 10,000 red Christmas tree baubles.

When a brass ensemble strikes up ‘Silent Night’, the ‘Music Travel’ moment is perfect.

Why go there?

For anyone who loves castle atmosphere + Advent + music and wants to combine it with a city break in Salzburg.

Advent nights in Gengenbach in the Black Forest at the world's largest Advent calendar house

In the evening, the square in front of the classicist town hall in Gengenbach fills up. 24 windows, perfectly sized for a giant Advent calendar. During the window-opening ritual at 6 p.m., a new work of art is unveiled every day, accompanied by music and a programme on the stage in front of the square.

Fairytale town hall Advent calendar with Frau Holle in Hattingen, North Rhine-Westphalia

In the half-timbered old town of Hattingen, the façade of the old town hall is transformed into a large Advent calendar during the Advent season.

Every evening, ‘Frau Holle’ appears at the town hall window, symbolically shakes out her beds and opens another window, a ritual that attracts children and adults alike and gives the town an almost medieval Christmas atmosphere.

Here you can enjoy live fairy tale storytelling, embedded in a historic old town, perfect if you like Christmas romance with a wink.

For a long time, I wondered which street Advent calendars feature music.

Because those are exactly what I'm looking for for me and our Music Travel Hideaways offers. And they do exist, here are my tips:

Hall in Tirol:

The Advent market in the medieval old town is known for its large Advent calendar projected onto the houses, accompanied by an atmospheric music programme with choirs and brass players.

Oberursel (Taunus):

The ‘Living Advent Calendar’ often hides musical performances behind its daily ‘doors’, ranging from small concerts to communal Christmas carol singing in the town centre.

Musical Advent calendar series such as in Bielefeld:

Here, there are entire short concert series under the title ‘Musical Advent Calendar’, approximately 30-minute programmes in churches or cultural venues that function like acoustic ‘doors’.

As you can see, Advent calendars on streets and squares are no longer just decorations; they are small stage formats, ideal for musically inspired short trips.

These are exactly the kind of trips we love at Music Travel Hideaways: a weekend, unknown places, lots of music, and a different bright ‘door’ every evening.

How to turn a street advent calendar into your own personal pre-Christmas trip

If you feel like planning your own ‘door weekend’, just let me know.

Here are a few ideas on how we can offer this directly to you:

Combine two locations

For example, Salzburg & Hellbrunn, so you can experience different formats. Enjoy an overnight stay and a delicious, cosy breakfast in a special local hideaway.

Plan your evening around the ‘window opening’

Many façade Advent calendars have a fixed time at which a new motif is revealed, often with music and commentary. We'll give you insider tips for your destination at short notice.

Use music as a guide

Whether it's tower brass bands in Graz, concerts as part of a musical Advent calendar or choirs in the market square: we'll put together your trip and your personal playlist, from quiet chorales to brass bands in the town hall square.

Let the Christmas market be just the encore

Turn the dramaturgy around: first windows, stories, music, then mulled wine. This way, the market becomes a cosy accompaniment instead of the main show.

So, open the door

That's what makes the magic of Advent so unique.