Det Gamle Apotek in Denmark's Christmas Town Tondern

Christmas is just around the corner, no snow has fallen yet, but like every year I will visit the city Tondern (Tønder) in Denmark. From 09 November to 23 December 2019 the little town will be transformed into a Christmas paradise. If there was a Santa Claus, he would surely live in Tondern, but who knows....

Tondern is located near the German-Danish border and the city is visited by many tourists. Every year in August the Tønder Festival takes place, which is appreciated by many folk music fans. Also many vacationers make a short stop in Tondern on their way back to visit only Die Alte Apotheke (Det Gamle Apotek), but I'll get to that later.

Of course snow would be nice now, but I hope that the pictures will spread some Christmas spirit even without snow. With the car you always drive straight in the city centre and find enough parking spaces there which are mostly free of charge. From the parking place it is only a few meters and you are in a beautiful pedestrian zone with many small shops. The old houses shine in bright light and the shop windows are decorated for Christmas. The smell of roasted almonds, grilled sausages and mulled wine is in the air.

Directly in front of the Det Gamle Apotek is a square with several stalls and a children's carousel. Now it's time for a hot Gløgg with delicious Æbleskiver that you can enjoy at a punch stand. The attraction, however, is when St. Nicholas flies out behind the roof of a house with his reindeer sled and waves to the people to wish them a Merry Christmas. So there he is, Santa Claus, and he lives in Tondern.

If you go for a walk around the square, you can see and buy works of art made of glass, fine handicrafts, knitted items made of wool, candles cast by yourself and all kinds of handicrafts at the stalls. Now at the latest it's time for a visit to the Old Pharmacy.

Erik Tygesen realized his dream in 1989 and opened Det Gamle Apotek at Christmas time. The old building with its 46 rooms was left as it was and on the total 1,200 square meters of space over 3 floors, a range of goods from Christmas and nostalgia was created.

It is fascinating to walk through the corridors and the themed rooms. You are really taken back to the past when you discover things like tin toys and much more from your own childhood. Can you still remember the cardboard sheets where you could cut out the clothes and suits or these craft sheets where you could cut out houses and planes and glue them together? You will encounter all these things on your tour.

I don't want to describe every room now, but for Christmas shopping you can find Christmas decorations, Santa Clauses, gnomes, games, balls, cookie jars, toys, candles, pillows, cups, sweets, coffee, tea, honey, wine, liquorice and typical Christmas articles from Scandinavia.

If you have not yet fallen into the purchase rush, then you can submit your wish list to the Christmas post.

Opening hours from 9 November to 23 December 2019:
on weekdays from 10:00 - 17:30 o'clock
Saturdays from 10:00 - 16:00 o'clock
Sundays from 11:00 - 16:00 o'clock

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