Wiener Christkindlmarkt, Vienna. Photo: Simofi István, Pexels
The Best Christmas Markets in Europe 2026: Official Dates, Hours and What Each Market Is Known For
By Richard Jasinski·Updated 15 October 2026
Europe's Christmas markets open from 6 November 2026, when Manchester and Vienna's Schönbrunn begin, to the last week of November, when Nuremberg, Dresden, Strasbourg, Brussels and Prague open; the German markets close on 23 or 24 December, while Prague, Tallinn and Zagreb run into January. This page lists twenty markets with their 2026 dates and hours as each market, city or tourism board publishes them, read on 15 October 2026, and marks the few that have not yet published.
When do Europe's Christmas markets open in 2026?
The first big markets open in early November: Manchester and Schönbrunn in Vienna on 6 November, then Rathausplatz in Vienna, Budapest's Advent Bazilika and Tivoli in Copenhagen on 13 November. The German markets open later, in the last week of November, and close on 23 or 24 December; Prague, Tallinn, Zagreb, Brussels and Luxembourg run into January. Every date below is from the market, its city or its tourism board, read on 15 October 2026.
| Market | 2026 dates | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Manchester | 6 Nov to 22 Dec; some sites to 3 Jan | Confirmed |
| Vienna, Schönbrunn | 6 Nov to 6 Jan | Confirmed |
| Vienna, Rathausplatz | 13 Nov to 26 Dec | Confirmed |
| Budapest, Advent Bazilika | 13 Nov to 1 Jan | Confirmed |
| Copenhagen, Tivoli | 13 Nov to 3 Jan | Confirmed |
| Edinburgh | 14 Nov to 3 Jan (season) | Confirmed; market dates not separate |
| Cologne, Cathedral | 16 Nov to 23 Dec | Confirmed |
| Geneva, Noël au Quai | 19 Nov to 24 Dec | Confirmed |
| Tallinn | 20 Nov to 6 Jan | Confirmed |
| Luxembourg, Winterlights | 20 Nov to 3 Jan | Confirmed |
| Colmar | 23 Nov to 29 Dec | Confirmed |
| Dresden, Striezelmarkt | 25 Nov to 24 Dec | Confirmed |
| Dublin, Everwinter | 25 Nov to 23 Dec (market) | Confirmed |
| Basel | 26 Nov to 23 Dec | Confirmed |
| Bath | 26 Nov to 13 Dec | Confirmed |
| Nuremberg, Christkindlesmarkt | 27 Nov to 24 Dec | Confirmed |
| Strasbourg | From 27 Nov | Opening only |
| Brussels, Winter Wonders | 27 Nov to 3 Jan | Confirmed |
| Prague, Old Town Square | 28 Nov to 6 Jan | Confirmed |
| Zagreb, Advent | 28 Nov to 7 Jan | Confirmed |
| Milan, Oh Bej! Oh Bej! | Around 7 Dec | Not yet published |
The best Christmas markets in Europe for 2026
For age, Strasbourg, which dates its market to 1570, and Dresden, whose 2026 Striezelmarkt is the 592nd; for size, Brussels (238 chalets) and Manchester (210 stalls); for a market that runs past Christmas, Prague, Tallinn, Zagreb or Vienna's Schönbrunn, all open to 6 or 7 January. Budapest's Advent Bazilika shows four titles as Europe's best Christmas market; Zagreb won the European Best Destinations vote three times and Basel once. The twenty markets below are grouped by country, each with its 2026 dates, hours, what it says about itself and the one limit worth knowing before you book.
Austria
Vienna: Wiener Christkindlmarkt and SchönbrunnAustria · Rathausplatz and Schloss Schönbrunn
- 2026 dates
- Rathausplatz: 13 November to 26 December 2026. Schönbrunn: 6 November 2026 to 6 January 2027.
- Hours
- Rathausplatz daily 10:00 to 22:00, 24 December to 18:30. Schönbrunn 10:00 to 21:00 until 23 December, 10:00 to 16:00 on 24 December, then 10:00 to 19:00 to 6 January.
- What it states
- An ice rink, Eistraum, runs on Rathausplatz from 13 November to 6 January. Schönbrunn has more than 90 huts in the palace forecourt.
- Not the fit if
- You want the Rathausplatz market after Christmas: it closes on 26 December. Go to Schönbrunn, which stays open to 6 January.
France
Strasbourg: ChristkindelsmärikFrance · Place Broglie and seven more market areas
- 2026 dates
- Opens Friday 27 November 2026. The closing date is not yet published; the 2025 market ran to 24 December.
- Hours
- Not yet published.
- What it states
- The city says the market was born in 1570, making it one of Europe's oldest and for a long time the only one in France. It runs across eight areas, from Place Broglie and the cathedral to La Petite France and the great tree on Place Kléber.
- Not the fit if
- You want a fixed end date to plan around: Strasbourg has published only its opening day so far.
ColmarFrance · six markets in the old town
- 2026 dates
- 23 November to 29 December 2026.
- Hours
- Not published on the official pages; the tourist office lists the Koïfhus craft market from 11:00 to 19:00.
- What it states
- Six markets and about 180 stalls: Place des Dominicains, Place de l'Ancienne Douane, Place Jeanne d'Arc, a children's market in Petite Venise, an indoor craft market in the Koïfhus and a gourmet market with nine chefs.
- Not the fit if
- You only have a weekend in the region and want the bigger city: Strasbourg is 30 minutes away by train.
Germany
Nuremberg: ChristkindlesmarktGermany · Hauptmarkt
- 2026 dates
- 27 November to 24 December 2026. The Christkind opens it at 17:30 on 27 November.
- Hours
- Daily 10:00 to 21:00; 24 December 10:00 to 14:00.
- What it states
- Up to 180 stalls with red and white canopies. Its foods are Nürnberger Lebkuchen, Früchtebrot and Zwetschgenmännla, figures made of prunes.
- Not the fit if
- You can only travel between Christmas and New Year: it closes at 14:00 on 24 December.
Cologne: the Cathedral market and five othersGermany · Roncalliplatz
- 2026 dates
- Cathedral: 16 November to 23 December 2026, closed on 22 November. Altstadt (Heinzels Wintermärchen): 23 November 2026 to 10 January 2027. Harbour market: 13 November 2026 to 3 January 2027.
- Hours
- Cathedral market Sunday to Wednesday 11:00 to 21:00, Thursday and Friday to 22:00, Saturday 10:00 to 22:00.
- What it states
- Up to 140 stalls beside the cathedral under a 25-metre fir and about 50,000 lights; the city portal puts visitors at about four million a year.
- Not the fit if
- You arrive after 23 December: the Cathedral market has closed, though the Altstadt and harbour markets run into January.
Dresden: StriezelmarktGermany · Altmarkt
- 2026 dates
- 25 November to 24 December 2026, the 592nd Striezelmarkt.
- Hours
- Opening day 16:00 to 21:00; then daily 10:00 to 21:00; 24 December 10:00 to 14:00.
- What it states
- More than 200 traders, with 216 stall spaces offered for 2026, and what it calls the world's largest Erzgebirge step pyramid, 14.61 metres high. Its symbol is the Pflaumentoffel, a figure made of prunes.
- Not the fit if
- You want to visit after Christmas: it closes at 14:00 on 24 December.
Switzerland
BaselSwitzerland · Barfüsserplatz, Münsterplatz, Claraplatz
- 2026 dates
- 26 November to 23 December 2026. New in 2026: a Weihnachtsdorf on Theaterplatz, around the Elisabethenkirche, from 26 November to 3 January.
- Hours
- Barfüsserplatz and Münsterplatz daily 11:00 to 20:30; 23 December to 20:00 and 18:00.
- What it states
- Three squares, with a fairy-tale forest for children on Münsterplatz. European Best Destinations named it the best Christmas market in Europe in 2021.
- Not the fit if
- You want late nights: the stalls close at 20:30.
Geneva: Noël au QuaiSwitzerland · Quai du Mont-Blanc
- 2026 dates
- 19 November to 24 December 2026. Free entry.
- Hours
- Monday to Wednesday 12:00 to 21:00, Thursday to 22:00, Friday 12:00 to 23:00, Saturday 11:00 to 23:00, Sunday 11:00 to 21:00; 24 December 12:00 to 16:00.
- What it states
- Nearly 30 food vendors, artisan stalls that change each week, a fondue chalet, a big wheel facing the Jet d'Eau and, for the first time in 2026, its own ice rink.
- Not the fit if
- You want a historic old-town setting: this is a lakeside market on the quay.
Central and Eastern Europe
Prague: Old Town SquareCzech Republic · Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square
- 2026 dates
- 28 November 2026 to 6 January 2027, on both Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square.
- Hours
- Daily 10:00 to 22:00.
- What it states
- The organiser shows CNN's 2025 listing among the best Christmas markets in the world. Prague City Tourism describes dozens of stalls without giving a number.
- Not the fit if
- You want the market before Advent begins: it opens on 28 November, later than Vienna or Budapest.
Budapest: Advent BazilikaHungary · Szent István tér
- 2026 dates
- 13 November 2026 to 1 January 2027. The Vörösmarty Square fair has not yet published 2026 dates; it ran from 14 November to 31 December in 2025.
- Hours
- Sunday to Thursday 11:00 to 22:00, Friday and Saturday to 23:00; 24 December 11:00 to 15:00; 31 December to 03:00.
- What it states
- Nearly 150 exhibitors over 45 days in front of St Stephen's Basilica, and, as the organiser shows, four titles as Europe's best Christmas market.
- Not the fit if
- You want Vörösmarty Square on fixed dates: they were not out on 15 October 2026.
Zagreb: Advent u ZagrebuCroatia · Zrinjevac, Strossmayer promenade, Upper Town
- 2026 dates
- 28 November 2026 to 7 January 2027.
- Hours
- Not yet published.
- What it states
- Seventeen locations across the city, coordinated by the City of Zagreb and the Zagreb Tourist Board, with fritule and mulled wine, and three wins in the European Best Destinations vote, 2016 to 2018.
- Not the fit if
- You want one compact market square: Advent in Zagreb is spread across the city.
Tallinn: Town Hall SquareEstonia · Raekoja plats
- 2026 dates
- 20 November 2026 to 6 January 2027. Visit Tallinn also says the tree is lit on the first Sunday of Advent, 29 November.
- Hours
- Not yet published; the city's tender requires at least 12:00 to 20:00 daily.
- What it states
- Visit Tallinn says the Brotherhood of the Blackheads put up Europe's first Christmas tree on this square in 1441, a claim it does not source.
- Not the fit if
- You want a large market: this is one square, and a redesign is planned for 2027.
Northern and Western Europe
Copenhagen: Christmas in TivoliDenmark · Tivoli Gardens, Vesterbrogade 3
- 2026 dates
- 13 November 2026 to 3 January 2027.
- Hours
- Published on Tivoli's calendar, by day.
- What it states
- Tivoli, open since 1843, puts up more than 70,000 Christmas ornaments; 99% of its lights are LED.
- Not the fit if
- You want a free market: Tivoli charges entry.
Brussels: Winter WondersBelgium · Sainte-Catherine to the Grand-Place
- 2026 dates
- Friday 27 November 2026 to Sunday 3 January 2027, the 25th edition.
- Hours
- Provisionally 12:00 to 22:00 daily, 18:00 on 24 and 31 December; the full programme is due in November.
- What it states
- 238 chalets from Place Sainte-Catherine and the Vismet to the Bourse, De Brouckère and Place Poelaert, with the tree on the Grand-Place. The 2026 guest regions are the Basque Country and Béarn.
- Not the fit if
- You want one square: Winter Wonders is a trail across the centre.
Luxembourg City: WinterlightsLuxembourg · Place Guillaume II and the old town
- 2026 dates
- 20 November 2026 to 3 January 2027.
- Hours
- Not yet published.
- What it states
- Organised by the Luxembourg City Tourist Office with the City; the markets include the Lëtzebuerger Chrëschtmaart on Place Guillaume II, the Wantermaart and the Niklosmaart.
- Not the fit if
- You want a long trip from one base: it is a compact city, best combined with Trier or the Moselle.
United Kingdom and Ireland
Edinburgh: Edinburgh's ChristmasScotland · East Princes Street Gardens
- 2026 dates
- Season 14 November 2026 to 3 January 2027. The market in East Princes Street Gardens has not published separate dates or hours.
- Hours
- Not yet published; the big wheel opens at 12:00.
- What it states
- Markets have been held in East Princes Street Gardens since 1999. The 2026 season adds the big wheel, a family ice experience and an ice bar for over-18s; some attractions are ticketed.
- Not the fit if
- You want a quiet market: the gardens sit beside Waverley Station and Princes Street, and weekend evenings are the busiest.
ManchesterEngland · ten city-centre sites
- 2026 dates
- Friday 6 November to Tuesday 22 December 2026. Albert Square, Cathedral Gardens and the skating rink stay open to 3 January 2027.
- Hours
- Not yet published.
- What it states
- 210 stalls across ten locations, including Albert Square, Exchange Square, St Ann's Square and a new site on Lincoln Square.
- Not the fit if
- You want a historic setting: these are modern city-centre squares.
BathEngland · around Bath Abbey
- 2026 dates
- Thursday 26 November to Sunday 13 December 2026.
- Hours
- Monday to Wednesday 10:00 to 19:00, Thursday to Saturday to 20:00, Sunday to 18:00.
- What it states
- Run by Bath and North East Somerset Council in the streets around the Abbey.
- Not the fit if
- You can only go in the week before Christmas: it closes on 13 December, after 18 days.
Dublin: Everwinter at the RDSIreland · RDS, Ballsbridge (new in 2026)
- 2026 dates
- 25 November 2026 to 3 January 2027; the market runs to 23 December and the ice rink alone after that.
- Hours
- Tuesday to Friday 14:00 to 21:00, Saturday and Sunday 12:00 to 21:00, closed Mondays.
- What it states
- A new winter event at the RDS from Equinox Events, the team behind the Christmas market at Dublin Castle. The Dublin Castle market was paused in 2025 and has published no 2026 dates.
- Where
- RDS on Google Maps
- Not the fit if
- You are looking for the Dublin Castle market: it is not listed for 2026.
Italy
Milan: Oh Bej! Oh Bej!Italy · around the Castello Sforzesco
- 2026 dates
- Not yet published. The fair is tied to Sant'Ambrogio, Milan's patron saint, on 7 December; in 2025 it ran from 5 to 8 December.
- Hours
- Not yet published.
- What it states
- Lombardy's tourism portal says the fair has preceded Milan's Christmas for five centuries; its signature is firunatt, smoked chestnuts threaded into necklaces.
- Not the fit if
- You want a month-long market: Oh Bej! lasts about four days around 7 December.
Which Christmas markets are open after Christmas?
Zagreb runs longest, to 7 January 2027; Prague, Tallinn and Vienna's Schönbrunn close on 6 January; Brussels, Luxembourg, Copenhagen's Tivoli and Edinburgh on 3 January; Budapest's Advent Bazilika on 1 January. Cologne's Altstadt market runs to 10 January, though the Cathedral market closes on 23 December. Nuremberg and Dresden close at 14:00 on Christmas Eve, Vienna's Rathausplatz on 26 December, and Bath on 13 December.
Christmas market river cruises in 2026
Five river lines sell December 2026 sailings built around the Danube and Rhine markets, from about £2,600 to £3,800 a person for a week. Prices are the lines' own from-prices, read on 15 October 2026, and change with demand.
| Line | Itinerary | Route | From | A December 2026 sailing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Viking | Danube Christmas Delights | Passau to Budapest, 8 days | £2,795 | Dates on the line's site |
| AmaWaterways | Iconic Christmas Markets | Nuremberg to Budapest, 7 nights | Not shown | 2 December, AmaSonata |
| Emerald Cruises | Christmas Markets on the Danube | Budapest to Munich, 7 nights | £2,583 | 2 December |
| Scenic | Danube Christmas Markets | Munich to Budapest, 8 days | £3,129 | 16 December |
| Uniworld | Belgian Holiday Markets | Round trip from Brussels, 8 days | £3,799 | 16 December |
UK readers of Condé Nast Traveller rank Viking, Emerald, AmaWaterways and Uniworld among the best river lines of 2026; see the best cruise lines of 2026, and for what each fare includes, the luxury river cruise index.
Mercados navideños en Europa 2026: fechas
Los primeros mercados navideños de Europa abren en noviembre de 2026: Viena (Rathausplatz) del 13 de noviembre al 26 de diciembre, Budapest (Basílica de San Esteban) del 13 de noviembre al 1 de enero y Copenhague (Tivoli) del 13 de noviembre al 3 de enero. Los mercados alemanes abren a finales de noviembre: Núremberg del 27 de noviembre al 24 de diciembre y Dresde del 25 de noviembre al 24 de diciembre. Estrasburgo abre el 27 de noviembre, Bruselas va del 27 de noviembre al 3 de enero y Praga del 28 de noviembre al 6 de enero. Fechas oficiales consultadas el 15 de octubre de 2026.
How to plan a Christmas market trip
- Go on a weekday. Weekend evenings are the busiest everywhere; several markets, such as Geneva and Budapest, stay open later on Fridays and Saturdays.
- Pair markets by rail. Strasbourg and Colmar are about 30 minutes apart, and Basel is about an hour and a quarter from Strasbourg; Vienna and Budapest are under three hours apart by train.
- Book central hotels early. Rooms near Strasbourg cathedral, Vienna's Ring and Prague's Old Town fill first for the Advent weekends. For a city break scored on published facts, see the best city break destinations of 2026.
- Check the closing day. Most German markets close on 23 or 24 December; if your trip is between Christmas and New Year, choose from the list above.
Christmas markets in Europe 2026: the questions people ask
When do Christmas markets open in Europe in 2026?
From early November. Manchester and Schönbrunn in Vienna open on 6 November 2026; Vienna's Rathausplatz, Budapest's Advent Bazilika and Tivoli in Copenhagen on 13 November. Most German markets open in the last week of November: Dresden on 25 November and Nuremberg on 27 November. Strasbourg and Brussels open on 27 November, Prague and Zagreb on 28 November.
What is the best Christmas market in Europe?
It depends on what you want. Strasbourg dates its market to 1570 and Dresden holds its 592nd Striezelmarkt in 2026; Brussels has the most chalets, at 238; Budapest's Advent Bazilika shows four titles as Europe's best Christmas market. For a trip after Christmas, Prague, Tallinn and Zagreb run into January.
Which Christmas markets are open after Christmas?
In 2026, Zagreb runs to 7 January 2027; Prague, Tallinn and Schönbrunn in Vienna to 6 January; Brussels, Luxembourg, Tivoli in Copenhagen and Edinburgh to 3 January; Budapest's Advent Bazilika to 1 January; and Cologne's Altstadt market to 10 January.
What is the oldest Christmas market in Europe?
Strasbourg says its market was born in 1570, making it one of the oldest in Europe. Dresden's Striezelmarkt is numbering its 592nd edition in 2026, which would place the first in the 1430s.
When does the Edinburgh Christmas market open in 2026?
Edinburgh's Christmas runs from 14 November 2026 to 3 January 2027, with the market in East Princes Street Gardens; the organiser had not published separate market dates or hours on 15 October 2026.
Is there a Christmas market in Dublin in 2026?
Yes: Everwinter at the RDS in Ballsbridge, new in 2026, runs from 25 November, with the market open to 23 December and the ice rink to 3 January 2027. The Christmas market at Dublin Castle was paused in 2025 and has published no 2026 dates.
When are the German Christmas markets in 2026?
Cologne's Cathedral market runs from 16 November to 23 December, Dresden's Striezelmarkt from 25 November to 24 December and Nuremberg's Christkindlesmarkt from 27 November to 24 December 2026. Nuremberg and Dresden close at 14:00 on Christmas Eve.
When does the Strasbourg Christmas market open in 2026?
On Friday 27 November 2026. The city had not published the closing date on 15 October 2026; in 2025 the market ran to 24 December.
Read next
This page gives no score; markets are grouped by country. Every date and hour is from the market's own site, its city or its tourism board, read 15 October 2026; where a market had not published, the page says so and gives the 2025 dates only as a guide. Claims such as founding years are each market's own and are attributed. River cruise prices are the lines' published from-prices on the same day. There are no affiliate links and no paid placements. How this site earns · How we work.