Every date below is the 2026 date, checked on the market's own site in September 2026. Two markets had not published theirs yet; for those you'll find when they usually open, and we'll update the page as soon as the dates are out.
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Download the appChristmas market dates for 2026 at a glance
The first markets open in mid-November and the last close on 6 January 2027. Going by the confirmed dates and the usual pattern for the other three, all ten should be running at once from 28 November to 23 December.
| Market | City | 2026 dates |
|---|---|---|
| Christkindelsmärik | Strasbourg | Usually late November to 24 December (2026 dates not out yet) |
| Wiener Christkindlmarkt | Vienna | 13 November to 26 December 2026 |
| Striezelmarkt | Dresden | 25 November to 24 December 2026 |
| Old Town Square market | Prague | 28 November 2026 to 6 January 2027 |
| Cathedral market | Cologne | 16 November to 23 December 2026 (closed 22 November) |
| Town Hall Square market | Tallinn | 20 November 2026 to 6 January 2027 |
| Reiterlesmarkt | Rothenburg ob der Tauber | 20 November to 23 December 2026 (closed 22 November) |
| Winter Wonders | Brussels | 27 November 2026 to 3 January 2027 |
| Christkindlesmarkt | Nuremberg | 27 November to 24 December 2026 |
| Advent Basilica | Budapest | Usually mid-November to 1 January (2026 dates not out yet) |
The 10 best Christmas markets in Europe for 2026
1. Strasbourg, France
Strasbourg calls itself the Capital of Christmas, and it has the history to back it up: the Christkindelsmärik has run since 1570, which makes it the oldest in France. More than 300 wooden chalets spread over a dozen squares on the old town island, with the big ones on Place Broglie and in front of the cathedral, and a giant Christmas tree on Place Kléber.
You can see the market in our own trip data too. December is Strasbourg's second-biggest month on Stippl, with about one in six arrivals planned for it. That's also the catch: rooms around the island roughly double for the market weeks, with a three-star double at €160 to €320 a night, and they sell out months ahead. Staying in Colmar, 30 minutes away by train, is the classic workaround. More in our Strasbourg guide.
| When | Usually the last week of November to 24 December (2025: 26 November to 24 December). The city publishes the 2026 dates in the autumn on noel.strasbourg.eu |
| Where | Place Broglie, Place de la Cathédrale and around a dozen squares in the centre |
| Must-do | Walk La Petite France after dark, sip vin chaud, and buy bredele, the spiced Alsatian Christmas biscuits |
2. Vienna, Austria
Vienna has several big markets, and the one in front of the City Hall on Rathausplatz is the grandest. It's also one of the longest running on this list: six weeks, from mid-November to Boxing Day. Expect lebkuchen (gingerbread), roasted chestnuts and trees in the park lit up above the stalls.
Markets are free to walk; what you pay for is the Punsch, at about €4 to €6 with a deposit on the mug. For atmosphere rather than scale, go to Spittelberg's candlelit lanes behind the MuseumsQuartier, and for the setting, Schönbrunn. Read more in our Vienna guide.
| When | 13 November to 26 December 2026, daily 10 am to 10 pm (24 December until 6:30 pm) |
| Where | Rathausplatz, Vienna |
| Must-do | Skate the ice rink in front of the City Hall, then warm up with a mug of Punsch |
3. Dresden, Germany
Dresden's Striezelmarkt is one of the oldest Christmas markets in Germany: 2026 is its 592nd edition, counting from 1434. It's named after the Striezel, the old name for the city's famous stollen, the fruit loaf you'll see stacked on every other stall.
Look out for the giant wooden Christmas pyramid turning in the square and the handmade wooden figures from the nearby Ore Mountains, which make the best souvenirs here.
| When | 25 November to 24 December 2026. Opening day from 4:30 pm, then daily 10 am to 9 pm, 24 December until 2 pm (dresden.de) |
| Where | Altmarkt, Dresden |
| Must-do | See the Christmas pyramid and taste a slice of Dresden stollen from a local bakery |
4. Prague, Czech Republic
Prague's main market fills the Old Town Square, with the Týn church towers behind the tree and the Gothic old town all around. The food is the draw: trdelník (the sweet, cinnamon-rolled pastry), klobása sausages and svařák, Czech mulled wine. A second market runs on Wenceslas Square.
Prague's market stays open into the new year, so it's one of the few on this list you can combine with a New Year's trip. If you're coming as a couple, Prague also sits in our affordable romantic getaways in Europe. More in our Prague guide.
| When | 28 November 2026 to 6 January 2027 (visitczechia.com) |
| Where | Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square, Prague |
| Must-do | Climb the Old Town Hall Tower for the view over the market and the lit square below |
5. Cologne, Germany
Cologne's market at the cathedral sits right beneath the Gothic towers, with more than 140 stalls, a stage and a canopy of lights. What makes the city special is how many markets you get at once: seven or eight major ones, all within a couple of kilometres of each other, from the cathedral square to the harbour.
In the old town, the Heinzels Wintermärchen market is built around the city's legend of helpful house elves, with an ice rink and its own gate (the one at the top of this page). Order Reibekuchen, crisp potato pancakes with apple sauce, and a Glühwein, sold with a refundable deposit on the glass. Our Cologne guide has the rest.
| When | 16 November to 23 December 2026, closed on Sunday 22 November (koelnerweihnachtsmarkt.com) |
| Where | Roncalliplatz, at Cologne Cathedral |
| Must-do | Walk from the cathedral market to the Heinzels Wintermärchen in the old town, and try the Reibekuchen |
6. Tallinn, Estonia
Tallinn's Christmas market is like stepping into a storybook, with festive stalls on the medieval Town Hall Square. The city claims the first public Christmas tree in Europe, in 1441, and a tall tree still stands at the centre of the square every year, surrounded by stalls of Estonian crafts and piparkoogid (gingerbread biscuits).
It's also the longest-running market on this list, from 20 November right through to Epiphany, so the Baltic snow has plenty of time to arrive.
| When | 20 November 2026 to 6 January 2027 (visitestonia.com) |
| Where | Town Hall Square, Tallinn |
| Must-do | Warm up with a glass of hõõgvein (Estonian mulled wine) and walk the lit old town walls |
7. Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Germany
If you're dreaming of a fairy-tale Christmas, Rothenburg ob der Tauber is the place. This walled medieval town looks like it stepped out of a storybook, and the Reiterlesmarkt has been part of its Christmas since the 15th century, with around 60 stalls between the Marktplatz and the church square.
It's a small town, so go on a weekday if you can; weekends fill up with day trips. It makes an easy day trip from Nuremberg, and the rest of Germany is in our Germany guide.
| When | 20 November to 23 December 2026, closed on Sunday 22 November. 11 am to 7 pm, Fridays and Saturdays to 8 pm |
| Where | Marktplatz, Rothenburg ob der Tauber |
| Must-do | Walk the lit medieval streets, visit the German Christmas Museum, and try a Schneeball, the local pastry |
8. Brussels, Belgium
Brussels' Winter Wonders is one of the biggest markets in Europe, spreading from the Grand Place to the Bourse and the old fish market at Sainte-Catherine, with a Ferris wheel and around 200 stalls of food, drinks and gifts. On the Grand Place itself, a light and sound show plays on the façade of the Town Hall in the evening.
It runs into January, so it works for a trip between Christmas and New Year too. Our Brussels guide covers the rest of the city.
| When | 27 November 2026 to 3 January 2027 (plaisirsdhiver.be) |
| Where | Grand Place, Bourse and Place Sainte-Catherine, Brussels |
| Must-do | Try a Belgian waffle and hot chocolate, then catch the evening light show on the Grand Place |
9. Nuremberg, Germany
Nuremberg's Christkindlesmarkt is one of the most famous Christmas markets in the world, with more than 180 stalls on the Hauptmarkt. It opens with a ceremony you can plan around: on the first evening, the Nuremberg Christkind, a golden-haired angel, reads the opening prologue from the balcony of the Frauenkirche.
Order the grilled Nürnberger Rostbratwurst, small sausages served three in a bun with mustard, and take home a tin of Nuremberg Lebkuchen. From Munich it's about 1 hour 10 minutes by train.
| When | 27 November to 24 December 2026. Opening ceremony Friday 27 November at 5:30 pm; daily 10 am to 9 pm, 24 December until 2 pm (nuernberg.de) |
| Where | Hauptmarkt, Nuremberg |
| Must-do | Be on the Hauptmarkt for the Christkind's opening prologue, then eat three Rostbratwürste in a bun |
10. Budapest, Hungary
Budapest's Advent Basilica market sits on the square in front of St Stephen's Basilica, and it has been voted Europe's best Christmas market several years running. Every evening after dusk a 3D light show is projected onto the basilica's façade, and there's an ice rink around the tree.
Come hungry: kürtőskalács (chimney cake, spit-roasted and rolled in sugar), Hungarian sausages and lángos, fried dough with sour cream and cheese. A second big market runs on Vörösmarty Square. From Vienna, the Railjet train takes about 2 hours 20 minutes, from about €20. See our Budapest guide for more.
| When | Usually mid-November to 1 January (2025: 14 November to 1 January). 2026 dates not out yet |
| Where | St Stephen's Basilica (Szent István tér), Budapest |
| Must-do | Watch the light show on the basilica, then eat a warm lángos between the stalls |
Planning a Christmas market trip in 2026
The best Christmas markets in Europe are also the busiest, so a little timing goes a long way.
- Go early in the season, and midweek. The last two weekends before Christmas are the most crowded of the year, in every city here. A Tuesday evening in late November is a different market.
- Book rooms first. Strasbourg's centre roughly doubles its prices for the market weeks, and Vienna, Cologne and Nuremberg book out on weekends.
- Pair markets by train. Vienna and Budapest are about 2 hours 20 minutes apart, Strasbourg and Colmar about 30 minutes, and Nuremberg and Rothenburg make an easy two-stop weekend. Vienna to Prague to Dresden is the classic longer loop.
- Mind the closing dates. Most German markets close on 23 or 24 December; Prague, Tallinn, Brussels and Budapest run into the new year.
Dress for it: December in these cities sits between around freezing and 6°C, and standing still at a stall feels colder than walking.
Christmas Cheer is Here
Mariah Carey has officially defrosted, and in 2026 the world's best Christmas markets promise festive cheer, unique shopping and plenty of holiday magic. Whether you're exploring the fairy-tale streets of Rothenburg ob der Tauber or the historic squares of Nuremberg, these winter markets will fill your heart with the spirit of Christmas. These are the Best Christmas Markets 2026, so start planning your jolly season travels!
Frequently asked questions about The Best Christmas Markets 2026: 10 Magical Destinations
Strasbourg, Vienna, Dresden, Prague, Cologne, Tallinn, Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Brussels, Nuremberg and Budapest. Strasbourg and Nuremberg are the most traditional, Vienna and Brussels the biggest, and Prague and Budapest the best for food.
Of the confirmed dates, Vienna opens first, on 13 November, followed by Cologne on 16 November, Tallinn and Rothenburg on 20 November, and Dresden on 25 November. Nuremberg and Brussels open on 27 November and Prague on 28 November. Strasbourg and Budapest usually open in the second half of November.
Prague and Tallinn run to 6 January 2027, Brussels to 3 January, and Budapest usually to 1 January. Vienna's Rathausplatz closes on 26 December. Most German markets close on 23 or 24 December.
Nuremberg's Christkindlesmarkt and Strasbourg's Christkindelsmärik are the two most famous, both with centuries of history. Budapest's Advent Basilica has won Europe's best Christmas market vote several years in a row.
A weekday in late November or the first week of December. The markets are open, the lights are up, and the crowds are far smaller than on the last two weekends before Christmas.
Save these to your trip in Stippl and they are on your map before you land.
Picked your markets? Plan your Christmas market trip in Stippl: put the dates next to each other, add the trains between them, and see which ones fit in one long weekend.
