Europe’s Christmas market season is already underway: Vienna’s Schönbrunn Palace market opened on Nov. 6, and the big Rathausplatz market in Vienna opens on Friday, Nov. 13, 2026. Most of the famous markets follow over the next two weeks. Munich opens on Nov. 20, Strasbourg and Nuremberg on Nov. 27, and Prague’s Old Town Square on Nov. 28. Below are the 2026 dates for the most popular cities, checked against the organisers’ own pages where they’ve been published, plus a few tips for timing your trip around the dates that trip people up.
Christmas markets 2026: the key dates at a glance
Two dates shape this year’s calendar. Totensonntag, the German Sunday of remembrance, falls on Nov. 22, 2026, and many German markets either open after it or close for that one day. The first Sunday of Advent follows on Nov. 29. According to Christmas in Europe, which tracks 164 markets in nine countries, most markets open between Nov. 13 and Nov. 28 and close between Dec. 20 and Dec. 24. Its busiest opening days are Friday, Nov. 20 (31 markets) and Friday, Nov. 27 (32 markets).
- Already open: Schönbrunn Palace, Vienna (Nov. 6 to Jan. 6) and Stephansplatz, Vienna (Nov. 6 to Dec. 26)
- Nov. 13: Vienna Rathausplatz, Cologne harbour market, Berlin’s Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church, Budapest’s Vörösmarty Square and Christmas in Tivoli, Copenhagen
- Nov. 16: Cologne Cathedral market
- Nov. 19: Salzburg Christkindlmarkt, Düsseldorf and Zurich
- Nov. 20: Munich Christkindlmarkt and Bruges
- Nov. 23: Berlin Gendarmenmarkt, Frankfurt, Hamburg and Colmar
- Nov. 25: Dresden Striezelmarkt and Stuttgart
- Nov. 27: Nuremberg, Strasbourg and Brussels Winter Wonders
- Nov. 28: Prague’s Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square
Austria: Vienna and Salzburg open first
Vienna
The Schönbrunn Palace Christmas Market, now in its third season, runs from Nov. 6, 2026 to Jan. 6, 2027 in the palace’s main courtyard. It’s open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. until Dec. 23, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Christmas Eve, and from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. from Dec. 25. The best-known Vienna market, the Wiener Christkindlmarkt in front of City Hall, runs from Nov. 13 to Dec. 26, daily from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. (until 6:30 p.m. on Dec. 24). Its Eistraum ice rink runs from Nov. 13 until Jan. 6, 2027.
Salzburg
Salzburg’s Christkindlmarkt opens on Nov. 19 and stays open until Jan. 1, 2027, according to the market’s own site. If you’re combining several cities by rail, Vienna and Salzburg sit on the same main line, which makes them an easy pair for the kind of trip in our European train travel itinerary.
Germany: Munich moves earlier, Nuremberg keeps its late start
Munich
The Munich Christkindlmarkt around Marienplatz runs from Nov. 20 to Dec. 24, 2026. That’s earlier than usual: WeLiveIn.de reports the city now starts it on the Friday before Totensonntag instead of the Monday before the first Sunday of Advent. Hours are 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday to Saturday and 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sundays. It is closed on Nov. 22 and closes at 2 p.m. on Christmas Eve. The big Krampus run, with hundreds of costumed Krampus figures, is on Dec. 13.
Nuremberg
Nuremberg sticks to tradition. Its Christkindlesmarkt on the Hauptmarkt opens on Friday, Nov. 27, with the prologue at 5:30 p.m., and runs to Dec. 24. It’s open daily from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., until 10 p.m. on opening night and until 2 p.m. on Christmas Eve.
Cologne, Berlin and Dresden
Cologne starts early with its harbour market by the chocolate museum, open from Nov. 13 to Jan. 3. The Cathedral market runs from Nov. 16 to Dec. 23 and is closed on Totensonntag. Heinzels Wintermärchen in the Old Town is the season’s latest closer, open until Jan. 10, 2027. In Berlin, the market at the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church opens on Nov. 13. The WeihnachtsZauber on Gendarmenmarkt runs from Nov. 23 to Dec. 31 and is one of the few that charges entry: 2 euros, with children under 12 free, according to visitBerlin. Dresden’s Striezelmarkt, which the city counts as its 592nd edition, runs from Nov. 25 to Dec. 24.
France: Strasbourg and Colmar
The city of Strasbourg confirms its Christmas market runs from Nov. 27 to Dec. 24, 2026, and traces the tradition back to 1570. Colmar opens earlier this year. Its six markets start together on Monday, Nov. 23, and most run until Dec. 29, while its gourmet market stays open until Jan. 3. Smaller Alsace villages such as Kaysersberg open only on Advent weekends, so check the days before you plan a day trip.
Prague, Budapest, Copenhagen and Brussels
The official organiser, Trhy Praha, lists the Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square markets from Nov. 28, 2026 to Jan. 6, 2027, so Prague is a good choice if you can only travel after Christmas. Budapest’s Vörösmarty Square market runs from Nov. 13 to Dec. 31, and the Advent market in front of St. Stephen’s Basilica runs from Nov. 13 to Jan. 1. Copenhagen’s Christmas in Tivoli opens on Nov. 13 and runs until Jan. 3. Tivoli closes on Christmas Eve and reopens on Christmas Day. Brussels Winter Wonders runs from Nov. 27 to Jan. 3, and the Bruges market opens a week earlier, on Nov. 20.
Tips for planning a Christmas market trip in 2026
Watch Nov. 22 and Christmas Eve
If you’re visiting Germany on Sunday, Nov. 22, expect many markets that have already opened, including Munich and Cologne Cathedral, to be closed for Totensonntag. Most markets also close early on Dec. 24, and many German city-centre markets are finished by Dec. 22 or 23. If you want to visit between Christmas and New Year, pick one of the long-running markets: Schönbrunn, Prague, Cologne’s harbour and Old Town markets, Tivoli or Brussels.
Go on a weekday afternoon
The big markets in Cologne, Munich, Nuremberg and Dresden get very crowded on Friday and Saturday evenings and on Advent weekends. Weekday afternoons are calmer. If crowds put you off entirely, our guide to quieter, do-less trips in Europe has some lower-key ideas for the season.
Bring coins and keep the mug deposit in mind
Most of these markets are free to enter, and you pay for what you eat and drink. Mulled wine (Glühwein) usually comes in a ceramic mug with a deposit, called Pfand in Germany. Return the mug to get the deposit back, or keep it as a souvenir. Deposit amounts vary by market.
Book transport early
December is a busy and pricey month to fly. Fares this holiday season are running at their highest in a decade, as we covered in our look at holiday airfare in 2026, so book early and consider trains between nearby cities. For a broader trip, our guide to exploring Europe covers the basics.
FAQ
When do Christmas markets open in 2026?
Most European Christmas markets open between Nov. 13 and Nov. 28, 2026. Vienna’s Schönbrunn and Stephansplatz markets opened first, on Nov. 6.
When does the Vienna Christmas market open in 2026?
The Wiener Christkindlmarkt at Rathausplatz runs from Nov. 13 to Dec. 26, 2026, daily from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. The Schönbrunn Palace market is already open and runs until Jan. 6, 2027.
When does the Nuremberg Christkindlesmarkt open in 2026?
Friday, Nov. 27, 2026, with the opening prologue at 5:30 p.m. It runs until Dec. 24.
Which Christmas markets stay open after Christmas?
Prague’s Old Town and Wenceslas Square markets and Vienna’s Schönbrunn market run until Jan. 6, 2027. Tivoli and Brussels Winter Wonders run until Jan. 3, and Cologne’s Heinzels Wintermärchen until Jan. 10.
Are German Christmas markets open on Nov. 22, 2026?
Many are not. Nov. 22 is Totensonntag, a quiet day in most German states, so markets such as Munich and Cologne Cathedral close for the day.
Dates and hours can change, so check the market’s official page before you travel.
