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If you’re looking for the top Christmas markets in Germany then the only problem you’ll have is narrowing down which amazing ones you have time to visit!
Germany is the undisputed King of Christmas markets, with so many enchanting options in all the big cities and some really unique ones in lesser known destinations as well.
From the multiple markets in Berlin and Munich to the amazing Ravenna Gorge Christmas Market (in a literal gorge!), these are our top picks for Christmas markets in Germany that will please any festive fan.
NOTE: Most of these destinations have multiple Christmas markets to choose from, but if you’re in town, we figure you’ll probably be visiting them all anyway! So, just know when we say “Best Christmas Markets Germany”, what we’re really talking about are the Best Places to Visit for Christmas Markets in Germany. Enjoy!
Berlin’s Christmas Markets
There are more than 60 Christmas markets in the capital of Berlin, making it the best place to spend Christmas in Germany if you want to see as many markets as possible!
This is also one of the best places to find unique Christmas gifts for everyone on your list, as there are specialty markets such as vegan-only, a dog-themed Christmas market and Klunkerkranich, an alternative Christmas market held on the roof of a shopping center.
Berlin also hosts plenty of charming traditional markets, like the Nordic Lucia Christmas Market and the Friedrichstrasse Christmas Market. For the most magical setting, head to the Charlottenburg Palace Christmas Market!
For more information, visit our full Berlin Christmas Markets guide
Munich’s Christmas Markets
Like Berlin, Munich is another location that is amazing if you’re looking to experience as many Christmas markets as possible, especially since the different options here are incredibly diverse.
Nowhere else can you visit a traditional old-fashioned Christmas market and then immediately plunge into a steampunk/circus-themed market before rounding out your day watching live performances at a pink glitzy LGBTQ market!
Additionally, there’s a lovely medieval market, multiple markets with the beautiful city of Munich’s impressive buildings as a backdrop and even a market on a ship that’s perched on a railway bridge.
For more information, read our full Munich Christmas Markets guide
Cologne’s Christmas Markets
The stunning city of Cologne also hosts multiple impressive Christmas markets, although the one nestled underneath the Cologne Cathedral is probably the most famous (and most photographed).
But make sure you also head to the other markets, as this city offers many more interesting options as well. From a nautical-themed market next to the river to the gay Christmas market of Heavenue, all personalities and interests are catered for here.
We especially love the Angels’ Christmas Market (Markt der Engel), where paper stars hang from the trees and Angels walk around on stilts, as well as the House Elves’ Winter Fairytale Christmas Market – but don’t worry, there aren’t any Dobbys here looking for freedom!
For more information, here’s our full Cologne Christmas Markets guide
Hamburg’s Christmas Markets
The northern German city of Hamburg offers just as much Christmas fun as the other big cities, with multiple markets to explore.
One of the most notorious of Hamburg’s Christmas markets is the Santa Pauli Christmas Market, which is located in the city’s red light district and stays true to theme with plenty of erotic ornaments to purchase, as well as provocative performances!
Hamburg is also home to an LGBTQ Christmas market, Scandinavian-themed markets and some more traditional options such as the elegant Jungfernstieg Christmas Market which features a white theme with plenty of stars.
For more information, check out our full Hamburg Christmas Markets guide
Frankfurt’s Christmas Markets
Home to one of the oldest Christmas market in Germany, Frankfurt is easy to get to thanks to its super-busy airport.
While the main Christmas market (which has concrete evidence that it’s been around since 1393) is delightful and definitely worth exploring, it also gets very busy at peak times.
Luckily Frankfurt is home to a variety of other unique options. For example, the City Beach Market is held on the roof of a car park, with great views and even a curling rink. There’s also a delightfully pink LGBTQ market and the tiny TNT Weinachtsmarkt.
For more information, visit our full Frankfurt Christmas Markets guide
Dresden’s Christmas Markets
The Dresden Christmas markets are some of the most famous and beloved in Germany, plus the main one is almost as old as Frankfurt’s, since the first time it was held was in 1434.
This main historic market is the Striezelmarkt, which is held in Dresden’s main square and contains both the world’s largest functional Christmas arch and the world’s tallest Christmas pyramid. There are more than 100 stalls selling beautiful gifts and delicious food here, with a backdrop of the most impressive buildings in the city.
Also worth a visit is the Dresden Medieval Market, where the vendors all wear medieval clothing while selling medieval-themed gifts and food. The Augustusmarkt is the best Dresden Christmas market to visit if you want to try treats from all around the world, as it specialises in international cuisine.
For more information, read our full Dresden Christmas Markets guide
Düsseldorf’s Christmas Markets
Düsseldorf is home to seven unique Christmas markets and while that might not seem like many (especially when compared with Berlin’s 60) they are all absolutely adorable.
Most of the markets in Düsseldorf are small and cozy, with charming decor found all along their wooden stalls. The Handwerker-Markt features a hand-carved life-sized Nativity scene while the pretty Engelchen-Markt has angels on top of the stalls and a music pavilion in the center.
The Märchen-Markt is great for kids as it’s a fairytale market and features characters from Grimm’s fairy tales on the market stalls, plus fairy tales are read out loud at the Christmas Tower.
For more information, visit our full Düsseldorf Christmas Markets guide
Stuttgart’s Christmas Markets
For some of the most beautifully decorated stalls anywhere in Germany, make sure you head to the Christmas markets in Stuttgart.
Here you will notice that the roofs of the stalls are much more ornate and unique than at other markets, this is because there’s a yearly competition for the best-dressed stalls so the stall-holders go all out!
The main market is also held in front of the Stuttgart city hall, which is transformed into a giant Advent Calendar during December, with a new window opening each day with a different display.
Other markets not to miss include the Finnish market, the Schillerplatz market with Stuttgart Old Castle for an epic backdrop and the Schlossplatz ice rink.
For more information, here’s our full Stuttgart Christmas Markets guide
Nuremberg’s Christmas Markets
The Nuremberg Christmas Markets are some of the most well-known and popular in Germany, with a very unique character known as the Christkind playing a big part.
The Christkind is a blonde angel that gives Christmas gifts to children in Nuremberg, but she’s also a real person too! Every two years a Christkind is elected to be the Nuremberg ambassador of Christmas, so you’ll often see her at the main Christkindlesmarkt and other special events.
Other notable Christmas markets in Nuremberg include the Sister Cities market, where booths selling things from the many sister cities of Nuremberg can be enjoyed, and the adorable children’s market.
Nuremberg is also where you can find the largest Feruzangenbowle in the world – a giant version of the delicious Glühwein mixed with a rum-soaked sugar loaf that’s then lit on fire to caramelize and drip into your drink!
For more information, visit our full Nuremberg Christmas Markets guide
Dortmund Christmas Market
The Dortmund Christmas Market is probably most famous for having the world’s largest Christmas tree – which reaches a whopping 45 meters high and is decorated with 50,000 ornaments each year!
Dortmund is labelled a ‘Christmas City’ and has more than 300 Christmas stalls scattered throughout the city center, although they’re all sort of part of the one market. Make sure you wander amongst all the areas though, as some contain more stalls selling gifts, some are geared towards children and others offer lots of delicious food and drink.
As well as the impressive Christmas tree, Dortmund’s market has some beautiful decorations, including light installations in the Platz von Netanya and around the medieval St. Petri Church. Don’t miss out on the rides near the St. Reinoldi Church either!
For more information, read our full Dortmund Christmas Market guide
Heidelberg Christmas Market
Heidelberg offers up an extremely romantic assortment of German Christmas markets, especially when you consider that some have the stunning Heidelberg Castle as its backdrop!
Glittering lights line the street along Hauptstrasse making the Old Town area extra cozy and magical. Everything feels really traditional and pretty at the Heidelberg Christmas markets, since the streets are all cobbled and surrounded by beautiful old buildings.
The Kornmarkt Winterwäldchen (Winter Forest) is one of the most enchanting markets in Heidelberg, although it doesn’t get very crowded. A tiny square is lined with Christmas trees, including stacked up around the baroque Mareinsäule fountain, which is illuminated at night.
While it’s not a market per se, don’t miss out on the ice skating rink at Karlsplatz, with the magical castle backdrop for some lovely photos!
For more information, don’t miss our full Heidelberg Christmas Market guide
Essen Christmas Market
The Christmas market in Essen is quite young compared to many other markets in Germany, it’s only been going for around 50 years, but that doesn’t mean it’s not still a wonderful experience!
Essen’s Christmas market features more than 250 stalls selling all sorts of goodies including gift ideas and yummy food. The market is mostly located in the center of the city, with an incredible display of fairy lights draped over all the stalls in a dazzling spectacle at night.
There’s also a medieval Christmas market section, where vendors are dressed in medieval garb and sell things like leather coin pouches or fancy swords. The Essen Christmas market doesn’t get as crowded as the other more famous ones in the area, so this is a perfect choice if you don’t like being packed in with people!
For more information, visit our full Essen Christmas Market guide
Duisburg Christmas Market
Another less busy Christmas market that’s still very charming is the one in Duisburg, which is also the longest-running market in Germany as it’s open for six weeks every year!
More than 200 stalls are set up in the city center, with many beautiful wooden chalets and decorations to explore. Duisburg also has a very good selection of festive foods on offer, so it’s an excellent choice if you’re more interested in sampling cuisine than shopping.
While Duisburg might not be as much of a drawcard as other more famous markets, it’s ideally located to combine with trips to other nearby Christmas markets, such as the ones in Düsseldorf, Cologne, Dortmund, and Essen.
Since it opens in mid-November and stays open until after Christmas, it’s also a good destination if you want to see a German Christmas market but you’ll be in the area a bit too early or late for any others.
For more information, visit our full Duisburg Christmas Market guide
Ludwigsburg Christmas Market
Ludwigsburg is a beautiful Baroque town with a stunning palace that looks even more magical when the markets spring up around Christmas time.
While the annual pumpkin festival might be more famous, there’s nothing prettier (in our opinion) than a town bedecked in Christmas attire! All the stores in the city have gorgeous Christmas decorations and the market stalls sell a great variety of handicrafts, gifts and food.
The main section of the Christmas market is held in the Marktplatz, with the pretty pink Evangelische Stadtkirche Ludwigsburg (Evangelical City Church) as the backdrop. There are also a good variety of children’s rides and activities if you are visiting the Christmas markets with kids.
For more information, check out our full Ludwigsburg Christmas Market guide
Rothenburg ob der Tauber Christmas Market
Rothenburg ob der Tauber is one of the prettiest towns in Germany at the best of times, so at Christmas it looks like something straight out of a snow globe!
The medieval streets are festooned with Christmas decorations and stalls line the streets around the main Marktplatz, although everything is more spread out than most German Christmas markets, so there’s less crowding. There are often carollers or bands performing Christmas music, making the whole thing just that bit more magical.
While you’re in Rothenburg make sure to also visit the Christmas Museum which is located in the same building as the “mother of all Christmas stores,” Käthe Wohlfahrt. Here you can see Christmas decorations from different time periods and then buy your own stunning ones to take home!
For more information, read our Rothenburg ob der Tauber Christmas Market guide
Karlsruhe Christmas Market
The Christmas market in Karlsruhe is another one that’s not so well-known to international visitors, which makes it less crowded than many other options.
Even though it’s not as busy it is still definitely worth a visit, with many exquisitely decorated chalets and stalls to enjoy. In the main city square there’s a Christmas Pyramid selling glühwein as well and even a “Flying Santa Claus” who glides through the sky every night!
In the marktplatz there’s a festive Ferris Wheel for views over the city and markets, which also allows you to see just how opulent some of the roofs of the stalls are.
Karlsruhe is also home to a special children’s land, a medieval Christmas market and a huge open-air ice skating rink, so there’s plenty to enjoy here!
For more information, visit our full Karlsruhe Christmas Market guide
Esslingen (Medieval) Christmas Market
Esslingen is a stunning German town with many beautiful half-timbered buildings and it amps up the historical feel by also hosting one of the best medieval Christmas markets in the country.
Other cities might have medieval Christmas markets, but the one in Esslingen is the biggest and has so much more to offer besides ‘just’ medieval-themed Christmas goods. While you absolutely can buy fantastic gifts and food, the medieval market also contains medieval carnival attractions that are very fun and there are often performers too, walking on stilts or juggling.
There’s also a ‘regular’ Christmas market area in Esslingen, which looks just as magical as the medieval section since it has a beautiful backdrop of the town’s half-timbered houses and the red town hall.
For more information, read our full Esslingen Christmas Market guide
Ravenna Gorge Christmas Market
One of the most unique Christmas markets in Germany is the Ravenna Gorge Christmas Market, which is held underneath a 40-meter high railway viaduct in the Black Forest!
This Christmas market is only open on advent weekends and does cost a small fee – you should absolutely book your tickets in advance though as it’s very popular. It might not be the biggest or most spectacular Christmas market in Germany, although the setting does give it a magical atmosphere, especially if the forest is blanketed in snow.
If you can manage it, this is one of the most beautiful and unique Christmas markets you might ever experience, although it can be difficult to get to. Free shuttle buses can be booked from nearby towns, which is the easiest way to visit.
For more information, visit our full Ravenna Gorge Christmas Market guide
Tübingen Weihnachtsmarkt
Tübingen Weihnachtsmarkt is another one of the most elusive and exclusive Christmas markets in Germany because it’s only open for one magical weekend a year!
It’s very much worth timing your visit for the market though as it turns the already picture-perfect town into something straight out of a Christmas fairy tale. The market stalls focus on hand-made items, which means you can find lovely knitted, carved or painted Christmas gifts, as well as delicious handmade foods.
Tübingen is a super pretty town at the best of times but when the market stalls and Christmas decorations go up it makes the charming Old Town area even more enchanting. If you have ever wanted to experience a really traditional German Christmas market then this is one of the best choices.
For more information, here’s our full Tübingen Christmas Market guide
Baden-Baden Christmas Market
The town of Baden-Baden hosts one of the largest Christmas markets in the Black Forest region, and with the snowy forest backdrop, it feels super cozy even though it’s so large.
Along with plenty of beautifully decorated stalls selling food and gifts, the Baden-Baden Christmas market hosts many musical performances throughout the season to enjoy. Combine this with a nativity scene exhibition, a carousel, a mini Ferris wheel and gourmet igloos and you’ve got yourself all the ingredients for a spectacular Christmas!
There’s also an open-air ice skating rink and a 15-meter-high Christmas tree amongst the beautiful old buildings of Baden-Baden, which is a popular tourist destination at any time of year.
Europapark
If just a plain old Christmas market is not exciting enough for you then you could combine it with a trip to Germany’s most popular theme park – Europapark!
Europapark is the largest theme park in Germany, with plenty of thrilling rides for the whole family. During the festive season, it also holds a rather charming Christmas market on the grounds, which means you could easily combine an exhilarating day of riding rollercoasters with some Christmas shopping.
As well as the traditional Christmas market, the whole theme park is delightfully decorated with Christmas trees and festive figures like polar bears. There are plenty of scrumptious treats to eat or drink while keeping warm as well. This would certainly be one of the most unique ways to celebrate Christmas in Germany!
Did we miss any of your favorite German Christmas markets?
Let us know in the comments so we can update our list!