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Utrecht’s Christmas Markets are known for being very local, cozy and charming, with some unique activities beyond the market stalls.
They’re also considered to be some of the best Christmas markets in the Netherlands.
We first visited this Christmas market in 2024 and loved the festive atmosphere, the cute gift ideas for sale, and the smell of delicious treats wafting through the historic quarter of the city.
Looking to learn more about Utrecht’s Christmas Markets, or perhaps need some guidance on planning your own trip there?
In this post, we’ll be covering…
- Practical Info for Utrecht Christmas Markets
- Why Visit Utrecht Christmas Markets?
- Christmas Markets in Utrecht to Visit
- More Photos of Utrecht Christmas Markets
We hope you find it helpful and interesting!
Practical Info for Utrecht Christmas Markets
Here are some quick must-knows for Utrecht’s Christmas Markets this year:
- Dates: Vary by market. Visit our Netherlands Xmas Market Opening Dates List for more info
- Twijnstraat & de Markt KERST Editie: Dec 14, 2025
- Kerstmarkt Molen de Ster: Dec 13 & 14, 2025
- Pandhof van de Dom Advent Market: Nov 29, 2025
- XMAS Swan: Dec 14, 2025
- Official websites: Twijnstraat & de markt KERSTeditie, Kerstmarkt Molen de Ster, Pandhof van de Dom Advent Market, XMAS Swan.
In need of a place to stay? Here are some quick hotel recommendations:
- Budget: Check prices and availability
- Mid-Range: Check prices and availability
- Luxury: Check prices and availability
Why Visit Utrecht’s Christmas Markets?
Wondering whether Utrecht’s Christmas Markets are worth a trip? Here are some reasons to visit:
Utrecht is a beautiful city and even more so during the festive season
Utrecht is definitely worth visiting at any time but it just gets even prettier when it’s bedecked with Christmas decorations. This city is often thought of as a cooler, less busy Amsterdam, although it does get busy. However, the stunning Domtoren (Cathedral Tower, below) and the unique double-decker canals make it a must-visit. There are also lots of excellent shops if you want to do some more Christmas shopping along with visiting the markets.
There are a series of cute local markets to explore
Another similarity that Utrecht shares with Amsterdam is that it doesn’t just have one Christmas Market, but rather a few cute ones to visit. If you’re lucky, they’re often held over the same weekend, so you can visit a few or all of them in one go. Most of the items for sale are also unique and made by local artisans, rather than the mass-produced junk you sometimes find at other European Christmas markets. Take the ceramics stall below, which featured jars of pickles and a box of Hagelslag, the traditional Dutch breakfast topping, among other things!
Along with other fun festive experiences to have
Along with all the markets, there are other festive things to do in Utrecht, including a free ice-skating rink with an oliebollen stall right next door. If you’re not familiar, oliebollen are basically deep-fried balls of dough, sometimes with raisins inside, that are served with powdered sugar. Stalls for these pop-up all over the Netherlands from November onwards, and having some as a treat is a great way to keep warm! Utrecht is also home to the National Railway Museum, which has a festive makeover during winter, with ice-skating rinks installed around the old train displays.
Christmas Markets in Utrecht to Visit
Wondering where to find the Christmas markets in Utrecht? Here are the main locations of Utrecht’s Christmas Markets:
Twijnstraat & de Markt KERST Editie
Twijnstraat & de Markt is a regular local market held in Utrecht on a street called Twijnstraat, which is in the Museum Quarter of the city. In December, there’s a special Kerst (or Christmas) edition, where many of the market stalls focus on gift ideas along with delicious food and drink. The street is also lined with excellent shops as well as cafés to hide from the cold, and you might even spot carollers, stilt walkers or other performers along the way. This market does get busy as it’s so popular with locals, but it has a great atmosphere.
Kerstmarkt Molen de Ster
Molen de Ster is Utrecht’s traditional Dutch windmill, which is located not far from Utrecht Centraal train station. Usually, this windmill and it’s little farm area is open on weekends for guided tours, but they also hold regular events and markets throughout the year. At Christmas there’s a special Christmas edition, with stalls both inside and outside the mill proper, selling lots of lovely local crafts, clothing, etc. There are also stalls selling hearty soups, poffertjes (mini Dutch pancakes) and hot chocolate, with live music performances through the day. Since there are also some farm animals to pat, this is a popular market with local families.
Pandhof van de Dom Advent Market
Note that this event likely won’t show up on the website until close to the event dates.
We didn’t actually get to experience this market on our last visit, as it’s usually held on a different date to the others on this list. It’s a very small Advent market held in the old cloisters of St Martin’s Cathedral (also known as the Domkerk). We have visited the cloisters though, with a pretty garden in the middle, which would be very charming with a Christmas market added to the mix. Watch this space for more info and photographs hopefully this year.
XMAS Swan
Finally, the Swan market is a regularly held market at quite a few locations in the Netherlands, but has a special Christmas edition in Utrecht in December. The market sometimes moves, but the last edition was held on Vredenburg, the main shopping square directly out the front of the Hoog Catharijne shopping mall. This market wasn’t as busy as the others but still had a delightful selection of gift ideas, as well as quite a lot of food and drink stalls, which smelled amazing. This would be a great one to meet up with some friends at and it was definitely nice to have a bit more room to move and browse.
More Photos of Utrecht’s Christmas Markets
Looking for some more Utrecht Christmas Market eye candy? Here are some additional photos we captured during our visit:
Twijnstraat & de markt KERSTeditie
Kerstmarkt Molen de Ster
XMAS Swan
We hope you enjoyed this Utrecht Christmas Market Guide!
Let us know in the comments if you have any more questions about your trip – we’re always happy to help.