14 of the best Christmas markets in Germany for 2023 (2024)

Germany is a go-to destination for Christmas markets, and justifiably so: not only do many festive traditions originate here, it also happens to have an endless number of scenic castles, impressive cathedrals and charming town squares to serve as fairytale backdrops. Every major city hosts a market and many smaller ones do too, since the twinkling lights, seasonal music and convivial atmosphere are the perfect way to break up the winter gloom. Each region has something a little different in the way of handicrafts and food, but you can expect lots of sizzling bratwurst, roasted chestnuts and warming glühwein (mulled wine), as well as entertainment for little ones. Here are the best Christmas markets in Germany.

Main photo: Dresden’s Striezelmarkt at dusk (Getty Images)

1. Nuremberg Christkindlesmarkt

When December 1-24, 2023
Best for bratwurst and lebkuchen
Probably the most famous of all the Christmas markets in Germany, Nuremberg’s Christkindlesmarkt is vibrant enough to convince even the biggest seasonal grumps to join in. There are nearly 200 independent vendors selling handmade crafts — everything from scented candles and local jams to wool clothing and hand-carved figurines — as well as local snacks including Nürnberger rostbratwurst and lebkuchen (gingerbread), both of which originate here. Said to have started in the early 16th century, the market gets its name from the holy Christkind (“Christ child”), who is played by a different local child each year and paraded through the central Hauptmarkt (main square). Karl August is a centrally located four-star hotel with a bar, restaurant and sauna.

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2. Dresden Striezelmarkt

When November 29 to December 24, 2023
Best for history and stollen
Dresden’s market dates back to the early 15th century and is generally regarded as one of the oldest in Germany. The name, Striezelmarkt, refers to strüzel (or stroczel), more commonly known these days as stollen, the classic German Christmas cake — you’ll find plenty of it here. Set on the city’s handsome market square, with the Elbe River tinkling in the background, the market has quirky features such as the plaumentoffel — decorative figures made of prunes — and the largest Christmas pyramid in the country, standing at over 14m high. Steinberger Hotel de Saxe is right on Dresden’s Neumarkt square and has elegant rooms and a decent restaurant.

3. Berlin WeihnachtsZauber

When November 27 to December 31, 2023
Best for entertainment and tradition
One of the most traditional — and striking — of Berlin’s markets is held at the Gendarmenmarkt square, with its two baroque cathedrals and elegant neoclassical Konzerthaus. It’s known as the WeihnachtsZauber (“Christmas magic”) and there is a small admission fee, but you can expect top-quality food (Bavarian and Berlin specialities), drinks (including champagne) and handicrafts — as well as heated tents. There is also daily entertainment in the shape of musicians, acrobats and fire performances. For something a little smaller, head to the Scandinavian-themed Lucia Markt in Prenzlauer Berg. Titanic Gendarmenmarkt Berlin hotel is right on the square and has a grill restaurant and spa with an authentic Turkish hammam.

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4. Stuttgart Wintertraum Markt

When November 29 to December 23, 2023
Best for fairytale chalet stalls and local produce
Known for its cobblestone streets and historic buildings, Stuttgart’s old town makes a fairytale setting for a Christmas market. It’s situated on Schlossplatz, right in front of the 10th-century palace, and is known as Wintertraum Markt (“winter dream market”). Here you’ll find almost 300 incredibly cute, chalet-style wooden stalls that compete to win the annual city prize for the most beautifully decorated. There are roasted chestnuts and lebkuchen aplenty — the market has an emphasis on local and sustainable products in all its food offerings — as well as a rollerskating rink, ferris wheel, live jazz and choral performances in local churches. Stuttgart itself is right at the edge of the Black Forest, if you fancy a winter hike. EmiLu is a well-located design hotel with swish rooms and a sauna area.

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5. Rothenburg ob der Tauber Reiterlesmarkt

When December 1-23, 2023
Best for music and snowballs
This highly romantic affair in the fairytale medieval town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber is a popular option. Running since the 15th century, the market features about 50 market stalls set amid the town’s winding lanes and cute timber-framed houses, whose gabled roofs are often dusted with snow at this time of year. There’s music from choral singers, brass ensembles and classical players, and foodie treats that range from grilled sausages and flammkuchen (“flame cake”, a pizza-style dish) as well as local delights such as the Rothenburger schneeball (“snowball”) — fried shortcrust pastry balls covered in powdered sugar or chocolate. Hotel Reichs-Küchenmeister is a quaint four-star with spa facilities and a restaurant.

6. Aachen Christmas Market

When November 24 to December 23, 2023
Best for carousels and glühwein
Aachen’s Christmas festivities take place on the historic Münsterplatz, overlooked by the city’s majestic and historically significant cathedral — the final resting place of Charlemagne. There are about 120 wooden kiosks here, selling everything from mulled wine to handmade wooden toys, and a festive carousel for kids. Try the Aachener printen, a local version of lebkuchen made with caramelised sugar, aniseed and other spices, or a kartoffelpuffer, a delicious crispy potato fritter. The city also has some lovely spas and is located within easy striking distance of Belgium and the Netherlands if you’re looking for a longer border-hopping trip. Bensons Hotel is a small and stylish spot close to the cathedral and other central sights.

7. Leipzig Christmas Market

When November 28 to December 23, 2023
Best for Christmas trees and Santa Claus
This market in the centre of the charming Saxony city of Leipzig is easy to reach from Berlin — as well as Dresden — if you feel like making a small winter tour. Expect 250 to 300 stalls crammed into the host square, the historic Marktplatz, which features striking buildings including the Renaissance-era old town hall, where Bach was sworn into the city and whose balcony serves as a stage for trombone concerts. Visitors can look forward to a 20m Christmas tree, a music and entertainment stage, and child-friendly elements such as a “magic forest” installation and a roaming Santa Claus. Nearby Augustplatz also has a ferris wheel that lets you enjoy the city from up above. Innside by Melia Leipzig is steps away from Marktplatz and has modern rooms, a sauna and a fitness centre, as well as an à la carte restaurant and lobby bar.

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8. Rüdesheim Christmas Market of Nations

When November 20 to December 23, 2023
Best for parades and global gifts
One of the newer markets on the scene — only a few decades old — the Christmas Market of Nations lives up to its name by inviting 16 nations (or thereabouts) from around the globe to present products, specialities and customs from their respective countries. It’s set in the historic old quarter of Rüdesheim against an ensemble of the old town’s finest traditional buildings and near the banks of the Rhine. As well as stalls decorated with illuminated lights, festive baubles and wreaths, there’s plenty to browse, eat and drink. Look out for the special parade for St Thomas’s Night on December 20. It’s also possible to take a cable car ride to see the market (and city) from above. The centrally located Breuer’s Rüdesheimer Schloss is a family-run hotel set in a historic building with a traditional restaurant.

9. Trier Christmas Market

When November 24 to December 22, 2023
Best for dumplings and puppets
Trier’s Christmas market has only been running for about 40 years, but you wouldn’t know it when you visit. This beautiful city, well known for its Roman-era ruins and bustling cultural life, also has a proud medieval heritage and a highly picturesque market square dominated by the mighty cathedral. With fewer than 100 stalls, it’s a little smaller than other markets around Germany, but there’s more than enough to keep browsers occupied and appetites satisfied, including local treats such as gebäckkringel, a sugar-covered pastry, or dampfnudeln, German sweet dumplings, and there’s even a mulled wine queen. For kids there are puppet theatres, concerts and roaming angels. There’s also a small extension of the festivities at the historic Porta Nigra. Romantik Hotel Zur Glocke is close to the main market and Porta Nigra and has modern, comfortable rooms.

10. Braunschweig Christmas Market

When November 29 to December 29, 2023
Best for wooden toys and local tipples
This highly convivial market has a tradition that stretches back to 1505 and annually draws several hundred thousand people to the streets and squares that surround the city’s St Blasii Cathedral (the resting place of Henry the Lion and many important Guelph princes) and the 12th-century Dankwarderode Castle. Visitors can browse up to 150 stalls selling artisanal wooden toys, jewellery, seasonal products and regional specialities such as Braunschweiger Mumme, a non-alcoholic malt extract with a spicy flavour. There’s plenty for kids too, including concerts in the cathedral, nativity scenes with life-sized sculptures and an ice rink at Kohlmarkt. Magni Boutique Hotel is smart and comfortable and has a great restaurant and bar.

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11. Ravenna Gorge Christmas Market

When November 24 to December 17, 2023 (Friday to Sunday only)
Best for unique setting and regional dishes
This is the first and only Christmas market located in a gorge in the hills of the Black Forest. Set below a striking 40m sandstone viaduct that forms part of the Devil‘s Valley Railway, this has to be the country’s most unique seasonal event, or at least the one with the most unusual and natural setting. Accessed via a local train station (Hinterzarten or Himmelreich) and a free shuttle bus, it has everything you want from a Christmas market: handmade wares, live music and steaming regional dishes such as schäufele (smoked pork shoulder) and käsespätzle (egg pasta with cheese). Hotel Hofgut Sternen once hosted German poet Goethe and has two restaurants, a bar and a garden with terrace.

12. Munich Christmas Market

When November 27 to December 24, 2023
Best for handicrafts and live music
Forget Oktoberfest — Munich’s Christmas market ticks all the boxes and then some. It’s held right on the city’s scenic Marienplatz, surrounded by historic buildings (including the new and old town halls) and features hundreds of wooden stalls and a huge tree adorned with 2,500 lights that together create a veritable winter wonderland. There are Bavarian handicrafts such as hand-painted glass ornaments and wooden products from Oberammergau, classic stollen and different types of mulled wine, as well as unique activities such as the Krampus Run, with around 300 runners dressed in terrifying costumes causing havoc through the city. More sedate is the Christkindl tram with mulled wine offered on board and the advent concerts that are performed live every evening. Cortiina is a design hotel with stylish rooms and a great central location.

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13. Cologne Heinzels Wintermärchen

When November 24 to December 23, 2023
Best for skating and atmosphere
The Christmas market outside Cologne’s gothic cathedral is the classic one for tourists, as it gives visitors a chance to browse trinket-laden wooden stalls while admiring the illuminated landmark. But head to the city’s old town and you’ll find Heinzels Wintermärchen, where over 100 stalls are set against the backdrop of Cologne’s steep-gabled houses. The enormous market is split into two sections: the old market is where you’ll find traditional crafts from wood carving to ceramics, while the new market is dominated by an ice rink and Bavarian curling lanes. Toasted nuts, sticky sweet nougat, and roasted pork all make this a delicious affair. Hotel Mondial am Dom Cologne MGallery is just a short stroll from the old town with views of the cathedral from some of the rooms.

14. International Christmas Market Essen

When November 17 to December 23, 2023
Best for early Christmas shopping
The Christmas market in Essen typically opens a week or two before those in other German cities, which makes it ideal for those who want to get their festive fix early while taking advantage of the shoulder season hotel and flight prices in November. It’s also unique in that although the 200-plus stalls, twinkling fairy lights and fairground rides give it a traditional air, the crafts and food sold here mix the classics with products from Peru, Brazil, Tibet and beyond. So instead of mulled wine you might be drinking hot caipirinha. Hotel Motel One Essen overlooks Kennedyplatz, where most of the action takes place.

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Additional reporting by Qin Xie

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