Europe's Christmas market season starts on 13 November, when Vienna, Budapest and Copenhagen's Tivoli Gardens open. Cologne follows on 16 November, and the big German and French markets open in the last week of the month. Most close on 23 or 24 December, but several run into January. Below are the 2026 opening dates for 12 markets in order, with opening hours, what makes each one different and the days to avoid, plus how to stay online with one eSIM across all of these cities.
Planning a market trip in the next weeks? These Europe eSIMs work in every country on this list, so you land with data for maps, tickets and photos.
SimOptions Europe eSIMs · data only · 34 countries including Germany, France, Austria, Belgium, Hungary, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia and Croatia · See all Europe eSIMs
The 2026 opening calendar, in order
Think of this as an advent calendar for your trip planning. The dates come from each market's own website or the city's tourist office.
- 13 NovVienna, Austria: Christkindlmarkt on RathausplatzUntil 26 December
- 13 NovBudapest, Hungary: Advent BasilicaUntil 1 January
- 13 NovCopenhagen, Denmark: Christmas in TivoliUntil 3 January
- 16 NovCologne, Germany: market at the CathedralUntil 23 December, closed on 22 November
- 20 NovMunich, Germany: Christkindlmarkt on MarienplatzUntil 24 December, closed on 22 November
- 20 NovTallinn, Estonia: Town Hall SquareUntil 6 January
- 25 NovDresden, Germany: StriezelmarktUntil 24 December
- 27 NovNuremberg, Germany: ChristkindlesmarktUntil 24 December
- 27 NovStrasbourg, France: Capitale de NoëlUntil 24 December
- 27 NovBrussels, Belgium: Winter WondersUntil 3 January
- 28 NovPrague, Czechia: Old Town SquareUntil 6 January
- 28 NovZagreb, Croatia: Advent ZagrebUntil 7 January
Dates and hours can change, so check the market's own page before you book. Each one is linked below.
Which market fits your trip?
| If you want | Go to | Why |
|---|---|---|
| The earliest start | Vienna, Budapest, Copenhagen | All three open on 13 November |
| The classic German market | Nuremberg, Dresden, Munich | Wooden booths, gingerbread and centuries of history |
| A cathedral backdrop | Cologne, Strasbourg | Markets right at the foot of the cathedral |
| Something for kids | Copenhagen, Vienna, Cologne | Rides, an ice rink and a children's programme |
| A trip after Christmas | Zagreb, Prague, Tallinn, Brussels | Open into January |
| Two countries in one trip | Strasbourg, Vienna and Budapest | Borders are close, and one eSIM covers both sides |
First to open: Vienna, Budapest and Copenhagen
Vienna: Christkindlmarkt on Rathausplatz
Vienna's best-known market sits in front of the city hall. You enter through a tall arched gateway decorated with candles, and Vienna's tourist board calls it one of the most beautiful and largest Christmas markets in Europe (Vienna.info: Viennese Christmas Market).
- Dates: 13 November to 26 December 2026.
- Hours: daily 10 am to 10 pm, and until 6:30 pm on 24 December.
- Don't miss: the ice rink that winds through the illuminated City Hall Park, and the "tree of hearts", a favourite photo spot for couples.
- With kids: the children's area has a carousel, a nativity scene trail and its own skating ring.
- Good to know: the ice rink stays open until 6 January 2027, but is closed on 31 December (Wiener Christkindlmarkt: Your visit).
Our best eSIM for Austria guide covers the country in more detail.
Budapest: Advent Basilica
Budapest's market fills Szent István Square in front of St. Stephen's Basilica. The organisers describe nearly 150 exhibitors over 45 days, many of them Hungarian artisans (Advent Basilica).
- Dates: 13 November 2026 to 1 January 2027.
- Don't miss: the light displays on and around the basilica after dark.
- Good to know: it runs through the days after Christmas, when most German markets are gone.
Vienna and Budapest are a popular pair for one trip. More in our best eSIM for Hungary guide.
Copenhagen: Christmas in Tivoli
Tivoli Gardens is an amusement park, so this one is different: there is an entrance fee, and the rides are part of the fun. The park describes thousands of twinkling lights and sparkling fir trees (Tivoli: Christmas in Tivoli).
- Dates: 13 November 2026 to 3 January 2027.
- Don't miss: the Christmas fireworks on 25 and 26 December, and the New Year's Eve fireworks on 31 December at 11 pm.
- Good to know: have your ticket ready on your phone at the gate, and save it offline before you leave the hotel.
See also our best eSIM for Denmark.
Opening in mid-November: Cologne, Munich and Tallinn
Cologne: the market at the Cathedral
The market on Roncalliplatz sits right under Cologne Cathedral. A huge decorated Christmas tree stands in the middle, and a canopy of lights stretches from it across the whole square. Entrance is free (Cologne Tourism: Christmas market at Cologne Cathedral).
- Dates: 16 November to 23 December 2026.
- Hours: Sunday to Wednesday 11 am to 9 pm, Thursday and Friday 11 am to 10 pm, Saturday 10 am to 10 pm (Weihnachtsmarkt am Kölner Dom).
- Closed: Sunday 22 November, a day of remembrance in Germany.
- Don't miss: the stage programme, with more than 100 free events over the season.
- With kids: from Tuesday to Thursday there is a children's programme with Punch and Judy shows, face painting and theatre.
- Getting there: the stop is Dom/Hauptbahnhof, the main railway station next to the cathedral. Cologne Tourism recommends public transport over driving.
Munich: Christkindlmarkt on Marienplatz
Munich's market stands in front of the town hall on Marienplatz, around a 25-metre Christmas tree with 3,000 candles. Its roots are said to go back to the St. Nicholas markets of the 14th century, and it has been on Marienplatz since 1972 (Munich Christkindlmarkt).
- Dates: 20 November to 24 December 2026.
- Hours: Monday to Saturday 10 am to 9 pm, Sunday 10 am to 8 pm, and 10 am to 2 pm on 24 December.
- Closed: 22 November.
- Don't miss: live Bavarian folk music from the town hall balcony, from 5:15 pm, Sunday to Thursday.
- One for the diary: the Krampus run on Sunday 13 December, from 3 to 5 pm, with more than 300 costumed participants in the city centre.
- Nearby: the Kripperlmarkt, a small nativity market a few steps from Marienplatz that was first held in 1757.
More on staying connected there in our best eSIM for Germany guide.
Tallinn: Town Hall Square
Tallinn's market fills the medieval Town Hall Square. According to Visit Estonia, a Christmas tree has been set up on this square since 1441, which the country calls the first Christmas tree ever put on display in Europe (Visit Estonia: Tallinn Christmas Market).
- Dates: 20 November 2026 to 6 January 2027.
- Don't miss: the tree itself. Its lights are lit on the first Sunday of Advent, which is 29 November this year (Visit Tallinn: Christmas).
- Good to know: it is one of the few markets that stays open after New Year.
See also our best eSIM for Estonia.
Opening in the last week of November
Dresden: Striezelmarkt
The city of Dresden counts this year's Striezelmarkt as the 592nd, which makes it one of the oldest Christmas markets in Germany (Dresdner Striezelmarkt).
- Dates: 25 November to 24 December 2026.
- Hours: daily 10 am to 9 pm, and 4 pm to 9 pm on opening day.
- Don't miss: Dresden's Christstollen, the fruit bread the city is known for.
Nuremberg: Christkindlesmarkt
Nuremberg's Christkindlesmarkt is the one many people picture when they think of a German Christmas market. The first written mention dates from 1678, and by the middle of the 17th century traders were already selling dolls, candles, gingerbread and marzipan here (Christkindlesmarkt: A Christmas market with a long tradition).
- Dates: 27 November to 24 December 2026.
- Hours: daily 10 am to 9 pm (Nuremberg Christkindlesmarkt).
- Don't miss: the opening ceremony on 27 November at 5:30 pm, when the Nuremberg Christkind opens the market with a prologue. The text was written in 1948 and has been recited, with few changes, ever since.
- What to buy: gingerbread and handmade decorations from the wooden booths.
Strasbourg: Capitale de Noël
Strasbourg calls itself the Capital of Christmas, with a market tradition that goes back to 1570. The chalets are spread over several squares on the Grande Île, the old town island, with the Great Christmas Tree on Place Kléber (Strasbourg Capitale de Noël).
- Dates: Friday 27 November to Thursday 24 December 2026.
- Hours: daily 11 am to 9 pm. Opening day runs from 2 pm to 9 pm, and 24 December from 11 am to 6 pm (Strasbourg Christmas Market: FAQ).
- Good to know: motor traffic is not allowed on the Grande Île during market hours, and bikes have to be walked on the market squares. Plan to arrive on foot or by tram.
- After Christmas: no stalls are open from 25 December.
Germany is just across the Rhine, so a Europe eSIM saves you from thinking about which country's network you are on. See also our best eSIM for France.
Brussels: Winter Wonders
Brussels turns its city centre into Winter Wonders, with 238 chalets to wander through and a Christmas tree on the Grand-Place (Winter Wonders Brussels).
- Dates: Friday 27 November 2026 to Sunday 3 January 2027.
- Good to know: it is open through the whole Christmas and New Year week.
See also our best eSIM for Belgium.
Prague: Old Town Square
Prague's main market stands on Old Town Square, with a second one on Wenceslas Square a short walk away. The city's tourist site says the season runs through Three Kings Day (Prague.eu: Christmas markets).
- Dates: 28 November 2026 to 6 January 2027.
- Good to know: it runs well past Christmas, which makes Prague a strong pick for Christmas week and New Year.
Our best eSIM for the Czech Republic guide has more.
Zagreb: Advent Zagreb
Advent Zagreb is not one market but a whole city centre of them, spread across squares and parks (Advent Zagreb).
- Dates: 28 November 2026 to 7 January 2027.
- Good to know: it is the last one on this list to close, so it works for a trip in the first week of January.
See also our best eSIM for Croatia.
Days to avoid
A few dates catch visitors out every year:
- Sunday 22 November: the Cologne Cathedral market and the Munich Christkindlmarkt are both closed.
- 24 December: markets that are still open close early. Munich closes at 2 pm, Strasbourg at 6 pm and Vienna at 6:30 pm.
- 25 December onwards: the German markets and Strasbourg are finished. Go to Vienna (until 26 December), Budapest, Brussels, Copenhagen, Prague, Tallinn or Zagreb instead.
- 31 December: Vienna's ice rink is closed.
Travelling after Christmas? These stay open
| City | Open until |
|---|---|
| Vienna (market) | 26 December 2026 |
| Budapest | 1 January 2027 |
| Brussels | 3 January 2027 |
| Copenhagen (Tivoli) | 3 January 2027 |
| Vienna (ice rink) | 6 January 2027 |
| Prague | 6 January 2027 |
| Tallinn | 6 January 2027 |
| Zagreb | 7 January 2027 |
One eSIM for several markets
Many people visit two or three markets in one trip, and that often means crossing a border: Strasbourg and Germany, Vienna and Budapest, Cologne and Brussels. All twelve cities above are in EU countries, and a SimOptions Europe eSIM covers all 27 EU countries plus the UK, Switzerland, Norway and a few more. You install it once at home and it keeps working when you move from one country to the next. If you already have a phone plan from an EU country, you can roam like at home and may not need one.
How much data should you take? For a long weekend with maps, messages and photos, a small plan is enough. If you film a lot, share your connection with someone else, or stay a week or more, go for unlimited data. Our guide to eSIM data plans helps you estimate it, and these tips help you use less.
SimOptions Europe Unlimited · data only · 54 countries · See all Europe eSIMs
Need a phone number for restaurant bookings or a taxi? Read our guide to a Europe eSIM with a phone number. New to eSIMs? Start with how to check eSIM compatibility and the eSIM installation guide. For a longer route, see how to use an eSIM in Europe.
Phone tips for a night at the market
- Keep your phone warm: Apple says iPhones are designed for 0° to 35° C, and that very cold conditions can temporarily shorten battery life or even switch the phone off (Apple: Keeping iPhone within acceptable operating temperatures). Keep it in an inside pocket between photos, and bring a power bank.
- Save your tickets offline: for ticketed places like Tivoli, add the ticket to your wallet app or take a screenshot before you leave the hotel.
- Download the city map: an offline map helps when thousands of people are using the same mobile network on one square.
- Share your location with your group: markets get crowded and it is easy to lose each other. Our guide to group travel apps has options, and this one covers staying safe in a crowd.
- Use a translation app on menus: point your camera at the sign to see what is in the pan before you order.
- Don't rely on public Wi-Fi for payments: use your own data when you pay or log in. See is hotel Wi-Fi safe?
FAQ: Christmas markets in Europe
When do Christmas markets in Europe open in 2026?
The first big ones open on 13 November (Vienna, Budapest and Tivoli in Copenhagen). Cologne opens on 16 November, Munich and Tallinn on 20 November, Dresden on 25 November, Nuremberg, Strasbourg and Brussels on 27 November, and Prague and Zagreb on 28 November.
When do Christmas markets close?
Most German markets and Strasbourg close on 23 or 24 December. Vienna closes on 26 December, Budapest on 1 January, Brussels and Tivoli on 3 January, Prague and Tallinn on 6 January and Zagreb on 7 January 2027.
Which Christmas markets are open after Christmas?
Budapest, Brussels, Copenhagen's Tivoli, Prague, Tallinn and Zagreb all stay open after 25 December. Vienna's Rathausplatz market is open until 26 December.
Are Christmas markets free to enter?
The markets on public squares are open to walk into, and Cologne's Cathedral market states that entrance is free. Tivoli Gardens is an amusement park with an entrance fee.
Which is the oldest Christmas market?
Several cities claim a long history. Dresden counts its 592nd Striezelmarkt in 2026, Strasbourg dates its tradition to 1570, and Nuremberg's first written mention is from 1678.
Do I need a different eSIM for each country?
No. A Europe eSIM covers all the countries in this guide on one plan, so it keeps working when you cross a border.
How much data do I need for a Christmas market weekend?
It depends on how you use your phone. Maps, messages and a few photo uploads use little data, while video uses a lot. Our guide to eSIM data plans helps you estimate it.
Is a market closed on some days?
Yes. Cologne's Cathedral market and Munich's Christkindlmarkt are closed on 22 November 2026, and markets that run until 24 December close early that day. Check the market's own page for the day you visit.
