Nuremberg Christkindlesmarkt

What the Christkindlesmarkt is

The Nuremberg Christkindlesmarkt fills the Hauptmarkt in front of the Frauenkirche with red and white striped stalls and is counted among Germany's best known Christmas markets. Its signature is the Christkind, a gold-clad figure who opens the market each year with a prologue from the Frauenkirche balcony. This page covers the 2027 edition.

Around the Hauptmarkt you will also find the Kinderweihnacht on Hans-Sachs-Platz and the Market of the Twin Cities, so a visit can easily fill a whole afternoon.

Dates for 2027: an estimate

Our data shows Friday 26 November to Friday 24 December 2027 (29 days), with the status estimated. That means the organiser has not published the 2027 dates; we followed the traditional pattern of an opening on the Friday before the first Sunday of Advent, which is 28 November in 2027.

An estimate is not a booking basis. Wait for the city's announcement, and in the meantime keep hotel reservations cancellable. The final day is expected to be Christmas Eve, but opening hours that day may be shortened, so check before you travel.

Character, sights and food

The market has a long tradition in Nuremberg and is closely tied to the city's craft identity. It is known for the Zwetschgenmännle, little figures made from dried plums, and for Rauschgoldengel, the golden angels sold at the stalls. The strict look of the market, with every stall in the same red and white cloth, is part of its charm.

The atmosphere is traditional and slightly formal compared with larger folk festivals. Expect brass music, church bells and a crowd that includes many international visitors.

Try Nürnberger Rostbratwürste, usually served in threes in a roll or on a pewter plate, and Nürnberger Lebkuchen from the local bakeries. Warm up with Glühwein or the Feuerzangenbowle. Away from the stalls, climb to the Kaiserburg, visit the Albrecht Dürer House or walk the old town wall.

The Toy Museum and the Germanisches Nationalmuseum make good indoor alternatives on a rainy day.

Getting there and where to stay

Nuremberg's Hauptbahnhof is directly at the edge of the old town, a ten minute walk from the Hauptmarkt, and long-distance trains from Munich, Frankfurt and Berlin stop there. The airport has an underground link into the city. Hotels cluster around the station and inside the old town walls.

Because the market is among the best known, rooms for Advent weekends disappear early; look first at slightly outlying districts if prices rise.

Public holidays and vacation days in Bavaria, 2027

The estimated opening day, 26 November 2027, is a Friday and the finale, 24 December, is also a Friday. Christmas Day and Boxing Day, 25 and 26 December, fall on Saturday and Sunday, so no weekday holiday is added. The Bavarian holiday Allerheiligen (1 November) is a Monday earlier in the autumn and does not touch the market.

A Friday-to-Sunday visit on 26 to 28 November costs no leave if you arrive on Friday evening, or one day if you want Friday daytime. A weekday trip on Thursday 9 to Friday 10 December would use two days. To combine the final day with the year-end break, take Monday 27 to Friday 31 December: five vacation days for nine days off from 25 December to 2 January, with 24 December itself not a statutory holiday.

Tips and who it suits

The market suits couples, families and anyone who enjoys a traditional setting. Come on a weekday morning for space, or after dark for the lights. Carry cash for small stalls although many accept cards.

Because the 2027 dates are estimated, check the official page in autumn, and plan around the Christkind's opening ceremony if you want to attend it.

If you visit on the opening evening, arrive early to find a place near the Frauenkirche, because the Christkind's prologue draws a dense crowd. Later in the season, the Kinderweihnacht and the evening lights are better for families, and the old town cafes provide warm refuges. Keep a printed or saved copy of your train tickets, since Advent weekend services are busy.