Christmas Markets 2026: UK & Europe Opening Dates
Christmas markets are creeping earlier every year, and the best ones (the good glassware, the proper mulled wine, the stalls worth queuing for) still sell out or shut early once December gets going. Below is every major opening date for the UK and Europe this year, so you can get the good weekends in the diary before everyone else does.
A handful of 2026 dates, marked *, were the latest published or expected schedule at the time of writing rather than fully confirmed. We'd always recommend checking directly before booking non-refundable travel, or simply ask us to confirm for you.
Part One: United Kingdom
London — Hyde Park Winter Wonderland
14th Nov 2026 – 3rd Jan 2027
The UK's biggest, with an ice rink, rides, a circus and the Bavarian Village alongside the market stalls.
Manchester — Christmas Markets
6th Nov – 22nd Dec 2026
Ten sites across the city centre. Albert Square and Cathedral Gardens stay open later, through to 3rd Jan 2027.
Edinburgh — Christmas Market
14th Nov 2026 – 3rd Jan 2027
East and West Princes Street Gardens, beneath the Castle: markets, a big wheel and Santa Land for families.
Birmingham — Frankfurt Christmas Market
1st Nov – 24th Dec 2026
The UK's original German-style market and its longest-running, spread across Victoria Square and New Street.
York — Christmas Market (St Nicholas Fair)
12th Nov – 21st Dec 2026
Threaded through the medieval Shambles and Parliament Street.
Bath — Christmas Market
26th Nov – 13th Dec 2026
Around Bath Abbey and the Roman Baths. Shorter than most, and voted the UK's best in 2024.
Cardiff — Christmas Market
12th Nov – 23rd Dec 2026
Winter Wonderland plus market stalls running through the city centre.
Glasgow — Winterfest, George Square
5th Nov – 24th Dec 2026
Market, funfair and ice rink for the full run.
Part Two: Europe
Austria
Vienna — Rathausplatz
13th Nov – 26th Dec 2026
The flagship Christkindlmarkt in front of City Hall, and one of the earliest big openers in Europe.
Salzburg — Christkindlmarkt, Dom- and Residenzplatz
19th Nov 2026 – 1st Jan 2027
Set between the cathedral and the Residenz, in the shadow of the fortress, with carol singing on the square most evenings.
Belgium
Brussels — Winter Wonders (Plaisirs d'Hiver)
27th Nov 2026 – 3rd Jan 2027
The 25th edition, running from the Grand-Place through the old town, with a big wheel and ice rink along the way.
Croatia
Zagreb — Advent in Zagreb
28th Nov 2026 – 7th Jan 2027
A city-wide Advent spread across the squares, parks and Upper Town, regularly voted among Europe's best.
Czech Republic
Prague — Old Town Square
27th Nov 2026 – 6th Jan 2027
One of the longest-running markets in Europe, with a dedicated children's Christmas market alongside it.
Denmark
Copenhagen — Tivoli Gardens
From 14th Nov 2026
One of Europe's earliest major openers, with fairground rides running alongside the market stalls.
Estonia
Tallinn — Town Hall Square
20th Nov 2026 – 6th Jan 2027
A small, beautifully kept market in the medieval Old Town, said to be on the site of one of Europe's first public Christmas trees.
France
Strasbourg — Christkindelsmärik
From 27th Nov 2026
France's oldest Christmas market, known as “Capitale de Noël”. Closing dates vary slightly by site.
Germany
Nuremberg — Christkindlesmarkt
27th Nov – 24th Dec 2026
Germany's most famous market, opened each year by the Christkind from the Frauenkirche balcony.
Dresden — Striezelmarkt, Altmarkt
25th Nov – 24th Dec 2026
Germany's oldest documented Christmas market, and the home of the original Dresden stollen.
Munich — Marienplatz
20th Nov – 24th Dec 2026
Beneath the Rathaus glockenspiel, in the heart of the old town.
Berlin — WeihnachtsZauber, Gendarmenmarkt
23rd Nov – 31st Dec 2026
Berlin's most elegant market, framed by the Konzerthaus and the twin cathedrals, with stage performances through the season.
Cologne — City-wide markets
Mid–late Nov – 23rd Dec 2026*
Seven markets across the city, several set against the cathedral, each with its own theme.
Hungary
Budapest — Vörösmarty Square
19th Nov – 31st Dec 2026
Hungary's largest and best-known market, with a strong reputation for its food stalls.
Sweden
Stockholm — Skansen
Weekends only: 27th–29th Nov, 4th–6th, 11th–13th and 18th–20th Dec 2026
A market running since 1903 in the open-air museum on Djurgården. Friday to Sunday only, so plan the weekend around it.
Switzerland
Basel — Münsterplatz and Barfüsserplatz
26th Nov – 23rd Dec 2026
Often named Switzerland's finest, across two squares in the old town.
Planning a trip around one of these?
We'll plan the market, the hotel, and everything on either side, from a weekend in Bath to a river cruise taking in four cities in a week.