Christmas Market at Cologne Cathedral
Cologne's best-known market, on the Roncalliplatz right below the cathedral, under a canopy of lights around…
Plan your Germany trip with an American family who lives here
Hi from our beautiful little village! I’m Brian, an American dad in Kiefersfelden, right on the Austrian border, with my wife Shauna and our boys Noah and Elijah. This is where we share the dates, train tips and family plans we’d send a friend. And right now? That means Christmas markets! 🎄
Dahoam · homeKiefersfelden47.6° N · 12.2° E
Christmas markets 2026: the big openings
Munich opens in a few weeks! Tap ＋ Save on the ones you love and they go straight into your trip list.
Markt der Engel (Cologne, Neumarkt)
Cologne's Angel Market on the Neumarkt, with white-robed angels walking through the stalls and starry lights…
Christmas Market at the Chinese Tower (English Garden, Munich)
A cozy market around the Chinese Tower in the English Garden, with crafts, Bavarian food, curling…
Landshut Christkindlmarkt
Landshut's market on the Ringelstecherwiese in the old town, below St. Martin's church and Trausnitz Castle,…
Freiburg Christmas Market
Freiburg's market in the old town around the Rathausplatz and Kartoffelmarkt, at the edge of the…
Where our family fell for German Christmas markets
Our very first German Christmas market was Rosenheim’s Christkindlmarkt in December 2024, and we were hooked! 🥰 Twinkly lights over the old-town streets, a nativity hut, snowmen and polar bears on the stall roofs, a Ferris wheel with mountain views, and Kinderpunsch (the alcohol-free hot punch) for the boys.
In 2026 it runs from 27 November to 24 December on Max-Josefs-Platz and Ludwigsplatz, with an opening parade on Friday 27 November at 16:00. It’s under an hour from Munich by train, so it makes a really easy day trip.
From our kitchen window in Kiefersfelden
Herbst · fallLate fall in the Inn valley means the first snow on the peaks above Kufstein while the village is still green. The cows came down from the high pastures back in September, the beer gardens are stacking their chairs, and the market huts are going up in town after town. If you're coming for the Christmas markets, pack a warm hat: evenings near the mountains get cold fast.
Pfiat di, Brian 👋
Where do you want to begin?
Christmas markets 2026
Dates, favorites and the small Alpine markets locals love
Castles
Which ones are worth it, and how to book tickets
Day trips by train
Easy trips from Munich on one regional ticket
The Alps & lakes
Our corner of Bavaria: mountains, lakes and village traditions
Hi, we’re the Mahanys!
We’re an American family living in Kiefersfelden, the last Bavarian village before Kufstein and Tyrol. Me (Brian), my wife Shauna, our boys Noah and Elijah, and our two pups, Scout & Moose. We love our beautiful little village! 🥰
Most weekends you’ll find us out exploring: bike dates along the Inn river (Shauna and I once pedaled all the way to Mariastein Castle in Austria and climbed its 250 winding stairs), Christmas markets in every town, and train rides into Munich, where one old U-Bahn train felt like a time slip back to the 1970s. 😄
We’re all still doing our Deutsch homework (Shauna’s goes best with a cappuccino ☕), so I explain the German words as we go. This site is where I keep the practical stuff: opening dates, the right ticket, where to stay and what’s easy with kids.
- Brian · writes the guides
- Shauna · bike-date partner and my co-pilot
- Noah · our ice-cream scout (a very blau Eis, please!)
- Elijah · our Kinderpunsch fan
Postcards from our favorite places
City and region guides with the sights, the trains and the family tips.
Grüße aus Münchengreetings from
Munich
Marienplatz, palaces, beer gardens and our favorite gateway to the Alps.
Grüße aus Nürnberggreetings from
Nuremberg
The Imperial Castle, a medieval old town and the famous Christkindlesmarkt.
Grüße aus Dresdengreetings from
Dresden
The Frauenkirche, the Zwinger and the Striezelmarkt, first mentioned in 1434.
Grüße aus Kölngreetings from
Cologne
The cathedral, the old town and several Christmas markets a short walk apart.
Grüße aus Rothenburggreetings from
Rothenburg ob der Tauber
A walled storybook town that’s easy to explore on foot with kids.
Grüße aus den Alpengreetings from
The Bavarian Alps
Our corner of Germany: mountains, lakes, maypoles and village festivals.
Save markets and guides to one trip list
Tap ＋ Save on any market or guide on the site. Your trip page keeps everything together with its dates, right in your browser. No account needed!
- Save the markets, castles and guides you like
- Open My Trip to see them side by side with their dates
- Take the list along on your phone
My Germany trip · 27–30 Nov
- Fri 27 Nov · Nuremberg Christkindlesmarkt
Opening with the Christkind, 17:30⭐ - Sat 28 Nov · Rosenheim Christkindlmarkt
Easy regional train day trip🚆 - Sun 29 Nov · Munich, Marienplatz
Sundays 10:00 to 20:00🎄
Christmas markets 2026: quick answers
Short answer: Most big German Christmas markets open between 16 and 27 November 2026 and run until 23 or 24 December. Cologne’s cathedral market opens first (16 Nov), then Munich and Rothenburg (20 Nov), Dresden (25 Nov) and Nuremberg (27 Nov). Almost all are free to enter.
Christmas market questions
When do German Christmas markets open in 2026?
Most big markets open in the last week of November. Cologne’s cathedral market opens first on 16 November, Munich and Rothenburg on 20 November, Dresden’s Striezelmarkt on 25 November and Nuremberg on 27 November.
Do German Christmas markets cost money to enter?
Almost all of them are free to enter. A few special markets sell tickets, so check the market page before you go.
Are the markets open on Christmas Day?
Most traditional markets close on 23 or 24 December, often around 14:00 on Christmas Eve. Some winter markets stay open into January, and our calendar marks those.
Are Christmas markets good for kids?
Yes! Kids get Kinderpunsch (alcohol-free hot punch), there are carousels at many markets, and Nuremberg’s children’s market runs until 30 December.
New on the blog
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Nuremberg Christmas Market 2026: Dates, Tips & What to Eat
Updated October 2026. All dates below are for the 2026 season. Short answer: The Nuremberg Christkindlesmarkt runs from Friday 27…
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Munich Christmas Markets 2026: Dates, Hours & Best Picks
Updated October 2026. All dates below are for the 2026 season. Short answer: Munich’s main Christmas market on Marienplatz runs…
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Krampus Runs in Bavaria and Tyrol 2026: Dates, What to Expect, and Should You Bring the Kids?
Updated October 2026. Dates below are for the 2026 season. Short answer: Most Krampus runs happen around 5 and 6…
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What to wear to the Christmas markets, what to pack for the Alps, and everything else you'll forget. Plus one short email from me every Thursday: which markets open that week, what's worth the trip, and one money-saving train tip.
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