Nuremberg Christkindlesmarkt

What the Christkindlesmarkt is

The Christkindlesmarkt is Nuremberg's Christmas market, held on the Hauptmarkt in the old town. It is first documented in 1628, and it is one of the best-known Christmas markets in Germany. Each year the market is opened by the Christkind, a traditional figure in Nuremberg's Christmas custom.

The stalls sell Christmas food and drink, toys and tree decorations. Most of a visit is spent walking between the stalls across the square and the streets around it. The market is organized around its opening ceremony and a set of Christkind visits, which you can plan around if you want to see them.

Nuremberg is known for Lebkuchen, a spiced gingerbread, and the market is a common place to buy it as a gift. Tree decorations are another common purchase, so allow time to look at the stalls before you decide what to take home.

When and how long

The 2026 market is held in Nov 27 – Dec 24, 2026. It opens on 27 November, when Christkind Nora Falk opens the market with the Prolog. On the opening day, market activity is interrupted during the opening ceremony from 17:30 to 18:00. Daily hours are 10:00 to 21:00, and the opening day stays open until 22:00 for the Long Night.

On 24 December the market closes at 14:00, so Christmas Eve visits end early. If you want to see the Christkind, plan a visit on a weekday afternoon, when the scheduled visits take place.

Christkind schedule

The Christkind keeps a regular timetable during the market. The fairy tale hour with the Christkind is held at the Sternenhaus in the Heilig-Geist-Haus on Tuesdays and Thursdays, from 14:00 to 14:30.

From Tuesday to Friday, the Christkind visits the Kinderweihnacht on Hans-Sachs-Platz from 14:30 to 15:00. The visit to the Christkindlesmarkt on the Hauptmarkt follows from 15:00 to 16:00. The schedule names separate spots for these events, so the visits are not all in one place.

Where and getting around

The Christkindlesmarkt is on the Hauptmarkt in Nuremberg's old town. The usual route is by train to Nuremberg Hauptbahnhof, followed by a walk into the old town. The old town is compact enough to walk, and the Hauptmarkt is the central square of the market.

The Kinderweihnacht on Hans-Sachs-Platz and the Sternenhaus in the Heilig-Geist-Haus are separate spots from the Hauptmarkt. Allow time to move between them when you follow the Christkind schedule, and check the schedule before you set out.

Tickets and costs

Entry to the Christkindlesmarkt is free. The stalls charge for their goods, so you pay at each stall for what you buy.

Prices are set by each stall and are not listed on this page. Budget for food, drink and gifts when you plan the day, since those are the costs you will meet at the market.

Where to stay

Stay in the old town if you want to reach the Hauptmarkt on foot in the evening. Nuremberg Hauptbahnhof is where the trains arrive, so a stay near the station is the other practical option, with the walk into the old town as the route in.

Book early for weekends and for the final week before Christmas, when crowds are heaviest and rooms are most in demand.

Tips for a first visit

Check the Christkind schedule before you go. The fairy tale hour runs only on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and the Christkind visits run from Tuesday to Friday.

Weekday daytime is the easiest way to avoid the peak crowds, which come on weekend evenings and in the final week before Christmas.

Opening day adds the opening ceremony and the Long Night. Arrive before 17:30 if you want to see the start, since market activity pauses from 17:30 to 18:00.

What else is nearby

The Hauptmarkt is in the old town, and the Frauenkirche stands on the square itself. Nuremberg Castle sits on a hill above the old town and can be reached on foot from the market.