Last updated: October 2026. Dates and hours below come from the City of Nuremberg’s official 2026 information. Check the official Christkindlesmarkt website shortly before you go.
The Nuremberg Christmas Market, known in German as the Nürnberger Christkindlesmarkt, is Germany’s most famous Christmas market. Every year a little “town of wood and cloth” fills the Hauptmarkt square in the old town, with red-and-white stalls, Nuremberg gingerbread and a Christkind who opens the whole thing with a spoken prologue. This guide covers the 2026 dates and opening hours, what to see, how to get there by train and tram, and practical tips.
⚡ Quick answer
- Dates: 27 November to 24 December 2026.
- Hours: daily 10:00 to 21:00, and until 14:00 on 24 December.
- Where: the Hauptmarkt in Nuremberg’s old town, a short walk from the U-Bahn station Lorenzkirche.
- From Munich: about an hour by ICE, or longer on regional trains.
- Best known for: Nuremberg gingerbread (Lebkuchen), golden-foil angels and the Christkind’s opening prologue.
📅 Dates and Opening Hours 2026
| What | 2026 dates | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Christkindlesmarkt | 27 Nov – 24 Dec | Hauptmarkt |
| Markt der Partnerstädte (Sister Cities Market) | 27 Nov – 23 Dec | Rathausplatz |
| Kinderweihnacht (Children’s Christmas) | 27 Nov – 30 Dec | Hans-Sachs-Platz |
| Sternenhaus (children’s program) | 28 Nov – 23 Dec | Heilig-Geist-Haus |
| Nürnberger Winterdorf (winter village) | 13 Nov 2026 – 9 Jan 2027 | Jakobsplatz |
The main market is open daily from 10:00 to 21:00. On opening day it pauses from 17:30 to 18:00 for the opening ceremony, and stays open until 22:00 that evening during the city’s “Long Night” of the Christkindlesmarkt. On 24 December it closes at 14:00.
👼 The Christkind and the Opening Prologue
The market opens on Friday 27 November 2026 when the Nuremberg Christkind, a local schoolgirl dressed in gold and white, recites the traditional prologue from the gallery of the Frauenkirche. Christkind Nora Falk, who was chosen for a two-year term (2025/26), will open this year’s market. The Christkind has been chosen by a jury every two years since 1969.
After the opening you can also meet the Christkind on set days, according to the city. On Tuesday to Friday she visits the Kinderweihnacht at around 14:30 and the main market between 15:00 and 16:00. On Tuesday and Thursday at 14:00 she hosts a fairy-tale hour at the Sternenhaus.
🛍️ What to See, Eat and Buy
- Nuremberg gingerbread (Lebkuchen) and fruit bread: the stalls deliberately keep to traditional goods.
- Rauschgoldengel: the golden-foil angels that are the market’s trademark, alongside nativity scenes, tree decorations, candles and toys.
- Zwetschgenmännla: little figures made of dried prunes, a typical souvenir.
- Original Regional: four stalls beside the Sebalduskirche, across from the Old Town Hall, selling mulled wine, spirits, tea, honey and soap from Franconia and the Upper Palatinate.
- Markt der Partnerstädte: stalls from Nuremberg’s sister cities, including Glasgow, Verona, Nice and Atlanta, on the Rathausplatz next to the main market.
- Glühwein and bratwurst: the classic market food and drink are on sale throughout.
The city publishes an interactive stall map (Budenplan) so you can find a particular stall.
👨👩👧 Visiting with Kids
The Kinderweihnacht on the Hans-Sachs-Platz has a carousel, a steam train and a mini Ferris wheel, and children can bake and craft at hands-on stalls. The Sternenhaus offers concerts, ballet and children’s theater, and tickets sell out quickly, so plan ahead. For a view of the city, the Nuremberg Winterdorf at the Jakobsplatz has a Ferris wheel about 40 meters high.
🚆 How to Get to the Nuremberg Christmas Market
- From Munich: the ICE takes about an hour, and regional trains take around 1 hour 45 minutes. A Bayern Ticket covers the regional trains (€34 for one person in 2026).
- From Frankfurt: fast trains take about two hours. See our Germany train travel guide for how to book.
- In Nuremberg: the city says the easiest route is the U1 U-Bahn to Lorenzkirche. You can also walk from the stations Weißer Turm or Hauptbahnhof, and buses 36 (Augustinerstraße), 37, 46 and 47 (Rathaus) stop nearby.
- Extra trains: on Advent weekends the city’s transport company doubles the U1 service in the inner city between 9:00 and 20:00.
- Driving: the city advises against it because of the heavy crowds.
One thing to check before you go: at the time of writing, the Lorenzkirche exit toward the Museumsbrücke and Stangengässchen is closed for renovation. The city asks visitors to use the exit toward Karolinenstraße, or the stairs to the Königstraße, and to follow the signs with the Christkindlesmarkt logo.
A Deutschlandticket (€63 a month in 2026) covers local transport, but not ICE trains. See our public transport guide for tourists for how it all works.
💡 Practical Tips
- Toilets: public toilets are in the Rathaus, entered from the Rathausplatz (50 cents), and there is a toilet truck on the Obstmarkt behind the Frauenkirche.
- Bag checks: police carry out random bag checks, as at other big events in Nuremberg, and the access roads are secured with barriers.
- Pickpockets: the city advises keeping money and documents in zipped inside pockets, wearing handbags close to your body, and being wary if a stranger bumps into you, spills something on you or asks you to change money.
- Bad weather: if the market has to close early because of a storm, announcements are made over loudspeakers.
- Crowds: expect large crowds, especially at weekends and on opening night. Weekday afternoons are usually calmer.
📜 A Little History
Many travel sites say the market was first documented in 1628. The city’s own chronicle says that recent research by the Germanisches Nationalmuseum shows the painted wooden box that gave that date is about 50 years younger, so the oldest proof of the market is now dated to 1678. The first market after the Second World War took place in 1948 in the ruined old town. In 1973 the city council set the opening for the Friday before the first Advent Sunday. The market was cancelled in 2020 and 2021 because of the pandemic and returned in 2022.
❓ FAQ: Nuremberg Christmas Market
When is the Nuremberg Christmas Market in 2026?
It runs from 27 November to 24 December 2026, with the opening ceremony on 27 November.
What are the opening hours?
Daily from 10:00 to 21:00. On 24 December it closes at 14:00.
Is the Nuremberg Christmas Market free?
Entry to the market is free. You pay for food, drinks and anything you buy.
How do I get there from Munich?
Take an ICE (about an hour) or a regional train (around 1 hour 45 minutes). The Bayern Ticket covers regional trains. From Nuremberg’s main station, take the U1 or walk to the old town.
Who opens the market?
The Nuremberg Christkind opens it on opening day by reciting a prologue from the Frauenkirche gallery. For 2026 this is Christkind Nora Falk.
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- 🏰 Best Day Trips from Munich by Train
- 🚉 Best Day Trips from Frankfurt by Train
- ❄️ Winter in Germany: Things to Do and Places to Visit
🧳 Final Thoughts
Nuremberg is easy to do as a day trip from Munich, but staying overnight lets you see the market after dark and again on a quieter weekday. Check the official site shortly before you go, book your trains early, and bring warm clothes. For more ideas, see the official Nuremberg tourism site.
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