Boligfritid.dk is a Danish magazine for homeowners. This English version is written for international residents in Denmark. Read the original in Danish.
The Christmas market is a German invention, and many of the big Danish Christmas markets took their inspiration from south of the border. So why not make the trip down there? Flensburg is about a quarter of an hour from the border, and Kiel, Lübeck and Hamburg are easy to do as a day trip. Here is our guide to the Christmas markets in Northern Germany in 2026.
In short
- The first Christmas markets in Northern Germany open on 16 November, and the big ones in Lübeck, Hamburg, Rostock and Bremen on 23 November.
- The town markets are free. You only pay for what you eat, drink and buy.
- Sunday 22 November is Totensonntag (the German Sunday of the Dead, a day of remembrance), and several markets, including those in Flensburg, Husum and Kiel, are closed.
- The dates below were checked with the towns and organisers on 12 November 2026. Changes may occur.
Where does the Christmas market come from?
Christmas markets have their roots in the German-speaking countries. According to Lex (in Danish), the Striezelmarkt in Dresden can be traced back to 1434 and is one of the oldest Christmas markets we know of. In Northern Germany, Lübeck has had a Christmas market since at least 1648. In Denmark, the big Christmas markets are a more recent phenomenon: they really took off around 30 years ago, inspired from abroad, reports TV 2 Kosmopol (in Danish). Tivoli has had a Christmas market since 1994.
Christmas markets close to the border
Flensburger Weihnachtsmarkt, Flensburg
The market runs through the pedestrian street from Holm and Große Straße to Nordermarkt and Südermarkt. The town calls the stretch the “Hyggemeile”, and on Südermarkt there are Scandinavian huts. On Advent weekends there is a craft market by Marienkirchhof. The official opening is on 23 November at 17:00.
When: 16 November – 30 December 2026 (Südermarkt until 23 December)
Open: Mon–Sat 11:00–22:00, Sun 11:00–20:00. Closed 22 November, 25 and 26 December; 24 December until 14:00
Admission: Free
Driving time from the border at Kruså: approx. 15 minutes
More from the organiser
Husumer Weihnachtsmarkt, Husum
A Christmas market on the square by the Tine fountain in this small harbour town on the North Sea. On the first Advent weekend there is a marzipan market, and on the first Sunday in December a creative market with up to 80 exhibitors.
When: 16 November – 27 December 2026
Open: Closed 22 and 25 December. Opening hours have not been published yet
Admission: Free
Driving time from the border at Kruså: approx. 45 minutes
More from the organiser
Christmas markets in Kiel and Lübeck
Kieler Weihnachtsdorf, Kiel
Around 50 huts on the town hall square. Kielian the nisse (Christmas elf) “flies” up to the town hall tower at 15:00, 17:00 and 19:00, and there is a horse carousel that is more than 100 years old.
When: 19 November – 23 December 2026
Open: Daily 11:00–21:00, Fri and Sat until 22:00. Closed 22 November
Admission: Free
Driving time from the border at Kruså: approx. 1 hour
More from the organiser
Weihnachtsstadt des Nordens, Lübeck
Lübeck calls itself the “Christmas City of the North”, and the old Hanseatic town is on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Its Christmas market is documented as far back as 1648. There are markets on the town hall square, a fairy-tale forest and a maritime market on Koberg, and on Advent Saturdays a free shuttle bus runs from P+R Lohmühle.
When: 23 November – 30 December 2026
Open: Several markets in the old town with different dates. The historic market runs until 23 December, the maritime one on Koberg until 29 December
Admission: Free
Driving time from the border at Kruså: approx. 1 hour 45 minutes
More from the organiser
Craft market in the Heiligen-Geist-Hospital, Lübeck
Crafts and gifts in a medieval hospital from the 13th century. It is only open for ten days, so plan your trip around it.
When: 27 November – 6 December 2026
Open: Daily 11:00–19:00
Admission: €4, students €2, children under 16 free
Driving time from the border at Kruså: approx. 1 hour 45 minutes
More from the organiser
Christmas market in Hamburg
Historischer Weihnachtsmarkt on Rathausmarkt, Hamburg
Hamburg’s best-known Christmas market, in front of the town hall, is run by Circus Roncalli. There are around 80 stalls, and at 16:00, 18:00 and 20:00 Father Christmas flies over the market in his sleigh.
When: 23 November – 23 December 2026
Open: Daily 11:00–21:00
Admission: Free
Driving time from the border at Kruså: approx. 1 hour 45 minutes
More from the organiser
Worth the drive: Rostock and Bremen
Rostocker Weihnachtsmarkt, Rostock
The organiser calls it “the biggest Christmas market in Northern Germany”. There is a canopy of lights on Universitätsplatz, a fairy-tale world for children and a funfair.
When: 23 November – 22 December 2026
Open: See the opening hours on the organiser’s website
Admission: Free
Driving time from the border at Kruså: approx. 3 hours (or take the Gedser–Rostock ferry)
More from the organiser
Bremer Weihnachtsmarkt, Bremen
A Christmas market on the square by the town hall and the cathedral, both of which date from the Middle Ages. The market opens with a church service in St. Petri Dom.
When: 23 November – 23 December 2026
Open: See the opening hours on the organiser’s website
Admission: Free
Driving time from the border at Kruså: approx. 3 hours
More from the organiser
Hamburg has more Christmas markets than the one on Rathausmarkt, for example in HafenCity, on Gänsemarkt and by the Binnenalster. See them all at hamburg.de.
Overview: Christmas markets in Northern Germany 2026
| Christmas market | Town | When | Driving time from the border |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flensburger Weihnachtsmarkt | Flensburg | 16 November – 30 December 2026 | approx. 15 minutes |
| Husumer Weihnachtsmarkt | Husum | 16 November – 27 December 2026 | approx. 45 minutes |
| Kieler Weihnachtsdorf | Kiel | 19 November – 23 December 2026 | approx. 1 hour |
| Weihnachtsstadt des Nordens | Lübeck | 23 November – 30 December 2026 | approx. 1 hour 45 minutes |
| Craft market in the Heiligen-Geist-Hospital | Lübeck | 27 November – 6 December 2026 | approx. 1 hour 45 minutes |
| Historischer Weihnachtsmarkt on Rathausmarkt | Hamburg | 23 November – 23 December 2026 | approx. 1 hour 45 minutes |
| Rostocker Weihnachtsmarkt | Rostock | 23 November – 22 December 2026 | approx. 3 hours (or the Gedser–Rostock ferry) |
| Bremer Weihnachtsmarkt | Bremen | 23 November – 23 December 2026 | approx. 3 hours |
More Christmas markets close to the border
There is also a Christmas market in Schleswig (Slesvig in Danish) between the cathedral and Gottorf Castle, and in Eckernförde (Egernførde) by St. Nicolai Church. Both are less than an hour from the border. We have only seen their 2026 dates on event portals, so check them with the towns before you set off.
Tips for the trip
- Remember Totensonntag. On Sunday 22 November several markets are closed, and most are closed on 25 and 26 December.
- Deposit on the mug. Gløgg (mulled wine, called Glühwein in German) is served in a mug that you pay a deposit for. Return the mug to the stall and get your deposit back. If you would like to keep it, ask at the stall.
- Bring some cash, so you are not caught out at a stall that does not take cards.
- Park outside the centre. In Flensburg you can park at P+R Exe and take bus 10 or 11 into town; the Flensticket day ticket costs €1.50 and is valid for up to five people.
- Low-emission zones: Hamburg has no low-emission zone, but in Bremen your car needs a green emissions sticker (Umweltplakette).
- Go on a weekday if you can. December weekends are busy, especially in Hamburg and Lübeck.
Christmas markets in Denmark
If you would rather stay in Denmark, see our guide to Christmas markets in Denmark 2026, for example Julebyen Tønder and the Christmas market at Sønderborg Slot close to the border. And when you are back home with new decorations, read about beautiful, low-cost Christmas lights and a fire-safe Christmas.
Frequently asked questions
What is the nearest Christmas market in Germany?
Flensburg. The Christmas market is in the town centre, only about a quarter of an hour by car from the border at Kruså.
When do the Christmas markets in Northern Germany open in 2026?
Flensburg and Husum open on 16 November and Kiel on 19 November. Lübeck, Hamburg, Rostock and Bremen open on 23 November, the day after Totensonntag.
Is there an admission fee?
No, the town markets are free. A few special markets charge admission, for example the craft market in the Heiligen-Geist-Hospital in Lübeck.
Which is the biggest Christmas market in Northern Germany?
Rostock calls its Christmas market the biggest in Northern Germany. Hamburg and Lübeck, on the other hand, have lots of markets spread across the city, so they are big experiences too.
Skal du på julemarked syd for grænsen? Se datoer for julemarkederne i Nordtyskland.
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