Guides · Helsinki
Helsinki Christmas Market 2026: Dates, Senate Square & Turku
By Viktorija Dvariskyte · Marketing Manager
Marketing Manager
The Helsinki Christmas market (Tuomaan Markkinat) returns to Senate Square from 27 November to 22 December 2026, according to MyHelsinki, the city's official tourism site. It opens from 11am to 7pm from Sunday to Thursday and 11am to 8pm on Fridays and Saturdays, and entry is free. Set beneath the white Helsinki Cathedral, it is the oldest outdoor Christmas market in the city.
The Finnish capital's festive season also includes the lights of Aleksanterinkatu, known as Christmas Street, the Lucia Day procession and design-focused markets in historic venues. This guide covers the 5 best ways to enjoy a Helsinki Christmas market trip, each with the address, the nearest tram or metro stop and a Pro Tip. Where 2026 details had not been announced, we give last year's dates.
The order starts on Senate Square, follows Christmas Street, joins the Lucia celebrations and finishes at two smaller markets.
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1Helsinki Christmas Market on Senate Square - Tuomaan Markkinat
The Helsinki Christmas market fills Senate Square, the neoclassical heart of the city, with the steps of Helsinki Cathedral rising above the stalls. The 2026 market runs from 27 November to 22 December, open from 11am to 7pm from Sunday to Thursday and 11am to 8pm on Fridays and Saturdays, according to MyHelsinki.
Stalls sell handmade Finnish crafts, woollen goods, wooden decorations, design pieces and festive food. The heart of the market is an old-fashioned carousel and a licensed food area where visitors can try glögi (Finnish mulled wine), salmon soup and Christmas sweets. The market is produced by the Helsinki Events Foundation and focuses on sustainable gifts and local makers.
The market closes on 22 December, so it is not open on Christmas Eve.
2Aleksanterinkatu Christmas Street - The Lights and Stockmann Windows
Aleksanterinkatu, Helsinki's main shopping street, becomes Christmas Street (Joulukatu) every year, with lights strung above the pavements. The official opening of Christmas Street marks the start of the festive season in Helsinki; in 2025 it took place on 22 November.
Along the street, the Stockmann department store is known for its Christmas window displays, which attract families every year. Cafés along the way serve seasonal treats such as gingerbread and rice porridge.
The street runs from Senate Square to Mannerheimintie, making it easy to combine with a visit to the Helsinki Christmas market, and it is at its most atmospheric after dark.
3Lucia Day - Candlelit Procession from Helsinki Cathedral
Every year on 13 December, Finland celebrates St Lucia's Day, a tradition shared with Sweden. In Helsinki, the Finnish Lucia is crowned at Helsinki Cathedral, and she and her attendants descend the cathedral steps by candlelight before a procession through the city centre.
The procession route has followed Aleksanterinkatu, Mannerheimintie and the Esplanade before returning to Senate Square, passing through the heart of the Christmas market area. Thousands of people line the streets to watch.
Check the 2026 programme closer to the date, as timings can change from year to year. If you visit in mid-December, it is one of the most memorable Helsinki Christmas traditions.
Check dates for Helsinki
See what is available on your dates.
4Old Student House Christmas Market - Crafts in a Historic Venue
The Old Student House, a 19th-century building on Mannerheimintie, hosts a Christmas market featuring local artisans and small businesses in the week before Christmas. In 2025, it ran from 15 to 22 December, according to Scandic Hotels' Helsinki guide.
Indoor stalls sell handmade gifts, treats and decorations, making it a cosy alternative to the outdoor market on a cold day. The building sits close to the Esplanade, a park lined with lights and cafés.
The 2026 dates had not been announced at the time of writing; check MyHelsinki before you go. It is a good place to find Finnish design gifts you will not see elsewhere.
5Teurastamo Christmas Market - Food and Design in an Old Abattoir
Teurastamo, Helsinki's former abattoir from 1933, reopened in 2012 as a food and culture hub with restaurants, a smokehouse and event spaces. Before Christmas, it hosts a weekend market where local entrepreneurs and artisans sell Christmas delicacies and handicrafts.
In 2025, the Teurastamo Christmas market took place on 20 and 21 December. It offers a more local, creative atmosphere than the city-centre markets.
The 2026 dates had not been announced at the time of writing, so check the venue's website before you go. Its restaurants are worth a visit at any time of year, and the area is easy to reach by metro from the Helsinki Christmas market on Senate Square.
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Helsinki Christmas Market 2026: Dates, Senate Square & Turku - FAQ
The Helsinki Christmas Market runs from 27 November to 22 December 2026 on Senate Square, according to MyHelsinki. It opens 11am to 7pm Sunday to Thursday and 11am to 8pm on Fridays and Saturdays.
Yes, entry is free. You pay for food, drinks, gifts and carousel rides. Prices in Finland are higher than at most Central European markets.
Senate Square is about a 10-minute walk from Helsinki Central Station. Several trams stop at Senaatintori, and the nearest metro station is Helsingin yliopisto (University of Helsinki).
No. The market closes on 22 December. In Finland, Christmas Eve is the main family celebration, and many shops and restaurants close early on 24 December and stay quiet on Christmas Day.
No, the Senate Square market does not reopen after Christmas. If you visit between Christmas and New Year, you can still enjoy the city's festive lights, but plan your market visit for before 22 December.
The market fills Senate Square, beneath the steps of the white Helsinki Cathedral in the city centre. Aleksanterinkatu, known as Christmas Street, runs along the side of the square.
Weekday afternoons are the calmest. It gets dark by mid-afternoon in December, so the lights come on early. If you can, time your visit for 13 December to see the Lucia procession.
The Senate Square market, Tuomaan Markkinat, is the oldest and best-known outdoor market. For Finnish design and crafts, visit the Christmas market at the Old Student House, and for food and design in a former abattoir, head to Teurastamo.
Christmas Street is Aleksanterinkatu, Helsinki's main shopping street, decorated with festive lights each winter. The street's official opening in November is a big local event, and the Stockmann department store's Christmas windows are a highlight for families.
Lucia Day is celebrated on 13 December. In Helsinki, Lucia is crowned at the cathedral and leads a candlelit procession through the city centre, one of the most atmospheric events of the Finnish Christmas season.
