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Nuremberg Christmas Market 2026: Christkindlesmarkt Guide
By Viktorija Dvariskyte · Marketing Manager
Marketing Manager
The Nuremberg Christmas market, the Christkindlesmarkt, runs from Friday 27 November to Thursday 24 December 2026 on the Hauptmarkt, the main square of Nuremberg's Old Town, according to the City of Nuremberg. It opens daily from 10am to 9pm. First mentioned in writing in 1678, it is one of the oldest and most famous Christmas markets in Germany, and in 2025 it drew more than two million visitors.
The market traditionally opens on the Friday before the first Sunday of Advent, when the Nuremberg Christkind, a young woman elected every two years, recites a prologue from the balcony of the Frauenkirche. This guide covers the market and 4 more ways to enjoy Christmas in Nuremberg, each with the location, the nearest U-Bahn stop and a Pro Tip.
Everything on this list is within a 10-minute walk in the Old Town. The Hauptmarkt hosts the main market, the Rathausplatz next door holds the twin towns market, Hans-Sachs-Platz, a few minutes east, is home to the Children's Christmas and the Sternenhaus, and the castle rises above the Old Town to the north.
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1Christkindlesmarkt on the Hauptmarkt - The Little Town of Wood and Cloth
The Christkindlesmarkt fills the Hauptmarkt with around 180 wooden stalls under red-and-white striped canvas roofs, which is why locals call it the little town of wood and cloth. The 2026 market runs from 27 November to 24 December, open daily from 10am to 9pm, framed by the Gothic Frauenkirche and the Schöner Brunnen, the ornate 14th-century fountain on the square.
The market is strict about tradition: stalls sell handmade decorations, gold foil angels, nutcrackers, cribs and Zwetschgenmännle, little figures made from dried plums. Plastic decorations and recorded music are not allowed.
Food is a big part of the appeal, from Nuremberg Lebkuchen and fruit bread to small grilled Rostbratwurst served three in a bun.
2Market of the Twin Towns - International Christmas Stalls
The Market of the Twin Towns (Markt der Partnerstädte) sets up on the Rathausplatz, right next to the Hauptmarkt, and brings together stalls from Nuremberg's partner cities around the world. It is organised separately from the Christkindlesmarkt by the city's international relations office.
Each stall offers specialities and crafts from its home city, so you might find French wine, Italian pastries, Scottish shortbread or crafts from Central and Eastern Europe, all within a few steps of each other.
It makes a welcome change of pace from the traditional German stalls next door, and it is usually a little less crowded than the main market.
3Children's Christmas and the Sternenhaus - For Young Visitors
Hans-Sachs-Platz becomes a Christmas town for children during the market, known as the Kinderweihnacht. Nostalgic rides include a carousel, a steam train and a small Ferris wheel, and children can bake biscuits, paint glass ornaments and write wish lists to the Christkind in workshop huts.
Next door, the Sternenhaus in the Heilig-Geist-Haus hosts a daily programme of theatre, music, storytelling and craft activities for families throughout the market season. The Christkind holds a story hour here on Tuesdays and Thursdays and visits the Kinderweihnacht several afternoons a week.
It is the perfect place to bring younger children when the crowds on the Hauptmarkt get too much.
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4Nuremberg Castle - Old Town Views Above the Market
The Kaiserburg, Nuremberg's imperial castle, sits on a sandstone ridge above the Old Town and was one of the most important castles of the Holy Roman Empire. A visit during the Christmas season gives you the best views over the red roofs of the city and the market below.
The castle complex includes the imperial chapel, the deep well and the Sinwell Tower, which you can climb for a panoramic view. The castle gardens and walls are free to walk around, while the interiors and tower require a ticket.
It is about a 15-minute uphill walk from the Hauptmarkt, through some of the prettiest lanes in the Old Town.
5Rostbratwurst at Zum Gulden Stern - The Oldest Bratwurst Kitchen
No visit to the Nuremberg Christmas market is complete without trying Nuremberg Rostbratwurst, the small, finger-length sausages grilled over a beechwood fire. Zum Gulden Stern, in a half-timbered house in the Old Town, claims to be the oldest bratwurst kitchen in the world, dating back to the early 15th century.
The sausages are served by the half-dozen or dozen on pewter plates with sauerkraut, potato salad or horseradish. At the market, they come as Drei im Weggla, three sausages in a bread roll.
Nuremberg is also famous for Lebkuchen, a spiced gingerbread made with nuts and honey, sold at market stalls and specialist bakeries across the city.
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Nuremberg Christmas Market 2026: Christkindlesmarkt Guide - FAQ
The Nuremberg Christkindlesmarkt runs from Friday 27 November to Thursday 24 December 2026, open daily from 10am to 9pm, according to the City of Nuremberg. The Christkind opens the market with a prologue at 5.30pm on 27 November.
Yes, entry is free. You pay for food, drinks and gifts. Mulled wine comes in a mug with a deposit, which you get back when you return it, or you can keep the mug as a souvenir.
From Nürnberg Hauptbahnhof, walk about 15 minutes through the Old Town along Königstraße. The nearest U-Bahn stop is Lorenzkirche, a few minutes from the Hauptmarkt.
No. The Christkindlesmarkt's last day is Christmas Eve, 24 December 2026, so it is closed on Christmas Day.
No, the market does not reopen after Christmas. Plan your visit between 27 November and 24 December.
The Christkindlesmarkt fills the Hauptmarkt, the main square of the Old Town. The Market of the Twin Towns is on the Rathausplatz next door, and the Children's Christmas is on Hans-Sachs-Platz, a few minutes east.
Weekday mornings are the quietest, as the market drew more than two million visitors in 2025. Weekend evenings are very crowded, and the opening night on 27 November is packed for the Christkind's prologue.
The Christkindlesmarkt on the Hauptmarkt is the famous one. The Market of the Twin Towns adds stalls from Nuremberg's partner cities around the world, and the Children's Christmas on Hans-Sachs-Platz has rides and activities for young visitors.
The Nuremberg Christkind is a young woman from Nuremberg elected every two years to represent the market. She opens it with a prologue from the Frauenkirche balcony and appears at the Children's Christmas and the Sternenhaus during the season.
Order Drei im Weggla, three small Nuremberg Rostbratwurst in a bread roll, and try Nuremberg Lebkuchen gingerbread. For a souvenir, look for Zwetschgenmännle, little figures made from dried plums.
