Christmas Markets in Bavaria 2026: Dates, Routes, Tips

The main Christmas markets in Bavaria run from 20 November to Christmas Eve in 2026: Munich opens on 20 November, Augsburg on 23 November and Nuremberg's Christkindlesmarkt on 27 November. Bavaria has more Christmas markets than one weekend can hold, from the Christkindlesmarkt in Nuremberg to Marienplatz in Munich and the Reiterlesmarkt in Rothenburg ob der Tauber. For six Bavarian cities we have checked the 2026 dates and opening hours with the organisers and written a separate article for each. Here you see them side by side, get three route ideas and learn what the markets in the state have in common. Munich, Regensburg and Rothenburg start on 20 November; Nuremberg, Munich and Augsburg run until 24 December.

Christmas markets in Bavaria 2026 at a glance

City	Dates 2026	Highlight	Read more
Nuremberg	27 Nov–24 Dec	Christkind prologue, children’s market until 30 Dec	Nuremberg Christkindlesmarkt
Munich	20 Nov–24 Dec	Marienplatz, crib market, Krampus run on 13 Dec, Tollwood	Munich Christkindlmarkt
Augsburg	23 Nov–24 Dec	Angel play at the town hall, EECMA seal	Augsburg Christkindlesmarkt
Regensburg	20 Nov–23 Dec	four markets, including Thurn und Taxis Palace	Regensburg Christmas markets
Bamberg	24 Nov–23 Dec	nativity-scene city, smoked beer, opens at 9.30am	Bamberg Christmas market
Rothenburg ob der Tauber	20 Nov–23 Dec	Reiterlesmarkt in a half-timbered old town	Rothenburg Reiterlesmarkt

The table lists each city’s main market. Where a city has several markets, all dates are in the linked article.

The markets in brief

Nuremberg: Christkindlesmarkt

The market opens on Friday 27 November 2026 at 5.30pm with the Christkind’s prologue and runs until Christmas Eve, daily 10am–9pm, and 10am–2pm on 24 December. According to the organiser about 168 wooden stalls with red-and-white cloth roofs fill the Hauptmarkt; typical goods are gingerbread (Lebkuchen), gold-foil angels and plum figures. Families head to the children’s market on Hans-Sachs-Platz, which stays open until 30 December. Dates, map and tips for the Christkindlesmarkt.

Munich: Christkindlmarkt on Marienplatz and more

For the first time the city’s Christkindlmarkt opens as early as 20 November and runs until 24 December (Mon–Sat 10am–9pm, Sun 10am–8pm). In front of the New Town Hall you find 137 stalls, brass bands and choirs play from the balcony every day, and on 13 December the Krampus run goes through the centre. Also on offer: the crib market at Alter Peter, the medieval market on Wittelsbacherplatz, Pink Christmas until 20 December and the Tollwood winter festival from 24 November to 23 December. All Munich markets in our article.

Augsburg: Christkindlesmarkt with the Engelesspiel

On Monday 23 November at 6pm the windows of Augsburg town hall open and 23 angels appear on the façade. After that the Engelesspiel takes place Friday to Sunday at 6pm and again on 23 December. The market runs until 24 December (Sun–Thu 10am–8pm, Fri and Sat 10am–9.30pm) and has carried the “Excellent European Christmas Market” seal since 2026. Everything lies within five minutes on foot. Engelesspiel dates and map.

Regensburg: four markets in a World Heritage old town

First to open, on 20 November, is the Romantic Christmas Market in the courtyard of Thurn und Taxis Palace. It is the only one of the four with an entry fee (adults 6.50 to 13.50 euros depending on the weekday). Free to enter are the Christkindlmarkt on Neupfarrplatz (23 Nov–23 Dec), the Lucrezia craft market on Haidplatz (from 27 Nov) and the Advent market in the Spitalgarten beyond the Stone Bridge. Opening hours and ticket prices in the article.

Bamberg: Christmas market and nativity trail

From 24 November to 23 December the stalls line the pedestrian zone from Maximiliansplatz via Grüner Markt to Obstmarkt. On weekdays they open as early as 9.30am, on Sundays at 11am. Bamberg calls itself a nativity-scene city: a trail leads to dozens of cribs in churches, museums and squares. Small extra markets take place in the Sand district (27–29 Nov) and at Stephansberg (12–13 Dec). The smoked beer in the old-town taverns is the local way to warm up. Nativity calendar and map.

Rothenburg ob der Tauber: Reiterlesmarkt

The small market stands between the town hall and St James’s Church from 20 November to 23 December, framed by half-timbered houses and the town wall. The official page contradicts itself on opening hours (event calendar: daily 11am–8pm; description: Sunday to Thursday 11am–7pm, Friday and Saturday 11am–8pm), so plan with the shorter version. Try a Schneeball pastry and visit the German Christmas Museum in Herrngasse. The Reiterlesmarkt in detail.

Which date suits you?

If you want to see an opening, plan Augsburg on Monday 23 November at 6pm (Engelesspiel) or Nuremberg on Friday 27 November at 5.30pm (the Christkind’s prologue). If you would rather come before the Advent rush, use the early markets: Munich, Regensburg and Rothenburg are open from 20 November, and the Christmas village in the Munich Residenz even from 16 November. Between Christmas Eve and New Year, only the Nuremberg children’s market (until 30 December) remains in our six cities.

Three route ideas

All travel times are approximate and depend on the connection. Check the current timetable with Deutsche Bahn.

Franconia weekend: Bamberg and Nuremberg

On Saturday 12 December start in Bamberg: the stalls open at 9.30am, and the craft market at Stephansberg runs that weekend (Saturday until 8pm). On Sunday take the train to Nuremberg, roughly half an hour to three quarters of an hour, and walk through the Christkindlesmarkt (daily 10am–9pm) and the children’s market. If you want a third stop, travel from Nuremberg to Rothenburg with a change; allow about an hour and a half each way. By car you reach Rothenburg via the A7.

Danube and Isar: Regensburg and Munich

From Friday 27 November all four Regensburg markets are open; the Lucrezia market starts that very day. Spend Saturday in Regensburg and travel to Munich on Sunday, about an hour and a half by regional train or less by long-distance train. On Sundays the Christkindlmarkt closes at 8pm, while the medieval market on Wittelsbacherplatz stays open until 9pm daily.

Angels and stalls: Munich and Augsburg

The Engelesspiel takes place Friday to Sunday at 6pm. Plan Saturday in Munich and Sunday in Augsburg: you reach the town hall in good time before 6pm, see the angels, wander the market afterwards and head back in the evening. The train ride takes roughly half an hour to three quarters of an hour.

Regional specialities and rules

Bavarian markets lean on craft and tradition. You will taste it in these classics from our city articles:

• Nuremberg gingerbread and grilled sausages in a roll
• Schneeballen in Rothenburg: deep-fried shortcrust balls dusted with icing sugar
• Smoked beer and pork shoulder with dumplings in Bamberg
• Regensburg sausages and craft-baked goods from Neupfarrplatz
• Schmalznudeln, Leberkäs and sausage rolls in Munich
• Mulled wine or punch in the market mug with a deposit: return it or keep it

Two things are worth knowing in advance. First, Totensonntag (the Sunday before Advent, a day of remembrance): in Bavaria it is one of the “quiet days” on which, under the state holiday law, public entertainment is only allowed if its serious character is preserved. In 2026 it falls on 22 November. In Munich the Residenz Christmas village and the medieval market are therefore closed that day, as is the market at Thurn und Taxis Palace in Regensburg. Nuremberg and Augsburg open later. Second, prices: organisers have not yet announced mulled wine prices for 2026, so we do not quote figures.

Practical tips for Bavaria

• Train: The Deutschlandticket costs 63 euros a month in 2026 and is valid on regional trains, S-Bahn, buses and trams, but not on ICE, IC and EC. For Nuremberg–Munich you will usually need a long-distance ticket; for many regional routes the Deutschlandticket is enough.
• Car: Nuremberg recommends park and ride on Advent weekends. In Munich the old-town car parks are expensive and fill up quickly, so leave the car behind.
• Best time: Weekday mornings are calmer everywhere; on Saturday evenings Marienplatz and the Hauptmarkt get very crowded.
• Where to stay: Hotels in Nuremberg, Munich and Regensburg book out early for Advent weekends and are usually cheaper midweek.
• Accessibility: Cobbled old towns and narrow stall lanes make mornings easier than evenings with a wheelchair or pushchair. The Hauptmarkt in Nuremberg is level but cobbled.

Frequently asked questions

Which Bavarian Christmas market opens first in 2026?

The Christmas village in the courtyard of the Munich Residenz starts on 16 November. The big markets begin on 20 November: the Christkindlmarkt on Marienplatz, the Reiterlesmarkt in Rothenburg and the Romantic Christmas Market at Thurn und Taxis Palace in Regensburg.

Which markets are open until 24 December?

The Christkindlesmarkt in Nuremberg, the Christkindlmarkt in Munich and the Christkindlesmarkt in Augsburg. On Christmas Eve all three close at 2pm. Bamberg, Regensburg and Rothenburg end on 23 December.

Do the Christmas markets charge admission?

Most are free to enter. The exception is the Romantic Christmas Market at Thurn und Taxis Palace in Regensburg. Shows at the Tollwood festival in Munich also need tickets.

Which market suits children?

In Nuremberg the children’s market on Hans-Sachs-Platz, in Munich the Himmelswerkstatt (29 Nov–13 Dec, ages six to twelve) and in Augsburg the children’s Christmas market on Moritzplatz.

Is anything open on Totensonntag, 22 November?

Not everywhere. In Munich the Residenz Christmas village and the medieval market are closed, in Regensburg the market at Thurn und Taxis Palace. Nuremberg and Augsburg open later in November.

Can I combine several cities with one ticket?

The Deutschlandticket (63 euros a month) covers regional trains and local transport. For ICE and IC you need a separate long-distance ticket.

Read more

For all major markets in the country with a map, see Christmas markets in Germany 2026. Planning a trip along the Rhine? Read our overview of Christmas markets in North Rhine-Westphalia 2026, and for the southwest Christmas markets in Baden-Württemberg 2026.

You can keep your Advent trip as a route poster, a nice gift for everyone who came along.

Last checked: 26 October 2026. Before the markets open we compare the dates with the organisers once more.

Sources

• https://www.christkindlesmarkt.de/
• https://www.muenchen.de/veranstaltungen/muenchner-christkindlmarkt-marienplatz
• https://augsburgerchristkindlesmarkt.com/
• https://www.regensburg.de/aktuelles/christkindlmarkt/weihnachtsmaerkte
• https://www.wm-tut.de/
• https://www.bamberg.info/weihnachtsmaerkte/
• https://www.rothenburg-tourismus.de/reiterlesmarkt
• https://www.gesetze-bayern.de/Content/Document/BayFTG-3
• https://www.bahn.de/angebot/regio/deutschland-ticket

Also our own articles: Nuremberg, Munich, Augsburg, Regensburg, Bamberg, Rothenburg.

Image credits

• Photo: Robert von Oliva (naruciakk), Wikimedia Commons, CC0 (cover)
• Photo: Diego Delso, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0