Christmas Markets in Eastern Germany 2026: Berlin to Dresden

In eastern Germany, Advent runs from mid-November to early January. Berlin and Potsdam open on 23 November 2026, Leipzig and Erfurt on 24 November, Dresden and Quedlinburg on 25 November. Between 25 November and 22 December, all six markets in this guide are open at the same time. That makes the region perfect for a round trip: stollen and pyramids in Dresden, lights across Leipzig's old town, the cathedral steps in Erfurt, courtyards and half-timbered houses in Quedlinburg, plus the capital with its many markets and Potsdam right next door. Below you'll find the checked dates, a comparison and three routes for a long weekend.

Christmas markets in eastern Germany 2026 compared

City	Dates 2026	Highlight	More
Berlin	23 Nov–31 Dec (Gendarmenmarkt), Rotes Rathaus until 3 Jan 2027	six major markets, from elegant Gendarmenmarkt to the Lucia market	Berlin
Potsdam	23 Nov–27 Dec	Christmas mile with Ferris wheel, Sinterklaas festival in the Dutch Quarter	Potsdam
Dresden	Striezelmarkt 25 Nov–24 Dec, Neumarkt and Augustusmarkt until 3 Jan 2027	according to the city, Germany's oldest Christmas market, with the world's largest step pyramid	Dresden
Leipzig	24 Nov–23 Dec	around 300 stalls across the old town, Finnish and South Tyrolean villages	Leipzig
Erfurt	24 Nov–22 Dec	over 200 huts below the cathedral steps	Erfurt
Quedlinburg	25 Nov–22 Dec	Advent in the Courtyards on three weekends	Quedlinburg

All details come from the city and organiser pages we checked for our city guides. Where an organiser hasn't published 2026 hours yet, the city guide says so.

The markets at a glance

Berlin: many markets, each with its own character

The big Berlin markets open on 23 November, the day after Totensonntag. At Gendarmenmarkt you pay €2 admission (children under 12 free, free for everyone Monday to Friday 11am to 2pm), and dogs are not allowed. The Berliner Weihnachtszeit at the Rotes Rathaus, with ice rink and funfair, has the longest run in Mitte and closes on 3 January 2027. For something calmer, head to Spandau, Charlottenburg Palace or the Kulturbrauerei. All hours are in our guide to the Berlin Christmas market 2026.

Potsdam: a Christmas mile and small Advent markets

The Potsdamer Weihnachtszauber runs from 23 November to 27 December with around 250 stalls from Luisenplatz to Bassinplatz, where you'll find an ice rink and a Ferris wheel. Entry is free. Smaller markets add their own flavour: the Dutch Sinterklaas festival in the Dutch Quarter on 12 and 13 December, the chocolate market on the Alter Markt from 4 to 20 December and the Bohemian Christmas market in Babelsberg. From Berlin take the S7 or RE1 to Potsdam Hauptbahnhof. More in our Potsdam Christmas market guide.

Dresden: the Striezelmarkt and three more markets

The 592nd Striezelmarkt opens on Wednesday 25 November at 4pm on the Altmarkt and runs until Christmas Eve. According to the city, it is Germany's oldest Christmas market. A few minutes' walk away are the historic market on the Neumarkt in front of the Frauenkirche and the Medieval Christmas in the Stallhof, while the Augustusmarkt is in the Neustadt. Neumarkt and Augustusmarkt stay open until 3 January 2027. Details are in our Dresden Striezelmarkt guide.

Leipzig: one market running through the whole old town

From 24 November to 23 December around 300 stalls spread over the Markt, Naschmarkt, Nikolaikirchhof and Augustusplatz. The Augustusplatz has a 38-metre Ferris wheel, the Finnish Village and the South Tyrolean Village. Leipzig is known for its annual collectible mulled wine and children's mugs. Everything about the market at the Old Town Hall is in our Leipzig Christmas market guide.

Erfurt: a backdrop below the cathedral steps

When the lights come on on 24 November, the 176th Erfurt Christmas market begins. More than 200 huts stand beneath the cathedral and the Severikirche, with a fairy-tale forest, a pyramid and an eco bakery. The market stretches from the station via the Anger and the Rathausbrücke to the Domplatz and ends as early as 22 December. The organiser's pages are not clear about the exact 2026 daily hours, so check them shortly before you go. Details: Erfurt Christmas market 2026.

Quedlinburg: Advent in the Courtyards

The Christmas market in front of the town hall runs from 25 November to 22 December. The real reason to travel is three weekends (28/29 November, 5/6 December and 12/13 December) when more than 20 otherwise closed courtyards of the World Heritage town open their gates. There is also a light installation at the Mathildenbrunnen and a living Advent calendar on the castle hill. More in our Quedlinburg Christmas market guide.

Three routes through the east

Route 1: Berlin and Potsdam in one weekend

On the first evening you can walk between Gendarmenmarkt, Rotes Rathaus and Alexanderplatz in Mitte. On day two go to Potsdam: the Sanssouci park in the morning (the palace is open Tuesday to Sunday in November and December, closed Mondays), the Christmas mile to Bassinplatz in the afternoon. On the Sinterklaas weekend (12/13 December) and during the Bohemian Christmas market (27 to 29 November and 4 to 6 December) the lanes get much busier.

Route 2: Erfurt, Leipzig, Dresden in three days

This order works between 25 November and 22 December, when all three markets are open. Day 1: Erfurt with the Krämerbrücke, Domplatz and Petersberg. Day 2: Leipzig, about 45 minutes from Erfurt by ICE. Day 3: Dresden, a little over an hour from Leipzig by train, with the Striezelmarkt and the Neumarkt. If you travel after Christmas: the Striezelmarkt closes on 24 December, while the Neumarkt and Augustusmarkt in Dresden run until 3 January.

Route 3: Quedlinburg and the Harz

Quedlinburg is most rewarding on one of the three courtyard weekends. Plan an overnight stay in the old town, because it is at its best in the evening when the day visitors have left. You can combine the trip with Goslar, which is open until 30 December and part of our northern guide: Goslar Christmas market 2026. One option: Friday evening in Goslar, Saturday and Sunday in Quedlinburg.

What to eat in the east

• Dresden Christstollen: The genuine one carries the seal of the Dresden stollen association. Pair it with a Pflaumentoffel, an edible lucky charm made of dried plums.
• Erfurt Schittchen: That is what Erfurt calls its Christmas stollen. A Thuringian Rostbratwurst in a bun is part of every visit.
• Leipziger Lerche: a shortcrust pastry with marzipan, sold in many bakeries in the city centre.
• Kniepertjes in Potsdam: honey waffles baked over an open fire at the Sinterklaas festival.
• Glögi and flame-grilled salmon: in the Finnish Village on Leipzig's Augustusplatz.

Organisers haven't published 2026 mulled wine prices yet, so we don't quote estimates.

Rules and good to know in 2026

• Totensonntag (22 November): In Berlin the season does not start before this day, according to visitBerlin. All major markets in the east open from 23 November.
• Admission: Almost all markets are free. Exceptions are Gendarmenmarkt in Berlin (€2) and the Medieval Christmas in the Dresden Stallhof on Advent weekends and during the Rauhnächte (€5, children €3 according to the organiser).
• Dogs: Dogs are not allowed at Gendarmenmarkt. For the other markets we found no explicit ban in our city guides, but evenings and Advent weekends are crowded everywhere.
• Mug deposit: Mulled wine is almost always served in deposit mugs. In Leipzig the deposit for the children's mug is €5, according to the city.
• Early closing in Leipzig: On 22 and 23 December the market closes at 8pm.

Practical tips

When to go

Weekday mornings and early afternoons are quietest at all markets. Advent weekends mean coaches and packed lanes, especially at Erfurt's Domplatz and on the courtyard weekends in Quedlinburg. Between the years, Berlin's Rotes Rathaus (until 3 January, closed on New Year's Eve) and Gendarmenmarkt (until 31 December) stay open, and so does the Potsdam Weihnachtszauber until 27 December.

Getting there

All six cities are easy to reach by train, and in Berlin, Leipzig and Dresden the markets are close to stations and public transport. Parking in city centres is scarce in Advent. In Quedlinburg the day ticket on the signed car parks costs €10 per vehicle, the evening ticket from 5pm €7. In Dresden the organiser provides no parking, so use bus, train or park and ride.

With kids and where to stay

Families will find plenty to do in Leipzig (fairy-tale forest, Ferris wheel, carousels), Dresden (pyramid, demonstration workshops, Ferris wheel) and Quedlinburg (living Advent calendar). Book hotels early for the courtyard weekends in Quedlinburg and for Advent weekends in Dresden.

Gift idea: Capture your tour on a route poster, for example Berlin, Leipzig and Dresden.

Frequently asked questions

Which Christmas markets in eastern Germany open first in 2026?

Berlin and Potsdam on Monday 23 November 2026. Leipzig and Erfurt follow on 24 November, Dresden and Quedlinburg on 25 November.

Which markets are still open after Christmas?

The Rotes Rathaus in Berlin until 3 January 2027 (closed on New Year's Eve), Gendarmenmarkt until 31 December, and in Dresden the Neumarkt and Augustusmarkt until 3 January plus the Rauhnächte in the Stallhof. Potsdam closes on 27 December. Leipzig, Erfurt and Quedlinburg end before Christmas.

When are all the markets open at the same time?

Between 25 November and 22 December 2026. In that window you can combine Berlin, Potsdam, Dresden, Leipzig, Erfurt and Quedlinburg on one trip.

Which market suits which kind of traveller?

For tradition and stollen: Dresden. For size and families: Leipzig. For the backdrop: Erfurt. For half-timbering and special courtyards: Quedlinburg. For choice and city life: Berlin, with Potsdam as a calmer excursion.

Where do I have to pay admission?

At Berlin's Gendarmenmarkt (€2, children under 12 free) and on Advent weekends in the Dresden Stallhof. The other markets in this guide are free to enter.

Are mulled wine prices for 2026 known yet?

No, organisers haven't published them so far. A mug deposit usually comes on top of the drink.

Read more

All the big markets of the country with a map and routes are in our overview Christmas markets in Germany 2026. More regions: Northern Germany, Bavaria, North Rhine-Westphalia and Baden-Württemberg.

When the trip is over, trace your journey on a route poster, a lovely gift for everyone who came along.

Last checked: 26 October 2026. Before the season starts we will compare the hours in the city guides once more.

Sources

• https://www.visitberlin.de/de/weihnachtsmaerkte-berlin
• https://potsdamer-weihnachtszauber.com/
• https://www.potsdamtourismus.de/event/weihnachtsmarkt-potsdamer-weihnachtszauber
• https://striezelmarkt.dresden.de/de/
• https://www.weihnachtsmarkt-dresden-neumarkt.de/advent-auf-dem-neumarkt
• https://www.mittelalter-weihnacht.de/
• https://www.leipzig.de/kultur-und-freizeit/einkaufen-und-ausgehen/maerkte/leipziger-weihnachtsmarkt
• https://erfurt-weihnachtsmarkt.de/
• https://adventsstadt.quedlinburg-info.de/weihnachtsmarkt
• https://adventsstadt.quedlinburg-info.de/advent-in-den-hoefen

Image credits

• Photo: CEphoto, Uwe Aranas, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 (cover)
• Photo: Frank Vincentz, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0