Goslar Christmas Market 2026: dates, opening hours, tips

From Wednesday 25 November to Wednesday 30 December 2026, Goslar's old town hosts one of the most atmospheric Christmas markets in the Harz mountains. Around 70 wooden huts spread across Marktplatz, Marktkirchhof and Schuhhof. The highlight is the Christmas forest: about 60 illuminated conifers with more than 160,000 lights in the middle of a UNESCO World Heritage site. And because the market stays open until just before New Year's Eve, it also works for the days between Christmas and New Year.

Goslar Christmas market and Christmas forest 2026 at a glance

Dates 2026	25 November to 30 December 2026
Opening hours	daily 11am–8pm, Christmas forest until 10pm
Holidays	24 December 11am–2pm; 25 and 26 December noon–7pm; 30 December (last day) 11am–6pm
Location	Old town: Marktplatz, Marktkirchhof, Marktstraße, Schuhhof, Fleischscharren
Size	around 70 huts, two children's carousels, Christmas forest of about 60 conifers
Entry	free (except Christmas at Rammelsberg on 12 and 13 December, ticketed)
Getting there	Goslar station, about 10 minutes on foot; free parking at Osterfeld

Map: Goslar Christmas market

The market is compact and sits right in the centre of the old town. From Marktplatz, with the town hall and the market fountain, it is a one-minute walk behind the Marktkirche to Schuhhof and the Christmas forest. Two worthwhile extras lie a little further out: Christmas at the Rammelsberg mine south of town, and the Advent market at the Wöltingerode monastery estate near Vienenburg.

What makes the Goslar market special

The Christmas forest

Around 60 tall spruces and firs, a forest-floor carpet underfoot and more than 160,000 lights: the Christmas forest on Schuhhof is what brings many visitors to Goslar. Punch and mulled wine huts stand between the trees, and because the forest stays open two hours longer than the rest of the market, it is the town's evening meeting place. After 8pm it gets a little calmer, as many day visitors are heading home.

Excellent European Christmas Market

In 2025 Goslar received the "Excellent European Christmas Market" award, and the town now promotes itself as one of Europe's most beautiful Christmas markets. The backdrop is the old town itself, a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1992 together with the Rammelsberg mine.

The Christmas tree on Marktplatz

Every year the town puts out a call for an 18 to 20-metre tree grown within 20 to 25 kilometres of Goslar. It stands in front of the historic town hall, which also houses the tourist office.

The view from the Marktkirche

Climb the "Himmelsleiter" (stairway to heaven) up the tower of the Marktkirche right by the square to look down on the slate roofs and the glowing stalls. Four times a day, at 9am, noon, 3pm and 6pm, the carillon on the Kaiserringhaus on the east side of the square plays and tells the story of mining in the Harz with moving figures.

Christmas at Rammelsberg: a market above and below ground

On Saturday 12 and Sunday 13 December 2026, 11am to 6pm, the World Heritage Rammelsberg mine hosts a Christmas market above and below ground, with crafts, regional food, music and a free children's programme. The walk through the Roeder gallery takes about 20 minutes and runs from 11am to 5pm.

• Tickets: market above and below ground 9 euros, children 5 euros; combined ticket with the Roeder gallery 16 euros, children 10 euros. Combined tickets can sell out at the door, so book ahead.
• Entry slots: choose 11am–2pm or 2pm–6pm when you buy. How long you stay afterwards is up to you.
• Getting there: there is no parking at the mine. Free shuttle buses run every 20 minutes from 10.30am from the Alte Heerstraße park-and-ride (Baßgeige), last bus back at 7pm. From the station, take bus 803, free with an event ticket. There is no shuttle from the Osterfeld car park.
• Dogs: not allowed on the site or in the museum, except assistance dogs.
• Accessibility: the market above and below ground is accessible with a wheelchair or rollator; the Roeder gallery is not.

What to eat and drink

Expect cinnamon, baked apples and roasted almonds, hearty bratwurst and hot Glühwein. In the Christmas forest it is all about punch and mulled wine under the trees. Look out for Harz specialities too, as many huts sell regional products. The organiser has not published 2026 prices. Goslar uses reusable cups, so expect a deposit.

More Advent around Goslar

On the first and second Advent weekends (28/29 November and 5/6 December 2026), the Wöltingerode monastery estate near Vienenburg holds an Advent market. In the old town, the tourist office runs a guided walk that ends with mulled wine in the Christmas forest. Book at the tourist office in the town hall.

A weekend in Goslar: our suggestion

1. Saturday morning – Rammelsberg: on 12 December go to Christmas at Rammelsberg; on other weekends, take a guided tour of the show mine.
2. Afternoon – old town: wander through the market, catch the carillon on the Kaiserringhaus at 3pm, then climb the Marktkirche tower.
3. Evening – Christmas forest: mulled wine under the illuminated trees on Schuhhof until 10pm.
4. Sunday – the Harz: head to Wernigerode or on to Quedlinburg, where the courtyards open on the first three Advent weekends.

Practical tips

Best time to go

• Weekday afternoons: Marktplatz is at its quietest.
• After 8pm: the rest of the market closes, the Christmas forest carries on until 10pm.
• Between Christmas and New Year: normal hours of 11am–8pm from 27 to 29 December; on 30 December the market closes at 6pm.
• Christmas Eve: open until 2pm only.

Getting there and parking

By train you arrive at Goslar station, about ten minutes on foot from the market. Drivers should use the large Osterfeld car park (free), Kaiserpfalz Nord (2 euros per hour from 10am to 6pm) or Füllekuhle (free). The Bolzenstraße, Marktstraße and Glockengießerstraße car parks are reserved for residents from Friday to Sunday. The C&A, Galeria and Am Zentrum (Achtermann) multi-storeys are close to the old town. Overnight guests ride local buses for free with the HATIX guest ticket.

With children

Two children's carousels, a little train that runs through a small illuminated Christmas forest and the "goats at the North Pole" enclosure among icebergs and igloos are the favourites. The town traditionally opens the market with a lantern procession. Other dates such as the Christmas workshop in the hands-on house on Marktplatz, St Nicholas and the family afternoon were still listed without confirmed 2026 dates when we checked. If you get separated, the town suggests meeting at the children's carousel on Marktplatz.

Toilets and services

Paid toilets are at the Kaiserpfalz car park, in the historic town hall (accessible), in a toilet trailer on Marktplatz, at Jakobikirchhof and at the station (accessible). Lost property goes to the tourist office in the town hall at Markt 1.

Where to stay

Old-town hotels book up early for Advent weekends. A night in Goslar is still worth it: you see the Christmas forest in the evening and have the next morning for Rammelsberg, the Kaiserpfalz or a trip into the Harz.

Gift idea: a personalised poster of Goslar or your Harz trip.

Nearby: our tips

• Goslar Old Town: UNESCO World Heritage, with the town hall, the Huldigungssaal and the Kaiserringhaus.
• Rammelsberg mine: show mine, open daily 9am–5pm from November to March, closed on 24 and 31 December.
• Wernigerode Castle: fairy-tale castle above the next half-timbered town in the Harz.
• Brocken: northern Germany's highest mountain, often snowy in winter.
• Quedlinburg Old Town: the Harz region's other great Advent town.

All the region's highlights with day plans are in our Harz region guide. More ideas for the town: Goslar.

FAQ

When is the Goslar Christmas market 2026?

From 25 November to 30 December 2026.

What are the opening hours?

Daily from 11am to 8pm, with the Christmas forest open until 10pm. Christmas Eve 11am–2pm, 25 and 26 December noon–7pm, 30 December 11am–6pm.

Is the market open after Christmas?

Yes, up to and including 30 December, which makes Goslar one of the few markets you can still visit between Christmas and New Year.

Is entry free?

Yes. Only Christmas at Rammelsberg on 12 and 13 December is ticketed: 9 euros, children 5 euros, or 16 euros and 10 euros with the Roeder gallery tour.

How much is mulled wine?

2026 prices have not been published. Expect a deposit on the reusable cup.

Can I bring my dog?

The town lists no ban for the old-town market. Dogs are not allowed at Christmas at Rammelsberg, except assistance dogs.

Where is the best place to park?

The free Osterfeld car park or one of the multi-storeys at the edge of the old town. Some central car parks are residents-only at weekends.

Read more

Goslar and Quedlinburg make a good weekend pair: everything about the Quedlinburg Christmas market and Advent in the Courtyards. From Cologne to Dresden, the dates of all the major markets are in Christmas markets in Germany 2026.

Finally: turn your Advent trip to the Harz into a route poster.

Last checked: 16 October 2026.

Sources

• https://www.weihnachtswald.de/
• https://www.weihnachtswald.de/aktuelles
• https://www.weihnachtswald.de/besucherinformationen
• https://www.weihnachtswald.de/programm/weihnachtlicher-rammelsberg
• https://www.weihnachtswald.de/programm/weihnachtsmarkt-fuer-kids
• https://www.meingoslar.de/veranstaltungen/weihnachtsmarkt-und-weihnachtswald

Image credits

• Photo: Martin Kraft, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 (cover)
• Photo: HasBS, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0