Regensburg Christmas Market 2026: dates, opening hours, tips

Regensburg doesn't have one Christmas market worth visiting but four, all within walking distance in the UNESCO-listed Old Town. First up, on Friday 20 November 2026, is the Romantic Christmas Market in the courtyard of Thurn und Taxis Palace. On Monday 23 November at 6pm the mayor opens the traditional Christkindlmarkt on Neupfarrplatz, whose roots go back to around 1790. Add the Lucrezia craft market on Haidplatz and the Advent market in the Spitalgarten at the foot of the Stone Bridge. Below you'll find all 2026 dates, opening hours and ticket prices, a map and our plan for an Advent day on the Danube.

Regensburg Christmas markets 2026 at a glance

Market	Dates 2026	Opening hours	Entry
Christkindlmarkt, Neupfarrplatz	23 Nov–23 Dec	Sun–Wed 10am–8pm, Thu–Sat 10am–9pm	free
Romantic Christmas Market, Thurn und Taxis Palace	20 Nov–23 Dec (closed 22 Nov)	Mon–Thu 3–9pm, Fri 3–10pm, Sat 2–10pm, Sun 2–9pm	adults from €6.50 (Mon) to €13.50 (Sat)
Lucrezia Market, Haidplatz and Kohlenmarkt	27 Nov–23 Dec	Sun–Thu 11am–8pm, Fri–Sat 11am–9pm	free
Advent market in the Spitalgarten, Stadtamhof	23 Nov–23 Dec	Mon–Fri 4–10pm, Sat 11am–10pm, Sun 11am–9pm	free

Getting there: from the main station it's about a ten-minute walk to Neupfarrplatz and only five to the palace. The Spitalgarten is across the Stone Bridge, about ten minutes from the cathedral.

Map: Christmas markets in Regensburg

The four markets lie almost in a line from south to north: Thurn und Taxis Palace on Emmeramsplatz near the station, Neupfarrplatz in the middle of the Old Town, Haidplatz a few lanes further west, and the Spitalgarten on the other bank of the Danube. You can manage all four in one long day, but two days is more relaxed.

Christkindlmarkt on Neupfarrplatz

The city's oldest market has surrounded the Protestant Neupfarrkirche for more than 200 years. The city, which runs it, insists on craft quality: baked goods, sausages and meat come exclusively from artisan producers. The church is floodlit every evening from 6pm, and on Friday and Saturday late afternoons bands play on the stage.

• Opening: Monday 23 November 2026 at 6pm at the Alte Wache, with the Regensburg Cathedral boys' choir (Domspatzen), a brass ensemble, St Nicholas and the Regensburg Christkindl. The market itself is already open from 10am that day.
• Children's day: every Wednesday. St Nicholas hands out treats to all children at 2pm and 4pm, and the carousel runs at reduced prices. He also comes at those times on 6 December.
• Food market: on neighbouring Kassiansplatz, rotating stalls sell regional produce while the Christkindlmarkt is on. A Christmas tree seller on Neupfarrplatz offers trees, Advent wreaths and flowers.
• Toilets: the city sets up toilets on Kassiansplatz, open daily from 10am until half an hour after the market closes.

Romantic Christmas Market at Thurn und Taxis Palace

In the courtyard and park of the princely residence, St Emmeram's Palace, you'll find the city's most atmospheric – and most expensive – market: torches, campfires, craftspeople at work, rustic log cabins and a food area around the fire. It runs from 20 November to 23 December 2026 and is closed on Sunday 22 November (Totensonntag). The fireside food area stays open one hour longer than the market every evening.

Ticket prices 2026

• Adults (17+): Sunday and Tuesday to Friday €9.50, Monday €6.50, Saturday €13.50.
• Children (6–16): Monday to Saturday €3.50, free on Sundays (family day). Under-sixes are always free.
• Night owl tickets: Monday to Thursday from 7pm €5.50, Friday and Saturday from 8pm €6.50, Sunday from 7pm €6.50.
• Concessions: students and apprentices €5.50, seniors (65+) on Mondays €5.50, people with disabilities €6.50. A local "Heimatticket" for residents of the city and surrounding districts costs €6.50 Sunday to Friday.
• Groups: one free ticket for every ten people.

Online sales carry a booking fee. You can't bring your own food or drink, animals need the security staff's permission and dogs must be on a lead. Day tickets expire when you leave the grounds, so plan when you step out.

Our tip: Monday is the cheapest day, Saturday the most expensive and the busiest. A night owl ticket gets you in for less, but with less time.

Lucrezia Market on Haidplatz

Since 1982 Regensburg's craftspeople have sold their work on Haidplatz and Kohlenmarkt. The Lucrezia Market is smaller and quieter than the big markets: jewellery, ceramics, textiles, wood and paper, plus a cultural programme and food. It runs from 27 November to 23 December 2026, Sunday to Thursday 11am–8pm, Friday and Saturday 11am–9pm. With its patrician houses, Haidplatz is one of the loveliest squares in the Old Town even without the stalls.

Advent market in the Spitalgarten

From the cathedral, cross the Stone Bridge to Stadtamhof, where a friendly, free Advent market fills the garden of St Catherine's Hospital. Fire pits, live music every day with views of the Danube and the Old Town skyline, churros, grilled ham and mulled wine: this is the market for an evening with friends. It's open from 23 November to 23 December 2026, Monday to Friday 4–10pm, Saturday 11am–10pm, Sunday 11am–9pm. You can reserve a fire pit with the organiser.

More markets

On Bismarckplatz, a network of local social initiatives runs a small Christmas market with handmade goods from social projects, and the "gräflicher Christkindlmarkt" is held around the Rosarium in Dörnbergpark. We haven't found official 2026 dates for either yet and will add them once they're published.

What to eat and drink

• Regensburg sausages: small, well-seasoned bratwurst from the charcoal grill, six in a bun with sweet mustard and sauerkraut. The Historic Sausage Kitchen (Wurstkuchl) by the Stone Bridge is the classic.
• Mulled wine and punch at all four markets, by the campfire in the Spitalgarten.
• Artisan baking on Neupfarrplatz: gingerbread, stollen and fried pastries from regional bakeries.
• Upper Palatinate beer: Regensburg has several traditional breweries whose Old Town taverns are especially cosy in Advent.

Mulled wine prices for 2026 haven't been published yet.

Gift idea: the cathedral, Stone Bridge and Danube as a keepsake of Advent in Regensburg – design a personalised poster.

Your Advent day in Regensburg: our suggestion

1. 10am – St Peter's Cathedral: start in Regensburg Cathedral with its medieval stained glass before the day-trippers arrive.
2. 11am – Neupfarrplatz: first round of the Christkindlmarkt and a detour to the food stalls on Kassiansplatz.
3. 12:30pm – Haidplatz: from 27 November, browse the Lucrezia craft market.
4. 1:30pm – Stone Bridge and Wurstkuchl: sausages for lunch by the Danube, then across the bridge to Stadtamhof.
5. 4pm – Spitalgarten: on weekdays the Advent market opens at 4pm. Mulled wine by the fire with views of the cathedral.
6. From 6pm – Thurn und Taxis Palace: back across the bridge and through the Old Town to the palace. The Romantic Christmas Market is at its best by torchlight, and the cheaper night owl ticket applies from 7pm.

Our audio guide "Regensburg: Towers, Devil's Wagers and the Everlasting Diet" takes you through 14 stops over 2.8 km, from the Roman gate past the cathedral and Neupfarrplatz to the Wurstkuchl. No app to install: it runs in your browser in English or German, with stops 1 and 2 free.

Practical tips

When to go

• 20 to 22 November: only the palace market is open, and not on 22 November.
• Weekday mornings: the Christkindlmarkt opens at 10am and is calm until lunch. The palace and Spitalgarten only open in the afternoon on weekdays.
• Thursday to Saturday: Neupfarrplatz is open until 9pm; Saturdays are busiest everywhere.
• Wednesdays with kids: children's day on the Christkindlmarkt with St Nicholas and cheaper carousel rides.

Getting there and parking

Regensburg is about an hour by train from Nuremberg and about an hour and a half from Munich. From the main station, walk down Maximilianstraße into the Old Town. The centre is largely traffic-calmed; there are multi-storey car parks on its edges, such as at Dachauplatz and Arnulfsplatz, but they fill up quickly on Advent Saturdays. Public transport is the more relaxed option.

Accessibility

The Old Town has a lot of cobblestones. Neupfarrplatz and Haidplatz are level, the garden paths in the Spitalgarten are uneven, and the palace courtyard has bumpy patches as well. The palace market offers reduced tickets for people with disabilities, and companions are free if the pass is marked "B".

Where to stay

Hotels are spread across the Old Town and around the station. Staying in the Old Town means you can walk back after the palace market and slip into the cathedral before the crowds the next morning.

Day trips nearby

Ten kilometres downstream, the Walhalla temple of fame built for King Ludwig I sits high above the Danube with wide views over the valley. Upstream near Kelheim lies Weltenburg Abbey at the Danube Gorge, famous for its ancient monastery brewery. Opening hours are shorter in winter at many sights, so look them up before setting off.

Nearby: our tips

• Regensburg Cathedral: Gothic cathedral a few steps from Neupfarrplatz.
• Stone Bridge: your route from the cathedral to the Spitalgarten, in use since the 12th century.
• Thurn und Taxis Palace: setting of the Romantic Christmas Market.
• Walhalla: hall of fame above the Danube at Donaustauf.
• Weltenburg Abbey: abbey at the Danube Gorge near Kelheim.

More ideas for the city: Regensburg.

FAQ

When does the Regensburg Christkindlmarkt open in 2026?

On Monday 23 November 2026 at 10am; the official opening ceremony is at 6pm at the Alte Wache. The Thurn und Taxis palace market starts earlier, on Friday 20 November.

How late are the markets open?

Neupfarrplatz until 8pm Sunday to Wednesday and until 9pm Thursday to Saturday. The palace market is open until 10pm on Fridays and Saturdays, the Spitalgarten until 10pm Monday to Saturday. All markets end on 23 December.

Is entry free?

The Christkindlmarkt, Lucrezia Market and Spitalgarten are free. The Romantic Christmas Market at Thurn und Taxis Palace costs adults €6.50 (Monday) to €13.50 (Saturday); children go free on Sundays.

How much is mulled wine in Regensburg?

2026 prices haven't been published. Expect a mug deposit at all markets.

Can I bring my dog?

At the palace market only with the security staff's permission and on a lead. The other organisers don't mention a ban, but Neupfarrplatz gets crowded in the evening.

Which market is the best?

For atmosphere the palace market, for tradition and free entry Neupfarrplatz, for crafts the Lucrezia Market, and for a cosy evening the Spitalgarten with its Danube views. Ideally combine two in one day.

Read more

From Regensburg it's about an hour to the Nuremberg Christkindlesmarkt and an hour and a half to the Munich Christmas market. For more half-timbering and river views, try Bamberg. All markets in one place: Christmas markets in Germany 2026.

Regensburg, Nuremberg and Munich in one Advent trip? Turn it into a route poster.

Last checked: 16 October 2026. We'll add the dates of the Bismarckplatz and Dörnbergpark markets once they're confirmed.

Sources

• https://www.regensburg.de/aktuelles/christkindlmarkt/regensburger-christkindlmarkt-2026
• https://www.regensburg.de/aktuelles/christkindlmarkt/weihnachtsmaerkte
• https://www.wm-tut.de/
• https://www.wm-tut.de/agbs-romantischer-weihnachtsmarkt
• http://lucrezia-markt.de/
• https://stadtmaus.de/feste/adventsmarkt-am-st.-katharinenspital.html

Image credits

• Photo: Jakub Hałun, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0 (cover)
• Photo: Dr. Bernd Gross, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 de
• Photo: Dguendel, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0