Weimar Christmas Market 2026: dates, hours, tips

From 24 November 2026 to 3 January 2027, Weimar celebrates the "Weimarer Weihnacht". Stalls line up from the Marktplatz through the Herderplatz to the Theaterplatz, there is a craft street in front of Goethe's House, and an ice rink sits at the foot of the Goethe and Schiller monument. The Marktplatz also has a Christmas tree with a story: according to the city, it was Germany's first public Christmas tree in 1815. Here are the official dates and hours for 2026, plus a plan for a day between the market and the classical sites.

Weimar Christmas market 2026 at a glance

Dates 2026	24 November 2026 to 3 January 2027. Closed on 24 and 25 December 2026 and on 1 January 2027.
Opening hours	Sunday to Thursday 10am–10pm, Friday and Saturday 10am–11pm. According to the organiser, all stalls are reliably open daily from 11am to 7pm. From 30 December until 6pm, on 31 December until 2pm.
Locations	Marktplatz, Theaterplatz (ice rink), in front of Goethe's House, Herderplatz by the town church; plus the Bauhaus Christmas market on 5 December
Entry	The organiser names no entry fee for the market. We found no prices for the ice rink.
Getting there	Weimar is easy to reach by train; the markets are all in the centre and linked on foot. More under "Practical tips".

All Christmas markets in Weimar 2026

The details come from the City of Weimar's pages, which we checked in October 2026.

Market	Place	Dates 2026	Note
Weimarer Weihnacht at the Markt	Marktplatz by the town hall	24 Nov 2026–3 Jan 2027	Christmas tree, choirs and musicians
Weimarer Weihnacht at the Theaterplatz	Theaterplatz	24 Nov 2026–3 Jan 2027	ice rink of 510 square metres
Weimarer Weihnacht at Goethe's	in front of Goethe's House	24 Nov 2026–3 Jan 2027	craft street, mulled wine stalls
Fairytale Christmas	Herderplatz by the town church	24 Nov 2026–3 Jan 2027	mead, fruit wines, mulled wine hut
Bauhaus Christmas market	Mensa Am Park, Marienstraße 15	5 Dec 2026	one day, times not published
Advent market at the Beekeeping Museum	Ilmstraße 3	second Advent weekend (December 2026)	puppet show, fire show
Advent at Mauritius	Niedergrunstedt near Weimar	third Advent, 13 Dec 2026, 11am–6pm	free entry

Map: Christmas markets in Weimar

The main markets of the Weimarer Weihnacht sit in a line in the old town: from the Marktplatz via the Herderplatz to the Theaterplatz, close to Goethe's House on Frauenplan. Walking from one end to the other takes only a few minutes. The Beekeeping Museum is by the Ilm river, the Bauhaus market at the Mensa Am Park, and Niedergrunstedt is a separate village outside town.

The markets in detail

Weimarer Weihnacht at the Markt

A large noble fir glows in front of the town hall, and choirs and musicians perform in front of it. The city tells the story like this: in the time of Goethe, the Christmas tree moved from the parlour of Weimar bookseller Hoffmann out onto the market square so that all children could enjoy it, poor or rich. In 1815 it was the first public Christmas tree in Germany. For children, Father Christmas opens a little door at the town hall every day from 1 to 21 December at 3pm and brings a big sack of presents.

Weimarer Weihnacht at the Theaterplatz

The ice rink lies at the foot of the Goethe and Schiller monument, 510 square metres according to the city and framed by historic buildings. Like the market, it runs from 24 November 2026 to 3 January 2027. Mulled wine huts and snack stalls stand around it. The city's market page does not give prices or daily hours for the rink, so ask on site.

Weimarer Weihnacht at Goethe's

In front of Goethe's House, a craft street with Thuringian hospitality invites you to browse. It is a good place to look for handmade pieces rather than mass-produced goods. The house itself closes for refurbishment from 2 November 2026 for around three years, but the permanent exhibition of the Goethe National Museum stays open in winter, Tuesday to Sunday 10am–6pm.

Fairytale Christmas on the Herderplatz

In front of the town church of St Peter and Paul you find mead, fruit wines and traditional treats. The mulled wine hut is festively decorated and serves hot drinks and savoury food. This is the calmer part of the Weimarer Weihnacht, good for a break during your walk.

Bauhaus Christmas market on 5 December

For one day, students and graduates of Bauhaus University sell their own designs in the Mensa Am Park (Marienstraße 15), from concrete candle holders to handmade notebooks. Food is served at the Bauhaus.Atelier behind the main building. The city does not publish exact times, so do not plan too tightly.

Two small markets around Weimar

The Advent market at the Beekeeping Museum (Ilmstraße 3) always takes place on the second Advent weekend, so around 6 December in 2026. In the museum courtyards you find crafts, Thuringian specialities, flatbreads from the clay oven, puppet shows and a fire show. "Advent bei Mauritius" in the village centre of Niedergrunstedt runs on the third Advent Sunday from 11am to 6pm and is free. According to the city, you can get there by bus line 4 or by regional train to Kranichfeld, stop Obergrunstedt.

What to eat and drink

• Thuringian bratwurst: the regional classic belongs on any market round. The city does not name stalls, so start with the snack stalls around the Markt and the Theaterplatz.
• Roasted almonds and stollen: the city names both as the scent of the Weimarer Weihnacht.
• Mead and fruit wines: on the Herderplatz instead of the usual mulled wine.
• Clay-oven flatbreads: sweet or savoury at the Advent market in the Beekeeping Museum.

The organiser has not published mulled wine prices for 2026, so we give no estimates.

With children

Father Christmas at the town hall (1 to 21 December, 3pm) is the fixed highlight for families. The ice rink on the Theaterplatz adds to it. The city also publishes a separate list of Advent events for children, including theatre and museum activities. To warm up, try the Bauhaus Museum, where children under 16 got in free during the summer season; check the winter prices on the Klassik Stiftung website before you go.

A day in Weimar in Advent: our suggestion

1. 10am – Bauhaus Museum: the Bauhaus Museum is open Wednesday to Monday 10am–6pm and closed on Tuesdays. On 24 December all museums of the Klassik Stiftung are closed.
2. Lunch – Marktplatz: eat at the stalls in front of the town hall.
3. 12 noon – Rococo Hall: the Duchess Anna Amalia Library is open Tuesday to Sunday 10am–6pm from 2 November 2026 to 20 March 2027, but closed from 3 to 6 November. Only timed tickets are sold, so book online.
4. 3pm – Father Christmas: take the children to the little door at the town hall.
5. Dusk – Park an der Ilm: stroll through the Park an der Ilm, free to enter all year.
6. Evening – Theaterplatz and Herderplatz: skate or have mulled wine under the string lights.

Practical tips

When to go

• Sunday 29 November: shopping Sunday in the centre from 11am to 5pm, and the first Advent. Expect more visitors.
• Friday and Saturday: the longest hours, with the markets open until 11pm.
• 5 December: Bauhaus Christmas market, a one-day event.
• Between the years: from 30 December the market closes at 6pm, on 31 December at 2pm. It is closed on 24 and 25 December and 1 January.

Getting there

Weimar is a short train ride from Erfurt, so a visit combines well with the Erfurt Christmas market. The city gives no parking recommendation on its market pages. If you drive, allow time for finding a space on Advent weekends, or come by train.

Goethe's House and Belvedere in winter

As described above, Goethe's House closes from 2 November for around three years. Belvedere Palace is closed in winter, but the palace park is free to enter all year. Build your day around the Bauhaus Museum, the library and the park instead.

Where to stay

The city points to Advent packages from hotels via its travel offers page. Book early for Advent weekends; weekdays are usually calmer.

Gift idea: a personal poster of Weimar as a keepsake of your Advent trip.

Nearby: our tips around the market

• Goethe's House: home and death house on Frauenplan, open until 1 November 2026, then closed for refurbishment.
• Bauhaus Museum Weimar: the world's oldest Bauhaus collection in a museum building from 2019.
• Duchess Anna Amalia Library: Rococo Hall with its bust gallery.
• Park an der Ilm: Goethe's landscape park, free to enter.
• Haus Am Horn: the only Bauhaus house built in Weimar.
• Belvedere Palace: park free in winter, palace closed.

More ideas for your stay are on our page for Weimar.

Frequently asked questions

When is the Christmas market in Weimar in 2026?

The Weimarer Weihnacht runs from 24 November 2026 to 3 January 2027.

What are the opening hours?

Sunday to Thursday 10am–10pm, Friday and Saturday 10am–11pm. The stalls are reliably open daily from 11am to 7pm. From 30 December the market closes at 6pm, on 31 December at 2pm.

On which days is the market closed?

On 24 December, 25 December 2026 and 1 January 2027.

Does the Christmas market charge entry?

The city names no entry fee for the market. We found no prices for the ice rink, so it may cost extra.

When is the Bauhaus Christmas market?

On 5 December 2026 at the Mensa Am Park of Bauhaus University, Marienstraße 15.

Is there a shopping Sunday?

Yes, on 29 November 2026 from 11am to 5pm in the city centre.

Read more

Weimar and Erfurt are close together: everything about the Erfurt Christmas market with its cathedral square and Krämerbrücke. All the big markets in the country with a map and routes are in our overview Christmas markets in Germany 2026.

As a keepsake: put your route on a route poster.

Last checked: 26 October 2026. The city has not yet published times for the Bauhaus Christmas market and the ice rink; we will add them once they are available.

Sources

• https://www.weimar.de/kultur/veranstaltungen/maerkte-und-feste/weimarer-weihnacht/
• https://www.weimar.de/kultur/veranstaltungen/maerkte-und-feste/weimarer-weihnacht/service/
• https://www.weimar.de/kultur/veranstaltungen/maerkte-und-feste/weimarer-weihnacht/markt/
• https://www.weimar.de/kultur/veranstaltungen/maerkte-und-feste/weimarer-weihnacht/weimarer-weihnacht-am-theaterplatz/
• https://www.weimar.de/kultur/veranstaltungen/maerkte-und-feste/weimarer-weihnacht/bauhaus-weihnachtsmarkt/
• https://www.weimar.de/kultur/veranstaltungen/maerkte-und-feste/weimarer-weihnacht/adventmarkt-im-bienenmuseum/
• https://www.weimar.de/kultur/veranstaltungen/maerkte-und-feste/weimarer-weihnacht/advent-bei-mauritius/

Image credits

• Photo: Vitold Muratov, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 (cover image)
• Photo: Raimond Spekking, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0