The Christkindlesmarkt fills the Hauptmarkt from 27 November to 24 December, 10:00-21:00, free to walk in. Here is which evening and which side market to aim for, and which Nuremberg Christmas market tour is worth booking.
The Nuremberg Christmas market runs 27 November to 24 December, 10:00-21:00 daily, and closes at 14:00 on Christmas Eve. Entry is free: no ticket and no gate. The pick is the Christmas Market History & Tastings Tour at $28 per person. Book a guided walk, a food tour or a concert seat and you pay for the story and the tastings, never for entry.
Key takeaways
Prices are per person unless a card says per group. Every listing offers free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead and the platform handles payment and cancellation. The grid mixes guided market walks with tastings, food tours, private tours, a castle tour with Lebkuchen, an Advent concert, the Munich day trip and a photo shoot at the market. Three listings are new and have no reviews yet, so their cards carry no rating.
A 2-hour history walk through the Christkindlesmarkt with Elisenlebkuchen, a bratwurst roll and mulled wine included, offered in December only.
A two hour guided walk covering three separate Nuremberg markets with six tasting stops, capped at 12 people.
A short German-language Old Town walk with a St. Nicholas appearance, mulled wine and gingerbread, but the market is only seen from outside.
A German-language market walk with no set tastings: the sample and gift bag is optional at $8.90 (€8), paid in cash on the spot.
A one-hour small-group Christmas market walk with an independent local, drinks and a treat included
A short private walk combining Nuremberg's old town sights with a mulled wine stop at the Christmas market.
Includes castle entrance fees, a 100-step tower climb and a Nuremberg gingerbread tasting in a small group of 12.
A 3.5 hour small-group food walk with a full meal at 4 stops, Nuremberg specialties and local beer included.
Short, affordable 1.5-hour Old Town group walk from Hauptmarkt 18 covering the main sights with a local guide.
A 100-minute Advent concert by the Dresdner Residenz Orchester in the Meistersingerhalle, a seat only, with no walking or market stops.
A 9-hour guided day by train from Munich: Nuremberg old town, the castle and the Nazi Party rally grounds, with the Christmas market on your own time.
Private shoot at the Christkindlesmarkt and old town landmarks with up to 75 edited photos delivered within 24 hours.
Prices, length and what is included come from each tour's own listing page, so a quick market walk sorts itself from a food tour or a concert evening. Figures current in Q4 2026.
| Tour | Type | Price | Book | Length | Included |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| History & Tastings Tour | Market walk | $28 | Details | 2 hours | Lebkuchen, bratwurst, Glühwein |
| Christmas City Culinary Tour | Tasting tour | $60 | Details | 2 hours | Sausage, Lebkuchen, hot wine |
| Tour with St. Nicholas | Market walk | $28 | Details | 1.5 hours | Mulled wine, gingerbread |
| Christkindlesmarkt Senses Walk | Market walk | $17 | Details | 1.5 hours | Optional sample bag |
| Christmas Market Walk with a Local | Market walk | $110 | Details | 1 hour | Hot drink, treat |
| Private Old Town & Market Tour | Private tour | $133 per group up to 8 | Details | 1.5 hours | Mulled wine |
| Castle Tour with Lebkuchen | Tasting tour | $77 | Details | 3 hours | Gingerbread tasting |
| Do Eat Better Food Tour | Tasting tour | $123.82 | Details | 3.5 hours | Schäufele, Lebkuchen, beer |
| Nuremberg Old Town Walking Tour | Old town walk | $18 | Details | 1.5 hours | None stated |
| Meistersingerhalle Advent Concert | Advent concert | $56 | Details | 100 minutes | Concert seat |
| Nuremberg Day Trip from Munich | Munich day trip | $88 | Details | 9 hours | Train + guide |
| Christmas Market Photo Shoot | Photo shoot | $67 per group up to 10 | Details | 20 minutes - 1.5 hours | Up to 75 edited photos |
Six choices shape any trip to the Christkindlesmarkt, and each one has a short answer.
Entry to the market is free, so a tour buys the story and the tastings. The pick is the Christmas Market History Tour at $28 for 2 hours, rated 4.6. For more tasting stops in a group of 12, the Christmas Culinary Tour costs $60.
HISTORY TOUR: $28 FOR 2 HOURS
The market runs 27 November to 24 December, 10:00 to 21:00 daily, closing at 14:00 on Christmas Eve. The side markets end earlier or later, with the Children's Christmas running to 30 December. The Market of the Sister Cities and Original Regional close a day earlier, on 23 December.
SEASON: 27 NOVEMBER TO 24 DECEMBER
From Munich you can take the ICE yourself, fastest at 1 hour 41 minutes, or book the organized day trip at $88 for 9 hours. In town, a VGN single ticket for Preisstufe A costs $4.34 (€3.90). From the Hauptbahnhof the Hauptmarkt is 15-20 minutes on foot.
MUNICH DAY TRIP: $88, 9 HOURS
Entry is free, so your costs are food, transport and any tour you add. The cheapest guided walk is $17 for 1.5 hours, and a private tour for up to 8 people is $133. Set aside the Christkindlesmarkt-Taler at $5.57 (€5) if you want the market coin.
CHEAPEST TOUR: $17 FOR 1.5 HOURS
German speakers can take the walk with St. Nicholas, rated 4.4 at $28. Food lovers can pick the culinary tour rated 4.6, or the Do Eat Better food tour rated 5 at $123.82. If you want a castle and Lebkuchen, that tour is rated 4.9 at $77.
TOP RATING: 4.9, CASTLE AND LEBKUCHEN
Pair a market walk with the Meistersingerhalle Advent Concert at $56 for 100 minutes. The photo shoot runs 20 minutes to 1.5 hours at $67 if you want portraits. The Old Town Walking Tour at $18 covers the old town sights by day.
CONCERT: $56 FOR 100 MINUTES
Christkindlesmarkt 2026 runs on the Hauptmarkt, with more stalls toward Rathausplatz and at Lorenzkirche.
Source: City of Nuremberg
In 2026 the market is open 27 Nov to Wed 23 Dec, daily 10am to 9pm, and Thu 24 Dec 10am to 2pm.
Source: City of Nuremberg
The market ends 24 Dec at 14:00, so there is no 25 Dec trading.
Source: Nuremberg Tourism
The opening ceremony takes place every year on the Friday before the first Advent, with the Christkind speaking a ceremonial prologue from the gallery of the Frauenkirche. Admission is free.
Source: City of Nuremberg
The market has 168 wooden stalls on Hauptmarkt and Rathausplatz and about 180 vendors. The 2026 press outlook counts up to 180 stalls.
Source: Nuremberg Christkindlesmarkt
More than two million visitors came in 2025.
Source: City of Nuremberg
Kinderweihnacht, the children's market on Hans-Sachs-Platz, runs on the same dates, with a nostalgic multi-storey carousel, steam railway, candle workshop and Christmas bakery.
Source: Nuremberg Christkindlesmarkt
Stall rules exclude rides and funfair attractions, war toys, balloons, fireworks and horoscopes. Disposable tableware is not permitted.
Source: City of Nuremberg
The Christkindlesmarkt-Taler worth 5 EUR is accepted at Hauptmarkt stalls, Markt der Partnerstädte, Kinderweihnacht and Original Regional. Cash and card are both accepted.
Source: Nuremberg Christkindlesmarkt
Public toilets in the Rathaus cost 0.50 EUR (entrance via Rathausplatz), and a fee-based toilet wagon stands on Obstmarkt behind the Frauenkirche.
Source: City of Nuremberg
U1 Lorenzkirche is under 5 minutes' walk from the market. Hauptbahnhof is a 15 to 20 minute walk. Driving is not recommended, and U1 service is doubled on Advent weekends 09:00-20:00 in the city centre.
Source: Nuremberg Christkindlesmarkt
VGN TagesTicket Solo Preisstufe A costs 10.60 EUR for one person (price as of 1 Jan 2026). The TagesTicket Plus Preisstufe A costs 15.50 EUR for 1 to 6 people, a maximum of 2 aged 18 or over. Bought on a Saturday, Sunday is included.
Source: VGN
Three sausages in a roll, a slab of Lebkuchen and a cup of Glühwein from one shared mug are the classic trio. Here is what each one is and how it is protected.
Three in a bun: Drei im Weggla. Photo: Jarlhelm, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Nuremberg Rostbratwurst has held EU protected geographical indication status since 2003, the first bratwurst to get it, and the recipe tradition goes back to 1313. Genuine ones are 7 to 9 cm long and weigh 20 to 25 g, made of pork, salt, pepper and marjoram. At the market you eat them three in a bun (Drei im Weggla), or by 6, 8, 10 or 12 on a pewter plate in the Bratwurstküchen, with sauerkraut or potato salad.
Stall prices are not published, so check at the counter.
Nuremberg Lebkuchen on a Christkindlesmarkt counter. Photo: charley1965, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Nuremberg Lebkuchen has carried EU PGI protection since 1996 and must be made in Nuremberg. For Elisenlebkuchen the rules are stricter still: at least 25 percent nuts and at most 10 percent flour. Nuremberg's Lebkuchen bakers were recorded as early as 1395 and their guild was approved in 1643.
Twenty Glühwein vendors share one mug through a joint pool, so the same mug works at every hot-drink stand. Nuremberg gets a new mug design each year, and you can keep it as a souvenir by forgoing the deposit. The city introduced the first reusable-mug deposit system at any German Christmas market, and the deposit amount is not published.
Nürnberger Glühwein has been EU-protected since the early 1990s, and blueberry Glühwein is the local insider tip.
Prune people (Zwetschgenmännle) are small figures made from dried plums and figs with a walnut head, 9 to 22 cm tall. Five stalls at the market sell them in dozens of variations. Each is made by hand from wire, fruit and a nut.
If you would rather have the food arranged for you, six bookable options include tastings, from a single mulled wine to a full three-course walk. The table compares what each one includes and what it costs, using the figures in the tour listings on this site.
| Tour | Tastings | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Christmas Market History & Tastings Tour | Elisen gingerbread, bratwurst roll, mulled wine, snacks | $28 per person |
| Christmas City Culinary Tour | Sausage, Lebkuchen, hot wine | $60 per person |
| Christmas City Tour with St. Nicholas | A cup of mulled wine and a gingerbread cookie | $28 per person |
| Christkindlesmarkt Senses Walk | Optional paid surprise bag on site: bratwurst, gingerbread praline, marzipan | $17 per person |
| Castle Tour with Lebkuchen Tasting | Authentic Nuremberg gingerbread tasting | $77 per person |
| Do Eat Better Nuremberg Food Tour | Schäufele, Bretzels, Lebkuchen, local beer | $123.82 per person |
Sources: Nuremberg Tourism, City of Nuremberg, Nuremberg Christkindlesmarkt.
The Christkind opens the Nuremberg Christmas market every year with a prologue spoken from the gallery of the Frauenkirche over the Hauptmarkt. Admission to the ceremony is free.
The Christkind is a young woman elected every two years, a tradition held since 1969. Applicants must have turned 16 and be no older than 19, and stand at least 1.60 m tall. The current Christkind is Nora Falk, a Nuremberger born in 2009.
Over the Christmas season she keeps more than 170 appointments at the market and at charitable institutions. Every charity appointment for this season is already booked.
The surest sight is the prologue at the opening ceremony on the Friday before the first Advent, at 17:30, free from the Hauptmarkt. During the season the Christkind visits regularly. Last season's weekday pattern ran Tuesday to Friday at 14:30 at the Children's Christmas and at 15:00 at the Christkindlesmarkt, and these are last season's times, so check the current schedule.
During those visits she gave children a free ride on the multi-storey carousel.
The idea of the Christkind bringing gifts on Christmas Eve goes back to Martin Luther. The market itself was first written down in 1678 as the "Kindles-Marck", with roots back to 1530. After the war it reopened in 1948 among the ruins of the old town.
Nuremberg was the first Christmas market in Germany to bring in a reusable-mug deposit system, and the market inspired the Christkindlmarket in Chicago.
Sources: City of Nuremberg, Nuremberg Christkindlesmarkt.
The market sits on the Hauptmarkt in the old town, an easy walk from the main station and well served by U-Bahn and bus.
Walking from the Hauptbahnhof to the Hauptmarkt takes 15 to 20 minutes. The U1 to Lorenzkirche is faster, with the market under 5 minutes' walk from the exit. Bus 36 stops at Hauptmarkt, and buses 37, 46 and 47 run to Nürnberg Rathaus.
All local transport runs on the VGN network, and the prices below are the official Preisstufe A tickets covering Nuremberg, Fürth and Stein.
| Ticket | Price | Covers |
|---|---|---|
| Single ticket | $4.34 (€3.90) or $4.06 (€3.65) online | 90 minutes, one direction |
| TagesTicket Solo | $11.80 (€10.60) | One person, one day |
| TagesTicket Plus | $17.25 (€15.50) | Up to 6 people, at most 2 adults |
| Nürnberg Card | $42.29 (€38) adult, $13.36 (€12) ages 6-11 | 48 hours transport and about 25 museums |
Driving into the center is not recommended on Advent weekends. If you must drive, the nearest car parks are Parkhaus Hauptmarkt at about 200 m, Tiefgarage Augustinerhof at about 250 m and Findelgasse 4 at about 300 m. The city advises Park+Ride on Advent weekends, when the U1 runs doubled 09:00-20:00.
The fastest ICE between Munich and Nuremberg takes 1 h 41, with about 51 connections a day. The guided Nuremberg Day Trip from Munich costs $88 for a 9-hour day with the return train and a 4-hour guided tour of the old town, castle and Nazi Party rally grounds, rated 4.4 from 434 reviews. The listing does not name the Christmas market, so market time is your own after the guided part.
Reviews mention only a short lunch break on your own.
Sources: Nuremberg Christkindlesmarkt, VAG Nuremberg, VGN, VGN, Nuremberg Tourism, Deutsche Bahn.
Pick the base by how you arrive and how late you stay. The old town puts the Hauptmarkt on your doorstep, and the area by the Hauptbahnhof is 15-20 minutes' walk from the market with the trains at the door.
Links open a hotel search for that area on Booking.com through Stay22. Prices and availability are shown there.
Nuremberg rewards a second day. The castle, the Frauenkirche clock and a lantern procession all sit within a short walk of the Hauptmarkt.
The Imperial Castle (Kaiserburg) opens 10:00-16:00 in winter, with last entry about an hour before closing. It closes on 24, 25 and 31 December and on 1 January. The full ticket costs $11.13 (€10) and under 18s go free.
The Castle Tour with Lebkuchen Tasting covers the castle, Deep Well and Sinwell Tower in 3 hours with a gingerbread tasting, rated 4.9 from 93 reviews.
The Frauenkirche clock over the Hauptmarkt. Photo: Rebecca Kennison, CC BY 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons
The clock on the Frauenkirche above the Hauptmarkt plays around noon daily. Bells, trombones, drums and pipes sound, then the seven electors march past Emperor Charles IV. The show lasts about four minutes and the clock dates from 1509.
The Lichterzug lantern procession takes place on 10 December from about 17:45. Around 1,000 schoolchildren carry lanterns from the Fleischbrücke past the market up to the castle, with the Christkind walking along.
The Nuremberg Old Town Walking Tour costs $18 for 1.5 hours and is rated 4.6 from 2,752 reviews. It starts at the Tourist Information on the Hauptmarkt and covers the Old City Hall, St. Sebaldus Church, Albrecht Dürer's House and Weissgerbergasse.
The Meistersingerhalle Advent Concert costs $56 for 100 minutes of Bach, Tchaikovsky and Mozart by the Dresdner Residenz Orchester. Doors open at 19:00 and the concert starts at 20:00. It is a new listing with no reviews yet.
Sources: Bavarian Palace Administration, Nuremberg Tourism, Nuremberg Christkindlesmarkt.
The Christkindlesmarkt runs on the Hauptmarkt from 27 November to 24 December, 10:00-21:00 daily. On Christmas Eve it closes at 14:00.
The Fleischbrücke in Advent, a few steps from the Hauptmarkt. Photo: DALIBRI, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The city of Nuremberg's market notice sets the Christkindlesmarkt dates and hours. The side markets follow their own calendars and most have not published hours for this season, so the table shows the dates that are official and writes Not published elsewhere. The Christkindlesmarkt keeps the same 10:00-21:00 on Sundays.
| Market | Dates | Hours | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
| Christkindlesmarkt | 27 Nov - 24 Dec | 10:00-21:00 daily, 24 Dec 10:00-14:00 | Hauptmarkt |
| Market of the Sister Cities | 27 Nov - 23 Dec | Not published | Rathausplatz |
| Original Regional | Last day 23 Dec | Not published | By St. Sebaldus Church |
| Children's Christmas | 27 Nov - 30 Dec | Not published | Hans-Sachs-Platz |
| Sternenhaus | 28 Nov - 23 Dec | Not published | Heilig-Geist-Haus, Hans-Sachs-Platz 2 |
| Winterdorf | 13 Nov - 9 Jan | Not published | Jakobsplatz |
| Lichterzug (lantern procession) | 10 Dec, one evening | From about 17:45 | Fleischbrücke to the Imperial Castle |
| Opening prologue | 27 Nov, 17:30 | Free, stalls pause 17:25-18:00 | Frauenkirche gallery |
Friday 27 November, 17:30, the Christkind opens the market with the ceremonial prologue from the gallery of the Frauenkirche over the Hauptmarkt. Admission is free. Stalls pause sales from 17:25 to 18:00 while the ceremony runs, then trading resumes.
The Christkind is elected every two years, a tradition since 1969, and visits schools, charities and the children's market through the season.
Two markets end on 23 December: the Market of the Sister Cities on Rathausplatz and the Original Regional stalls by St. Sebaldus Church. The Sternenhaus children's culture program also ends 23 December. The Christkindlesmarkt itself trades to Christmas Eve and closes at 14:00, so there is no 25 December trading.
The Children's Christmas (Kinderweihnacht) on Hans-Sachs-Platz keeps going to 30 December, the longest calendar of them all. The city has already listed the following season too: 26 November to 24 December, again 10:00-21:00 daily, with the last day ending at 14:00.
Sources: Nuremberg Christkindlesmarkt, City of Nuremberg.
No. The Nuremberg Christmas market is free to enter and open to everyone. There is no gate and no ticket to buy, so what you pay for is up to you.
Wandering the Hauptmarkt and the side markets costs nothing, any day of the season. The Christkind's prologue at the opening ceremony is free to watch from the square below the Frauenkirche gallery. The Männleinlaufen clock on the Frauenkirche plays around noon every day, with seven electors processing past Emperor Charles IV in a show of about four minutes.
The Lichterzug, the children's lantern procession, is free to watch as about 1,000 schoolchildren walk from the Fleischbrücke up to the Imperial Castle. During last season's visits the Christkind also gave children a free ride on the carousel at the Children's Christmas.
Entry costs nothing, so a tour buys something else: the history behind the stalls, tastings already arranged, a guide just for your group, a full meal on foot, a concert seat or the train day from Munich. The table compares what you can do on your own for free with what each booked option adds, and the price. Prices come from each listing, and every option can be cancelled free up to 24 hours ahead.
| You want | Go alone | Or book | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tastings with the story | Buy snacks stall by stall, no narration | Christmas Market History & Tastings Tour or Christmas City Culinary Tour | $28 or $60 per person |
| A guide just for your group | Join a public group walk instead | Private Old Town & Christmas Market Tour | $133 per group up to 8 |
| The castle and Lebkuchen | Castle entry costs $11.13 (€10), no tasting | Castle Tour with Lebkuchen Tasting | $77 per person |
| A full meal on foot | Eat at the market and Bratwurstküchen | Do Eat Better Nuremberg Food Tour | $123.82 per person |
| Advent music | No free concert is listed | Meistersingerhalle Advent Concert | $56 per person |
| Coming from Munich | Take the ICE yourself, fastest 1 h 41 | Nuremberg Day Trip from Munich | $88 per person |
A few things on and around the market do carry a price. The Christkindlesmarkt-Taler is a $5.57 (€5) coin accepted at the Hauptmarkt stalls, the Market of the Sister Cities, the Children's Christmas and Original Regional. Public toilets in the Rathaus, entered from Rathausplatz, cost $0.56 (€0.50), and a fee-based toilet wagon stands on Obstmarkt behind the Frauenkirche.
The Imperial Castle charges $11.13 (€10) for the full ticket, with under 18s free. Transport is the other cost: a VGN single ticket for Preisstufe A costs $4.34 (€3.90), the TagesTicket Solo is $11.80 (€10.60) and the TagesTicket Plus for 1 to 6 people is $17.25 (€15.50).
Sources: Nuremberg Christkindlesmarkt, City of Nuremberg, Bavarian Palace Administration, VAG Nuremberg, VGN.
The Nuremberg Christmas market stands on the Hauptmarkt in the old town, with more stalls toward Rathausplatz and at the Lorenzkirche. Around it sit four more areas, each with its own dates and character.
A decorations stall on the Hauptmarkt. Photo: DALIBRI, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The main market fills the Hauptmarkt with around 170-180 wooden stalls topped by red-and-white cloth roofs, the look the city calls a little town of wood and cloth. All stalls are built from local spruce and reused every year, and some date from 1890. The Frauenkirche frames the square on one side and the Schöner Brunnen fountain stands in the middle.
The Christmas Market History & Tastings Tour crosses it on the way to the Fleischbrücke and the Frauenkirche.
The Market of the Sister Cities on Rathausplatz, open to 23 December. Photo: DALIBRI, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
On Rathausplatz, a short step from the Hauptmarkt, the Market of the Sister Cities runs as a separate market organized by the city's Office for International Relations. It runs 27 November to 23 December, so it closes a day before the main market. Nuremberg has 14 twin cities and stall proceeds go to charities in those towns.
Last season 23 stalls sold goods from cities including Skopje, Antalya, Santiago de Cuba, Kharkiv, Shenzhen, Córdoba, Verona, Nice, Scotland and South Tyrol. Christmas City Tour with St. Nicholas stops here, and the Christmas Market History & Tastings Tour finishes here.
Four stalls by the Sebalduskirche make up Original Regional, selling goods from Franconia and the Upper Palatinate. It also closes on 23 December, a day earlier than the Hauptmarkt. The idea is regional produce rather than mass-market gifts, in keeping with city rules that only goods fitting the tradition of the Christkindlesmarkt are admitted.
The entrance to the Children's Christmas on Hans-Sachs-Platz. Photo: Lothar Weber, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The Children's Christmas (Kinderweihnacht) runs on Hans-Sachs-Platz from 27 November to 30 December, so it outlasts the main market by six days. It has run since 1999 and has a nostalgic multi-storey carousel, a steam train, a mini Ferris wheel, a candle workshop and a Christmas bakery. The Sternenhaus at Hans-Sachs-Platz 2 runs a culture program of 150+ events by 40+ artists and ensembles from 28 November to 23 December, and children aged 3 and up need a ticket for its shows. Christmas City Culinary Tour includes Hans-Sachs-Platz among its stops.
The Nürnberger Winterdorf on Jakobsplatz, between St. Jakob and St. Elisabeth, runs longest of all, from 13 November to 9 January. Its centerpiece is a Ferris wheel 40 m tall. It is a separate village from the Christkindlesmarkt and sits a short walk from the Hauptmarkt, handy if you arrive early or stay past the main market's last day.
Sources: City of Nuremberg, Nuremberg Christkindlesmarkt, City of Nuremberg.
One evening covers the Hauptmarkt stalls, food and the Christkind's church. A second visit by day gives you the Imperial Castle and the old town in daylight.
The prologue on Friday 27 November at 17:30 opens the season, and the stalls pause 17:25-18:00 while it runs. The city expects very high visitor numbers on Advent weekends and advises leaving the car at a Park+Ride and taking public transport instead. The U1 runs twice as often 09:00-20:00 in the city center on Advent weekends.
One evening covers the Hauptmarkt and its stalls, and a second visit by day adds the Imperial Castle and the Children's Christmas.
December in Nuremberg is cold and grey, so dress in warm layers with a waterproof. The figures below come from the Deutscher Wetterdienst climate table for Nuremberg airport.
| December measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Mean temperature | 0.6 °C |
| Mean daily high | 3.2 °C |
| Mean daily low | -2.4 °C |
| Precipitation | 52 mm |
| Daily sunshine | 1.4 hours |
Stalls take cash and card, and the $5.57 (€5) Christkindlesmarkt-Taler coin is accepted at the Hauptmarkt stalls, the Market of the Sister Cities, the Children's Christmas and Original Regional. Public toilets in the Rathaus cost $0.56 (€0.50), entered from Rathausplatz. A fee-charging toilet wagon stands on the Obstmarkt behind the Frauenkirche.
Access roads around the market are secured with barriers and police carry out random bag checks. In severe weather the market can close early, announced by loudspeaker. Disposable tableware is not permitted on the market, so food comes on reusable plates and drinks in the shared reusable mug.
Sources: City of Nuremberg, Nuremberg Christkindlesmarkt, German Weather Service.
The market is free and easy, but the season and the tours have real limits. Here they are before you pay.
The history and tastings walk is offered only in December, so slots are seasonal. Pick an evening and check availability.
Looking at one of the others? Christmas City Culinary Tour with Tastings · The Christmas City - Guided Tour with Food and an Appearance by St. Nicholas · Enjoy the Christkindlesmarkt with all your senses · Christmas Market Magic with a local · 1.5-Hour Private Old Town & Christmas Market Tour · Castle and Old Town Tour - incl. tasting of original Nuremberg gingerbread · Food Tour with Full Meal & Drinks by Do Eat Better · Old Town Public Guided Walking Tour · Advent Concert in the Meistersingerhalle Nuremberg · Nuremberg Day Trip by Train · Autumn & Christmas Market Photo Shoot with a Local Photographer
4.6/5
★★★★★ ★★★★★
42 reviews on GetYourGuide for Christmas Market History & Culinary Delights Tour
★★★★★ ★★★★★
We loved our Nuremberg Christmas market tour. Our tour guide was a lovely lady full of facts about the city and the market. She shared delicious cookies and other treats with us. We definitely recommend.
Fabiola · December 21, 2024
Review on GetYourGuide for Christmas Market History & Tastings Tour
★★★★★ ★★★★★
The guide was very knowledgeable! It was a great tour!
Stella · December 16, 2025
Review on GetYourGuide for Christmas City Culinary Tour
★★★★★ ★★★★★
A very nice city guide who gave an exciting insight with lots of interesting information about Christmas and local traditions. The gingerbread, mulled wine, and children's punch were very good! 👍🏻
Nils · December 20, 2025
Review on GetYourGuide for Christmas City Tour with St. Nicholas
★★★★★ ★★★★★
Wonderful weather we had, wonderful Local, wonderful tour!
Jack · November 30, 2023 - Verified booking
Review on GetYourGuide for Christmas Market Walk with a Local
★★★★★ ★★★★★
He went over and beyond the 1.5 hours it was great fun thanks again and Fröhliche Weihnachten!!
Leona · December 24, 2017
Review on GetYourGuide for Private Old Town & Christmas Market Tour
★★★★★ ★★★★★
Darius was absolutely amazing! He gave us such a fabulous overview of our tour in a upbeat and informed way. He brought humor to the presentation with a great personality at all times.
Gerry · September 25, 2026
Review on GetYourGuide for Castle Tour with Lebkuchen Tasting
★★★★★ ★★★★★
Highly recommended! Our guide, Gail, was amazing. We had a great time and learned so much from her!
Keith · September 19, 2026
Review on GetYourGuide for Nuremberg Old Town Walking Tour
★★★★★ ★★★★★
Our guide was amazing. Filled with endless information, always asked if anyone had questions and the pace was fine. Always kept a head count to make sure no one was left behind.
Vladislav · October 26, 2026
Review on GetYourGuide for Nuremberg Day Trip from Munich
★★★★★ ★★★★★
Karin was a lovely host! Very knowledgeable about the city and all about the Christmas market!
Cassianne · December 15, 2024
Review on GetYourGuide for Christmas Market History & Tastings Tour
Reviews, ratings and counts are the platforms' own, shown as published for each listing. They are not reviews of this site.
Three films to watch before you go: the market after dark, the same stalls by day, and the old town around it.
A continuous walk through the Christkindlesmarkt after dark.
Video: Prowalk ToursThe Hauptmarkt and the side markets in daylight.
Video: Prowalk ToursThe old town and its markets in Advent.
Video: Tourist Walk ToursThird-party videos, embedded from YouTube. This site did not shoot them and has no relationship with the creators.
Independent travel guide. This website is not a tour operator, travel agency, or seller of travel, and it is not the official website of any tour operator or booking platform. We independently research and compare the tours and experiences featured here; all bookings, payments, changes, and customer service are handled by the operator or booking platform on their own website.
The Christkindlesmarkt opens on 27 November and runs to 24 December, with the Christkind's prologue from the Frauenkirche gallery at the opening ceremony. See the dates on dates and hours.
No. Entry is free, there is no gate and no ticket. A tour such as the Christmas Market History & Tastings Tour buys you a guide and tastings, not admission.
Yes. The market opens daily 10:00-21:00, Sundays included, with only 24 December shortened to 10:00-14:00. Details are on dates and hours.
The last day ends at 14:00 on 24 December, and there is no trading on 25 December. See dates and hours.
One evening covers the Hauptmarkt. A second visit by day fits the Market of the Sister Cities, the Children's Christmas and the castle. The guided Christmas Market History & Tastings Tour takes 2 hours.
Yes, for most travelers: entry is free, the city counts more than two million visitors, and the market has roots back to 1530. Pick an evening with the dates and hours and add a guided walk if you want the story and tastings.
They are 1 h 41 apart by the fastest ICE, so many travelers see both. Nuremberg has the Christkind prologue, the PGI Rostbratwurst and Lebkuchen and up to 180 stalls on one square. Plan the train in getting there.
Nuremberg Christmas Market Tour
