Cologne Christmas Markets 2026/2027: All Markets, Dates and New MediaPark Market

Welcome to the Cologne Christmas Markets 2026/2027 in Cologne

Cologne is one of the most popular Christmas destinations in Germany. The first markets open on 13 November 2026, most run until 23 December 2026, and a few continue into January 2027. This year brings two premieres: Santa's Christmas Market at the MediaPark and the Christmas Market Köln West in Quartier B both open for the first time in 2026.

When do the Cologne Christmas markets open in 2026?

The harbour Christmas market at the Rheinauhafen and the market at the Stadtgarten open first on 13 November 2026. On 16 November 2026 the Cathedral market, the Market of Angels at Neumarkt, the Nikolausdorf at Rudolfplatz and the queer friendly Heavenue Cologne follow. The Zollstock neighbourhood Advent market is announced to start on 18 November 2026, while Santa's Christmas Market at the MediaPark and the Köln West market open on 19 November 2026. Heinzel's Winter Fairytale in the old town opens on 23 November 2026. Times can change at short notice, so please check the organizers' information before your visit.

Highlights & Attractions at the Christmas Markets in Cologne

• New in 2026: Santa's Christmas Market at the MediaPark with about 80 stalls shaped like gift boxes and the "Santa in the Sky" sleigh ride about 50 metres above the park
• New in 2026: Christmas Market Köln West in Quartier B on the former 4711 site in Bickendorf with a heated winter world and an ice rink
• The Cathedral Christmas Market on Roncalliplatz with up to 140 stalls, a 25 metre tall fir tree and a light tent with about 50,000 LEDs
• The Market of Angels at Neumarkt with hundreds of star lights and angel figures above white stalls
• Heinzel's Winter Fairytale at Alter Markt and Heumarkt with over 100 stalls, an ice landscape and a Christmas post office
• The harbour Christmas market at the Chocolate Museum with a 50 metre Ferris wheel and a New Year's market until 3 January 2027
• Many smaller neighbourhood markets, from the Nikolausdorf at Rudolfplatz to the market at Chlodwigplatz

Program & Schedule: What to Expect at the Christmas Markets in Cologne

Every market in Cologne has its own theme, so visiting several locations is well worth it. The sections below cover dates, opening hours and special features of each important market.

When is the Cologne Cathedral Christmas Market open and what is there to do?

The Cathedral Christmas Market on Roncalliplatz (50667 Cologne) runs from 16 November to 23 December 2026. It is open Sunday to Wednesday from 11:00 to 21:00, Thursday and Friday from 11:00 to 22:00 and Saturday from 10:00 to 22:00. It is closed on Totensonntag, 22 November 2026. Highlights include up to 140 stalls with food, crafts and gift ideas, a natural fir tree of about 25 metres, a light tent with about 50,000 LEDs and a historic carousel. The large stage hosts participation events and the popular sing along concerts "Los mer singe". Children can enjoy crafts, puppet theatre and face painting. The Wimmeltasse souvenir mug is sold only at this market.

What makes the Market of Angels at Neumarkt special?

The Market of Angels at Neumarkt (50667 Cologne) runs from 16 November to 23 December 2026. It is open Sunday to Thursday from 11:00 to 21:00 and Friday and Saturday from 11:00 to 22:00. It is closed on 22 November 2026, and on 23 December it closes at 21:00. Hundreds of star lights hang above the market and in the trees, and white angel figures and wreaths decorate the stall gables. Daily children's entertainment includes face painting, magic shows and music, plus visits from St. Nicholas and characters such as Elsa and Anna, Mickey and Minnie Mouse, oversized Hänneschen puppets and stilt walkers. The food ranges from flame grilled salmon, Spätzle and potato fritters to kale with smoked sausage and Cologne Cathedral waffles. You can reach Neumarkt by Stadtbahn lines 1, 3, 4, 7, 9, 16 and 18.

What is new at Santa's Christmas Market at the MediaPark?

Santa's Christmas Market at the MediaPark (50670 Cologne) is new in 2026 and runs from 19 November to 23 December 2026 on the square in front of the KölnTower. About 80 stalls designed as giant gift boxes offer gift ideas, food and drinks. The headline attraction is "Santa in the Sky", a ride in Santa's reindeer sleigh about 50 metres above the MediaPark. It cannot be bought; seats are given out through giveaways and raffles. You will also find an ice stock arena with five lanes and private lounges with table service, rooftop lounges for groups with views over the market, a walk in snow globe photo spot, and the Elf House and Elf Lane with covered seating and a mobile mulled wine service. The market is open on Sundays from 12:00 to 21:00, on Saturdays from 12:00 to 22:00 and on 22 November from 18:00 to 21:00. From Monday to Friday it opens in the afternoon; sources give either 12:00 or 14:00, so please check the current times with the organizer. Reach the MediaPark by S6, S11, S12, S13, tram lines 12 and 15 or bus 127 to Hansaring, or tram lines 12 and 15 to Christophstraße/MediaPark. The underground car park has more than 1,100 spaces.

What is the Christmas Market Köln West in Quartier B like?

The Christmas Market Köln West is a premiere in 2026 and runs from 19 November to 23 December 2026 in Quartier B, the former 4711 site at Venloer Straße 769 in Bickendorf. On about 10,000 square metres you will find a partly heated and covered winter world of about 4,000 square metres with craft and sales stalls, lounge areas and a stage for live music. Families can enjoy a children's carousel and an ice rink. It is open Monday to Friday from 14:00 to 22:30 and on weekends from 12:00 to 22:30. Stadtbahn lines 3 and 4 stop at Akazienweg.

When does Heinzel's Winter Fairytale run at Alter Markt and Heumarkt?

Heinzel's Winter Fairytale is the old town Christmas market and, according to city portals, has the largest area of all Cologne markets. At Alter Markt it runs from 23 November to 23 December 2026, and at Heumarkt from 23 November 2026 to 10 January 2027. It is open daily from 11:00 to 22:00, closed on 24 and 25 December, and from 31 December the Heumarkt closes at 21:00. More than 100 stalls are spread across themed lanes such as the Krämergasse, Handwerkergasse, Naschgasse, Futtergasse and Goldgasse. At Alter Markt, craftspeople show their work, for example glass engraving and pottery. The Heumarkt features an ice landscape of about 1,800 square metres with ice stock lanes, walkways and a bridge over the ice. There is also a Christmas post office with Heinzelmännchen stamps, a small Ferris wheel and a historic carousel. Stadtbahn line 5 stops at Heumarkt, and buses 136 and 146 also serve the area.

What can visitors expect at the harbour Christmas market at the Chocolate Museum?

The harbour Christmas market at the Rheinauhafen (Am Schokoladenmuseum, 50678 Cologne) is the first large market of the season and runs from 13 November to 23 December 2026. A New Year's market follows at the same place from 26 December 2026 to 3 January 2027. It is open Sunday to Thursday from 11:00 to 21:00 and Friday and Saturday from 11:00 to 22:00. About 70 wooden huts offer crafts, international goods and products by regional designers. The 50 metre Ferris wheel gives views of the Rhine and the old town. Food and drinks include flame grilled salmon, fish rolls, mulled beer, Feuerzangenbowle and a new chocolate bratwurst at the harbour grill. Families will find a classic carousel and a small train. The weekly program runs from a stilt walker on Monday and face painting with a scavenger hunt on Tuesday to ice carving on Wednesday and live bands on Thursday from 18:00 to 20:00. Take Stadtbahn line 5 to Heumarkt and walk about ten minutes, or take bus 133.

Which other Christmas markets are there in Cologne in 2026?

• Nikolausdorf at Rudolfplatz (50674 Cologne): 16 November to 23 December 2026, timber huts in front of the Hahnentorburg, a daily Nikolaus walk from 16:30 to 17:30, a live stage from 18:00 with Cologne artists, choirs and bands; closed on 22 November
• Stadtgarten Christmas market (Venloer Straße 40, 50672 Cologne): 13 November to 23 December 2026, Monday to Friday 16:00 to 21:30, Saturday and Sunday 12:00 to 21:30, design, crafts and treats from changing exhibitors
• Heavenue Cologne at Friesenplatz: 16 November to 23 December 2026, a queer friendly market with a mulled wine palace, a ten metre fountain and a rotating Christmas tree
• Christmas market at Chlodwigplatz in the Südstadt: 19 November to 23 December 2026, a cosy neighbourhood market
• Zollstock neighbourhood Advent market: announced to start on 18 November 2026, please check details with the organizer
• Smallest Christmas Market in the city: 18 November to 19 December 2026
• Winter Magic at Eigelstein: 2 to 6 December 2026
• Christmas market at the Wachsfabrik: 5 to 20 December 2026

What can you do at a Christmas market in Cologne?

• Try mulled wine, Kölsch, Feuerzangenbowle and hot cocktails
• Eat regional specialities such as potato fritters with apple sauce, flame grilled salmon, kale with smoked sausage, speculoos and gingerbread
• Discover crafts, decorations and gifts made of wood, glass, felt and leather
• Go ice skating, play ice stock or ride a Ferris wheel at Heinzel's Winter Fairytale, the harbour and the new markets
• Enjoy live music, sing along concerts and stage shows
• Take children to carousels, puppet theatre and Nikolaus visits
• Take photos at spots like the walk in snow globe at the MediaPark or in front of the illuminated Cathedral

Tickets & Admission for the Christmas Markets in Cologne 2026/2027

Do the Cologne Christmas markets charge an entrance fee?

Visiting the Cologne Christmas markets is generally free. Free entry is stated explicitly for the Market of Angels at Neumarkt and the Nikolausdorf at Rudolfplatz, and free entry is also reported for the two new markets at the MediaPark and in Quartier B. You pay for food, drinks, shopping and extras such as ice skating, Ferris wheel or carousel rides. Many markets charge a deposit for mulled wine mugs. Official prices for ice rinks, the Ferris wheel and rooftop lounges had not been published at the time of research and are available from each organizer. The "Santa in the Sky" ride at the MediaPark cannot be purchased and is raffled.

Visitor Tips: Travel & Accommodation in Cologne

What is the best way to get to the Christmas markets in Cologne?

• Travel by train and Stadtbahn: the main station sits right next to the Cathedral, and the stops Neumarkt, Heumarkt and Rudolfplatz are in the city centre
• Car parks are available at the main station, near the Cathedral, at Neumarkt, at the Rheinauhafen and under the MediaPark, but they fill up quickly on weekends
• On Totensonntag, 22 November 2026, the Cathedral market, the Market of Angels and the Nikolausdorf are closed, and the MediaPark market opens only from 18:00 to 21:00
• Visit the big markets on weekdays or early in the afternoon if you can, since weekends and evenings get very crowded
• Dress warmly and weatherproof; many paths are outdoors on cobblestones
• Book hotels in Cologne early, especially for Advent weekends, and reserve group lounges at the MediaPark in good time
• If you are in Cologne between the years, the Heumarkt stays open until 10 January 2027 and the harbour New Year's market until 3 January 2027