Weihnachtsstadt Bad Homburg, Germany 2026/2027: Castle Market, Winter Magic Dates and Guide

Welcome to the Weihnachtsstadt Bad Homburg 2026/2027 in Bad Homburg

From 19 November 2026 to 10 January 2027, Bad Homburg vor der Höhe in Hesse, Germany, becomes Weihnachtsstadt Bad Homburg: a spa town between the Taunus hills and Frankfurt am Main, where the landgraves’ castle, the Kurhaus, Louisenstraße, the market square and the Kurpark share one Advent season. The highlight is the Romantic Christmas Market at Landgrafenschloss on all four Advent weekends, joined by daily Winterzauber at the Kurhaus, wooden huts in the pedestrian centre and the Bad Homburg Ice Winter. Dates and hours below follow the official city website; always check bad-homburg.de/weihnachtsstadt shortly before you travel, as details can still change.

Highlights and Attractions at Weihnachtsstadt Bad Homburg

• Romantic Christmas market in the courtyards of Landgrafenschloss, with around 70 regional stalls, crafts and mulled wine beneath the White Tower
• Miniature steam railway “Toni” and a children’s carousel at the foot of the White Tower on Advent weekends
• Illuminated Christmas forest, an 18-metre tree and a life-size wooden nativity on Kurhausvorplatz
• Winterzauber huts along Louisenstraße, with regional specialities and decorated shop windows
• Christmas programme on the Marktplatz, including the Great Christmas Singalong on 18 December 2026
• Taunus Sparkasse ice rink in the Kurpark in front of the Kaiser-Wilhelms-Bad, 19 November 2026 to 10 January 2027
• Free admission to the castle market and Winterzauber; city buses in Bad Homburg are free on Advent Saturdays

Romantic Christmas Market at the Castle 2026 in Bad Homburg

The Romantic Christmas Market at the castle is the historic centrepiece of Weihnachtsstadt and one of Hesse’s most distinctive palace markets. In 2026 it runs on all Advent weekends: 27–29 November, 4–6 December, 11–13 December and 18–20 December. Hours are Friday 15:00–21:00 and Saturday–Sunday 12:00–21:00. Wooden chalets wind from Schlossplatz through Herrngasse and the castle courtyards up to the White Tower, Bad Homburg’s landmark. More than 70 local and regional exhibitors offer traditional crafts, Swiss-pine woodwork, leather goods, carvings and nativity figures. Food ranges from game sausages, tarte flambée, crêpes and winemaker’s mulled wine to vegan dishes, Dutch stroopwafels and freshly made Kaiserschmarrn. Walking live acts play on Fridays and Saturdays. Access is via Ritter-von-Marx-Brücke, Herrngasse or Dorotheenstraße. The market is organised by the City of Bad Homburg with the State Palaces and Gardens of Hesse. Admission is free.

Winterzauber at the Kurhaus 2026 in Bad Homburg

Winterzauber at the Kurhaus keeps the Christmas-market atmosphere going on weekdays. From 19 November to 30 December 2026 the Kurhaus forecourt is open daily from 11:00 to 21:00. It is closed on Totensonntag (Sunday of the Dead), 22 November 2026, and on 24, 25 and 26 December. Around the fountain, a glowing Christmas forest, an 18-metre tree, a nativity with life-size wooden figures and a children’s carousel set the scene. Small huts serve mulled wine, potato pancakes, grilled sausages, langos, crêpes, waffles and winter cocktails. The square is at Louisenstraße 58, in front of the historic Kurhaus and the tourist information office. Admission is free.

Winterzauber in the City Centre 2026: Louisenstraße Bad Homburg

Alongside the Kurhaus market, Winterzauber in the city centre runs from 19 November to 30 December 2026 along Louisenstraße, Bad Homburg’s main shopping street. Stalls are open Monday to Saturday from 11:00 to 20:00 and stay closed on Sundays, public holidays and the Christmas holidays. Between decorated shop windows you will find huts with regional crafts, jewellery, gin, wine and pasta, plus sweet and savoury snacks. The easiest way to combine both areas is an Advent Saturday: Louisenstraße in the late morning, the castle market in the afternoon and evening. Admission is free.

Christmas Programme on the Marktplatz Bad Homburg 2026

Bad Homburg’s Marktplatz hosts concerts, community singalongs and the city’s Advent programme. The confirmed 2026 date is the Great Christmas Singalong on Friday, 18 December, at 17:00: live, outdoors and with the crowd, mixing traditional carols and well-known Christmas pop on a large screen. Admission is free. Further Advent concerts, theatre, a children’s programme and church services appear in the Weihnachtsstadt event calendar; check the official site for the remaining December dates shortly before your visit.

Bad Homburg Ice Winter 2026/2027 in the Kurpark

The 10th Bad Homburg Ice Winter is part of Weihnachtsstadt and runs from 19 November 2026 to 10 January 2027. The Taunus Sparkasse rink covers about 500 square metres on Brunnenallee in the Kurpark, in front of the Kaiser-Wilhelms-Bad. Hours: Monday–Thursday 14:00–20:00 (from 12:00 in school holidays), Friday 14:00–21:00 (from 12:00 in school holidays), Saturday, Sunday and public holidays 10:00–21:00; Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve 10:00–15:00, New Year’s Day 14:00–21:00. Unlike the castle market and Winterzauber, skating is ticketed. Last season, prices were about EUR 6.50 for adults, EUR 4.50 for children up to 15, EUR 18 for a family ticket and EUR 3 for skate hire (two hours). Final 2026/2027 prices will be published closer to opening. Ice-stock sport is by prior booking only.

Program and Schedule: What to Expect in 2026

Weihnachtsstadt Bad Homburg 2026/2027 is a city-wide programme, not a single fair. It opens on 19 November 2026 with Winterzauber and the ice rink. The Romantic Christmas Market at the castle first opens on Friday, 27 November 2026, and is limited to the four Advent weekends. Walking acts, children’s entertainment, castle tours and live music cluster on Friday evenings and weekends at the castle. On weekdays the Kurhaus, Louisenstraße and the ice rink carry the atmosphere. Winterzauber ends on 30 December 2026; the ice rink and Weihnachtsstadt close on 10 January 2027. To see the castle market you need one of the four Advent weekends; for a quieter visit, choose a weekday at the Kurhaus.

Music, theatre for all ages, fairy tales from Bad Homburg schools and the “Follow the Stars” trail complete the programme. The Great Christmas Singalong on 18 December 2026 at 17:00 on the Marktplatz is the main communal date. City marketing publishes daily schedules, exhibitor lists and safety rules at bad-homburg.de/weihnachtsstadt and weihnachtsstadt-bad-homburg.com.

Tickets and Admission for Weihnachtsstadt Bad Homburg

Admission is free to the Romantic Christmas Market at the castle, Winterzauber at the Kurhaus, Winterzauber on Louisenstraße and the Great Christmas Singalong on the Marktplatz. There are no tickets and no booking requirement. You pay only for food, drinks and stall purchases, and for skating in the Kurpark. Guided tours of the Imperial Apartments or Landgravine Elizabeth’s rooms are separate from the market and charged by the State Palaces and Gardens of Hesse. The ice rink uses day tickets, family tickets and season passes; 2026/2027 rates will appear on the city website closer to opening. On Advent Saturdays, city buses in Bad Homburg are free.

Visitor Tips: Travel and Accommodation in Bad Homburg

• Getting there: Take S-Bahn line S5 from Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof to Bad Homburg, then walk or take a city bus towards the Kurhaus, castle or market; check RMV for timetables. By car, use the A5 or A661 and follow the parking guidance system. Useful car parks: Festplatz Heuchelbach, Schlossgarage and the Kurhaus car park; the former Karstadt garage is about a ten-minute walk from the castle.
• What to wear: From mid-November to early January the Taunus is often damp and close to freezing. Pack layers, sturdy shoes and a hat. The castle market and Winterzauber are entirely outdoors, with only limited covered spots.
• Where to stay: Bad Homburg is a spa town with many hotels around the Kurpark and Louisenstraße. Book early for Advent weekends at the castle. Tourist information in the Kurhaus (Louisenstraße 58, Monday–Friday 10:00–18:00, Saturday 10:00–14:00) can help with rooms and maps.
• How to plan: The castle market runs only on the four Advent weekends; the Kurhaus and Louisenstraße are also open on weekdays. Friday evening at the castle is often calmer than Saturday afternoon. To combine skating and markets, start in the Kurpark, then continue to the castle or the Kurhaus.
• Access and safety: Castle-market entrances are controlled. Pushchairs are not allowed on the ice for insurance reasons. Lost property goes to tourist information or the lost-and-found office. Check the city site for closures and free-bus days.