Hamburg is one of Germany’s most famous cities. It is the largest city in the country’s northern area and the second largest in the entire region. This vibrant port destination was once the center of Germany’s international trade, and it still retains that proud legacy. It is infused with extraordinary architecture, a unique entertainment scene, culinary excellence, and the very best hospitality. It’s a beautiful place to visit, especially during the holiday season. For your holiday trip, book the top Airbnb vacation rentals in Hamburg-Mitte or St. Pauli With several beautiful and exciting Christmas markets, the location takes its festivities seriously. The northern German region allows you to experience a true Christmas market tradition. It transforms into a party-like site with bright lights, decorations, and different types of festive bazaars, ranging from family-friendly to adult-only. Here are the most delightful Christmas markets in Hamburg, Germany.
Upcoming events:
- If you're visiting around November, I'd recommend checking out Hamburger DOM's winter edition. Visitors will get to enjoy fun games and activities, along with a fireworks display at around 10pm on Fridays.
Winter in Hamburg:
- According to Weather Spark, winters in the city are cold, with temperatures staying between 32°F (0°C) and 40°F (4.44°C). Additionally, around mid-December, the sky has a higher chance of being cloudy, so it might be a good idea to pack an umbrella before you head out.
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Christmas traditions in Germany
Christmas in Germany is an occasion celebrated by people of all faiths. According to deutschland.de, some of the country’s Christmas traditions are:
- Decorating Christmas trees
- Singing carols and playing music together
- Preparing simple dishes, such as potato salad with sausages, on Christmas Eve
- Enjoying potato dumplings and red cabbage on either the first or second day of Christmas
Visitors to Hamburg also have the chance to visit lovely Christmas markets. If you’re visiting a Christmas market for the first time, you can learn what to expect by checking out our handy guide.
Christmas markets in Hamburg
1. St. Pauli Christmas Market
I’m fascinated by St. Pauli Christmas Market, as it offers something out of the ordinary. This unique fair is located right in the city’s red-light district and gives you a different experience. Its proximity to the neighborhood makes for a market filled with merrymaking, extravagance, and a distinctive adult-themed display. Some stalls sell classic Christmas gifts, but don’t be surprised to see cookies shaped like erotic toys or gifts packaged in erotic ways here. The spot packs more than enough food stalls, live music performances, and a variety of shows to keep you fascinated and entertained.
St. Pauli Christmas Market
Address: Spielbudenplatz 20359, Hamburg, Germany
Dates: For updated dates and hours, please visit the official website for Hamburg
Website: St. Pauli Christmas Market
Market highlights: Nightly live music program, open-air art gallery, child-oriented program
2. Bergedorf Castle Christmas Market
Editor's Note: There's no photo available at the time of writing
Located in the fantastic Bergedorf Castle, this Christmas market is one of the most atmospheric events in the city. The castle, built as far back as the 14th century, hosts a variety of well-decorated stalls that offer several different types of Christmas goods. Shop for all your holiday supplies in style and serenity on castle grounds, surrounded by a moat. The fair offers a wide range of handmade gifts, cards, yuletide decorations, and so much more. There are food and drink stalls that offer delicious hot eats and mulled wine to the market’s visitors.
Bergedorf Castle Christmas Market
Address: Bergedorfer Schloßstraße 4, 21029 Hamburg, Germany
Dates: For updated dates and hours, please visit the official website for Hamburg
Website: Bergedorf Castle Christmas Market
Market highlights: Handmade gifts, mulled wine, handicraft workshops, live band performances
Hamburg Tour Guide
Asaf Leshem
My name is Asaf and I am a professional tour guide. I hold a Ph.D. in Dark Tourism and interpretation of history. In Berlin I guide tours on such topics as the Cold War, the Third Reich, Berlin's Jewish Heritage, Berlin and Brandenburg's Prussian History, and more. I also guide in Potsdam, and I am certified to guide in the Memorial and Museum Sachsenhausen. I am also an enthusiastic runner a... Read more
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Hamburg Tour Guide
Jutta Hülsmann
Hey there, explorers! I'm Jutta, your go-to tour guide since 2010, and I'm here to show you the vibrant city of Hamburg like never before. Get ready to dive into a world of history, culture, and unforgettable experiences! With over a decade of guiding under my belt, I've earned quite a good reputation in Hamburg's tourism scene. But it's not just about knowing the facts – it's about sharing ... Read more
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3. Blankense Christmas Market
Editor's Note: There's no photo available at the time of writing
Filled with small fishermen houses, steep streets, and luxurious villas over the river, the quaint and peaceful Blankense is home to a charming Christmas market I dearly want to visit. This enchanting fair invites visitors to come and see, experience, and take part in its beautiful Christmas market traditions. The spot offers a lot of holiday gifts, local crafts, and loads of delicious food. Try out the traditional eggnog or the juicy burgers or sip on some mulled wine here. There is even a lounge where the kids can have the time of their lives.
Blankense Christmas Market
Address: Erik-Blumenfeld-Platz 22587, Hamburg, Germany
Dates: For updated dates and hours, please visit the official website for Hamburg
Website: Blankenese Christmas Market
Market highlights: Traditional eggnog, mulled wine, snacks, Tuscan specialties, ice-skating rink, carousel
4. City Hall Christmas Market
Editor's Note: There's no photo available at the time of writing
A short walk from Hamburg Central Train Station towards City Hall takes you to one of the most amazing markets in town. The fair offers you a beautiful place to enjoy and get into the Christmas spirit in the city center. Featuring colorful and lively parades, the market also has a lot of stalls loaded with Christmas goods. Here you will find everything from handmade crafts to artwork, unique gifts, decorations, and so much more. The bazaar has several stands to get hot chocolate, mulled wine, and other tasty treats as well.
City Hall Christmas Market
Address: Rathausmarkt, 20095 Hamburg, Germany
Dates: For updated dates and hours, please visit the official website for Hamburg
Website: City Hall Christmas Market
Market highlights: Flying Santa Claus, fresh mulled wine, Spezialitätengasse (street of food)
5. Jungfernstieg Christmas Market
Editor's Note: There's no photo available at the time of writing
If you hear people talking about a White Christmas market, then they are probably talking about this place. Jungfernstieg is home to a beautiful Christmas fair where you can have an exciting, entertaining, and magical experience. Illuminated by blue, silver, and gold lights, this location becomes loaded with white pagoda tents that offer its visitors the very best of holiday wares. It is a great spot to shop for gifts, decorations, arts and crafts, and children’s toys too. I think going on the old Ferris wheel ride is a must to enjoy scenic views of the nearby river. You can also savor delicious food here.
Jungfernstieg Christmas Market
Address: Jungfernstieg 20095, Hamburg, Germany
Dates: For updated dates and hours, please visit the official website for Hamburg
Website: Jungfernstieg Christmas Market
Market highlights: Arts and crafts stalls, Alster fir tree, historic Ferris wheel, fire tong punch, wood decoration, toys, candles
6. Dog Christmas Market
Editor's Note: Photo taken from the establishment's official social account
Posted by Hamburger Hundeweihnachtsmarkt on Friday, September 16, 2022
Most times, you hear about Christmas markets for kids and adults, but how many times do you come across one for your pet? The city of Hamburg has an impressive dog-themed fair where you and your pet can visit and have a great time. See other adorable pups, and have your dog equally enjoy the season with them. From toys to treats, clothes, and decorative items, this large market is filled with everything to give you and your four-legged friend an enjoyable experience.
Dog Christmas Market
Address: Ratsmühlendamm 37, 22335 Hamburg, Germany
Dates: For updated dates and hours, please visit the facebook page for Dog Christmas Market
Website: Dog Christmas Market
Market highlights: Handmade goods, dog beds, dog toys, accessories for dogs
7. Winter Pride Christmas Market
Editor's Note: Photo taken from the establishment's official social account
Hamburg is home to several unique Christmas markets, and I’d say Winter Pride Christmas Market is one of the most distinctive ones. It is located around the city’s central station, and it welcomes all the people in town. This alternative marketplace is run by the local LGBTQ community and offers a unique atmosphere to shop and be merry. With music from indie and electro DJs, exciting games, and a wide range of holiday products on display, this Hamburg Christmas Market is a great choice to shop for your yuletide supplies.
Winter Pride Christmas Market
Address: Lange Reihe, 20099 Hamburg, Germany
Dates: For updated dates and hours, please visit the official website for Winter Pride Christmas Market
Website: Winter Pride Christmas Market
Market highlights: Live music, cabin rentals with mulled wine, speculatius (spiced shortcrust biscuit) and gingerbread
8. Gänsemarkt
Editor's Note: There's no photo available at the time of writing
Experience the feel of a peaceful and traditional Christmas market at Gänsemarkt. This quaint and atmospheric market is located on the public square and offers its visitors a delightful place to shop for holiday wares. Here, you can enjoy shopping activities while Christmas songs hum quietly in the background. The spot features vendors that sell handmade crafts made out of wood, wax, glass, and wool, as well as gifts and several other items. If you are visiting with kids, make sure you check out the days when Santa hands out unique gifts.
Gänsemarkt
Address: Hamburg, Germany
Dates: For updated dates and hours, please visit the official website for Hamburg
Website: Gänsemarkt
Market highlights: Suckling pig, gingerbread, handcrafted goods
9. Fleetinsel Christmas Market
Editor's Note: There's no photo available at the time of writing
If you want to experience all the city’s port characteristics while shopping for your Christmas items, then you should check out this beautiful market. Fleetinsel Christmas Market is a maritime-inspired fair in a quiet part of town. It sits just a few meters away from the iconic St. Michael’s Church and offers visitors and locals a peaceful and cozy place to shop. It boasts several stalls where you can buy quality items, sip mulled wine, and taste well-made local delicacies. I’m certain families in particular will love this market.
Fleetinsel Christmas Market
Address: Heiligengeistbrücke 20459, Hamburg, Germany
Dates: Dates: For updated dates and hours, please visit the official website for Hamburg
Website: Fleetinsel Christmas Market
Market highlights: Mulled wine, two historic ships, gift and decoration ideas
10. HafenCity Christmas Market
Editor's Note: There's no photo available at the time of writing
Yet another small and quiet Christmas market in the city, HafenCity Christmas Market is a remarkable place to visit. It offers not just a venue to shop for goods but also a refreshing spot to relax and enjoy the friendly atmosphere. Here you will find a lot of modern architecture on display all around, in combination with the traditional holiday bazaar spirit. Enjoy browsing through stalls that have plenty of goods, handmade gifts, tasty dishes, and great drinks. There is even an ice-skating rink for a more entertaining experience.
HafenCity Christmas Market
Address: 20457, Überseeboulevard, 20457 Hamburg, Germany
Dates: Dates: For updated dates and hours, please visit the official website for Hamburg
Website: HafenCity Christmas Market
Market highlights: Winter Golf, free mini-golf for children and young people under 18, Christmas Lounge
11. Ottensen Christmas Market
Editor's Note: Photo taken from the establishment's official social account
Posted by Weihnachtsmarkt Ottensen on Friday, December 15, 2017
Ottensen, a pleasant shopping street behind Altona Station in Hamburg, transforms into a fantastic place to shop for the entire family during the holiday season. This bubbling street offers a variety of wooden huts and stalls that have been elegantly designed and decorated to put you in the Christmas mood. The stalls here offer everything, including Christmas decorations locally made, handmade gifts, crafts, and artworks too. The fair also has several stands where you can enjoy international delicacies, including Swiss cheese and Italian pasta meals. It is definitely perfect for families with kids.
Ottensen Christmas Market
Address: Ottenser Hauptstraße, 22765 Hamburg, Germany
Dates: For updated dates and hours, please visit the official website for Ottensen Christmas Market
Website: Ottensen Christmas Market
Market highlights: Dwarf hut, Santa Claus, puppet theater, handicrafts, food
12. Scandinavian Christmas Market
Editor's Note: Photo taken from the establishment's official social account
Bis morgen könnt Ihr noch Glühwein, Bratwurst und ganz viele andere Leckereien bei uns auf dem Fanny Mendelssohn Platz...
Posted by Weihnachtsmarkt Osterstraße on Friday, December 29, 2023
Hamburg boasts a great relationship with its neighboring Scandinavian countries, and this is evident in its famous Scandinavian Christmas Market. The fair is jointly organized by the seamen churches of four Nordic countries—Finland, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden—and offers a perfect Nordic atmosphere for people to enjoy shopping. There is an abundance of Scandinavian food, drinks, and wine here, as well as northern-style goods and crafts like toys made from wood, jewelry, wool sweaters, and handmade candles. The market also has a Santa Claus grotto where children can enjoy tasty treats. As someone who loves writing about Scandinavian destinations, this is one market I wouldn’t want to miss!
Scandinavian Christmas Market
Address: Fanny-Mendelssohn-Platz, 20255, Hamburg, Germany
Dates: Dates: For updated dates and hours, please visit the official website for Hamburg
Website: Scandinavian Christmas Market
Market highlights: Two mulled wine stands, live music, DJ sets, carol singing, food stalls, children’s programs
13. Wandsbeker Winterzauber
Editor's Note: Photo taken from the establishment's official social account
Schulklassen bekommen Freien Eintritt auf unserer Schlittschuhbahn!!!!
Posted by Wandsbeker Winterzauber on Thursday, 27 November 2014
Typically a marketplace, Wandsbeker turns into a charming winter village during the Christmas season. The photos themselves are lovely enough to make me want to pack my bags right away. This Christmas village offers alpine huts filled with things to buy and enjoy, such as delicious treats and fizzing drinks. There is an ice-skating rink where kids and adults can have amazing ski experiences, with a novelty ice-hockey match being one of the main events of the market. Other attractions to look out for include the daily ice disco and the beautiful fireworks display spectacle.
Wandsbeker Winterzauber
Address: Wandsbeker Marktplatz 1, Hamburg-Wandsbek, Hamburg, Germany
Dates: For updated dates and hours, please visit the official website for Wandsbeker Winterzauber
Website: Wandsbeker Winterzauber
Market highlights: Like Ice Rink, bratwurst, doughnuts, children’s carousel
14. Grosse Bergstrasse Christmas Market
Editor's Note: There's no photo available at the time of writing
One of the oldest streets in Hamburg, Grosse Bergstrasse is also the main shopping center in the Old Town of Hamburg–Altona. During the advent of the Christmas season, this ancient street changes from an ordinary shopping center to a beautiful Christmas market. The spot is lined with shops that offer everything you need to make your holiday fulfilling and unforgettable. Check out the stores and stalls and buy gifts, cards, decoration items, and so much more. Then relax and enjoy tasty dishes on offer here as well. It’s truly a great market to spend a day out.
Grosse Bergstrasse Christmas Market
Address: Hamburg, Germany
15. Hamburg City Hall Christmas Market
Editor's Note: There's no photo available at the time of writing
Without a doubt the most popular Christmas market in town, Hamburg City Hall Christmas Market is a beautiful place to visit. Sitting in front of the majestic city hall, the location is filled with beautifully decorated stalls and huts that offer handmade artworks, gifts, wood carvings, handmade candles, glass art, jewelry, and lanterns. Enjoy delicious culinary treats and wines as you shop. There is even a particular area for children, and you should watch out for Santa and his reindeer sleigh flying over the fair at certain times of the day. Top off your Hamburg Christmas with a visit to this market!
Hamburg City Hall Christmas Market
Address: Hamburg Rathaus, Germany
Website: Hamburg City Hall Christmas Market
16. Weihnachtsmarkt Osterstrasse
Editor's Note: There's no photo available at the time of writing
When you visit Hamburg, you should check out this excellent Christmas market in the beautiful Eimsbüttel countryside. The quiet Fanny-Mendelssohn-Platz is transformed into this fantastic Christmas wonderland where there is something for everyone. The stalls offer great crafts, gifts, and decorative items, with some offering sumptuous Scandinavian cuisine. There is a wide variety of dishes to try out, from Nordic fish and meat specials to vegan cuisine. Enjoy drinks and sing along to well-loved yuletide carols here.
Weihnachtsmarkt Osterstrasse
Address: Fanny-Mendelssohn-Platz, Hamburg, Germany
Website: Weihnachtsmarkt Osterstrasse
Enjoy an amazing Christmas experience in Hamburg
The city of Hamburg and its people do not joke with their holiday seasons. During this period, the region breaks out its party spirit with dozens of fantastic Christmas fairs where visitors, tourists, and locals can have a great time. The Christmas markets in Hamburg, Germany, are some of the best in the world too.
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