Christmas markets 2025: Hamburg enchants with festive splendor!

Christmas markets 2025: Hamburg enchants with festive splendor!

Christmas is just around the corner and there is great anticipation of festive markets that will enchant you with lights and scents. In the cathedral city of Cologne, numerous Christmas markets will open their doors from mid-November. The best-known and most visited Christmas market is the festive market at Cologne Cathedral, which will take place from November 17th to December 23rd, 2025. Here, visitors can enjoy the contemplative atmosphere with around five million others and be enchanted by the lights and the smell of mulled wine and roasted almonds. Other Christmas markets in Cologne start around November 20th, including the harbor Christmas market at Rheinauhafen, which runs from November 14th to December 23rd.

It is particularly worth mentioning that the Christmas market at Cologne Cathedral occupies the largest area, while numerous smaller markets are planned in the districts throughout the city, which may not open until later in December. For all visitors there is also current information about parking options and traffic during the Christmas season, which you should keep an eye on in order to visit the markets in a relaxed manner and get in the mood for the Christmas season koeln.de reports.

Advent atmosphere in the region

But it's not just Cologne where there's festive activity. There are enchanting Christmas markets in other cities in the area, such as Soest. The Christmas market there will take place from November 24th to December 22nd, 2025 - an insider tip for everyone who is looking for a little variety. Visitors can enjoy delicious specialties at around 100 stands, while children can bake their own cookies in the bakery. The guided tours of the old town at Christmas time and the visit of St. Nicholas on December 6th bring additional joy and festivity to the city merklich.de knows about it.

Whether in Cologne or elsewhere, the Christmas markets create a wonderful, pre-Christmas atmosphere and offer something for every taste. The huts with craftsmanship, culinary delights and gifts bring Christmas joy to young and old.

A look at Hamburg

The festive season also starts early in Hamburg and the city has several Christmas markets to offer. The Christmas market at Hamburg City Hall opens from the beginning of November until December 23rd. Here visitors can expect an Art Nouveau Viennese café, a nostalgic carousel from the 1920s, and the toy alley with a model train. Santa Claus and his helpers also tell stories three times a day. Another highlight is the “White Magic” on Jungfernstieg, which starts on November 18th and will attract many visitors with a children's program and a historic Ferris wheel ndr.de gives an overview.

The Christmas markets are not only an opportunity to stroll and marvel, but also to experience unforgettable moments together with friends and family. Grab your loved ones and discover the hyggelig markets - after all, the run-up to Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year!