Nuremberg Christmas Markets: What to Eat & Drink
The short version: the Nuremberg Christkindlesmarkt runs from 27 November to 24 December 2026 on the Hauptmarkt, opened by the Christkind’s prologue from the Frauenkirche balcony. Drink Nürnberger Glühwein (try the blueberry version) or a mug from the giant Feuerzangenbowle on the river. Eat Drei im Weggla (three small Rostbratwürste in a roll), fresh Elisenlebkuchen, Früchtebrot and a little Zwetschgenmännle figure to take home. On a short visit, a guided market tour is the quickest way to taste the best of it.
Book a Nuremberg Christmas market tour
Want to taste the Christkindlesmarkt with a local?
Our top pick is the Christmas Market History and Culinary Delights Tour: 2 hours, rated 4.6 from 42 reviews on GetYourGuide.
At a glance
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Dates 2026/27 | Christkindlesmarkt 27 November to 24 December 2026 (opening prologue Friday 27 November, 17:30). Children’s Christmas Market to 30 December, Feuerzangenbowle to 31 December |
| Drink | Nürnberger Glühwein, Heidelbeerglühwein (blueberry), white Winzerglühwein, Feuerzangenbowle |
| Street food | Drei im Weggla (Nürnberger Rostbratwurst in a roll), Reibekuchen potato fritters |
| Sweet | Elisenlebkuchen, Früchtebrot, Christkindlesmarkt-Stollen, Eierzucker |
| Best markets | Christkindlesmarkt, Market of the Sister Cities, Feuerzangenbowle |
| Mug deposit | One reusable mug system: the same mugs at every drinks stand, with a deposit you get back when you return it |
| Best time to go | Weekday daytimes are calmer; come back after dark for the lights and the Feuerzangenbowle. Open 10:00 to 21:00 daily |
What to drink at the Nuremberg Christmas markets
Nürnberger Glühwein is the default, and it is protected: the name has carried EU protection since the early 1990s, a nod to the city’s medieval spiced “Würzwein”. The local favourite is Heidelbeerglühwein, made from pure blueberry wine and spiced with anise, cinnamon and cloves. Look out too for red and white Winzerglühwein (winemakers’ mulled wine), hot mead (Heißer Met), baked apple punch and an alcohol-free Kinderpunsch for children.
The showpiece drink is the Feuerzangenbowle: red wine with spices and citrus peel, poured under a rum-soaked sugar loaf that is set alight so the caramelised sugar drips into the pot. Nuremberg’s version is brewed in a copper cauldron 3.40 metres high that holds 9,000 litres. Beer drinkers should find the WinterWärmer, a hot spiced beer from the Hausbrauerei Altstadthof, served at its own market stand.
The market runs one reusable mug system, with the same mugs at every drinks stand, and it was the first market in Germany to introduce this kind of deposit system. Return the mug to any stand for your deposit, or keep it. In 2025 a cup of Glühwein cost about 4.50 euros.
What to eat at the Nuremberg Christmas markets
| Food | What it is | Where to find it |
|---|---|---|
| Drei im Weggla | Three Nürnberger Rostbratwürste in a crusty roll with mustard. Each sausage is only 7 to 9 cm long and protected by an EU PGI seal | Christkindlesmarkt grill stands |
| Rostbratwurst on a pewter plate | Six, eight, ten or twelve sausages grilled over beech wood, with sauerkraut or potato salad and horseradish (Kren) | Bratwurst kitchens around the market, see below |
| Saure Zipfel | Bratwurst simmered in a broth of vinegar, onions, wine and spices, nicknamed “blue tails” | Traditional Bratwurst kitchens |
| Elisenlebkuchen | The finest Nuremberg gingerbread: at least 25% nuts and no more than 10% flour | Lebkuchen-Schmidt Hexenhäuschen stall on the Christkindlesmarkt |
| Früchtebrot | Dense Franconian fruit bread packed with dried fruit and nuts | Christkindlesmarkt bakery stalls |
| Zwetschgenmännle | Little figures made from dried plums and figs, 9 to 22 cm tall, sold as lucky gifts | Christkindlesmarkt |
| Eierzucker (Springerle) | Pressed egg-and-sugar biscuits made in carved moulds, hung on the tree and then eaten | Christkindlesmarkt sweet stalls |
| Christkindlesmarkt-Stollen | A Christmas stollen baked as a market edition, including a marzipan version | Lebkuchen-Schmidt Hexenhäuschen |
| Regional sausages and brandies | Lamb and beef sausages, fruit brandies, jams and herbal teas from Franconia and the Upper Palatinate | Original Regional stalls by St. Sebald |
| Partner-city specialities | In 2025: turrón from Córdoba, pandoro from Verona, onion soup from Nice, salep from Antalya, Scotch whisky | Market of the Sister Cities |
The one thing not to miss is warm Elisenlebkuchen. Lebkuchen-Schmidt bakes them fresh in front of visitors at its “Hexenhäuschen” (witch’s house) stall, and eaten still warm they are a different thing from the boxed version. Nuremberg Lebkuchen has been a protected geographical indication since 1996 and may only be made within the city limits.
The best Nuremberg Christmas markets
Christkindlesmarkt on the Hauptmarkt
The Christkindlesmarkt fills the main square between the Frauenkirche and the Schöner Brunnen fountain, with up to 180 wooden stalls under red-and-white canvas roofs. It was first mentioned in writing in 1678 and drew more than two million visitors in 2025. For 2026 the city confirms 27 November to 24 December, open 10:00 to 21:00 daily, until 22:00 on opening night and 10:00 to 14:00 on 24 December. The Christkind, a young local elected every two years, opens it with a prologue from the church balcony at 17:30 on Friday 27 November. Eat here: Drei im Weggla, fresh Lebkuchen and Früchtebrot.
Children’s Christmas Market (Kinderweihnacht)
On Hans-Sachs-Platz, a few minutes away, the Kinderweihnacht runs from 27 November to 30 December 2026, with a nostalgic carousel, a mini Ferris wheel, a steam train and craft and baking huts. The Christkind visits Tuesday to Friday at 14:30. Families can warm up with Kinderpunsch while children ride.
Market of the Sister Cities
On the Rathausplatz next to the main market, the Markt der Partnerstädte runs from 27 November to 23 December 2026. In 2025 it had 23 stalls from Nuremberg’s partner and friendship cities, and the food stalls are the draw: Spanish turrón, Veronese pandoro, onion soup from Nice and hot salep from Antalya.
The Feuerzangenbowle at the Fleischbrücke
Down by the river at the Fleischbrücke, the giant punch cauldron is open from 27 November to 31 December 2026: Sunday to Wednesday 12:00 to 21:00, Thursday to 22:00, Friday to 23:00, Saturday 11:00 to 23:00, and 11:00 to 16:00 on 24 December. The classic film “Die Feuerzangenbowle” plays on screens around the huts. It is the best late-evening stop in town.
Original Regional by St. Sebald
Opposite the Old Town Hall, in the niches of St. Sebald, the Original Regional huts sell produce from local direct marketers: Glühwein and punch, fruit brandies, jams from orchard meadows, Christmas biscuits and lamb and beef sausages. These huts close on 23 December.
WinterDorf on Jakobsplatz
The WinterDorf on Jakobsplatz is a separate winter village with a 38-metre Ferris wheel. In 2025 it ran from 14 November 2025 to 6 January 2026, so expect a similar run from mid-November 2026; dates were not yet published at the time of writing. It serves Tucher beer on tap, homemade egg punch, Franconian wine, Reibekuchen and Kaiserschmarrn.
Where to eat a proper meal near the markets
Bratwurst Röslein on the Rathausplatz is the big, bustling option right next to the market, with around 550 seats inside. Order a plate of Rostbratwürste with sauerkraut. In the 2025 holidays it was open daily from 25 December to 6 January.
Historische Bratwurstküche Zum Gulden Stern calls itself the oldest Bratwurst kitchen in the world, grilling its sausages daily over an open beech-wood fire in a 600-year-old sandstone house. Order the house “Röstla” with potato salad.
Behringer’s Bratwurstglöcklein in the Handwerkerhof, the craftsmen’s courtyard by the Königstor, carries a name that goes back to the 14th century. It is handy if you arrive by train.
Goldenes Posthorn dates its wine tavern to 1498 and looks out at St. Sebald. Order a glass of Franconian wine with a plate of Nuremberg sausages. Open Tuesday to Sunday.
Hausbrauerei Altstadthof brews Nuremberg Rotbier (red beer) under the castle and is the start point for tours of the historic rock-cut cellars. In winter it brews the spiced WinterWärmer.
Heilig-Geist-Spital, a restaurant and wine tavern in the old hospital building over the Pegnitz, serves down-to-earth Franconian cooking. Look for Schäufele, the crisp roast pork shoulder with a dumpling, a Franconian dish the tourist board recommends.
Wicklein Lebküchnerei on the Hauptmarkt is the place to buy Elisenlebkuchen in a tin and sit down in its café.
Names link to Google Maps for directions. We checked these places in October 2026. Christmas opening days change, so check before you go.
Christmas market tours to book in Nuremberg
A guided walk is the easiest way to get the stories behind the Christkind, the Lebkuchen and the Bratwurst, and to taste the classics without queueing at the wrong stall. These are the tours we rate for the Christkindlesmarkt season.
| Experience | Length | Rating (reviews) | Best for | Book |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Christmas Market History and Culinary Delights Tour | 2 hours | 4.6 (42) | Tastings with the history | Check availability |
| Christmas Market Culinary Tour | 2 hours | 4.6 (40) | The market foods | Check availability |
| Castle and Old Town Tour with Red Beer Tasting | 3 hours | 4.9 (93) | The castle and a beer | Check availability |
| The Red Beer Tour | 1 hour | 4.9 (92) | A short beer tasting | Check availability |
Our pick: the Christmas Market History and Culinary Delights Tour, rated 4.6 from 42 reviews on GetYourGuide.
Ratings as shown on GetYourGuide in October 2026. Seasonal tours sell out in December, so check the listing for live dates and prices.
Tips for visiting
- Opening night, Friday 27 November, is the busiest evening of the season: the prologue starts at 17:30 and the market and old-town shops stay open until 22:00.
- Christmas Eve is short: the Christkindlesmarkt closes at 14:00 on 24 December.
- Christkindlesmarkt-Taler are 5-euro market tokens accepted at most stands. In 2025 a pack of ten cost 45 euros, worth 50 euros at the stalls.
- Keep your mug for the deposit: the same mugs are used at every drinks stand, so you can return it anywhere.
- The nearest U-Bahn stop is Lorenzkirche on the U1; check vag.de for any construction notices before you travel.
- Vegans are well served: almost every Lebkuchen and Glühwein stand now has a vegan option, and the tourist board publishes a vegan trail around the stalls.
- The tourist information at Hauptmarkt 18, right on the market, has the stall map with the Zwetschgenmännle and gold-foil angel stands marked.
Frequently asked questions
When is the Nuremberg Christmas market 2026?
The Christkindlesmarkt runs from Friday 27 November to Thursday 24 December 2026, open 10:00 to 21:00 daily, with the opening prologue at 17:30 on 27 November and an early close at 14:00 on 24 December.
What do you eat at the Nuremberg Christmas market?
Drei im Weggla (three Rostbratwürste in a roll), fresh Elisenlebkuchen, Früchtebrot and Christmas stollen, with Glühwein or blueberry Glühwein to drink. For a sit-down plate of sausages, go to Bratwurst Röslein or Zum Gulden Stern.
What is Feuerzangenbowle?
Mulled red wine with spices and citrus peel, poured under a rum-soaked sugar loaf that is set alight. Nuremberg’s comes from a 9,000-litre cauldron at the Fleischbrücke, open until 31 December 2026.
Which Nuremberg Christmas market is best?
The Christkindlesmarkt on the Hauptmarkt is the one to see, but combine it with the Market of the Sister Cities on the Rathausplatz for international food and the Feuerzangenbowle by the river for the evening.
Is anything open on 25 and 26 December?
The Christkindlesmarkt ends on 24 December. The Feuerzangenbowle reopens from 11:00 on 25 to 30 December 2026, and the Children’s Christmas Market runs to 30 December (in 2025 it closed on 25 December).
Is a Christmas market tour worth it?
On a short visit, yes. A guide takes you straight to the best Lebkuchen and Bratwurst stalls and explains the Christkind traditions, and you can come back alone in the evening for the Feuerzangenbowle.
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