A Guide to Visiting the Christmas Markets in Hamburg

Hamburg is my favourite city in Germany. Can you believe that I have been to Hamburg four times already, spending close to a total of one month in this beautiful city? I always wanted to see it in festive clothes as well, and I was so happy when I was invited by the tourism board to explore the Christmas Markets in Hamburg.

The Christmas markets in Germany are truly special, and Hamburg makes no exception. The entire city transforms into a fairytale of lights, beautifully decorated with drapes of tiny bulbs and dotted with Christmas markets in the main areas.

As Hamburg is such a diverse city, the Christmas markets in the city follow the same trend, from the classic and elegant Rathausmarkt in front of the City Hall, to the naughtiness of Santa Pauli, on the Reeperbahn.

Hamburg at Christmas 

If you want to experience the charm of the traditional German Christmas Markets, there is no better place to go than Hamburg. The city is not as crowded as other destinations in Germany, so you can enjoy the charming atmosphere without having to make your way through a sea of people.

The entire city adopts a festive look in December, both outdoors and indoors, so don’t miss the shopping centres or the local restaurants. I enjoyed strolling through the city, both during the day and during the night, taking in the atmosphere and enjoying the celebrations, in the company of a bunch of fantastic lovely ladies.

Where to Stay When You Visit the Hamburg Christmas Markets

I stayed at Villa Viva, a newly opened hotel close to the main train station in Hamburg. I always choose to stay around the station because it is a great area connected very well with the airport and all the other areas of Hamburg. You can walk from the train station to the Rathaus in about 15 minutes.

Villa Viva is a social project which donates the majority of their profits to water projects around the world. The hotel has a range of different rooms, from individual pods to suites with a view, for all ranges of budgets.

I loved the rooftop bar, especially the outdoor terrace whilst snowing. The view over Hamburg from here is so pretty, unobstructed by other buildings.

You can click here to check the latest rates on Booking.com, and here to see the reviews on Tripadvisor.

The Best Christmas Markets in Hamburg 

Christmas markets in Germany have a long and rich history, dating back to the late Middle Ages. They originated as a way for craftsmen to sell their wares before the winter months set in, and over time, they evolved into festive gatherings where people could come together to celebrate the holiday season. 

The markets typically feature wooden stalls adorned with festive decorations, selling a variety of items such as handmade crafts, ornaments, and delicious treats like gingerbread, roasted nuts, and mulled wine. The atmosphere is festive, with carolers singing traditional Christmas songs and the scent of roasted chestnuts and spiced wine filling the air.

Hamburg’s Christmas markets reflect these traditions in their own unique way. The city’s largest market, Rathausmarkt, features a variety of handmade crafts and traditional German foods, as well as unique attractions like the blacksmith workshop and the flying Santa. The Jungfernstieg market, located on the shore of Binnenalster Lake, offers a more elegant experience with its white tents and illuminated Christmas tree in the lake. And the Santa Pauli market, located in the city’s red light district, adds a touch of naughtiness to the festivities with its adult-themed gifts and attractions.

Rathausmarkt

Opening times: 

Sun – Thu: 11 am – 9 pm

Fri – Sat: 11 am -10pm

Rathausmarkt is the historical Christmas market in Hamburg, located in front of the city hall. It is the largest market in the city and the most popular at the same time. It can get quite busy, even if you arrive early, so prepare for the crowds. 

There are plenty of things to see, buy and taste in this market. I was impressed by the number of artisans selling their cute products here. I even bought a small ceramic Christmas tree, to hang in my tree at home to remind me of my trip to Hamburg. 

When it comes to food, the options are endless. From raclette to bratwurst, from fried potato cakes topped with sauerkraut to roast pork with crackling, and from donuts to chocolate-covered apples, there is something for everyone. 

As an alternative to Glühwein, I tried the mulled cherry wine at Rathausmarket. And wow, how delicious that was!

One novelty, that I have only seen in this Christmas market, was the blacksmith workshop. It was very interesting to see the skilled craftsmen make horseshoes using only iron, fire, and a hammer. 

Don’t miss the flying Santa at this Christmas Market! Coming from a few days in Vienna, I imagined that the flying Santa is just a sleigh crossing over the market, the same way the heart does in Vienna. But no, in Hamburg, there is a real Santa who boards the sleigh and travels from one corner of the market to another, wishing everyone a Happy Christmas. The show happens on the hour at 4 pm, 6 pm, and 8 pm. 

Jungfernstieg Christmas Market

Opening Times: 

Mon – Thu: 11 am – 9 pm

Fri – Sun: 11 am – 10 pm

Jungfernstieg is located on the shore of Binnenalster Lake, only a few minutes away from Rathaus, and it is known as the white Christmas market in Hamburg. This is because instead of wooden huts, all the vendors are presenting their offers inside white tents decorated with golden stars. At night, the market is illuminated by blue lights.

Among the usual food, drinks and gifts offerings, at the Jungfernstieg you will also find gifts for your pets. The Hunde Bakery is selling all sorts of handmade treats for your most loyal four-legged friends.

It’s also here where you can see the Christmas tree from the middle of the Binnenalster Lake.

When I visited the Jungfernstieg Christmas Market I was lucky to be at the right time for the Christmas parade, which I joined. The jolly parade included Santas driving jeeps carrying platforms decorated with wintery scenes, children dressed as Santas singing and dancing, and princesses with dresses lit by fairy lights.  

Santa Pauli Christmas Market 

Opening times:

Mon – Wed: 4 pm – 11 pm

 Thu: 4 pm -12 am

 Fri & Sat: 1 pm – 1 am

 Sun: 1 pm – 11:00 pm

The Reeperbahn is one of the oldest red light districts in Europe, which I first discovered back in 2019 when I took part in the Reeperbahn Festival. It’s a very, very naughty area in Hamburg, with a lot of X-rated entertainment and the best nightlife in the city.

The Christmas market on the Reeperbahn, named suggestively Santa Pauli, is unique. Here you won’t find cute decorations, Christmas music, or any family-friendly activities. On the contrary, Santa Pauli is a market of sin, as the Reeperbahn’s unofficial name (“The mile of sin”).

In the Santa Pauli Christmas market, you will find nuns selling “Holy Mary” products, bondage outfits, the other kind of toys, explicitly shaped cookies and lollies, and even naked bodies decorations for the tree.

The main stage of the market hosts drag queen shows, fire-blowing dominatrix, as well as men stripping. Which I have to admit, was quite the show!

If you want to see a unique, kinky Christmas market, Santa Pauli is the one!

St Petri Christmas Market

Opening times: 

Mon – Fri: 10 am – 5:30 pm

Sat: 10 am – 5 pm

Sun: 9 am – 8 pm

The St Petri Christmas Market is located around the church with the same name, very close to the Rathaus. It is a small market, with much less people than the main ones in Hamburg. The main attraction in this Christmas Market is the large nativity scene on the right-hand side of the church.

This market is where I bought a beautiful bauble for my Christmas tree, with a wintery scenery on it. I haven’t seen similar ones in any other market.

StrandPauli

Opening times:

Monday and Tuesday: closed

Wednesday to Friday: 4 pm – 12 am

Saturday: 12 pm – 12 am

Sunday: 12 pm – 6 pm

A Christmas market in a beach club? Yes, please! The popular StrandPauli beach club transforms in winter into a winter wonderland on the sand, on the shore of the Elbe River, decorated with fairy lights, Christmas trees, and log fires.

The evening I visited StrandPauli was snowing with big, large snowflakes, making the atmosphere even more magical. The Christmas trees carried snow on their branches, lit by the lights underneath. It felt quite surreal to step on sand covered with a light carpet of white snow.  

We went for a traditional German fondue dinner in the interior of the club, which made me feel like I was inside an Alpine hut, near a ski slope. The dimmed lighting, the large wooden tables and the twinkly lights from the outside contributed to the festive atmosphere.

The fondue we had is different than the one you might be used to. The German fondue is a festive dish that consists of a pot of flavoured broth in which you dip different meats or vegetables. It is served alongside a range of sauces and crusty bread with butter. It is a dish that brings families and friends together.

The fondue dinner at StrandPauli is very popular, so make sure to book ahead if you plan on dining here. Otherwise, you can enjoy Glühwein on the beach, delight yourself with a portion of freshly cooked Kaiserschmarrn and play curling on the court at the entrance.  

Winterwald 

Opening times: 11 am – 11 pm

Winterwald was one of my favourite Christmas markets in Hamburg. It is quite small, and hidden away from the main street. The entrance looks like the gate of a castle, and the market is surrounded by many Christmas trees – this is where the name comes from as well, which translates as the winter forest.

The market is small but has quite a few secluded areas, such as the bar, which is surrounded by trees, making you feel that you are indeed entering a forest. There is even a little selfie corner, where you can sit on Santa’s chair and be accompanied by a reindeer and Miss Claus on top of a tower, dropping lit snowflakes on its side.

Marché de Noël

Opening times: 12 pm – 10 pm

Marché de Noël is like a secret Christmas market in Hamburg, hidden from the main street, in the courtyard of the Stadthöfen building complex. This is a relatively new Christmas market, which makes it less crowded than the other Christmas markets in the city centre.

This is a rather modern Christmas market, with the food offering focusing on international flavours such as Korean, Turkish, or Indian. There is even a little wagon where Esmeralda the medium awaits its customers, to read their fortune in their palms.  

The centre of the market is dominated by the bar, in the shape of a round Christmas cake.

As soon as I stepped into this pretty Christmas market I felt its charm. The floor was covered with wood chips, making me think I was in a forest, and not the middle of the city. The building complex protects from the loud noises of the streets around, so the only things I could hear were Christmas songs, cheerful conversations and laughter. We ordered glasses of champagne and mugs of hot mulled wine and cheered near the Christmas tree. I loved this market so much that I returned the following day, for another mulled wine.

Spitalstrasse (City) Christmas Market 

Opening times: 11 am — 11 pm

Spitalstrasse was the first Christmas Market I visited in Hamburg. My flight arrived quite late, and by the time I got into town, it was dark already. I chose to have dinner at one of my favourite restaurants in Hamburg, Nagel, so I was searching for an ATM as they are cash only. Walking from the train station to Spitalstrasse, I stepped right into the Christmas atmosphere, with stalls in the middle of the pedestrian street, and a Christmas tree with large red baubles at the other end.

There are quite a few stalls selling food and drinks in this Christmas market, from sausages to sauteed mushrooms, to roasted chestnuts and a peculiar green soup with ham and sausages.

Weingarten 26 

Opening times:

Tue – Thu: 4 pm – 10pm 

Fri – Sun: 1 pm – 10 pm

Don’t miss this tiny Christmas Market, just opposite Santa Pauli. Weingarten 26 is actually a historical façade, that is not allowed to be demolished because of its heritage. For a long time, this was just an empty space. Until this year, when it was open to the public for the first time.

Behind the façade, you will find a small courtyard with a few stalls selling mulled wine and flammkuchen. There is also a curling rink, where you can try your skills against the locals at this winter sport.

Fleetinsel Christmas Market 

Opening times:

Sun – Thu: 12 pm-9 pm

Fri – Sat: 12 pm-10 pm

I stumbled upon the Fleetinsel Christmas market on my last day in the city, before enjoying one last brunch in Hamburg. It is located on a canal, and even if it’s small, it is very atmospheric, especially once the sun goes down and the lights reflect in the water. This market also has a large covered area, where you can enjoy a mulled wine if the weather is bad.

The Food in the Hamburg Christmas Markets 

There are plenty of great food and drinks that you should try at the Christmas Markets in Hamburg, starting with the classic wurst. There are different types of sausages, from the grilled bratwurst with mustard and sauteed onions on top to the currywurst and the Käsekrakauer filled with cheese.  

Another great dish to have in Hamburg, at the Rathausmarkt Christmas Market, is the Krustenbraten: roast pork with crackling served with cranberry sauce and fried onions. Don’t miss the raclette, which is an indulgent portion of cheese melted over bread or potatoes.

The potato pancakes served with sour cream and salmon are also a must.

When it comes to drinks, there is a large selection to choose from. Besides the Glühwein, I highly recommend the cherry mulled wine, which is stronger but tastes so good. The Feuerzangenbowle is an experience that comes with its own mug: a cube of sugar soaked in brandy or rum is put on top of the mug, and set on fire. The sugar melts and falls into the wine, making it tastier (and stronger!).

Tips for Visiting the Christmas Markets in Hamburg 

• I visited Hamburg during the first weekend of December and the maximum temperature of each day was 0 degrees Celsius. It also snowed, which made the city look more like a fairytale. I highly recommend wearing layers and dressing up for the weather. It is cold!
• Have cash when you are visiting the Christmas markets in Hamburg. Not all the stalls are taking cards, especially when you are buying low-value decorations.
• When you buy a drink, you will have to pay a deposit for the mug. You can either keep the mug or return it and get the deposit mug.
• Each Christmas market in Hamburg has its own mug. It is very hard to choose which one to keep and which to give back. I came back home with two.

For more articles about Hamburg, check out my recommendations below:

• The best clubs on the Reeperbahn
• How to spend two days in Hamburg

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