Cologne Christmas Markets 2026: Dates, Which Ones to Visit and Tours Worth Booking
4 min read
The Cologne Christmas markets open between 13 and 23 November 2026, and the longest one runs into January. The city’s listing on koeln.de gives these dates for the five markets visitors ask about most:
| Market | Dates in 2026 |
|---|---|
| Cathedral market (Weihnachtsmarkt am Kölner Dom) | 16 November to 23 December |
| Harbour market at the Chocolate Museum (Hafen-Weihnachtsmarkt) | 13 November to 3 January 2027 |
| Neumarkt market | 16 November to 23 December |
| Old Town market (Heinzels Wintermärchen, Alter Markt and Heumarkt) | 23 November to 10 January 2027 |
| Nikolausdorf at Rudolfplatz | 16 November to 23 December |
The same page lists more than a dozen smaller markets, among them one at the Stadtgarten, one in the MediaPark and a short Winterzauber at the Eigelstein from 2 to 6 December. The individual market pages on koeln.de give the opening hours. The cathedral market opens Sunday to Wednesday 11:00 to 21:00, Thursday and Friday 11:00 to 22:00 and Saturday 10:00 to 22:00. Neumarkt and the Nikolausdorf open 11:00 to 21:00, on Friday and Saturday until 22:00. All three are closed on Sunday 22 November (Totensonntag). The harbour market opens daily 11:00 to 21:00, Friday and Saturday until 22:00; it runs as a Christmas market until 23 December and as a New Year market from 26 December. The Old Town market opens daily 11:00 to 22:00, is closed on 24 and 25 December, and from 31 December only its Heumarkt part stays open, 11:00 to 21:00.
How the markets differ
The cathedral market sits right by the Dom. The Old Town market around Alter Markt and Heumarkt starts later but has the latest end of the five, 10 January. The harbour market is the one at the Rhine, by the Chocolate Museum, and it opens first of the five. The Nikolausdorf at Rudolfplatz is the one in front of the Hahnentorburg gate. If you have one evening, walk between the cathedral, the Old Town and, if you have the energy, Neumarkt; the three are in the centre.
Tours that make sense in Advent
Not every market tour needs a guide. A few ideas on GetYourGuide are different enough to be worth the money.
The Christmas markets and Kölsch tour with a master brewer costs €35.10, takes three hours and combines three markets with two traditional Kölsch halls. It is offered in German and English as a private or small-group tour. Mulled wine, Kölsch and food are not included; you pay for whatever you order at the stalls and in the brewhouses. It starts at the Kreuzblume by the cathedral and ends at Heinzels Wintermärchen on Heumarkt, and the page lists it as not suitable for people with mobility impairments. It is new on the platform, so it has no reviews yet.
The Christmas city tour in German costs €15 and takes two hours. It is about how Cologne celebrated Christmas in the past, and it runs from the Chocolate Museum to the cathedral. It is only in German and also new.
On the water instead
Two boat trips are built around the season. The Rhine winter cruise with festive music costs €25.90 for 90 minutes, from 683 reviews rated 4.4 out of 5. Mulled wine, coffee and hot chocolate are sold on board, but you may not bring your own alcohol. The two-hour winter afternoon cruise costs €28. It has reserved seats, live music and St Nicholas on board, and the page lists boarding at 15:00 and departure at 15:30 from Frankenwerft 15; it is marked wheelchair accessible. Free cancellation ends three days before, not 24 hours before as on the other tours here. It only sails in the weeks before Christmas (in 2025, KD ran it Tuesday to Sunday), so check the dates in the booking calendar. For the other cruises, read our Rhine cruise guide.
Which to choose
For a first Advent visit, walk the markets on your own and add one tour only if it replaces something. Choose the master brewer tour if beer is part of your plan, the Christmas history walk if you understand German, the cruise if you would rather sit down. The Chocolate Museum has its own ticket guide, handy if you are already at the harbour market. All seasonal tours are on our Cologne Christmas market tours page.
