Markets by theme
Not every market works with a pushchair and a tired five-year-old. These have something built for children, from carousels and little trains to Santa’s house and baking sessions. We name the market in each city, because it’s rarely all of them.
63 cities with something for kids
63 of the Christmas market cities we cover have something built for children, but it’s rarely the whole market. Look for the separate children’s markets, like Nuremberg’s Kinderweihnacht and Frankfurt’s market on the Mainkai, where the rides, the crafts and the Santa visits are all in one place.
Best Index score first. Open them on the map →
| Market | What’s there for kids | Market open | Index |
|---|---|---|---|
 | A separate children’s Christmas market with rides and visits from the Christkind. | 27 Nov – 24 Dec | 8.7 |
 | A kids’ Christmas world with a reindeer train, a children’s hut, a carousel and their own ice area. | 6 Nov – 6 Jan | 8.6 |
 Dresden Dresdner Striezelmarkt | The Striezelkinderfest on 20 December, plus a children’s programme through the season. | 25 Nov – 6 Jan | 8.4 |
 Budapest Vörösmarty Classic Xmas; Advent Óbudán | A free children’s railway on Vörösmarty tér, and Mikulás meets children in Óbuda’s Gingerbread House. | 13 Nov – 3 Jan | 8.3 |
 Colmar Children's Market at Petite Venise | A whole market designed for children, with Santa’s letterbox. | 23 Nov – 29 Dec | 8.1 |
 Leipzig Augustusplatz family area and Märchenwald | A fairy-tale forest, a reading workshop and rides. | 24 Nov – 23 Dec | 8.1 |
 Regensburg Regensburger Christkindlmarkt | A Kindertag, a whole children’s day, is in the 2026 programme. | 19 Nov – 23 Dec | 8.0 |
 Montbéliard Atelier des Petits Lutins, Tante Airie and Père Noël, the rink | Free workshops for ages 3 to 10, Tante Airie handing out papillotes every day and Père Noël from Tuesday to Sunday, Père Noël's house and post office, and a family rink. | 21 Nov – 24 Dec | 7.9 |
 Salzburg Hellbrunner Adventzauber | A family market with a petting zoo, a Christmas post office and a Krampus day. | 19 Nov – 6 Jan | 7.9 |
 Wrocław Children's zone (Plac Solny) | A children’s zone with the Magic Playland obstacle course. | 20 Nov – 7 Jan | 7.9 |
 Basel Märchenwald (Münsterplatz) | A fairy-tale forest for children on the minster square. | 26 Nov – 3 Jan | 7.8 |
 Bremen Ansgari-Winterwald | Children’s afternoons where kids write their letters to Santa. | 23 Nov – 23 Dec | 7.8 |
 Düsseldorf Märchen-Markt (Schadowplatz) | A fairy-tale-themed market with a kids’ carousel, and a Kindersonntag on the first Sunday of Advent. | 19 Nov – 30 Dec | 7.8 |
 Frankfurt Kinderweihnachtsmarkt am Mainkai | A dedicated children’s market with crafts, a carousel and a kids’ wheel. | 23 Nov – 22 Dec | 7.8 |
 Graz Kinderadvent (Kapistran-Pieller-Platz) | A small children’s market with a carousel and its own programme, next to the Franciscan quarter market. | 20 Nov – 24 Dec | 7.8 |
 Lübeck Wichtelwunderland; Märchenwald an der Marienkirche | An elf village with free mini golf and workshops, and a fairy-tale wood with a children's railway and carousel. | 23 Nov – 30 Dec | 7.8 |
 Mulhouse Market programme and museums | Storytelling at the Musée Historique, treasure hunts and craft workshops during the market, in a town with the Famille Plus label. | 20 Nov – 27 Dec | 7.8 |
 Prague Old Town Square Christmas Market (Staroměstské náměstí) | In 2025 the market ran children's Christmas workshops at weekends. The 2026 programme isn't out yet. | 20 Nov – 6 Jan | 7.8 |
 | A children’s area with a mini steam railway, a mini wheel, a carousel and gingerbread decorating. | 25 Nov – 23 Dec | 7.8 |
 Augsburg Kinderweihnachtsmarkt at Moritzplatz, Märchenstraße, Himmlisches Postamt, Christmas Garden | A separate children's market with a Christmas carousel, a witch's house and its own programme, a 10-window fairy-tale trail with a riddle card, and a post office for letters. | 23 Nov – 24 Dec | 7.7 |
 Berlin Lucia Weihnachtsmarkt (Kulturbrauerei) | Children’s theatre in the Alte Kantine. Give the Gendarmenmarkt a miss with kids, as it has nothing for them. | 13 Nov – 3 Jan | 7.7 |
 Brno Vánoce na Zelném trhu | A children’s village on Zelný trh. | 13 Nov – 31 Dec | 7.7 |
 Annecy Père Noël on the Ancienne Grenette, the rink, Advent stories at the Bonlieu library | Father Christmas in his lit-up house on the Place de l'Ancienne Grenette for photos, the ice rink, and Advent calendar stories at the médiathèque. | 26 Nov – 3 Jan | 7.6 |
 Erfurt Domplatz and the Märchenwald | An organic bakery where children roll and decorate biscuits with no booking, fairy-tale houses with a storyteller, a carousel and a letterbox for the Weihnachtsmann. | 24 Nov – 22 Dec | 7.6 |
 Freiburg Freiburger Weihnachtsmarkt | Baking sessions for kids at the Kinderbackstube. | 19 Nov – 23 Dec | 7.6 |
 Hamburg Bergedorfer Weihnachtsmarkt | Santa’s Home and Villa Kunterbunt for children, and snow on the hour. | 23 Nov – 1 Jan | 7.6 |
 Cologne Nikolausdorf (Rudolfplatz) | A St Nicholas village with daily Nikolaus visits, the most child-focused of Cologne’s markets. | 13 Nov – 10 Jan | 7.5 |
 Innsbruck Christkindlmarkt am Marktplatz | Billed as the family market, with a carousel, ponies and a puppet theatre. | 13 Nov – 6 Jan | 7.5 |
 Montreux Santa's House at Rochers-de-Naye | Santa’s mountain house at Rochers-de-Naye, reached by cog railway. You book a time slot. | 20 Nov – 24 Dec | 7.5 |
 Aachen Aachener Weihnachtsmarkt | St Nicholas visits, a marionette theatre and a family workshop, all in the 2026 programme. | 20 Nov – 23 Dec | 7.4 |
 Edinburgh Santa's Stories (Edinburgh's Christmas) | Ticketed Santa storytelling, plus the Family Ice Experience ice-sculpture walk on George Street. There's no skating rink in 2026. | 14 Nov – 3 Jan | 7.4 |
 Heidelberg Universitätsplatz carousel, Winterwäldchen children's railway, Bismarckplatz carousel | A 100-year-old jumping-horse carousel, plus a children's railway and a wheelchair carousel in 2025. | 23 Nov – 1 Jan | 7.4 |
 Munich Münchner Christkindlmarkt: Himmelswerkstatt | The Himmelswerkstatt, a children’s craft workshop run by the main market. | 20 Nov – 24 Dec | 7.4 |
 Dortmund Weihnachtsdorf (Weihnachtsstadt) | A daily kids’ programme with puppet theatre, biscuit baking and a magic show. | 19 Nov – 30 Dec | 7.3 |
 Helsinki Senate Square | A free horse carousel in the middle of the market below the cathedral. | 27 Nov – 22 Dec | 7.2 |
 Reims Atelier du Père Noël (Porte de Mars) | Santa’s chalet and a free little train at the end of the main market. | 25 Nov – 27 Dec | 7.2 |
 Ulm Ulmer Weihnachtsmarkt | Children's carousels, the Bähnle train, a children's Ferris wheel, candle dipping and a storytelling theatre in a yurt. | 19 Nov – 10 Jan | 7.2 |
 Baden-Baden Children's area of the Christkindelsmarkt | A children's train, a historic carousel, a mini Ferris wheel, a supervised children's Christmas bakery and a letterbox for wishes. | 26 Nov – 6 Jan | 7.1 |
 Geneva Noël au Quai | A children’s village and a kids’ yurt with crafts and concerts. | 19 Nov – 24 Dec | 7.1 |
 Zurich Bellevue Noël | A whole children’s area, with crafts, painting, a carousel, a kids’ bar and a teddy workshop. | 19 Nov – 24 Dec | 7.1 |
 Manchester Cathedral Gardens | The council pitches this site at younger visitors, with mini fairground games, free entertainment and Kids Skate Free on Tuesdays from 16:00 to 18:00 until 18 Dec. | 6 Nov – 3 Jan | 7.0 |
 Luxembourg City Winterkids, Place Guillaume II | A whole children's market, 20 November 2026 to 3 January 2027, with workshops, shows, a giant slide and a flying reindeer carousel, plus carousels on Place d'Armes and Place de Paris. | 20 Nov – 3 Jan | 6.9 |
 Paris Marché de Noël de La Défense (just outside the city limits) | Santa and Mrs Claus, an elves' workshop, carousels and free creative workshops for children. | 12 Nov – 4 Jan | 6.9 |
 Tallinn Town Hall Square | Santa's little house on the square and old-fashioned carousels round the tree. | 20 Nov – 6 Jan | 6.9 |
 Lyon Père Noël chalet and face painting at Place Carnot | Père Noël at his chalet on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays with photos and a calèche, plus free face painting on set dates. | 20 Nov – 24 Dec | 6.8 |
 Newcastle Christmas Village, Old Eldon Square | Santa Stories (from £10.50 a child), Mrs Claus’ Bakery, Rockin’ Reindeer shows, a carousel and the Ferris wheel, 21 Nov to 24 Dec. | 19 Nov – 23 Dec | 6.8 |
 Copenhagen Tivoli Gardens | Tivoli's rides, Santa's house and light shows over the lake, from 13 Nov to 3 Jan. | 6 Nov – 3 Jan | 6.7 |
 Maastricht Magisch Maastricht Vrijthof | A luna park at the foot of the basilica, a carousel for the smallest children, a Fun House and Santa visits through December. | 27 Nov – 27 Dec | 6.7 |
 Oslo Norsk Folkemuseum fair and Spikersuppa | Under-18s get into the Folkemuseum fair free, and the rink at Spikersuppa is free too. | 7 Nov – 3 Jan | 6.7 |
 Aarhus Den Gamle By | Seventy-five old houses dressed for 400 years of Danish Christmas, and under-18s go free. | 13 Nov – 31 Dec | 6.6 |
 Bergen Pepperkakebyen, byROMMET | A whole town of gingerbread built by kindergartens and schools, and children under 16 get in free on weekdays. | 20 Nov – 22 Dec | 6.6 |
 Gothenburg Jul på Liseberg | Santa's village, rides and Kaninlandet inside Liseberg, and children under 110 cm get in free. | 14 Nov – 30 Dec | 6.6 |
 Leeds Both Christmas sites | Penguin Club skating for under-9s, the Golden Gallopers and rides on Cookridge Street, a funhouse, an Elf on the Shelf trail and Santa at City Square. | 19 Nov – 31 Dec | 6.6 |
 London Hyde Park Winter Wonderland | The Santa Land package, family rides and a Family Fun Day on 3 Jan 2027, plus hourly snowfall in Covent Garden. | 31 Oct – 4 Jan | 6.5 |
 Peterborough Father Christmas in the Library (Peterborough Cathedral) | Father Christmas in the cathedral library with a gift, from £15 a child, 21 Nov to 24 Dec 2026, and under-16s get into the craft fair free. | 20 Nov – 22 Nov | 6.4 |
 Stockholm Skansen's Christmas market, Mariefred | Skansen is free for under-16s, with the animals and a ring dance round the tree, and Santa reaches Mariefred by steam train on 29 November. | 21 Nov – 23 Dec | 6.4 |
 Valkenburg WinterGlow; Kerst in MergelRijk; Landal Christmas Parade | WinterGlow has a children's carousel and Santa's House, MergelRijk a miniature Christmas story, and the parade brings Santa and Bollo. | 13 Nov – 3 Jan | 6.4 |
 Nottingham Old Market Square | A children's rink with penguin skate aids, a toboggan, a carousel and a helter skelter. | 12 Nov – 31 Dec | 6.1 |
 Amsterdam Het Amsterdamse Winterparadijs and the Museumplein rink | A kids' rink, mini Ferris wheel and children's shows in the RAI winter fair ticket, and a skating rink by the market. | 3 Dec – 27 Dec | 5.9 |
 Dublin TwinkleTown Smithfield Square, TwinkleTown St Patrick's Park | Santo Panto with a gift, children's rides at both TwinkleTown sites and sensory skating sessions. | 20 Nov – 31 Dec | 5.4 |
 Glasgow Glasgow Green | Santa’s Grotto (£16.75 a child), the Very Merry Circus in the Big Top (£12.50), family rides and the rink. | 6 Nov – 3 Jan | 5.2 |
 Rotterdam Winter Wonderland (Ahoy) and the Markthal Kersthal | Daily kids' shows, an elves' village and a snow slide at Ahoy, with under-3s free, and Santa in the Markthal at weekends. | 5 Dec – 30 Dec | 5.0 |
 Rovaniemi Santa Claus Village and SantaPark | Meet Santa free at his office on the Arctic Circle, or go underground to SantaPark's Elf School. | 30 Nov – 3 Jan | 5.0 |
Each one has something properly built for children, not just a carousel in the corner.
Germany · Kinderweihnacht (Hans-Sachs-Platz)
Nuremberg gives children a whole market of their own. The Kinderweihnacht on Hans-Sachs-Platz has rides and visits from the Christkind, a few minutes’ walk from the Hauptmarkt.
Germany · Kinder-Märchenland (Schlossplatz)
Stuttgart’s Kinder-Märchenland on Schlossplatz is a proper day out, with a mini steam railway, a mini Ferris wheel, a carousel and gingerbread decorating.
Austria · Wiener Christkindlmarkt (Rathauspark)
In the Rathauspark behind the main market, Vienna has a whole Christmas world for kids, with a reindeer train, a children’s hut, a carousel and their own patch of ice.
Big names that don’t do much for children this year.
Nothing for kids
It has no programme for children. Head to the Lucia market at the Kulturbrauerei instead.
No rink in 2026
There’s Santa storytelling and an ice-sculpture walk, but the skating rink has gone this year.
