Graz Christmas market 2026: dates and hours

Graz, Austria's second city, turns its whole historic centre into a chain of small markets in Advent. The short answer for 2026: the Advent markets run from Friday 20 November to Thursday 24 December, and the craft markets from Friday 27 November to Wednesday 23 December. The main one stands on Hauptplatz, in front of the town hall, and all of them can be reached on foot.

Graz Advent markets 2026: dates and hours

Dates and hours from Holding Graz, the city's company that organises the Advent programme (see sources), as of 4 November 2026. Markets without an entry for 24 December end on the 23rd. The Färberplatz craft market runs from 27 November to 23 December, and the children's Advent on Kapistran-Pieller-Platz from 20 November to 23 December.

At 35 days, the main season in Graz is as long as Munich's and shorter than in Vienna:

Season: calendar days from the first to the last day.

The markets at a glance

Hauptplatz. The Christmas tree and an avenue of lights stand in front of the town hall, with crafts and food around them. This is where to start.

Franziskanerviertel. The Altgrazer Christkindlmarkt is the oldest in the city. It focuses on rural traditions, shows Thuringian tree decorations and sells products from Styria's food regions.

Glockenspielplatz. Local crafts and Styrian customs, with Advent wreath binding and visits from St Nicholas and Krampus. The square takes its name from the carillon in the gable of one of its houses.

Mehlplatz. Traditional crafts and food: cheese spaetzle, baked potatoes with toppings, waffles, Baumkuchen and a good choice of punch and mulled wine.

Schmiedgasse. The Adventlounge has designed huts with four seating areas and a choice of punches, more bar than market.

Eisernes Tor. A quieter market in the spirit of what Advent originally meant: calm and time together.

Joanneumsviertel. The Styrian crafts initiative shows unusual gift ideas, and known Styrian restaurateurs do the cooking. It opens only from 15:00.

Färberplatz. A craft market with handmade pieces and small series, organic regional food, live music and workshops for children, from 27 November.

A day and an evening in Graz

The market squares are all in the old town, so you can see them on foot in one go. Start on Hauptplatz at midday, walk through the Franziskanerviertel and on to Mehlplatz and Glockenspielplatz. In the late afternoon, go up the Schlossberg for the view over the roofs from the Uhrturm, the city's symbol. Joanneumsviertel and Schmiedgasse suit the evening. Tickets for museums and sights in Graz^* are on Tiqets if you want to warm up.

Getting there

Graz has its own small airport. The flight box below shows Vienna, the nearest airport in our flight search, from where you continue by train or bus. Compare train and bus connections to Graz^* on Omio. From Graz Hauptbahnhof, the tram takes you to Hauptplatz. If you are just passing through, luggage storage in Graz^* from Radical Storage takes your bags for the day. From outside the EU, an eSIM for Austria^* from Airalo is usually cheaper than roaming.

Where to stay

The old town around Hauptplatz is the most convenient, with all the markets within walking distance. The Lend and Gries districts on the other bank of the Mur are livelier and often cheaper, and the bridges bring you straight back to the centre. Book early for Advent weekends.

Weather in December

Graz is cold and fairly dry in December: on average about 5.1 °C by day and -2.4 °C at night, with 38 mm of rain and snow over the month (2015–2024). Nights are usually below freezing, so bring warm shoes, gloves and a hat for an evening at the stalls.

How YesTrip helps

YesTrip builds a day plan with a map for your trip to Graz, shows the forecast for your travel days and suggests a packing list. You can share the trip with friends and keep track of expenses. If you are heading on, our Vienna Christmas markets 2026, Bratislava Christmas market 2026, Zagreb Christmas market 2026 and Budapest Christmas markets 2026 cover other stops, and our overview compares the best Christmas markets in Europe.

Vienna trip planDay by day, with map and tips

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