Stuttgart Christmas market 2026: dates, times

The Stuttgart Christmas market is one of the oldest and largest in Germany – it was first officially mentioned in 1692 – and it fills the squares of the city centre around the Old Castle. The short answer for 2026: it runs from Wednesday 25 November to Wednesday 23 December 2026, open Sunday to Thursday from 11:00 to 21:00 and Friday and Saturday from 11:00 to 22:00. On the opening day the stalls open at 17:00, and the opening ceremony is at 18:00 in the courtyard of the Old Castle.

Stuttgart Christmas market 2026: dates and times

All dates and times from the official website of the Stuttgart Christmas market (see sources), as of October 2026. The market ends on 23 December, so it is closed on Christmas Eve.

Compared with other big markets in southern Germany and the Alps whose 2026 dates are already official:

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

Where the market is

The market organisers list four squares in the city centre: Schlossplatz, Schillerplatz, Karlsplatz and Marktplatz. With about 250 stalls – traders, craftspeople and fairground rides – it is one of the largest Christmas markets in Germany, and it drew around 3.5 million visitors in 2025, according to the organisers.

Marktplatz. In front of the city hall, the Marktplatz is the busiest part of the market. The view from above, with the rows of stall roofs, is one of the classic Stuttgart Christmas pictures.

Schillerplatz. Between the Stiftskirche and the Old Chancellery, around the Schiller monument, this is the most atmospheric square, with the old town buildings on all sides.

Old Castle. The arcaded courtyard of the Old Castle (Altes Schloss) hosts the opening ceremony and concerts during the season; the Stiftskirche next door has concerts too. The programme is on the official website.

Karlsplatz and Schlossplatz. On Karlsplatz, behind the Old Castle, and on the edge of the large Schlossplatz, the market continues with more stalls and rides.

For children. The Children's Fairyland (Kinderwunderland) has rides and activities for younger visitors.

When to go

• Weekday afternoons are the calmest. Friday and Saturday evenings in December are very busy, especially on the Marktplatz.
• The opening evening (25 November) is short: the stalls only open at 17:00, and the ceremony is at 18:00.
• Late visits work best on Fridays and Saturdays, when the market stays open until 22:00.
• After 23 December the market is closed. For markets that stay open into the new year, see the Salzburg Christmas market 2026 or the Vienna Christmas markets 2026.

Getting there

Stuttgart Hauptbahnhof is a few minutes' walk from the market along Königstraße, the main shopping street, which leads straight to Schlossplatz. ICE trains connect Stuttgart with Frankfurt, Munich and Cologne, and there are direct trains to Paris; train connections to Stuttgart^* can be compared on Omio. Stuttgart Airport is linked to the city centre by S-Bahn.

If you are only in town for an afternoon, you can use luggage storage near Stuttgart station^* (Radical Storage).

Where to stay

Hotels in the city centre between the Hauptbahnhof and the Marktplatz put you within walking distance of every square. The Bohnenviertel, a few minutes south-east of the Marktplatz, is one of the few historic quarters and has small restaurants and wine bars. Book early for the Advent weekends.

More than the market: a weekend in Stuttgart

Between visits to the stalls, Stuttgart has two car museums – the Mercedes-Benz Museum and the Porsche Museum – the Staatsgalerie art museum and the Landesmuseum Württemberg in the Old Castle itself. Tickets for sights and tours in Stuttgart^* are on Tiqets. In the evening, try Swabian dishes such as Maultaschen and Käsespätzle in a traditional inn, and local wine from the vineyards around the city.

Weather in December

Stuttgart is cold in December: on average about 7.2 °C by day and 1.4 °C at night, with 72 mm of rain and snow over the month (ERA5, 2015–2024). Frost at night is common, so warm shoes, gloves and a hat make an evening at the market far more pleasant.

How YesTrip helps

Add Stuttgart and your travel dates to a trip in YesTrip: the AI day plan puts the market squares, the Old Castle and the museums into a sensible order on a map, the forecast shows the weather for your actual travel days, and the packing list suggests warm clothes to match. Munich is about two and a quarter hours away by train, so you can combine Stuttgart with the Munich Christmas markets 2026; our guide to the best Christmas markets in Europe compares twelve cities.

Munich trip planDay by day, with map and tips

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