Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg, Germany
Stuttgart Christmas Market
Around 250 stalls across four squares, first recorded in 1692 — and famous for its decorated stall roofs.
- Dates
- 25 Nov – 23 Dec 2026
- Opening hours
- Not yet published for 2026 — check the official site
- Admission
- Free entry
- Stalls
- around 250
- Address
- Schlossplatz, Schillerplatz, Karlsplatz and Marktplatz, Stuttgart
Dates last checked 3 October 2026 · source · Always confirm with the organiser before travelling.
The Stuttgarter Weihnachtsmarkt is one of the biggest and oldest Christmas markets in Germany. The organisers say it was first recorded in 1692, and that its roots go back further still. Around 250 stalls fill four squares in the city centre, and roughly 3.5 million people visited in 2025.
Dates for 2026
The market runs from Wednesday 25 November to Wednesday 23 December 2026, as published on the official site. Daily opening hours for 2026 haven’t been published yet; we’ll add them here when they are.
Where it is
The stalls spread across the Schlossplatz, in front of the New Palace, and the Schillerplatz, Karlsplatz and Marktplatz around the Old Castle. It’s all within a few minutes’ walk, so you can wander from one square to the next without noticing where one part ends.
What makes it different
Stuttgart is known for its stall roofs. Stallholders decorate the tops of their booths with elaborate scenes of figures, lights and greenery, and the market gives an award for the best-decorated stall. Look up as you walk.
There is also a children’s fairytale area, the Märchenland, and a programme of concerts in the arcaded courtyard of the Old Castle and in the Stiftskirche, the city’s main Protestant church. Brass players perform from the Stiftskirche tower.
Getting there
Stuttgart Hauptbahnhof is about ten minutes’ walk from the Schlossplatz along the Königstraße shopping street. Schlossplatz and Rathaus U-Bahn (Stadtbahn) stations are right beside the market.
Make a day of it
Car fans will want the Mercedes-Benz Museum or the Porsche Museum, both a short S-Bahn ride away. In the centre, the Staatsgalerie and the Landesmuseum in the Old Castle are both close to the stalls.
Whatever the forecast, you will be standing still outdoors in the cold for longer than you expect — see our guide to what to wear, and use What’s open? to see which markets are trading on the days you travel.
