The iconic Cologne Cathedral Christmas Market sits in the shadow of the magnificent Cologne Cathedral. Featuring a towering Christmas tree centrepiece and regular live music performances, this market offers a magical atmosphere with the Gothic cathedral as its backdrop. The market’s location makes it a central hub for festive activities, though it can get quite crowded.
Important: The market is closed on Totensonntag (a Sunday that falls on 20-26 November every year)
The Cologne Cathedral Christmas Market is one of six Christmas markets in Cologne. Click here to check out the other Christmas markets in Cologne.
2025 Dates
to be confirmed
Opening hours on market days
Monday: 11am – 9pm
Tuesday: 11am – 9pm
Wednesday: 11am – 9pm
Thursday: 11am – 10pm
Friday: 11am – 10pm
Saturday: 10am – 10pm
Sunday: 11am – 9pm (closed on Totensonntag)
What to eat & buy
Every year, the Christmas market at Cologne Cathedral offers its visitors over 140 festively decorated stalls with arts and crafts and gifts, as well as food and beverage options and plenty of social engagement initiatives. The market has several new vendors this year, bringing high-quality crafts and unique products.
Visitors can also watch some of the exhibiting craftspeople at work throughout the market. They can see glassblowers creating colourful jewellery from small glass tubes, airbrush artists creating custom designs on items like sneakers and t-shirts, and artists hand-painting glass ornaments.
The Cologne Cathedral Christmas Market offers a wide range of gift ideas including wood carvings, glassware, ceramics, accessories, children’s toys, handmade candles, and upcycled products such as bags made from old truck tarps. Any products not made locally or in Europe must be Fair Trade certified. Besides the regular craft vendors, the market also features rotating stalls where visitors can discover new and innovative products from different artisans.
As visitors stroll through the market, they’ll be greeted by the tempting aroma of roasted almonds and spiced gingerbread. Traditional savoury options include bratwurst, tarte flambée, and potato pancakes served with applesauce. For those with a sweet tooth, the market offers plenty of treats including freshly baked cinnamon rolls, rice pudding with festive toppings, fresh waffles, Nutella crêpes, and cream puffs filled by hand on site.
The market also features international and vegan cuisine including: Nepalese dumplings, Mexican empanadas, Swiss mountain raclette, South Tyrolean specialties, Vietnamese bowls, vegan bratwurst and currywurst, chili sin carne and vegan meatballs. Most food items are certified organic.
Find more Christmas markets in Germany!
Feature image © KW Kölner Weihnachtsgesellschaft mbH
