Bonn Christmas Market

Bonn Christmas Market — Beethoven's City in Advent

Looking for a Christmas market in a major Rhenish city that combines a historic urban backdrop with artisan quality? Bonn delivers. Over 160 stalls are spread throughout the city centre around Münsterplatz, featuring Bonn Minster, one of North Rhine-Westphalia's most important churches. The city that was the early capital of the Federal Republic and the birthplace of Beethoven boasts a Christmas market that, with its blend of urban and artisan atmosphere, ranks among the most beautiful mid-sized Advent offerings in North Rhine-Westphalia.

Six Squares, One Market Atmosphere

The Bonn Christmas Market isn't confined to a single square; it extends across several city centre routes:

• Münsterplatz — The heart of the market with the most stalls, the main stage, and Bonn Minster as its backdrop
• Bottlerplatz — Focus on artisan crafts
• Friedensplatz — Food stalls and mulled wine huts
• Vivatsgasse, Poststraße, Windeckstraße — Connecting market routes
• Remigiusplatz — Separate Epiphany Market from Dec 27 to Jan 6

What's Available for Purchase

The approximately 160 stalls are roughly divided into three categories:

• Artisan Crafts — Ceramics, wood carvings, jewellery, glass, wool textiles from the Eifel and Bergisches Land regions
• Culinary Delights — Mulled wine in many varieties, potato pancakes (Reibekuchen), candied almonds, crêpes, mushrooms, bratwurst, gingerbread from Aachen and the region
• Festive Decorations — Advent wreaths, Christmas tree ornaments, nativity figures, fairy lights

New for 2026: Opening from 12 PM

A small adjustment to the opening hours for the 2026 edition: The market will now open daily from 12 PM (previously 11 AM) — a decision by the City of Bonn and market management to optimize staffing needs and enhance evening opening hours. All shops will be open from 12:00 PM to 9:00 PM, food stalls until 9:30 PM (Fridays and Saturdays until 10:30 PM).

Closed on Totensonntag (Sunday of the Dead)

As in many German cities, Bonn respects Totensonntag (November 22, 2026) — the market will be closed all day on this date. This is unusual for international tourists and should be considered when planning your visit.

Epiphany Market — Extended into the New Year

For those who cannot experience the Bonn Christmas Market in early January, there's still a chance: The Epiphany Market (Dreikönigsmarkt) at Remigiusplatz runs from December 27, 2026, to January 6, 2027, extending the Advent season. It features a reduced selection of stalls but retains the same charm.

Bonn and the Rhineland

Bonn is an independent city in the Cologne district of North Rhine-Westphalia, with approximately 333,000 inhabitants. From 1949 to 1990, it was the capital of West Germany, and since the capital's relocation to Berlin, it has been home to numerous federal authorities, Deutsche Welle, and six UN organizations. The city centre around Bonn Minster is one of the most important urban centres in the Rhineland.