Rastatt Christmas Market

A Baroque Setting — The Rastatt Residential Palace

Rastatt's market square is one of the most beautiful baroque cityscapes in Southern Germany. Built between 1700 and 1707 under Margrave Ludwig Wilhelm of Baden-Baden (nicknamed "Türkenlouis"), the Residential Palace with its wing-shaped side buildings forms the visual centerpiece. Opposite stand the city church of St. Alexander and the Historic Town Hall. When the wooden stalls of the Christmas market fill the square in Advent, and the palace in the background is illuminated by snowflakes or Advent lights, an atmosphere is created that you will find in few other places.

35 Days of Market

At five weeks, the Rastatt Christmas Market is one of the longest Advent markets in the region—it begins on Thursday, November 19, 2026, and ends on Wednesday, December 23, 2026. This also makes it a destination for visitors seeking a Christmas market beyond the main rush on the first Advent Sunday. The atmosphere changes over the weeks—from a somewhat quieter start to the season, through the busy weekends in the middle weeks, to the noticeably more pressing last-minute gift browsing in the final days before Christmas Eve.

Wooden Stalls, Mulled Wine, and Advent Atmosphere

Around 30 exhibitors in traditional wooden stalls offer classic Advent fare: handmade candles, wood crafts, nativity scenes, Christmas tree baubles, regional honey products, Christmas stollen from the Black Forest, and of course, mulled wine and punch in several varieties. You can eat bratwurst in a bun, grilled mushrooms, Schupfnudeln with sauerkraut, fries, and roasted chestnuts. The scent of cookies, cinnamon, and mulled wine fills the square as dusk falls.

Closed on Totensonntag

Out of respect for the Protestant day of remembrance, the market remains closed on Totensonntag (November 22, 2026). This is a common practice in Baden-Württemberg and distinguishes the market from purely commercial Advent sales events.

Rastatt — Baroque Residential City on the Murg

Rastatt, with a population of just over 50,000, is the district capital of the Rastatt district, located in the Murg Valley between Karlsruhe and Baden-Baden. The city was replanned after the War of the Palatinate Succession and is considered one of the earliest examples of systematic baroque urban planning. Today, the Residential Palace houses the Military History Collection and the Museum "Memorial for the Freedom Movements in German History" (commemorating the Baden Revolution of 1849). Visitors to the Christmas market should plan a detour to the palace and the city church.