Strasbourg Christmas Market: What It's Really Like to Spend Christmas Here

Strasbourg Christmas market and large Christmas tree at Place Kléber at night

We spent Christmas in Strasbourg, which gave us several days to see the markets at different times of day. We walked the same streets as they got busier, quieter, then busier again. By the time Christmas arrived, the whole old town felt like part of the market.

Strasbourg calls itself the Capital of Christmas, and it's not shy about it. The market at Place Broglie has been running since 1570. What we remember most wasn’t the history. It was Petite France at night. It looked even better at night than it did in photos.

Strasbourg Cathedral rising above decorated streets and Christmas market stalls

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Christkindelsmärik at Place Broglie

This is the market Strasbourg is actually named for. Christkindelsmärik means “Christ Child Market,” and it's the oldest of the bunch, dating to 1570. It's rows of wooden chalets selling ornaments, local crafts and pain d'épices (Alsatian gingerbread). It gets very busy, especially later in the day.

A few blocks away at Place Kléber, the city puts up its main Christmas tree, a huge one, wrapped in lights and surrounded by its own ring of stalls selling gifts and crafts. This is where you’ll see the huge Christmas tree and one of the busiest parts of the market.

Large decorated Christmas tree at Place Kléber in Strasbourg

Petite France at Christmas

  • Half-timbered houses along a canal in Petite France, Strasbourg
  • Historic half-timbered houses along the water in Petite France, Strasbourg
  • Visitors walking along a narrow street lined with half-timbered houses in Petite France, Strasbourg

Everyone talks about the main market at Place Broglie. Fewer people talk about what Petite France looks like after dark in December, and that was our favorite part of Strasbourg at Christmas.

It's the old tanners' district, half-timbered houses built right up against the canals, and in December the whole neighborhood gets strung with lights that reflect off the water. At night, Petite France was the part of Strasbourg we kept going back to.

If you only have energy for one detour off the main market route, make it this one.

ridge over the canal surrounded by half-timbered houses in Petite France, Strasbourg

Alsatian Food and Mulled Wine

The Strasbourg market is a good place to try Alsatian food. Try the bredele cookies, flammekueche and choucroute while you’re there.

Vin chaud, mulled wine, is the drink of the market, served in the ceramic mugs most European Christmas markets use. Pay the small deposit, drink your wine walking between stalls, and either return the mug for your deposit back or keep it. We keep most of our mugs now, and our Christmas market collection is getting a little ridiculous.

Strasbourg Christmas Market 2026: Dates and Hours

Strasbourg's official 2026 dates hadn't been confirmed as of this writing. Based on the pattern the city has followed for years, expect the market to run from late November through December 24, with the 2025 edition running November 26 to December 24. Check Strasbourg's official Christmas site closer to the season for confirmed 2026 dates, since these details do shift year to year.

Typical hours run 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily, with Fridays and Saturdays open until 9 p.m. Markets generally close by Christmas Eve, so if you're planning to be in Strasbourg on Christmas Day itself, know that the stalls will likely be closed even though the lights and decorations stay up.

Practical Tips for Visiting

Bring both cash and a card. Card is accepted at most stalls now, but not all, and it varies which one you'll need at any given chalet.

Dress for colder than you think. You'll be standing around with hot food and drink in your hands, which helps, but Alsace in December is cold, and you'll be on your feet for hours. Layers, comfortable shoes, a hat and gloves.

Go on a weekday if your schedule allows it. Weekends pull in day-trippers from across the region and from Germany just over the border.

Where to Stay in Strasbourg

If you're visiting Strasbourg for the Christmas markets, staying in or near the old town makes the most sense. You'll be within walking distance of Place Broglie, Place Kléber, the cathedral and Petite France, which means you can see most of the main Christmas areas without relying on transportation.


Use the map below to compare hotels and prices in central Strasbourg. We’re also putting together a full Where to Stay in Strasbourg guide with specific hotel recommendations.

Continue Planning Your Alsace Christmas Trip

We paired Strasbourg with Colmar on the same trip, and if you have the time, we'd recommend doing the same. It's under an hour by train and gives you a completely different, smaller-scale version of the same regional tradition.

For the full lineup of markets we've covered, see our guide to the best Christmas markets in Europe, or browse more Christmas markets in France.

Erin is an American expat living in the Netherlands with her son Dylan. She co-hosts the getAwayZ podcast with her friend Lisa and has been traveling Europe for years, covering everything from dog-friendly city breaks to ferry routes and hidden coastal towns. She writes about travel from the perspective of someone who actually lives here.