The Ultimate Guide to Hamburg Germany at Christmas: Christmas Markets, Views & Food
We spent one lovely night wandering the stalls at the Hamburg Christmas Markets, watching the quaint Christmas Parade with our kids, and taking in the stunning views of the Rathaus Market from the bell tower of St. Peter’s Church.
Plus, we experienced a few other iconic Hamburg attractions that are perfect to do in the mornings before the Christmas Markets open.
We really enjoyed the picturesque atmosphere of Hamburg at Christmas. The delicious smells of food wafting from the stalls, the sparkling lights and beautiful decorations.
Hamburg is so walkable and the best Christmas Markets are so close together that it makes it a very easy city to visit at Christmastime.
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Does Hamburg have Good Christmas Markets?
I was very pleased with the quality of the Christmas Markets in Hamburg. Each market has its own unique beautiful look, and everything for sale seemed to be of high quality and/or handmade.
I’ve been disappointed at markets in other countries/cities that felt like the stalls just shipped in cheap trinkets to sell. But the Hamburg Christmas Markets were not like this! They had lovely, authentic items for sale and it was so fun to shop.
If you’re looking to visit Hamburg, I think Christmas is the best time of year to go.
How to get around Hamburg in the Winter
A great thing about visiting Hamburg is that it’s a very walkable city. Everything featured in this guide is within a 15-20 minute walk (or less!).
And to make things even easier, the three main Christmas markets in Hamburg that I highlight in this guide are within about a 5-minute walk of each other- super easy!
However, if you really don’t want to worry about logistics, consider booking this private, 3-hour Hamburg Christmas Market Tour. It’s very reasonably priced and you get to explore the markets with a local!
If you arrive to Hamburg with a car, I recommend using the large parking garage connected to the Europa Passage Shopping Mall.
The parking at the shopping mall is basically next door to all three of the Christmas Markets, the church with a view, and the Christmas Parade. It’s very centrally located; you can find it on Google Maps here.
Everything is so close within Hamburg that most public transit will take about the same amount of time as walking and still may require a bit of walking to get to the various stops- but it’s an option!
We were visiting with two young kids and a double stroller and had no problem walking everywhere.
What to wEar to Spend Christmas in Hamburg
When we were in Hamburg at Christmas the temperature was just below freezing each day which felt extremely cold (and colder once it was dark). We wore base layers, warm sweaters, large puffy coats, and hats and gloves along with wool socks and boots.
The sidewalks were mostly cleared of snow, but occasionally we were in areas with a bit of snow still covering the walkway which made warm socks and boots essential.
Just make sure you come with good layers and are prepared for the cold since you won’t have much fun walking around if you’re freezing cold.
Map of Things to Do at Christmas in Hamburg Germany
*Use this interactive map to see the route for the best Hamburg Christmas markets plus other great things to do in Hamburg at Christmastime. Click on the full-screen icon in the top right corner to have this map open in your own Google Maps app or click on the arrow in the top left corner to see a pullout list of all points on the map*
3 Hamburg Germany Christmas Markets You Can’tMiss
1. Rathausmarkt Christmas Market
- Rathaus (City Hall): Rathausmarkt 1, 20095 Hamburg, Germany
- Open: 11 am-11 pm
The main and most iconic Christmas Market in Hamburg is the Rathausmarkt (or the Town Hall Market). The Rathausmarkt is situated at the base of the beautiful Town Hall in Hamburg and the stalls are stunning.
You enter the market through beautifully decorated archways and is home to over 100 unique stalls selling goods, crafts, food and more.
The stalls feel very vintage with Christmas greens and reds, lights, and decorations (in contrast to the wooden huts of the St. Peter’s Market close by).
The Rathuas Christmas Market (in my opinion) is by far the prettiest market in Hamburg and it’s definitely the biggest.
In the center of the market is an adorable, vintage carousel which our kids loved. Because of how crowded the market was at night, it was a bit hectic purchasing tickets and boarding. It felt a bit like a chaotic free-for-all.
If you are visiting with kids or you prefer to stay away from large crowds, I suggest visiting this market before it gets dark – the earlier in the day the better.
2. Jungfernstieg Christmas Market
- Jungfernstieg Promenade: Jungfernstieg, 20354 Hamburg, Germany
- Open: 11 am-11 pm
The Jungfernstieg Christmas Market is just a short walk from the Rathaus Market located on the Jungfernstieg Promenaded along Lake Binnenalster.
The stalls at this market are unique in that they are all crisp white tents with gold highlights but like the others are selling unique crafts, goods and food.
For kids, the best thing to do at the Jungferstieg Christmas Market is to take a ride on the historical ferris wheel from 1899.
We were so bummed that this was canceled the year we went, however, on most years there are boats at the dock with different activities for kids. Think things like cookie decorating, face painting, magic acts etc. The boats are called the The Märchenschiffe Boats and you can follow that link to learn more about them.
We found the most delicious treat of fried dough called schmalzkuchen at this market and it was amazing, I highly recommend it. It’s a large cup of fried bread bites topped with your choice of all sorts of delicious toppings like Nutella and Smarties. We all loved it.
3. St. Petri Church Christmas Market
- St. Peters Church: St. Peters Church Mönckebergstraße, 20095 Hamburg, Germany
- Open: 11 am-11 pm
The St. Petri (or St. Peters) market wraps around St. Peters Church, the oldest still-standing church in Hamburg. lt consists of wooden huts and fir trees and you can of course, find German Christmas market classics here like sausages, roasted almonds, and mulled wine.
We purchased a lovely light-up, German Christmas star at this market to hang in our window at Christmas.
For kids, you’ll find a small carousel behind the church ( however not nearly as cute as the one at Rathausmarkt). And, along the sidewalk are window boxes depicting various Christmas scenes that they may enjoy seeing.
Be sure to visit inside St. Peters church to see the beautiful decorations, light a candle, and climb the bell tower for amazing views of the Rathaus Christmas Market (which I’ll talk more about below).
8 Amazing Things to do in Hamburg at Christmas (besides markets)
1. Enjoy the Stunning View from St. Petri Church Bell Tower
- St. Peter’s Church: St. Peters Church Mönckebergstraße, 20095 Hamburg, Germany
- Tower Opening Hours: Monday to Saturday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m & Sundays from 11.30 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Last climb 30 minutes before closing time) Times may vary check the website here to be sure.
- Price: Adults: 5 euros, 5 -14 years old: 2.50 euros, 0-5 years old are free
My top recommendation for things to do at Christmas in Hamburg that isn’t a Christmas Market is to climb the belfry of St. Peter’s Church (St. Petri).
St. Peter’s church is the oldest standing church in Hamburg and it’s located right in the midst of the Christmas Markets making it a super easy stop.
The tower is Hamburg’s highest viewing platform and stands 123 meters in the air. This does mean it requires quite a lot of steps, but if we can do it with a 2 and 5-year-old then most people can do it!
On the climb, you’ll pass the huge bells (which still chime today) and some various viewpoints. However, the crowning jewel is the great view of the Rathaus Christmas Market from the top!
The inside is beautifully decorated for Christmas and if you plan it right you could even attend a Christmas sing-a-long or other performance. You can see the church’s event calendar here.
2. Watch the Christmas Parade
- The four Saturdays leading up to Christmas at 2 pm and 5 pm
- Starts in front of Saturn on Mönckebergstraße and heads towards Jungfernstieg
The Hamburg Christmas Parade is so cute and adds a sprinkle of festive cheer to the city’s atmosphere. The parade usually happens at 2 pm and 5 pm on the four Saturdays leading up to Christmas.
The parade starts in front of Saturn in Mönckebergstraße (the main shopping street) then heads towards Jungfernstieg.
If you’re around the area of the main three Christmas Markets (Rathuasmarkt, Jungfernstieg, and St. Peters Church) then you almost can’t miss it. There is a brass band, and multiple floats with angels, stars, elves, and Santa to name a few.
3. Ride the Europa Passage Indoor Slide (fun for both kids and adults)
- Europa Passage Mall: Ballindamm 40, 20095 Hamburg, Germany
- Mall Opening Hours: Monday-Saturday 10 am-8 pm
Located right in the heart of Hamburg next to the Rathaus Christmas Market and St. Peters Church/Market is the Europa Passage Shopping Mall. I know, a mall seems like a strange thing to include in this list. However, this mall is home to an amazing, 4-story tall indoor slide.
The slide is tall, fast, and super fun (and free!). You sit on a mat to help you go fast and there was an employee at the top helping control the flow.
We did the slide at the request of our 5-year-old, but we adults had a blast too!
Since we were traveling with young kids it was actually nice to have the mall so close to the Christmas Markets so that we could seek shelter inside once the kids were getting cold.
It’s festively decorated and also has a large indoor food court if you’re desperate for some food your kids may go for.
4. Stroll Through Speicherstadt
- Speicherstadt: The area of Speicherstadt on Google Maps here
Speicherstadt is the world’s largest contiguous warehouse complex. The buildings are picturesque and built on oak piles from 1883.
When I was researching Hamburg, Speicherstadt seemed to be one of the top things to see. I had pretty low expectations going into it, but the area actually is quite pretty.
Miniatur Wonderland is located within Speicherstadt so if you are going there, you may want to plan some extra time to walk around the area.
5. See The Timber-Framed Houses of DeichstraßE
- Deichstrasse: Deichstrasse and Nikolaifleet Canal on Google Maps
The timber-framed townhouses on the Nikolaifleet Canal and Deichstrasse are reminiscent of what large parts of Hamburg were like before a large fire ravaged much of the city in 1842.
Then in WWII, these houses again were spared during the bombings of Hamburg although large parts of the city were hit.
We strolled past this canal/street on our way from Miniatur Wonderland back towards the more central part of town where the markets are (the Rathaus area). It’s a quick stop
6. Learn All About Chocolate at Chocoversum (and taste it Too)
- Chocoversum: Meßberg 1, 20095 Hamburg Germany
- Only one English-guided tour per day and tickets must be purchased in advance (they sell out!) See available tickets here.
My favorite thing we did in Hamburg that wasn’t directly Christmas-related was visiting Chocoversum. Chocoversum is a chocolate museum with a super cool 90-minute ‘chocolate experience’.
It’s an interactive guided tour where you see (and taste!) the entire life cycle of a chocolate from the bean to bar! We saw the cocoa bean up close and tried cacao nibs and the chocolate at all the different steps throughout the process.
The tour moves quickly and with the 6 different tastings, even our 2-year-old and 5-year-old stayed engaged! And I seriously loved it. It was very fun, informative and interesting!
Halfway through we got to decorate our own chocolate bars that were ready for us at the end of the tour (our kids obviously loved this).
Be sure to book your tickets in advance because they only lead one English tour per day and they sell out! You can check out available tickets here.
7. Marvel at the World’s Largest Model Railway at Miniatur Wunderland
- Miniatur Wunderland: Kehrwieder 2/Block D, 20457 Hamburg, Germany
- Opening Hours: Varies each day, check their website here
One of the best activities to do in the morning before the Christmas Markets open is to visit Miniatur Wunderland. Miniatur Wunderland is the world’s largest model railway. It’s an expansive exhibition covering multiple levels and rooms with miniature replicas of places around the world.
The models are very impressive and if you’re a train lover then this is the place for you. You could spend hours admiring all of the models, however, we were probably just there for 1.5-2 hours.
Since the markets don’t open until 11 am, we swung by Miniatur Wunderland to pass some time before we headed out for the day.
Tickets do sell out, so book your tickets in advance here.
6. Admire the Christmas Lights at the Hamburg Christmas Garden
- Christmas Garden Hamburg: Loki Schmidt Garden
- Prices: Adults are € 16.50 to € 27.50 & 6-14 years old are € 12.00 to € 23.00 Check the website for more information.
This is the one activity on this list that we just didn’t have time for although we thought our kids would really enjoy it.
A bit outside of town is the Hamburg Christmas Garden. Hamburg Christmas Garden is a lit-up walk-through experience at the Loki Schmidt Gardens at the University of Hamburg.
You follow an outdoor circular route illuminated by lights and decorations that I’m sure both young and old would enjoy! You can get there directly in only 25 minutes on the S-Bahn from the Jungfernstieg station.
For more information, check out their website here.
3 Delicious Foods to Try in Hamburg at Christmastime
There are so many delicious foods to try at the Christmas Markets in Hamburg, but here are some of the ones we tried that I can definitely recommend. If only we could have tasted everything we saw.
1. Glühwein
Gluhwein is the iconic drink of Christmas that you’ll find all over the German Christmas markets with different variations found at Christmas markets around Europe.
It’s a German mulled wine with tasty holiday spices or you can purchase the non-alcoholic version which is much like apple cider (which is what we did).
My favorite part about purchasing a warm drink at any of these markets is that it comes in the cutest mug that you can either keep or return when you’re done for a small refund.
Each market features its own unique mug I picked mine up from the market at St. Peters Church because I loved climbing the tower for views over the city at the church.
If you don’t like mulled wine or apple cider, you can also get hot chocolate in the mugs!
2. Bratwurst
Another iconic food to try at a German Christmas Market are the sausages. I honestly was a bit overwhelmed with all of the choices when picking out our sausages, so I’m not exactly sure which ones we ended up with 😅.
However, we were able to find different kinds for each person in our family that we all liked.
We picked up our sausages behind St. Peters Church at the St. Petri Market. There was also a small covered seating area nearby which can be hard to come by.
3. schmalzkuchen
Schmalzkuchen are an absolutely delicious treat you can find at the Christmas markets in Hamburg. They are fried dough balls made from a lemon-vanilla batter topped with your choice of toppings 🤤.
It comes in a large container and you eat them with a skewer. We got our schmalzkuchen topped with Nutella and Smarties and they were amazing (and obviously the kids loved them).
We found a large tent selling schmalzkuchen at the Jungfernstieg Market.
Top Tips for Visiting the Christmas Markets in Hamburg
- For a stress-free visit consider booking this private 3-hour Christmas Market tour with a local in Hamburg (visit 5 markets, try goodies and soak in the atmosphere with a local)
- The markets get extremely crowded after dark (especially the Rathaus Market). Consider visiting earlier in the day for a calmer atmosphere (especially if you are traveling with a stroller)
- Be prepared with lots of layers! It was bitterly cold the weekend we were in Hamburg and we were so grateful for our wool base layers, sweaters, coats, hats, gloves, and scarves. You may luck out with not as freezing of weather, but you’ll be miserable if you’re not prepared.
- The markets don’t open until 11 am so visiting Chocoversum or Miniatur Wunderland are great things to do in the morning.
- A fun and inexpensive souvenir are the mugs you get with gluhwein and hot chocolate. You pay a few dollars for the mug the first time you purchase a drink and you can either keep it or return it for your money back.
That’s everything I suggest doing to have the best Hamburg Christmas you can! Swing by some markets, climb the church belfry, explore the town, and swing by a couple of museums!
Let me know in the comments below if you have any questions about Christmas in Hamburg and I’ll be sure to get back to you.
Check out these other posts, I know you’ll love them:
- 10 Christmasy Things to Do in Bruges Belgium
- 10 Top Hacks: How to Enjoy Wintery Bruges Belgium with a Baby
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