This postcard-perfect town in Bavaria becomes even more magical at Christmastime! Here’s everything you need to know when planning a trip to Bamberg’s Christmas market, plus lots of photos.
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Bamberg is one of those fairytale towns in southern Germany that make you keep pinching yourself to check that what you’re seeing is real. With more than 1,300 listed buildings, it’s no wonder that the beautiful town of Bamberg was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993.
Bamberg’s half-timbered houses draw tourists from all over the world, and while this Bavarian town has a lot going for it, it’s not known for its Christmas markets. Instead, the Christmas markets in nearby Munich and Nuremberg draw the crowds.
In this guide, I’ll be sharing my thoughts on the Bamberg Christmas market so you know what to expect from your visit.
I’ll be up front with you — the Christmas market in Bamberg is very small, but the town itself is so pretty around the holidays that it’s still worth coming here during Advent. Provided you set the right expectations, you’ll have a wonderful time in Bamberg during Christmas market season!
Enjoy! Claire
Bamberg Christmas Market 2025 Dates, Location & Hours
📆 Dates: November 25 – December 23, 2025
📌 Location: Maximiliansplatz
⏰ Opening hours: Monday to Thursday 9:30am – 8pm; Friday and Saturday 9:30am – 9pm; Sunday from 11am – 8pm
What to Expect at Bamberg’s Christmas Market (An Honest Review)
The Bamberg Christmas Market (Bamberger Weihnachtsmarkt) is a small, traditional Christmas market in the heart of the town. The market takes place in the pedestrian zone at Maximiliansplatz, which makes for a peaceful atmosphere without any traffic noise.
Bamberg definitely has a more understated Christmas market, with fewer food stalls and handicrafts for sale than the other, larger markets in Bavaria. But because the market is on the smaller side, it has retained a local flair that you don’t see as often in this era of social media when thousands of people flock to better-known Christmas market towns like Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Nuremberg, and Colmar.
And — most importantly — the Bamberg Christmas Market has GREAT food. There are few things I look forward to as much as the food at the German Christmas markets. The food and drinks options at Bamberg’s market went above and beyond in terms of quality.
Again, it’s a very small market so there weren’t tons of food options, but the four or five dishes I split with a friend were all served piping hot and tasted incredible.
As far as the goods for sale, again, the options were limited due to the market’s size. My favorite stalls were the beeswax and honey products and the tableware stall with giant mugs (the only acceptable size for drinking my morning cup of tea!).
I highly recommend visiting this Christmas market if you’re also interested in touring the town of Bamberg as a whole. You can easily fill a full day in Bamberg wandering the quaint streets, visiting the Romanesque Cathedral, touring the Old Town Hall, and more.
As a last parting note, I visited the Christmas market in Bamberg in the middle of December on the weekend and it wasn’t crowded whatsoever. Like I said, this is more of a “locals market” so if you just want to eat good food in a festive ambience, come here!
Additional Christmas Markets in Bamberg [2025 Dates & Locations]
The following Bamberg Christmas markets are much smaller in size and only run for a few days during Advent. Consider these the “nice to see” but not “must see” Christmas markets.
- Don Bosco Christmas Market (November 8 and 9, 2025) — You can find a small selection of stalls along the Jakobsberg hill.
- Advent Market (November 29 – 30, 2025) — Roughly 30 stalls are clustered around the medieval St. Elizabeth’s Church.
Practical Tips for Your Visit
- Time needed: If you’re strictly in town to peruse the Christmas market and try a few dishes, then maybe 90 minutes. If you’re in town to also explore the city, then it’s good to make a day trip of it.
- Bring cash: Some of the larger Christmas markets are (sloooowly) moving towards accepting credit cards, especially the local vendors selling goods like jewelry, handicrafts, and more expensive items. However, the Christmas market in Bamberg is still primarily cash-only, especially at the food and drink stalls.
- Sightsee first, then visit the Christmas market: Visiting Bamberg in December means you’ll be dealing with off-season opening hours and limited daylight hours. Maximize your day in Bamberg by visiting the city’s top attractions first, then end with a warming mug of mulled wine and some snacks at the Christmas market.
🌟 A Local’s Tips for Visiting Germany During Christmas Market Season 🎅
Foods and Drinks You Need to Try
The food at the Bamberg Christmas market is really good! I visited over a weekend, and there were hardly any lines for food or drinks and everything was made fresh for me.
While exploring the Christmas market, I noticed some more unique drink options for sale, such as hot mead, apple-honey punch, and cherry mulled wine. I didn’t spot the local beer (a smoked beer called Rauschbier) for sale, so if you really want to try it I suggest heading to Schlenkerla on Dominikanerstraße to do so.
There were also quite a few of the most popular Christmas market foods for sale, like Lángos (fried dough topped with cheese and sauce – it’s Hungarian!) and Handbrot (a massive cheese-filled bread roll).
🎄The Best Foods, Drinks, and Desserts at the German Christmas Markets 🍪
Bonus Christmas Activity: Don’t Miss Bamberg’s Nativity Trail!
If you’re looking for more things to do in Bamberg at Christmas, make sure to track down some of the nativity scenes along the city’s Nativity Trail.
There are around 40 nativity scenes set up throughout the city — in the cathedral, at the Christmas market, in various churches, in museums, and more. Each nativity scene is unique and the sizes vary from site to site.
Hotel Recommendations
I recommend staying in the Old Town for the full Hallmark movie-esque experience. Old Town Bamberg is incredibly pretty, and it will allow you to walk directly to the Christmas market and surrounding attractions in mere minutes!
Use This Itinerary for Planning Your Visit
- Arrive no later than 11am so you can see the main attractions before it gets dark (around 4pm).
- Swing by the tourist information office for a map of the Old Town (Geyerswörthstraße 5).
- Pop into the cathedral (Bamberger Dom), making sure to look for the Bamberg Rider atop his horse.
- Tour the Neue Residenz, a 17th century palace with 40 rooms open to the public.
- Admire “Little Venice” from the opposite river bank (along Am Leinritt).
- Cross over the Obere Brücke to get a close-up view of the painted Old Town Hall.
- Visit the Catholic Church of St. Martin to see it decorated for Christmas.
- Finish at Maximiliansplatz to soak up all the cozy vibes at the Christmas market!
Is the Christmas Market in Bamberg Worth Visiting? My Final Thoughts
If you’re looking for a less crowded Christmas market and / or are interested in seeing the city of Bamberg as well, then yes!
However, if you haven’t been to many Christmas markets or are traveling from abroad specifically to see the German Christmas markets, then I’m not sure Bamberg’s small market will wow you. It’s definitely a locals market with really good food, but the small size of the market definitely limits the variety of goods for sale, activities, and attractions.
But if you go with the right expectations and aren’t expecting, say, the size and minute attention to detail as the nearby Christmas market in Nuremberg, then you’ll still have a wonderful day!
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More Favorite Christmas Markets in Bavaria:
Pretty much every German city has its own Christmas market, so if you’re in Bavaria during Christmas market season and there’s a city that interests you generally, go ahead and visit and you can check out its Christmas market as well!
- What to Do, See, and Eat at the Nuremberg Christmas Markets (1 hour away from Bamberg by train)
- Your Guide to the Regensburg Christmas Markets: Traditional Craftsmanship in the Heart of Bavaria (1 hour 45 mins away from Bamberg by train)
- The Best of Munich’s Christmas Markets: Which to Visit and When (2 hours away from Bamberg by train)
- All of my German Christmas market guides!
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