Mainz is one of my favorite Christmas destinations in Germany! It has a more traditional flair, and the 1,000-year-old cathedral provides a dramatic backdrop that makes the Christmas market feel super cozy. Here’s all you need to know to plan your visit.
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What German city has a magical Christmas market, the cutest Old Town, and was the birthplace of the printer Johannes Gutenberg? If you guessed Mainz, you’re correct! (I’m sure the title of this blog post didn’t give anything away…)
The Mainz Christmas market far exceeded my expectations – so much so that I’ve gone back a few times since first visiting in 2021! I’ve visited countless German Christmas markets since moving to Berlin in 2019, and Mainz remains one of my all-time favorites.
There’s one main Christmas market in Mainz by the cathedral, and that’s the one I recommend visiting. However, in this guide I’ll go over all of the Christmas markets in Mainz, Germany so you know what to expect during your visit.
Happy Advent! ~Claire
Map Showing Where the Christmas Markets Are Located
For a printable map with all of the opening hours and locations listed, use this one provided by the tourist information office.
What to Expect at the Mainz Christmas Markets (My Honest Review!)
The main Christmas market at the Marktplatz is the biggest and best in the city. I stayed for 2 hours just taking it all in (and eating as much as my stomach would allow!) and I still wasn’t ready to go back to my hotel afterwards.
However, there are several “Wintertime” markets dotted throughout the city that provide a nice breather from the crowds of the central market, plus a Romantic Christmas Market along the banks of the Rhine River.
For reference, on my first visit to Mainz I arrived around 11:30am and had time to see the Old Town, cathedral, Gutenberg Museum, some of the other churches in the city, plus the Christmas market, and take a leisurely stroll around the city center. It’s not that big of a city, so you can do and see a lot in a single day!
⭐️ A Local’s Tips for Planning a German Christmas Market Trip 🎅
The Main Christmas Market in Mainz
📆 2025 Dates: November 27 – December 23
📌 Location: Martktplatz and Liebfrauenplatz
⏰ Hours: Sunday to Thursday 11am – 8:30pm; Friday and Saturday 11am – 9pm (closes at 7pm on December 23rd)
The Mainz Christmas market is unlike any other I’ve visited so far in Germany. The main market can be found beneath the shadow of the 1,000-year-old cathedral. The market dates back to 1788 and is one of the more traditional ones you’ll find in the area.
A pole is erected in the middle of the market square. From the pole, dozens of strands of fairy lights fan out and illuminate the market come nightfall.
As you walk around the market, you’ll pass a large manger scene erected in front of the cathedral, a small carousel playing children’s Christmas music, and an area with giant, hollowed out barrels you can sit inside to enjoy your mug of Glühwein or hot chocolate.
Claire’s Tip: St. Nicholas will be visiting the Mainz Christmas market on December 5th at 3:15pm. If you’re traveling with kids, this would be so fun for them!
In addition to having a magical ambience, the Mainz Christmas market stands out for the quality of its food and shopping options. You’ll find many traditional Christmas market wares for sale here, like paper stars, winter hats and gloves, ornaments, hand painted tea lights, and other trinkets.
I couldn’t resist buying some beeswax goodies and flavored honeys as a Christmas present to myself. The honey and beeswax products were all produced in the area, and my purchase came with a pamphlet sharing the history of the local honey farm that created the goods I’d purchased.
That’s the type of personal touch I look for at a Christmas market, and it’s one of the many reasons I recommend visiting Mainz at Christmas!
Claire’s Tip: My favorite stall for purchasing honey and beeswax candles is called Schemel’s Honighaus. It’s a huge stall (more of a tiny house really) that has TONS of candles, candle making kits, honeys, and mead.
Behind the main Christmas market by the cathedral, there’s a second large market at Liebfrauenplatz. Although they’re technically considered to be separate markets, they bleed directly into one another without any special distinction between the two. As such, it feels like one big Christmas market, which I’m all for!
This portion of the market has a sizable seating area made from picnic tables and giant wine barrels that have been transformed into cozy huts. Seating is fairly rare at German Christmas markets, and I think this is a nice touch for anyone who needs a break from the standing crowds but isn’t ready to throw in the towel just yet.
The Smaller “Wintertime” Markets in Mainz
📆 2025 Dates: November 27 – December 23 and December 27 – 30
⏰ Hours: Varies depending on the location (see my notes below for opening times)
The Christmas market at the Mainz cathedral is the biggest in the city and is the one I recommend spending your time at. However, there are other, smaller wintertime markets (Mainzer WinterZeit-Märkte) dotted throughout the rest of the city center as well.
- Central Train Station (opens daily at 11am)
- Schillerplatz (opens daily at 11am)
- Neubrunnenplatz (opens daily at 11am)
- Kurfürstliches Schloss aka Elector’s Palace (opens daily at 1pm)
- Hopfengarten (opens daily at 1pm – also note that this market only runs until December 23rd)
There’s also a new Romantic Christmas Market along the banks of the Rhine River, at Fischtorplatz.
The only other Mainz Christmas Market worth visiting is the one at Schillerplatz, but it still pales in comparison to the one at the cathedral. The Wintertime market at the palace is teeny tiny, but it makes for a good photo op!
Claire’s Tip: While the smaller markets can be fun to quickly walk around as you discover them during your exploration of Mainz, I don’t think they need to be on your Christmas market itinerary.
Local Foods and Drinks to Try
Called the “Wine Capital of Germany,” you can’t visit the Christmas markets in Mainz without trying the local mulled wine!
To make sure you’re drinking wine from the region, look for signs selling “Winzerglühwein.” This indicates that the spiced wine was produced by local vintners.
Claire’s Tip: The city of Mainz is now offering a GlühWeinWalk! For just 26 Euros, you’ll get to sample 6 different Glühwein (mulled wine), 1 GlühGin (mulled gin), eat 2 snacks, and go home with a special mug from the Christmas market. You can purchase tickets online or head to the tourist information office (Markt 17, 55116 Mainz) to grab a map of the participating stalls and buy tickets.
Other local foods to try at the Christmas market include:
- Reibekuchen — Hot, crunchy, salty potato pancakes paired with sweet, chilled applesauce. An all-time fave of mine!
- Dinette / Dinnele— AKA “Swabian pizza.”
- Grünkohl — Sautéed kale, which you see at most Christmas markets. The Mainz variation tops the kale with the local bratwurst.
🍪 25+ Foods and Drinks to Try at a German Christmas Market 🎄
Hotel Recommendations
I recommend staying in the city center, preferably near the Markt or central train station for easy access to the main Christmas market. I can recommend the following hotels:
- ibis Mainz City
- Hilton Mainz
- Mercure Mainz City Center
- B&B Hotel Mainz-Hbf
- H2 Hotel Mainz (not right in the city center, but this is where I stayed last time and it was super nice)
Final Thoughts: Is the Mainz Christmas Market Worth Visiting?
If you find yourself in western Germany, definitely take the time to spend a day in Mainz. Not every nook and cranny is jaw-droppingly beautiful, but there are plenty of pretty spots to discover during your visit. And the Christmas market in Mainz is INCREDIBLE! So yes, it’s 100% worth visiting.
If you have any questions about visiting Mainz, Germany or its Christmas market, leave me a comment below.
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Christmas Markets to Visit Near Mainz:
- Wiesbaden Christmas Market Guide: What to Do & See at the “Shooting Star Market”
- Frankfurt Christmas Market Guide: Marzipan Cookies, Apple Wine & Half-Timbered Houses
- Guide to Heidelberg’s Christmas Markets
- Guide to Cologne’s Christmas Markets
- What to Do, See & Eat at the Mannheim Christmas Market
- Aachen Christmas Market Guide: A Hidden Gem in Western Germany
- All of my German Christmas market guides!
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