16 Christmas Markets in Switzerland 2026-2027: Dates

Jump to a market: Zurich · Basel · Montreux · Lucerne · Bern · Geneva · Lausanne · St. Gallen · Einsiedeln · Bremgarten · Stein am Rhein · Winterthur · Lugano · Thun · Gruyeres · Baden

Switzerland’s Christmas markets run from late October to early January in 2026-2027, and this guide covers 16 of them, from the big city markets in Zurich, Basel, Montreux, Lucerne, Bern and Geneva to small-town markets in Einsiedeln, Bremgarten, Stein am Rhein and Gruyeres. Every one of the 16 has published its 2026 dates, and we took each date from the market organiser, the city or the local tourism office in late October 2026. Most Swiss markets close on 23 or 24 December, and only 6 of the 16 stay open in some form after Christmas.

All 16 Swiss Christmas markets at a glance

The table below answers the two questions most readers ask first: when does each market run in 2026, and where in Switzerland is it. All 16 sets of dates are the 2026 edition’s own, confirmed on an official page.

The 16 markets cover 3 of Switzerland’s 4 language regions: 11 sit in German-speaking Switzerland, 4 in French-speaking Switzerland around Lake Geneva and Fribourg, and Lugano in Italian-speaking Ticino. Our Switzerland travel guide covers the country beyond the Christmas season.

Planning your Switzerland Christmas markets trip

Switzerland’s Christmas markets are easiest to visit by train, because most of them sit in old towns or on lake promenades a short walk from the station. Zurich’s Polarzauber market is inside Zurich main station, Geneva’s Noël au Quai is under 10 minutes on foot from Cornavin station, the Montreux market is 200 m (0.1 mi) from Montreux station, and Bern’s Münsterplatz market is 10 to 15 minutes’ walk from Bern station, according to each organiser. Our guide to getting around Switzerland covers trains, passes and the Swiss Travel System. Before you travel, compare train and bus connections into Switzerland, and if you are flying in, compare flights to Zurich, Basel or Geneva.

Swiss railways sell RailAway “Christmas’n’Rail” offers for several markets, including Montreux and Bern, with discounted train travel to the market; check the SBB website for the 2026 offers before you buy a regular ticket. Hotels in Zurich, Basel, Lucerne and Montreux fill early for December weekends, so compare hotels in Switzerland on Booking.com as soon as your dates are fixed.

Swiss Christmas markets run through the coldest weeks of the year, so pack for standing outdoors after dark: warm layers, a hat and gloves, and waterproof shoes. Many markets charge a deposit on their mugs and plates, and several have gone cashless, so carry a card as well as some Swiss francs. Switzerland is an expensive country, so budget more for food and drink than at a German or Belgian market; Zurich’s Bellevue Noël, for example, charges a deposit of CHF 5 (about US$6, €5) on a mug alone.

Most Swiss markets close on 23 or 24 December. Basel’s Wienachtsdorf, Lausanne, Stein am Rhein and Lugano stay open into the New Year, Bern runs an Altjahresmarkt (old year’s market) from 28 to 31 December, and Bern’s Sternenmarkt and Thun’s food stalls stay open until 27 and 28 December respectively.

1. Zurich Christmas Market

The Zurich Christmas markets run from Thursday, 19 November to Wednesday, 23 December 2026, and to Thursday, 24 December for the markets in the main station and on Münsterhof, according to Zürich Tourism. Zurich has no single main market. Its 6 city-centre markets are Bellevue Noël on Sechseläutenplatz, Polarzauber inside Zurich main station, the Singing Christmas Tree on Werdmühleplatz, the Christmas Market Dörfli in the Niederdorf, the Münsterhof market and the Zürcher Weihnachtsallee on Europaallee. All 6 are free to enter.

Bellevue Noël is new for 2026 and replaces the Zürcher Wienachtsdorf, which ran on the same square for 10 years, so older guides that send you to the “Wienachtsdorf” are out of date. Bellevue Noël has more than 100 stalls, a fondue chalet and a 40 m (131 ft) wide walkable Advent wreath, which is free but needs a timed ticket. Polarzauber is the indoor market under the Lindt Christmas tree in the station concourse, and the Singing Christmas Tree returns for the 28th time with more than 40 choirs singing from a tree-shaped stage. For the hours of every market, the Advent events and where to stay, see our Zurich Christmas Market guide and our guide to things to do in Zurich.

2. Basel Christmas Market

The Basel Christmas Market runs daily from Thursday, 26 November to Wednesday, 23 December 2026, from 11:00 to 20:30, on Barfüsserplatz and Münsterplatz in the Old Town, according to Basel Tourism. Around 150 wooden chalets stretch between the 2 squares, and entry is free. The Basler Wienachtsdorf on Theaterplatz opens on the same day and stays open until 3 January 2027, which makes it the only Basel market open between Christmas and New Year.

Basel’s market is split into 2 moods: Barfüsserplatz is the bigger, busier half with most of the food, while Münsterplatz, in front of the red sandstone Basel Minster, is quieter and has the Märliwald fairytale forest for children. The tall tree on Münsterplatz is decorated by the Basel Christmas decorator Johann Wanner. Basel sits on the borders with France and Germany, so it pairs well with the Strasbourg Christmas Market and the Colmar Christmas Market in Alsace. For the smaller markets in Kleinbasel, the hours and the food, see our Basel Christmas Market guide and our guide to things to do in Basel.

3. Montreux Christmas Market

The Montreux Christmas Market, Montreux Noël, runs from Friday, 20 November to Thursday, 24 December 2026 on the quays of Lake Geneva, according to the organiser’s site montreuxnoel.com. More than 150 chalets line the lakeside promenade between the CGN boat landing stage and Place du Marché, entry is free, and Santa flies over the market on a wire every evening at 17:00, 18:00 and 19:00, with an extra flight at 16:00 at weekends.

Montreux also has 2 Christmas attractions outside the town centre. Santa’s House sits at the summit of Rochers-de-Naye, 2,042 m (6,699 ft) above sea level, and you reach it on a cogwheel Santa train from Montreux station; it opens from 20 November to 24 December 2026 on set days, according to the MOB railway. Chillon Castle, 3 km (1.9 mi) along the lake, holds a Medieval Christmas on 28 and 29 November, 5 and 6 December, and 12 and 13 December 2026. Montreux Noël is part of Riviera Noël, which also takes in the Vevey market (19 November to 31 December 2026) and the Villeneuve market. For the Flying Santa times, the cruise and the hours, see our Montreux Christmas Market guide and our guide to things to do in Montreux.

4. Lucerne Christmas Market

The Lucerne Christmas Market, the Lozärner Wiehnachtsmärt, runs from Thursday, 3 December to Monday, 21 December 2026 on Franziskanerplatz, according to the market’s own site. The stalls open from 11:00 to 20:00 and the food stands from 11:00 to 21:00, with an earlier close at 19:00 on the last day. Around 70 wooden stalls fill the square in the Kleinstadt, the part of Lucerne’s Old Town just off the main shopping streets.

The market’s centrepiece is an Advent wreath more than 3 m (9.8 ft) across on the Franziskanerbrunnen fountain, with 4 candles each a metre high, which the organisers call the largest Advent wreath in Central Switzerland. The market’s mulled wine comes in a collectable mug, and the organisers say Time Out magazine named the market one of the 10 most beautiful in Europe. The Franciscan Church on the square holds Advent concerts, including organ concerts on Saturdays and Sundays from 13:15. Lucerne’s market is shorter than most on this list, so check its dates before you plan a late-November trip. For Chapel Bridge, the lake and the rest of the city, see our guide to things to do in Lucerne.

5. Bern Christmas Market

The Bern Christmas markets run on 3 sites in 2026, according to the City of Bern and the organisers: the Waisenhausplatz market from 27 November to 24 December, the Münsterplatz market from Saturday, 28 November to Thursday, 24 December, and the Sternenmarkt on the Kleine Schanze from Thursday, 19 November to Sunday, 27 December 2026. Bern also runs an Altjahresmarkt on Waisenhausplatz from 28 to 31 December 2026 and a Neujahresmarkt from 4 to 9 January 2027, so the Swiss capital has a market open for most of the holiday season.

Each Bern market has its own character. The Münsterplatz market in front of Bern Minster focuses on crafts, with potters, woodturners, glassmakers and textile makers selling their own work; it opens Monday to Thursday from 11:00 to 18:30, Friday from 11:00 to 20:00, and Saturday and Sunday from 10:00 to 18:00, closing at 16:00 on 24 December. A Handwerkermärit (craft market) runs on the Münsterplattform beside it on 29 November, 5 and 6 December, and 19 and 20 December 2026. The Waisenhausplatz market sells more everyday market goods, and the Sternenmarkt is a boutique market of 80 wooden huts with food, hot drinks and design, open Monday to Saturday from 11:00 to 22:00 and Sunday from 11:00 to 20:00. The Old Town around the markets is a UNESCO World Heritage Site with about 6 km (3.7 mi) of arcades, according to Switzerland Tourism, so you can walk between the markets under cover. For the rest of the city, see our guide to things to do in Bern.

6. Geneva Christmas Market

The Geneva Christmas Market, Noël au Quai, runs every day from Thursday, 19 November to Thursday, 24 December 2026 on Quai du Mont-Blanc by the lake, according to Genève Tourisme. Entry is free. The market opens from 12:00 on weekdays and 11:00 at weekends, and stays open until 21:00 Monday to Wednesday and Sunday and until 22:00 Thursday to Saturday, with a later close on Friday and Saturday when the weather and crowds allow. On 24 December it closes at 16:00.

Noël au Quai has around 30 food stands and a fondue chalet, and Genève Tourisme lists an ice rink, a Ferris wheel and a Gingerbread House as new for 2026. The tourism office suggests trying the local moitié-moitié fondue, made with 2 cheeses, with a glass of mulled wine. The market is under 10 minutes’ walk from Gare Cornavin down Rue du Mont-Blanc, or 2 stops on bus 6, 9 or 25. For the Jet d’Eau, the Old Town and the rest of the city, see our guide to things to do in Geneva.

7. Lausanne Christmas Market

The Lausanne Christmas Market, Bô Noël, runs from Friday, 20 November to Thursday, 31 December 2026, according to Lausanne Tourisme and the organiser’s site bo-noel.ch. 2026 is the 12th edition. Bô Noël is a set of markets spread across several squares in the city centre rather than a single site, and the organiser had not yet published the 2026 programme or the square-by-square layout when we checked in late October 2026.

Lausanne Tourisme names an Opening Parade and a Village des enfants (children’s village) among the main events, and Switzerland Tourism describes Bô Noël’s live nativity scene as the most beautiful in Switzerland. The market’s restaurants take bookings for groups ahead of the programme release. Bô Noël runs to New Year’s Eve, a week longer than Geneva or Montreux, so Lausanne is the Lake Geneva market to choose if you are in Switzerland between Christmas and New Year. Lausanne sits between Geneva and Montreux on the same rail line, and our guide to things to do in Lausanne covers the cathedral, Ouchy and the Olympic Museum.

8. St. Gallen Christmas Market

The St. Gallen Christmas Market, part of the Sternenstadt (City of Stars), runs from Thursday, 26 November to Thursday, 24 December 2026, according to the organiser. Every Advent, more than 600 illuminated stars hang over the streets of St. Gallen’s Old Town, moving in a light choreography designed for the event. The Sternenmarkt itself is on Gallusplatz beside the cathedral, and a decorated Christmas tree stands on Klosterplatz in the middle of the UNESCO-listed Abbey District.

The season opens with the Sternissage on Marktgasse on 26 November 2026 at 18:30, and a separate Christkindlimarkt fills Gallusplatz from 10:00 to 17:00 on Saturday, 28 November and Saturday, 5 December 2026. St. Gallen’s Abbey Library and cathedral sit a few steps from the market, so a visit combines easily with the Abbey District. St. Gallen has no dedicated Wonderful Wanderings guide yet, so this section carries the fullest coverage of the market on the site.

9. Einsiedeln Christmas Market

The Einsiedeln Christmas Market, the Einsiedler Weihnachtsmarkt, runs from Friday, 27 November to Sunday, 6 December 2026, according to the organiser. It opens at 17:00 on 27 November, then runs Sunday to Thursday from 11:00 to 19:30 and Friday and Saturday from 11:00 to 21:00. Einsiedeln’s market is one of the shortest on this list, at 10 days, so time your trip for the first week of Advent.

The market is set in front of Einsiedeln Abbey, the Benedictine monastery at the heart of the village, and along the whole of the Hauptstrasse, with a large Christmas tree on the Klosterplatz in front of the abbey church. Einsiedeln is a pilgrimage village in the canton of Schwyz, and the abbey’s Baroque front makes the market’s backdrop different from any city market in Switzerland. Einsiedeln has no dedicated Wonderful Wanderings guide yet, so this section carries the fullest coverage of the market on the site.

10. Bremgarten Christmas Market

The Bremgarten Christmas Market, the Weihnachts- und Christchindli-Märt, runs for 4 days from Thursday, 3 December to Sunday, 6 December 2026, according to the town of Bremgarten. It opens on Thursday from 13:30 to 22:00, Friday and Saturday from 11:00 to 22:00, and Sunday from 11:00 to 18:00. The organiser says more than 250 decorated stalls fill the medieval Old Town and the Casinoplatz, and Bremgarten Tourism calls it one of the largest and prettiest markets in Switzerland, although it lasts only one long weekend.

Bremgarten sits on a loop of the Reuss river in the canton of Aargau, and the town decorates its Old Town lanes with Christmas trees and lights for the market. Local clubs run their own food tents alongside the snack stands, and the mulled wine comes in a collectable mug. Bremgarten has no dedicated Wonderful Wanderings guide yet, so this section carries the fullest coverage of the market on the site.

11. Stein am Rhein Christmas Market

The Stein am Rhein Christmas Market, the Märlistadt (fairytale town), runs from Wednesday, 2 December 2026 to Sunday, 3 January 2027, according to the organiser. 2026 is the Märlistadt’s 25th edition. The regular opening hours are Wednesday to Friday from 14:00 to 20:00, Saturday from 11:00 to 22:00 and Sunday from 11:00 to 19:00.

The Märlistadt fills the old town of Stein am Rhein, known for its painted half-timbered house fronts, with a Märlimarkt of decorated stalls selling regional food, crafts and gifts, plus a craft room for children in the Märlihuus. The 2026 edition opens on the evening of 2 December with the traditional Treichler cowbell ringers from 17:45, opening speeches at 18:00 and live music. Evening tours with the town’s night watchman run through the season. Stein am Rhein lies on the Rhine near Lake Constance in the canton of Schaffhausen, and it has no dedicated Wonderful Wanderings guide yet, so this section carries the fullest coverage of the market on the site.

12. Winterthur Christmas Market

The Winterthur Christmas Market runs for the 29th time from Thursday, 26 November to Wednesday, 23 December 2026, on the Neumarkt in Winterthur’s car-free Old Town, according to the organiser. It opens every day: Monday to Thursday from 11:00 to 20:00, Friday and Saturday from 11:00 to 20:30, and Sunday from 11:00 to 19:00, with an early close at 19:00 on 23 December. The food stalls stay open later.

Winterthur’s market has a free daily programme of face painting, storytellers, gingerbread decorating and music, and the Märliwald, a forest of animated fairy tales for children, is also free. The Chlauseinzug, a parade of Samichläuse (the Swiss St Nicholas), walks from the Obertor to the Neumarkt on Sunday, 29 November 2026 from 16:16. A free gift-wrapping service, the Päcklihuus, wraps presents bought anywhere in town. Winterthur is a short train ride from Zurich, so it combines well with the Zurich Christmas markets. It has no dedicated Wonderful Wanderings guide yet, so this section carries the fullest coverage of the market on the site.

13. Lugano Christmas Market

The Lugano Christmas Market, the Mercatino di Natale, runs from Thursday, 26 November 2026 to Wednesday, 6 January 2027, as part of the city’s wider Natale a Lugano programme, which runs until 10 January 2027, according to Lugano’s official events site. The market stalls line Via Nassa, Piazza Dante, Via Luvini and Piazzetta Maraini in the city centre, and food chalets on Piazza della Riforma stay open until 10 January.

Lugano’s Christmas season runs later than any other on this list. The LAC Winter Village on Piazza Luini opens from 27 November 2026 to 10 January 2027, an antiques and crafts market fills Via Carducci and Piazza San Rocco from 28 November 2026 to 2 January 2027, and an underwater nativity scene, the Presepe Sommerso, sits in the lake off Riva Giocondo Albertolli from 14 December 2026 to 6 January 2027. The city says the full programme will be published in early November. Lugano is in Italian-speaking Ticino, south of the Alps, so its market has a different feel from the German-speaking markets in the north. Lugano has no dedicated Wonderful Wanderings guide yet, so this section carries the fullest coverage of the market on the site.

14. Thun Christmas Market

The Thun Christmas Market, the Thuner Weihnachtsmarkt, runs from Friday, 27 November to Wednesday, 23 December 2026, according to the organiser. The market opens Monday to Saturday from 11:00 to 20:00 and Sunday from 11:00 to 18:00, and its food and drink stands open until 22:00 (20:00 on Sundays) and stay open for 2 extra days, until 28 December.

The organiser places the market around the Waisenhaus and the Mühleplatz in the town centre, and a separate one-day Adventsmarkt runs in the Bälliz on Saturday, 28 November 2026, according to the City of Thun. Thun sits at the end of Lake Thun with views of the Bernese Alps and is an easy Christmas market trip for visitors staying in the Bernese Oberland, for example in Interlaken. For Thun Castle and the lake, see our guide to things to do in Thun.

15. Gruyeres Christmas Market

The Gruyeres Christmas Market, the Marché de Noël de Gruyères, runs over the 4 Advent weekends of 2026: 27 to 29 November, 4 to 6 December, 11 to 13 December and 18 to 20 December, according to La Gruyère Tourisme. It opens on Friday from 14:00 to 20:00, Saturday from 10:00 to 20:00 and Sunday from 10:00 to 18:00. Entry is free.

The market has run in the medieval town of Gruyeres since 2010, with around 40 craftspeople and local producers in chalets along the medieval town. Each weekend adds concerts, street shows, wood-carving demonstrations and storytelling walks, and 5 December is the family day with a visit from St Nicholas. The organiser warns that parking is limited and recommends the train. For the castle, La Maison du Gruyère and the cheese, see our guide to things to do in Gruyeres.

16. Baden Christmas Market

The Baden Christmas Market, the Badener WunderDorf, runs from Thursday, 29 October to Wednesday, 23 December 2026 on Theaterplatz, according to the organiser. Baden’s own events listing says it is the first Christmas market in Switzerland to open each year, starting with autumn and pumpkin weeks before the Christmas theme takes over. Entry is free.

The WunderDorf opens Tuesday and Wednesday from 16:00 to 22:00, Thursday and Friday from 16:00 to midnight, Saturday from 12:00 to midnight and Sunday from 12:00 to 22:00, and it is closed on Mondays. It is more of an evening market than a craft market, with street food, raclette, vegetarian and vegan dishes, several mulled wine bars, a lounge tent with straw bales and a small gift village. Baden is a short train ride from Zurich, and it has no dedicated Wonderful Wanderings guide yet, so this section carries the fullest coverage of the market on the site.

What is the biggest Christmas market in Switzerland?

The biggest Christmas market in Switzerland depends on how you count. Zurich’s Polarzauber calls itself the largest indoor Christmas market in Switzerland, with more than 100 stalls inside Zurich main station. Bremgarten’s market has more than 250 stalls according to its organiser, but runs for only 4 days. Basel’s market, with around 150 chalets over 2 squares, is described by Basel Tourism as one of the largest in the country.

When do Christmas markets start in Switzerland?

Most Swiss Christmas markets start between 19 and 28 November in 2026. Baden’s WunderDorf opens first, on 29 October 2026, then Zurich, Geneva and Bern’s Sternenmarkt open on 19 November, and Montreux and Lausanne on 20 November. Lucerne, Bremgarten and Stein am Rhein open later, in the first days of December.

Which Swiss Christmas markets are open after Christmas?

Six of the 16 markets in this guide stay open after 25 December 2026 in some form, and Vevey, next to Montreux, does too. Basel’s Wienachtsdorf runs to 3 January 2027, Lausanne’s Bô Noël to 31 December, Stein am Rhein’s Märlistadt to 3 January 2027, Lugano’s market to 6 January 2027, Bern’s Sternenmarkt to 27 December with the Altjahresmarkt to 31 December, and Thun’s food stands to 28 December. Vevey’s Riviera Noël runs to 31 December. Zurich, Geneva, Montreux, Lucerne and St. Gallen all close by 24 December.

Are Swiss Christmas markets free to enter?

Yes, every Christmas market in this guide is free to enter, according to the organisers. You pay for food, drinks, rides and the deposit on mugs and plates, and some attractions need a ticket, such as Santa’s House on Rochers-de-Naye or the Ferris wheel in Montreux.

Which city in Switzerland is the best to visit in December?

Zurich and Basel are the strongest choices for a December city break built around Christmas markets. Zurich has 6 city-centre markets within walking distance or a short tram ride of the main station, and Basel has around 150 chalets in its Old Town plus a market open to 3 January. Montreux is the pick for the lake setting, the Flying Santa and Santa’s House on Rochers-de-Naye.

Can you visit several Swiss Christmas markets in one trip?

Yes, Switzerland’s train network makes it easy to visit 3 or 4 markets from one base. Zurich works as a hub for Basel, Winterthur, Baden, Einsiedeln and Lucerne, while Lausanne sits between Geneva and Montreux on the Lake Geneva line. Bern pairs with Thun, and Basel pairs with Strasbourg and Colmar across the French border.

Is Switzerland known for Christmas markets?

Yes, Switzerland has Christmas markets in almost every city and many small towns, though it is less famous for them than Germany or Austria. Switzerland Tourism lists more than 15 Christmas markets across the country, from Basel and Bern to Lugano in Ticino. For more markets across the border, see our guides to the Christmas markets in Germany and the Christmas markets in Belgium.

WonderfulWanderings Pro Tips

The 5 tips below come from checking all 16 markets against their organisers’ and tourism offices’ own pages in October 2026, and each one saves a wasted trip or a hotel booked on the wrong weekend.

1. Plan around 23 and 24 December. Most Swiss markets close on 23 or 24 December, and none of Zurich’s city-centre markets open after Christmas Eve. Between Christmas and New Year, head to Basel’s Wienachtsdorf, Lausanne, Stein am Rhein or Lugano instead.
2. Book Bremgarten, Einsiedeln and Gruyeres for the right days. Bremgarten runs only from 3 to 6 December 2026, Einsiedeln from 27 November to 6 December, and Gruyeres only on Friday to Sunday of the 4 Advent weekends, so a midweek visit to Gruyeres finds no market at all.
3. Ignore older guides to Zurich’s Sechseläutenplatz. The Wienachtsdorf is gone, and Bellevue Noël replaces it on the same square from 2026. The station market, Polarzauber, was called the Christkindlimarkt until 2024.
4. Go to Lucerne in December, not November. Lucerne’s Franziskanerplatz market opens only on 3 December 2026 and closes on 21 December, later and shorter than the Zurich or Basel markets nearby.
5. Carry a card. Zurich’s Bellevue Noël runs cashless food and drink stalls and Montreux Noël is cashless outside its restaurants, and most markets take a deposit on mugs, plates or cups that you get back when you return them.

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About the author. This guide is written and maintained by the Wonderful Wanderings editorial team. Wonderful Wanderings was founded in 2012 by Sofie Couwenbergh, and the team covers Switzerland for independent travellers, including the Christmas markets of Zurich, Basel, Montreux and the smaller Swiss towns, the hotels, tours and trains worth booking around them, and updates this page when organisers publish new dates.