Copenhagen Christmas Market 2026-2027: Dates & Location

The Copenhagen Christmas market season runs from 6 November 2026 to 3 January 2027 across several markets, led by Christmas in Tivoli (13 November 2026 to 3 January 2027) and the free market on Nytorv and Gammeltorv (6 November to 21 December 2026). Copenhagen has no single central Christmas market, so this guide covers each main market with its 2026 dates and hours, plus the Danish food and drink to look for, how to get around, and where to stay.

When are the Copenhagen Christmas markets in 2026?

The Copenhagen Christmas markets open in early to mid-November 2026, and the last one, Tivoli, closes on Sunday 3 January 2027. The 2026 dates published by each organiser are listed below.

Most of the free markets close before Christmas, between 20 and 21 December. Tivoli is the only Copenhagen Christmas market that stays open between Christmas and New Year.

Which are the main Christmas markets in Copenhagen?

The main Christmas markets in Copenhagen are Tivoli, Nytorv and Gammeltorv, Højbro Plads and City Hall Square, all within walking distance of each other in the city centre. Each one is described below with its own dates and hours.

Christmas in Tivoli

Christmas in Tivoli runs from Friday 13 November 2026 to Sunday 3 January 2027 in Tivoli Gardens, the pleasure garden behind Copenhagen Central Station that opened in 1843. Tivoli closes on 24 December. The garden fills with Christmas trees, thousands of lights and stalls, all the rides stay open, and the season ends with fireworks at midnight on New Year’s Eve, according to Tivoli.

Tivoli is the one Copenhagen Christmas market you pay to enter. Entrance costs 150 kr to 210 kr (about €20 to €28, $23 to $33, £17 to £24) depending on the day, and rides are a separate ride pass on top. Tivoli entrance is included in the Copenhagen Card, and Tivoli shuts the garden between seasons, so turning up between Halloween (which ends on 1 November 2026) and 13 November means a locked gate.

Christmas Market Nytorv & Gammeltorv

Christmas Market Nytorv & Gammeltorv runs from Friday 6 November to Monday 21 December 2026 on two joined squares beside Strøget, Copenhagen’s main pedestrian shopping street. It is free to enter, it bills itself as Denmark’s largest Christmas market, and it has a free ice rink with free skate rental. Its 2026 opening hours are listed below.

The market is about a 5-minute walk from Gammel Strand metro station and about 200 m (0.1 mi) from Rådhuspladsen, the City Hall Square. Santa visits the market on set days, which the organiser lists on its site.

Jul på Højbro Plads

Jul på Højbro Plads is a new Christmas market on Højbro Plads, running from Saturday 14 November to Sunday 20 December 2026 with free entry. A new organiser has taken over the square for 2026, and its stalls bring together Christmas traditions, food and crafts from Denmark, Greenland and the Faroe Islands, according to VisitCopenhagen. The opening hours are 11:00-19:00 Monday to Wednesday, 11:00-20:00 on Thursday, 11:00-21:00 on Friday and Saturday, and 12:00-19:00 on Sunday.

Højbro Plads sits next to Gammel Strand metro station, with Christiansborg Palace across the canal. If you read older guides, note that the long-running Højbro Plads market under its previous organiser does not take place on the square in 2026; that organiser has moved to City Hall Square instead.

City Hall Square (Rådhuspladsen) Christmas market

The City Hall Square Christmas market is a short market on Rådhuspladsen in front of Copenhagen City Hall, from Friday 11 to Sunday 20 December 2026, according to its organiser’s event listing. It is run by the organiser that used to hold the traditional Højbro Plads market, and some of its exhibitors also trade at Nytorv and Gammeltorv. Rådhuspladsen is a short walk from both Tivoli and Nytorv, so it fits into the same evening.

Nyhavn Christmas stalls

Nyhavn, the 17th-century harbour lined with painted townhouses, puts up Christmas stalls along the canal in December, selling gløgg, æbleskiver and small gifts. No organiser has published 2026 dates for the Nyhavn stalls, so treat it as a stop on a walk between Kongens Nytorv and the city centre rather than a destination with fixed hours.

What food and drink can you try at the Copenhagen Christmas markets?

The Copenhagen Christmas markets serve Danish Christmas food rather than German market fare, and gløgg with æbleskiver is the classic order. Listed below are the Danish specialities to look for.

• Gløgg. Gløgg is Scandinavian mulled wine, served with raisins and chopped almonds in the cup.
• Æbleskiver. Æbleskiver are round, fluffy pancake balls served warm with powdered sugar and jam, and they come with gløgg at almost every stall.
• Brændte mandler. Brændte mandler are almonds roasted in sugar and cinnamon, sold warm in paper cones.
• Pølser. Pølser are Danish hot dogs, sold from carts and stalls with fried onions, pickles and remoulade.
• Risalamande. Risalamande is the cold Christmas rice pudding with almonds, whipped cream and warm cherry sauce, and you find it in Copenhagen’s restaurants and Christmas menus more than at stalls.

Flæskesteg, roast pork with crackling, is the centrepiece of the Danish Christmas Eve dinner. See our guide to Danish food for the full list of dishes and what goes with them.

What can you buy at the Copenhagen Christmas markets?

The Copenhagen Christmas markets sell handmade Christmas decorations, crafts, delicacies and gift ideas from wooden stalls. Listed below are the typical buys.

• Christmas decorations. Christmas decorations, such as paper hearts, ornaments and nisser (Danish Christmas elves), are on almost every stall.
• Crafts from Greenland and the Faroe Islands. Crafts from Greenland and the Faroe Islands are the new angle at Jul på Højbro Plads in 2026.
• Food gifts. Food gifts, such as sweets, liquorice and gløgg mixes, travel home more easily than anything warm.
• Knitwear. Knitwear, such as hats, mittens and scarves, is a practical buy for a cold Copenhagen evening.

How do you get to the Copenhagen Christmas markets?

You reach the Copenhagen Christmas markets on foot and by metro, because all of the main markets sit in the compact city centre between Tivoli and Nyhavn. Listed below are the routes.

1. From the airport. Copenhagen Airport (CPH) is on the metro, which reaches Kongens Nytorv in 13 minutes. The airport sits inside the city’s own fare zones, so the transfer is a normal ticket.
2. By metro. Gammel Strand station is right next to Højbro Plads and about a 5-minute walk from Nytorv and Gammeltorv.
3. By train. Tivoli is directly behind Copenhagen Central Station (København H), which has direct trains from Hamburg, Stockholm and Malmö.
4. On foot. Tivoli, Rådhuspladsen, Nytorv, Højbro Plads and Nyhavn sit along one walk through the centre, with Strøget joining most of them.

A 24-hour City Pass Small covering zones 1 to 4, which includes the airport, costs 100 kr (about €13, $15, £11). For rail and coach connections into Copenhagen from the rest of Europe, compare train and bus routes before you book.

Where to stay near the Copenhagen Christmas markets?

The most convenient base is Indre By, the old centre, which puts Tivoli, Strøget, Nytorv and Højbro Plads inside a 20-minute walk. Vesterbro, behind Central Station, is cheaper and still walkable to Tivoli. Copenhagen hotels fill up on December weekends, so compare hotels in Copenhagen early, or check rates by district on Trip.com.

Tours to book during the Copenhagen Christmas season

A canal tour or a guided walk is an easy way to fit Nyhavn and Christiansborg in between markets, and the tours below update live with current prices and availability.

For more of the city beyond the markets, see our guide to things to do in Copenhagen. If you are combining Copenhagen with the Baltic capitals, the Riga Christmas market also runs to 3 January 2027.

Copenhagen Christmas market FAQ

What date are the Christmas markets in Copenhagen?

The Christmas markets in Copenhagen run from 6 November 2026 to 3 January 2027. Nytorv and Gammeltorv opens first on 6 November, Tivoli follows on 13 November, Højbro Plads on 14 November, and Tivoli is the last to close on 3 January 2027.

Is the Copenhagen Christmas market worth it?

The Copenhagen Christmas markets are worth it for Christmas in Tivoli and for Danish gløgg and æbleskiver, which you will not find at German markets. The free markets are smaller than the big German ones, so plan Copenhagen as a city break with markets in it rather than a market crawl.

What is the best Christmas market in Copenhagen?

Christmas in Tivoli is the most famous Christmas market in Copenhagen, with its lights, rides and New Year’s Eve fireworks, but it charges entry. Nytorv and Gammeltorv is the largest free market, with a free ice rink.

Are the Copenhagen Christmas markets free?

Yes, most Copenhagen Christmas markets are free, including Nytorv and Gammeltorv, Jul på Højbro Plads and City Hall Square. Tivoli is the exception: entrance costs 150 kr to 210 kr depending on the day, with rides extra.

Is Tivoli open on Christmas Eve?

No, Tivoli closes on 24 December 2026. It is open on the other days of its Christmas season, from 13 November 2026 to 3 January 2027, including New Year’s Eve.

WonderfulWanderings Pro Tips

The 4 tips below come from the organisers’ 2026 calendars, and each one covers a date or a change that catches visitors out.

1. Do not come between 1 and 13 November for Tivoli. Tivoli closes the garden between Halloween, which ends on 1 November 2026, and Christmas, which opens on 13 November. Nytorv and Gammeltorv opens earlier, on 6 November.
2. Plan the free markets before 21 December. Højbro Plads and City Hall Square close on 20 December and Nytorv and Gammeltorv on 21 December 2026, so a visit between Christmas and New Year leaves only Tivoli.
3. Skip Tivoli on Christmas Eve. Tivoli is closed on 24 December, the one closed day of its Christmas season, and Danish Christmas Eve is a family evening, so much of the city is quiet that night.
4. Skate at Nytorv rather than paying for a rink. The ice rink at Nytorv and Gammeltorv is free, and so is skate rental, which makes it the cheapest ice skating in central Copenhagen during the market’s run.

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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 Copenhagen and the rest of Denmark for independent travellers, including the Christmas markets, hotels and tours worth booking, and updates this page when dates, hours and prices change.