Rothenburg Christmas Market 2026-2027: Dates & Location

The Rothenburg ob der Tauber Christmas Market, known locally as the Reiterlesmarkt, runs from 20 November to 23 December 2026 in the town’s medieval old town. It is not the same thing as the year-round Käthe Wohlfahrt Christmas shop and its Christmas museum on Herrngasse, which keep their own hours all year and have nothing to do with the market’s dates.

This guide covers the confirmed 2026 dates, what the Reiterlesmarkt actually is, and how it differs from Rothenburg’s other Christmas attractions.

What is the Rothenburg ob der Tauber Christmas Market?

The Rothenburg ob der Tauber Christmas Market is a seasonal market known as the Reiterlesmarkt, named after the Reiterle, a legendary horseman from local folklore who opens the market each year by riding into the Marktplatz. It runs for about a month each winter, filling the Marktplatz, the Grüner Markt and the Kirchplatz, plus the Rathaus courtyard, with around 61 wooden stalls. Local folklore describes the Reiterle itself as an old winter spirit that once carried the souls of the dead through the sky, later softened into the horseman who opens the market today.

When does the Rothenburg ob der Tauber Christmas Market open in 2026?

The Reiterlesmarkt opens on Friday, 20 November 2026 and closes on Wednesday, 23 December 2026, according to Rothenburg’s official tourism site.

The market closes on Totensonntag, Sunday 22 November 2026. Entry is free.

Where is the Rothenburg ob der Tauber Christmas Market?

The Reiterlesmarkt is centred on the Marktplatz in Rothenburg’s old town, in front of the Rathaus (town hall), and spreads into the neighbouring Grüner Markt and Kirchplatz. Rothenburg’s medieval walls, half-timbered houses and cobbled streets, largely intact since the Middle Ages, surround the market on every side.

Are the Christmas market and the Käthe Wohlfahrt Christmas museum the same thing?

No, the Reiterlesmarkt and the Käthe Wohlfahrt Christmas museum are two separate attractions with separate hours. The Reiterlesmarkt is the free outdoor market on the Marktplatz, open only from 20 November to 23 December 2026. The German Christmas Museum sits above Käthe Wohlfahrt’s year-round Christmas shop on Herrngasse, charges its own admission, and stays open on its own schedule throughout the year, so check its current hours separately if you want to visit both on the same trip.

Why visit the Rothenburg ob der Tauber Christmas Market?

The Reiterlesmarkt is worth visiting for its medieval setting and small scale rather than for size. Listed below are the reasons visitors keep coming back.

• A walled medieval old town as the backdrop. The market sits inside one of Germany’s most completely walled old towns, so the setting itself is part of the experience.
• Franconian food and drink. Schneeballen, lebkuchen, bratwurst and mulled wine are all easy to find between the market’s stalls.
• The Reiterle opening. The market’s opening ceremony features the Reiterle arriving on horseback at the Marktplatz, a tradition specific to Rothenburg.
• A smaller, easier-to-cover market. With around 61 stalls across three connected squares, the Reiterlesmarkt is easier to see in full than the larger city markets elsewhere in Germany.

What does it cost to visit the Rothenburg ob der Tauber Christmas Market?

Entry to the Reiterlesmarkt is free, so you only pay for what you eat, drink or ride. Check the market’s own stalls or the tourism site for this season’s prices for carousel rides, food and any ticketed performances, since these are set closer to the season.

What attractions are near the Rothenburg ob der Tauber Christmas Market?

Several of Rothenburg’s well-known sights sit within walking distance of the Marktplatz, on the same streets the market spreads into. Listed below are the main ones.

• Rathaus (Town Hall). Right on the Marktplatz, forming one side of the market itself.
• Plönlein. A small square with a half-timbered house between two of Rothenburg’s old gates, a short walk from the market.
• Siebersturm. One of the town’s medieval defensive towers, a short walk from the Marktplatz.
• Markusturm and Rödertor. Two more parts of Rothenburg’s town walls and gate system, both within easy walking distance.
• Käthe Wohlfahrt Christmas shop and Christmas museum. A separate, year-round attraction on Herrngasse, open on its own schedule and not part of the seasonal market.

What food can you eat at the Rothenburg ob der Tauber Christmas Market?

Listed below are the foods you can try at the Reiterlesmarkt.

• Schneeballen. Fried pastry balls dusted with powdered sugar or chocolate, a must-try German food that originated in Rothenburg.
• Bratwurst. Grilled sausage, a staple at every stall selling hot food.
• Lebkuchen. Decorated spiced gingerbread, sold both loose and as gifts.
• Roasted almonds. Caramelised almonds sold hot from the stall.
• Pretzels. Soft pretzels, usually sold alongside sausages.

What can you drink at the Rothenburg ob der Tauber Christmas Market?

Listed below are the drinks you can try at the Reiterlesmarkt.

• Glühwein. Hot mulled wine, the market’s most common drink.
• Heiße Schokolade. Hot chocolate, often topped with cream or marshmallows.
• Weihnachtspunsch. A non-alcoholic fruit punch spiced for the season.
• Coffee. Standard coffee-shop drinks such as cappuccino and espresso are also sold at some stalls.

What can you buy at the Rothenburg ob der Tauber Christmas Market?

Listed below are typical souvenirs and gifts at the Reiterlesmarkt.

• Christmas ornaments. Traditional and modern tree decorations.
• Wooden toys. Hand-carved nutcrackers, figurines and puzzles.
• Local artwork and crafts. Paintings, ceramics and textiles made by regional artisans.
• Cuckoo clocks. A classic German souvenir, sold at several stalls and nearby shops.

How do you get to the Rothenburg ob der Tauber Christmas Market?

You can reach the Reiterlesmarkt by train, bus or car, since Rothenburg has no airport of its own.

First, fly into Nuremberg Airport (NUE), the nearest airport, then continue by train or bus. Before you book onward travel, compare flights to Nuremberg.

Second, take a regional train from Steinach, which connects to Würzburg and Ansbach, to reach Rothenburg. Regional bus line 732 also runs from Ansbach train station straight to Rothenburg, which is often simpler if you’re coming from Nuremberg, Würzburg or Frankfurt. For either route, check train times to Rothenburg before you travel.

Third, drive in if you’re combining Rothenburg with other stops on Germany’s Romantic Road. For a wider road trip, book a rental car in advance.

Where to stay near the Rothenburg ob der Tauber Christmas Market?

The most convenient base is inside Rothenburg’s town walls, within walking distance of the Marktplatz. Hotel Tilman Riemenschneider, a 16th-century building in the old town centre, is a well-known option if you want to stay somewhere with its own history. For other choices, compare hotels in Rothenburg’s old town and book early, since rooms fill up on market weekends.

Where to eat near the Rothenburg ob der Tauber Christmas Market?

Rothenburg’s old town has several restaurants serving Franconian dishes within a few minutes’ walk of the market, many in centuries-old buildings with wood-panelled dining rooms. Look for a Weinstube serving Franconian wine alongside regional dishes such as Schäufele (roast pork shoulder) if you want a proper sit-down meal.

Rothenburg also pairs well with a longer trip along the Romantic Road, and with Heidelberg’s Christmas market if you’re touring more of Germany’s Christmas markets this season.

WonderfulWanderings Pro Tips

The 4 tips below come from Rothenburg’s own tourism pages for the 2026 season, including one thing those pages notably do not say.

1. You can see the Christmas museum without coming in December at all. The German Christmas Museum sits above the Käthe Wohlfahrt shop on Herrngasse, charges its own admission and opens all year, Monday to Saturday, while the Reiterlesmarkt is free and runs only from 20 November to 23 December 2026. Visitors routinely conflate the two and book a winter trip for something that is open in June.
2. Walk into the Rathaus courtyard. The 61 stalls are spread across the Marktplatz, the Grüner Markt and the Kirchplatz and also into the Lichthof, the town hall’s inner courtyard, which is the part people miss because it does not look like part of the market from the square.
3. Skip Sunday 22 November. The market closes that day for Totensonntag, two days after the Reiterle rides in to open it, so an opening-weekend trip built around the Saturday and Sunday gets one day rather than two.
4. Treat the “500 years of tradition” line with care. Rothenburg’s official tourism site gives the dates, the hours, the locations and the stall count and states no founding year or edition number at all, while a number of travel sites date the market to the 15th century. The medieval town around it is genuinely that old; the market’s own age is not something the town claims in print.

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 Germany for independent travellers, including the Christmas markets, hotels and transport worth booking, and updates this page when prices, dates and rules change.