Market Dates: November 18 – December 30, 2021
Each year, the Düsseldorf Christmas market wows visitors from around the world! Lights glisten as travelers bask under festively decorated huts, a tantalizing smell of mulled wine fills the air and giggling guests frolic the busy streets. The best part? Düsseldorf has created eight themed market areas! Talk about a city filled with Christmas cheer. Want to plan a trip? Our 2021 Düsseldorf Christmas Market guide is here to help!
Current Rules
Due to COVID-19, Düsseldorf has adopted Germany’s 2G regulation policy for their 2021 Christmas Market. While the market itself does not require a ticket, guests may be asked to present proof of COVID-19 vaccination during their visit. From our experience this year, vaccination status is checked by security at the entrance to each market.
Will I have to wear a mask? The Düsseldorf Christmas Markets requires guests to wear a mask at all times (unless eating or drinking in a designated area).
Click here to read Düsseldorf’s COVID-19 Rules.
If you are visiting from outside the EU, I recommend heading to a local apothecary in Germany to have your vaccination card transcribed. This will provide you with an EU digital pass and a barcode. You can then upload the barcode you receive to the CovPass app to show at all markets.
Note: To be considered fully vaccinated under 2G regulations, guests must have received both vaccination doses and 14+ days have passed since their last dose.
Märchen-Markt
Starting off strong, let’s talk about my favorite market in Düsseldorf: Märchen-Markt. Not only does this location have some of the best food and drink stalls, but it also has the liveliest crowd. With colorful strobe lights, music booming and drinks flowing, this is the market area for visitors that want to party. Speaking of party… THERE IS A GIANT ICE RINK!
What better way to start your Christmas market adventures than by taking a spin on Düsseldorf’s ice skating rink! This is one of our favorite places to skate in Germany during the holidays. With a family friendly atmosphere and ample room to glide, it is a winner in our books.
Tip: Don’t have your own skates? Guests can pay a fee to rent skates at the entrance hut (where tickets are purchased).
Kö-Lichter-Markt
After you have had fun ice skating, take a stroll down the street and explore Kö-Lichter-Markt. As the stands are fairly scattered about in this area, it is not very crowded. Guests can easily browse craft and decor vendors in this market without disruption.
Engelchen-Markt
Golden huts adorned with child-like angels fill Düsseldorf’s Engelchen-Markt. Personally, I find this location to be beautiful and charming. The market area offers handcrafted items, twinkling lights and there is no shortage of tasty sweets.
In the evening, the atmosphere becomes particularly romantic as guests cuddle under the cherub like statues and picturesque lights.
Market Tip: Bring cash! Many vendors do not accept credit or debit cards.
Sternchen-Markt
Just a short walk from the angel market, guests will find themselves immersed in the Sternchen-Markt. Filled with food and drink vendors, this location is a popular hangout for visitors.
As the market’s stalls are painted blue in this area, coordinators made sure to carry this color scheme into their decor. Blue bows flock the trees, snowy rooftops top each hut and shimmering chandeliers tie together the winter wonderland feel. An adorable bonus for us was snagging a Düsseldorf snowman mug at the glühwein stand!
As we are avoid foodies, our favorite feature of this market was definitely the culinary delights. Flavored sausages, mushrooms coated in gravy and roasted chestnuts left us happy customers.
Handwerker-Markt
If you are looking to snag a handmade item from the markets, make sure you stop at the Handwerker-Markt. This location is one of the most popular market areas, but for good reason.
Cozy red huts filled with local artisans make up the majority of this market. Being a sucker for supporting local, I was a kid in a candy shop at this market. Blown glass ornaments that are delicately hand painted, sweaters knitted with love, and freshly carved wooden decorations are just some of the delightful treats awaiting guests.
Tip: Head to this market early as it is very popular and the line grows quickly on weekends.
Altstadt-Markt
The Altstadt-Markt is the best area for getting your snack on. While this location lacks the small and intimate feel of other market areas, it has the widest variety of food options. Not sure what to eat? My favorite sweet treats are “Poffertjes.” These traditional Dutch snacks resemble tiny pancakes and are absolutely delicious!
Tip: Order “Poffertjes mit zucker” for powdered sugar ontop.
If you want to see the city from a new perspective, this market has a giant Ferris wheel that offers the perfect birds-eye view. Note: Dogs are not allowed on the Ferris wheel.
Planning Tip: This market area is located near the Handwerker-Markt. The market can be found spread between Flinger Strasse and Marktstrasse (as well as near the Ferris wheel).
Schadow-Markt & Kö-Bogen-Markt
The smallest markets have to be Schadow-Markt and Kö-Bogen-Markt. With just a short walk between these markets, the shopping stalls of both areas blend together. If you are short on time, save these locations for last as they are a quick browse.
German Delights
Christmas markets in Germany are packed to the brim with delicious food. While I always encourage first time visitors to try German bratwurst, I also recommend ordering something off the beaten path. This year we opted to try a local favorite, “dampfnudel.” This dish is composed of a steamed bun that is drenched in custard and topped with your choice of fruit. We opted for the blueberry and vanilla custard option (which did not disappoint). As a dessert, dampfnudel is mildly sweet and quite filling. If you plan on ordering one, it is best to have friends to share it with.
As for drinks, most Christmas market fans will tell you to try Germany’s mulled wine, better known as “glühwein.” I am not personally a huge glühwein fan, but I do recommend trying it at least once. The taste varies city to city, which means you may love glühwein at one market and hate it at another (I can attest that not all glühwein is created equal). If you are not a drinker or want to try something different, German hot chocolate is divine. The best part? Many markets offer drink add-ins, such as peppermint or Baileys.
Never bought a drink at the Christmas markets? You may be surprised when a vendor charges you 8 Euros for a drink labeled 5 Euros. Don’t worry, they’re not ripping you off! Each drink has a fee associated with it. This fee is essentially a deposit for the mug to ensure that guests return the mug to the vendor. If you choose to keep the mug, you will not receive the deposit back. If you do not wish to keep the mug, you can turn the mug back into the vendor. They will then refund you the deposit fee (usually about 1-3 euros).
Tip: You can ask to purchase just the mug if you do not want a drink.
Want a Christmas Market Food Guide? Follow us on Instagram to be notified FIRST when our guide comes out!
Toilets
After eating to your heart’s content, you may need to use the restroom. There are bathroom caravans situated throughout the market. Look for a sign labeled ‘WC’ (this is the bathroom symbol in Germany). If you cannot locate the restroom, go to a food vendor and simply say ‘Toilette?’ while motioning around (indicating you are trying to locate one). Bathroom and restroom are unfamiliar terms to Germans who are not fluent in English. ‘Toilette’ is a term every German speaker will understand. If you are feeling more confident in your pronunciation, you can ask, ‘Wo ist die Toilette?’
Tip: There is a free toilet located on the first floor of the parking area mentioned in this blog’s ‘Transportation’ section below.
LGBTQ+ Friendly
If you are a part of the LGBTQ+ community, Düsseldorf welcomes you! Various pride flags can be spotted as you stroll the city’s streets. Plan to visit during the Summer? Düsseldorf has a fantastic pride festival every year!
When to visit?
To really get that Christmas market feeling, I personally recommend visiting at night. Once the sun goes down, everything comes to life. Twinkling lights and crowds of giggling guests will fill the streets during the evening. The atmospheric lighting combined with the scent of candied almonds, mulled wine and fir trees is something you can’t recreate during the day.
If you are looking for a less crowded and more relaxed atmosphere, however, I would visit during the day. Daytime visits are better for taking pictures, avoiding crowds and tend to be more dog friendly. Similarly, weekend visits tend to be pretty busy compared to weekdays. For this particular market, we opted to visit during the day and it was picture perfect!
Tip: It begins to get dark in Germany around 1600-1700 in the Winter.
Dog Friendly
Have a pet you want to travel with? No worries! Düsseldorf’s market areas are dog friendly. Given our experience at Christmas markets, however, I would only recommend bringing your dog during the day. If you plan to visit the markets at night (which can start at 1600 in Winter), also be aware that there can be broken glass on the floor, large crowds and rowdy drinkers. I recommend carrying your dog at night or investing in dog boots with hard bottoms (These are the ones Jasper wears).
Tip: Don’t forget a waterproof jacket for your dog (This is our favorite Jasper uses for Snow/Rain)!
Transportation
The best part about Düsseldorf’s market is that it is easily accessible by foot, regardless of your transportation method. If you are arriving by train or bus, you will want to start your market journey at Märchen-Markt (about a 20 minute walk from the train station). The station name you should look for when booking your tickets is Düsseldorf hbf.
If you are arriving by car, you have more options on where you want to start your market explorations. We prefer to park outside of the chaotic market area as it is less crowded. Click here for our favorite parking garage.
Tip: There is a free toilet located on the first floor of this parking area (inside the mall’s food court).
Looking for Christmas markets around Germany? Check out these Blogs:
Your Ultimate Guide to the Frankfurt Christmas Market – Weihnachtsmarkt Frankfurt
Your Ultimate Guide to the Aachen Christmas Market – Aachener Weihnachtsmarkt
Your Ultimate Guide to the Heidelberg Christmas Market – Weihnachtsmarkt
The Ultimate Guide to Wiesbaden’s Twinkling Star Christmas Market – Sternschnuppenmarkt
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