Strasbourg Christmas Market is known as Christkindelsmärik in the local Alsatian dialect. It is one of the most popular Christmas markets in Europe thanks to its fairytale location and world-famous mulled wine. It’s also the oldest Christmas market in France. In Strasbourg, the Christmas markets and events are held in the city’s grand squares and alongside the pretty canals lined with half-timbered houses.
Strasbourg is known as the Capital of Christmas and in 2022 the event is named “Allumons les étoiles”, let’s light up the stars.
Altogether there are more than 300 wooden Christmas chalets and huts selling handmade Christmas toys, decorations, artisans gifts, crafts and delicious food and drinks in Strasbourg at Christmas.
Strasbourg Christmas Market 2022
The Christmas markets in Strasbourg take place over more than 10 locations around the historic city centre known as the Grande Île district.
The largest and most popular is located in Place Kléber and this is where you’ll find the city’s enormous Christmas tree.
There are also many chalets around Place de la Cathedral, the centre square dominated by the extraordinary Strasbourg Cathedral.
Strasbourg Christmas Market dates: 25th November to 24th December 2022.
Location: The main market is located at Place Kléber but there are other markets in the surrounding streets and squares.
Opening times: 11am to 8pm. Closes at 6pm on the 24th December.
Reason to visit: The 35 metre high Christmas tree in Place Kléber. Strasbourg has one of the oldest Christmas markets in the world as it first opened in 1570.
Specialities: A variety of aromatic mulled wines, tarte flambée, gourmet pretzels, raclette, Riesling, hot cider and Christmas biscuits.
Christmas market tour: Experience the best of the Christmas markets with a local guide. I recommend this Christmas Markets Tour and Tasting run by the very popular Eating Europe Food Tours. Or for something quite different, you could take a bike tour of Strasbourg Christmas Market.
Travel tips: Try to include a side trip to the beautiful Alsatian city of Colmar which is only 30 minutes away by train. If you would prefer to visit a few villages as well as Colmar Christmas market, you could take a this popular tour with a local guide.
Where to stay: Two minutes from Place Kléber is Hannong Hotel, a lovely hotel with an in-house wine bar.
Hotels near Strasbourg Christmas Market
To be near the Christmas markets, anywhere on the Grande-Île de Strasbourg would be suitable as this is where most of the markets are held, including the main market on Place Kléber.
I suggest staying at Hannong Hotel as it’s only a 2 or 3-minute walk to Place Kléber as well as only 4 minutes to Petite-France, one of the most beautiful sights in Strasbourg.
The best hotels tend to book out early but in my guide to hotels near Strasbourg Christmas Market, I list several options that should help with your planning and booking process.
Things to do in Strasbourg in Winter
Outside of the Christmas markets, there are plenty of interesting things to do in Strasbourg in winter.
Enjoying Alsatian cuisine is a huge part of a visit to the Alsace, a region that is known for its unique food, wine and cider.
There is a wide range of cafes, restaurants, bars, delis and indoor markets where you can try the local specialties.
As for sights and attractions, you can visit the numerous museums, historic houses, churches, galleries and concert venues.
When the weather allows, you can take a boat ride along the famous canal that includes the unique experience of passing through a historic lock.
If this is your first time in Strasbourg, I recommend taking this tour of Strasbourg’s historic city centre. It’s a great introduction to the city and Alsatian history.
If a gourmet food tour is more your thing, this popular food tour is a great choice that takes you around Strasbourg’s food markets where you can sample various Alsatian specialties.
Location of Strasbourg Christmas Market
Sustainable Travel in Strasbourg
The choices we make have an environmental and social impact on the places we visit. When visiting the Christmas markets, it’s important to keep sustainability in mind.
Implement some or all of these simple measures to create a positive impact.
- Shop mindfully. Only purchase what you really need.
- Walk, cycle and use public transport to get around.
- Stay in a sustainable hotel powered by renewable energy.
- Stay in hotels. Short-stay apartment accommodation can lead to a lack of affordable housing for locals.
- Avoid using plastic or buying items made or packaged with plastic.
- Try to eat locally sourced organic food where possible.
- Limit your consumption of meat and dairy.
- Be open to diverse cultures and experiences.
- Explore more than just the main tourist areas.
- Support the arts and attend local events.
- Visit fewer places but stay longer at each destination.
FAQ
The Christmas markets start on 25th November and continue until 24th December 2022.
The Christmas markets open at 11am daily.
The Christmas markets close at 8pm except on the 24th when they close at 6pm.
The main Christmas market is located at Place Kléber on the Grande-Île de Strasbourg.
Strasbourg has one of the best Christmas markets in Europe. The atmosphere is incredibly festive and the stalls sell quality decorations, handmade gifts and delicious food. It’s well worth visiting if you can.
No, tickets are not required and it’s free to enter.
I recommend at least 3 nights in Strasbourg to give you 2 full days to explore.
You can walk from Strasbourg to Kehl in Germany by crossing the Pont de l’Europe pedestrian bridge over the Rhine River. It’s a fun walk although it’s an hour each way from Grande-Île de Strasbourg. I walked across the border one time but not during winter when it would possibly be too cold.
Tough question! It’s impossible to say if Colmar or Strasbourg is the better destination. Strasbourg is a larger city so has much more going on while Colmar is smaller, easier to get around and possibly prettier. You won’t be disappointed either way.
If you have any questions or comments about visiting the Strasbourg Xmas market in 2022 or visiting anywhere in the Alsace region this winter, please leave a comment below.
Visit Strasbourg has further information on things to do and the latest Christmas events.
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Recommendations are independently chosen based on personal travel experiences and extensive research. This post contains affiliate links to hotels and tours in Strasbourg, France. This means I get a small commission from any bookings at no extra cost to you.
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