Copenhagen
Christmas Markets 2026 | 2027

Copenhagen Christmas Markets – Canal Walks, Gløgg & Tivoli Nights

Copenhagen’s Christmas season featues illuminated gardens, shopping-street markets and canal-side walks, with plenty of stops for gløgg and æbleskiver along the way. Give Tivoli an evening of its own, explore the central markets on foot and leave room for Copenhagen’s gay bars after dark.

• Visiting Copenhagen for Christmas? Stay at citizenM Copenhagen Radhuspladsen for a practical base beside City Hall Square, convenient for Tivoli, the central markets and the gay bars around Studiestræde.

Copenhagen Christmas Markets 2026

• Next Event: Friday, November 6, 2026 To: Sunday, January 3, 2027
• Start with Nytorv/Gammeltorv for central shopping, Tivoli for lights and rides, and Christiania for an indoor market with a different character.
• Expect wooden stalls, handmade gifts, spiced gløgg and warm æbleskiver, with canal-side walks and welcoming gay bars between your festive stops.
• Allow three nights for the central markets, a Tivoli evening and time to explore beyond the shopping streets.

Christmas in Tivoli Gardens

• Christmas in Tivoli is Copenhagen’s main festive outing, combining illuminated gardens, Christmas stalls, restaurants and amusement-park rides.
• Perfect for a full evening rather than a quick shopping stop. Arrive before dark, explore the stalls, then stay for the lights.
• Enjoy light installations and animation around the gardens, with seasonal performances on selected dates.
• Entrance and rides are separate purchases unless your ticket includes both. Book restaurant tables ahead if dinner is part of your plan.
• For the opening day, Fri 13th Nov, the programme lists the gardens opening at 11am and the Christmas tree lighting at 4.30pm.

Dates	Fri 13th Nov 2026 – Sun 3rd Jan 2027. Check the calendar for holiday closures.
Location	Tivoli Gardens, Vesterbrogade 3, beside Copenhagen Central Station.
Opening hours	Hours vary by date. Check Tivoli’s opening calendar before booking your visit.
Stay nearby	Villa Copenhagen – a comfortable base beside Central Station and close to Tivoli, with a bar, restaurant and heated outdoor pool.

Nytorv & Gammeltorv – Shopping, Stalls & Skating

• The Christmas Market at Nytorv and Gammeltorv is the central stop to combine with shopping along Strøget.
• Featuring a free ice rink and free skate rental, giving you a reason to stay beyond a browse and a mug of gløgg.
• Use this as the practical heart of your walking route: shop first, stop for seasonal food, then continue towards City Hall Square or the gay bars around Studiestræde.
• The market opens before Tivoli, making it useful for an early-November visit. Some exhibitors from the former Højbro Plads market will be here in 2026.

Dates	Fri 6th Nov – Mon 21st Dec 2026.
Location	Nytorv and Gammeltorv, beside Strøget and the courthouse.
Opening hours	Mon-Wed 11am-8pm; Thu 11am-9pm; Fri-Sat 11am-10pm; Sun noon-7pm.
Stay nearby	citizenM Copenhagen Radhuspladsen – convenient for the market, shopping and an easy return before heading out to the bars.

City Hall Square – The Former Højbro Plads Market

• Copenhagen’s beloved, traditional German-style Christmas market mpoves to Rådhuspladsen (City Hall Square) for December 2026.
• Leaving its old home at Højbro Plads behind, this lively holiday hub is stepping into the absolute heart of the city’s winter action.
• Set right at the western gates of Strøget (Copenhagen’s premier shopping street) and just steps from the iconic winter wonderland of Tivoli Gardens.
• You can easily transition from sipping mulled wine under fairy lights to exploring the city’s coziest bars and historic side streets.

Dates	Wed 11th Nov – Sun 20th Dec
Location	Rådhuspladsen, City Hall Square.
Opening hours	Awaiting the published 2026 schedule.
Stay nearby	citizenM Copenhagen Radhuspladsen – directly by the square, with Tivoli and the central shopping streets nearby.

Christiania Christmas Market – Indoors at Den Grå Hal

• The Christiania Christmas Market takes place inside Den Grå Hal, offering a change from Copenhagen’s outdoor market squares.
• This is the one to add when you want to explore Christiania and browse away from the main shopping streets. The indoor setting makes it particularly useful on a cold or wet afternoon.
• Combine it with Christianshavn’s canals and a meal in the neighbourhood, rather than crossing the city just for a quick look.
• Entry is free, but its short December run needs planning: it opens later than Tivoli and Nytorv/Gammeltorv.

Dates	Tue 8th Dec – Sun 20th Dec 2026.
Location	Den Grå Hal, Refshalevej 2, Christiania.
Opening hours	Daily noon-8pm; Sun 20th Dec noon-6pm.
Stay nearby	NH Collection Copenhagen – a Christianshavn base for the market, canal walks and access to the city centre.

Christmas at Bakken – A Woodland Outing

• Christmas at Bakken takes you north of central Copenhagen to the amusement park in Dyrehaven, with Christmas stalls and lights among the old trees.
• The woodland setting is its reason to visit. Give it a separate afternoon or evening rather than adding it to your central market walk.
• The 2026 programme introduces an ice rink, a cake-themed area and a Christmas parade, alongside selected rides and places to eat.
• Admission to Bakken is free; rides and individual activities may cost extra. Book a Christmas meal separately if you want to make a longer outing of it.

Dates	Sat 21st Nov – Sun 20th Dec 2026, on selected opening days.
Location	Dyrehavsbakken, Klampenborg, north of Copenhagen.
Opening hours	Christmas opening is Fri-Sun within the season, starting Sat 21st Nov. Check the daily calendar; the ice rink has extra weekday opening.
Stay nearby	Skovshoved Hotel – a coastal base north of the city for a stay combining Bakken and the surrounding area. You will still need onward transport to the park.

Nyhavn & Kongens Nytorv – The Christmas Walk

• Nyhavn earns its place for the canal, colourful historic houses and places to stop for gløgg. Start here in daylight for photographs, then continue towards Kongens Nytorv.
• Look out for the seasonal decorations around Kongens Nytorv, including Hotel d’Angleterre and Magasin du Nord, before following Strøget towards the central markets.
• For a canal-side Christmas stay, choose 71 Nyhavn Hotel, at the harbour end of Nyhavn.

Where to Stay for Copenhagen’s Christmas Markets

Choose the Central Station area for Tivoli and transport, Nyhavn for the harbour setting, or Christianshavn for Christiania and canal walks.

• Villa Copenhagen – our choice for Tivoli evenings, a comfortable hotel bar and a heated outdoor pool.
• 71 Nyhavn Hotel – choose it for the waterfront setting and walks around Nyhavn and Kongens Nytorv.
• NH Collection Copenhagen – a modern Christianshavn base for Christiania, the canals and trips across the harbour.
• Absalon Hotel – a practical Vesterbro choice near Central Station, with restaurants and bars in the surrounding streets.
• Compare the 10 best hotels in Copenhagen for your travel dates.

Gay Copenhagen – After the Markets

The area around Studiestræde and City Hall Square makes it easy to continue from the central markets into Copenhagen’s gay bars. For a quieter evening, book dinner or a cocktail stop before heading out.

For Christmas Decorations & Gløgg

• Centralhjørnet, Kattesundet 18 – the Christmas stop to prioritise for extravagant decorations and the bar’s seasonal gløgg. Its upstairs Christmas market will not open in 2026, but the decorated bar remains part of the festive outing.

For Food, Coffee & Conversation

• Oscar Bar | Café, Regnbuepladsen 9 – a non-smoking gay bar and café beside City Hall Square. Choose it for a seated meal, coffee or drinks between the markets and a later night.

For A Gay Pub Evening

• Masken Bar, Studiestræde 33 – an established gay bar with regulars, drinks and a sociable pub atmosphere. A convenient continuation after Nytorv/Gammeltorv.

For A Queer Night in Vesterbro

• Vela, Viktoriagade 2-4 – a queer club and bar with music and cultural events. Check its programme if your group wants an evening beyond the central gay pubs.

For Couples & Cocktails

• Ruby, Nybrogade 10 – a cocktail bar in a historic townhouse, suited to a quieter drink after the central markets. A general cocktail venue; minimum age 21.
• Nimb Bar, Bernstorffsgade 5 – a hotel-bar option for cocktails beneath chandeliers, particularly convenient around a Tivoli evening. A general hotel bar, rather than a gay venue.

Planning Your Copenhagen Christmas Break

• For Tivoli, Nytorv/Gammeltorv and Christiania together, visit between Tue 8th Dec and Sun 20th Dec. Choose a weekend if Bakken is part of your plan.
• For a November stay, Nytorv/Gammeltorv opens on Fri 6th Nov and Tivoli follows on Fri 13th Nov. Christiania will not yet be open.
• After Mon 21st Dec, do not expect the same choice of markets. Tivoli continues into January, subject to its holiday calendar.
• Try gløgg, Denmark’s spiced hot wine, and æbleskiver, round pancake puffs commonly served with jam and icing sugar.
• Book Tivoli admission, rides and restaurant arrangements around the experience you want; do not assume one ticket includes everything.
• Keep a warm indoor stop in your walking route. Oscar, Centralhjørnet and the city’s cafés make useful breaks between outdoor visits.