Oslo Christmas Markets 2026

Oslo Christmas Markets 2026

Oslo’s Christmas season takes you from wooden stalls and a Ferris wheel on Karl Johans gate to candlelit historic houses on Bygdøy. Come for Norwegian Christmas food, handmade gifts and early evenings under the lights, with the city’s gay nightlife a short walk from the main market.

• Treat yourself to the perfect Christmas in Oslo at the “Superb” rated, elegant Hotel Bristol, offering the ideal location close to all the city’s Christmas markets and steps from the famous gay party hangouts.

The Christmas Markets

• Next Edition: Saturday, November 7, 2026 to Sunday, January 3, 2027 – Individual markets run on selected dates within this period.
• Oslo pairs Christmas stalls and streets strung with lights with historic Norwegian celebrations, waterfront design markets and warming winter food.
• Best weekends: Saturday 5th December to Sunday 6th December or Saturday 12th December to Sunday 13th December, when the Folkemuseum and SALT markets join Jul i Vinterland. Expect busy Saturday afternoons and evenings.
• Our recommendation: Spend daylight hours exploring the Folkemuseum’s decorated historic houses, then head to Jul i Vinterland after dark for gløgg, food stalls and the Ferris wheel. Add SALT for independent gifts, or Bærums Verk for a longer excursion among craft shops and traditional market stalls.
• The Norwegian capital is small compared to other European cities, and getting around is not too difficult.

Christmas Markets at a Glance

Market / Area	Dates
Jul i Vinterland Spikersuppa Main city market	7 Nov 2026 to 3 Jan 2027 Closed 24 Dec
Norsk Folkemuseum Bygdøy Historic Christmas	5-6 & 12-13 Dec 2026
Bærums Verk West of Oslo Crafts and village setting	21 Nov to 20 Dec 2026 Thu-Sun only
Oslos Supermarked SALT waterfront Independent design	5-6 & 12-13 Dec 2026

Dates below cover each market’s own season. Bærums Verk’s shops continue after its market closes; Hadeland’s final market date remains unpublished.

Christmas in Winterland (Jul i Vinterland)

• Next Edition: Saturday 7th November 2026 to Sunday 3rd January 2027 – Located in Spikersuppa, alongside Karl Johan street, Christmas in Winterland is the largest and busiest Christmas market in Oslo.
• The Market is spread out between the Stortinget building, stretches to the Norwegian National Theatre, and attracts over two million visitors.
• Jul i Vinterland features hundreds of wooden stalls selling handicrafts, food, cured meats, warm Norwegian sweaters and hot drinks.
• The Market’s main attraction is its Ferris wheel, offering fantastic city views from above. It also features several amusement park rides.
• Don’t miss your photo opp at the Stjernehimmelen light display, which makes for superb Instagram photos.
• Opening hours: Mon-Thu 12:00-20:00 | Fri 12:00-21:00 | Sat 10:00-21:00  | Sun 10:00-20:00.  (Hours from 23rd Dec vary)
• Stay close to the Market at the “Fabulous” rated Hotel Continental, featuring spacious designer rooms and a perfect location.

Norsk Folkemuseum’s Christmas Fair

• Next Edition: Saturday 5th December to Sunday 6th December 2026 – from 10 pm to 4 pm and Saturday 12th December to Sunday 13th December 2026 –  from 10 pm to 4 pm
• Located in Bygdøy, the Norsk Folkemuseum’s Christmas Fair is in the open-air Norwegian folk museum.
• Bygdøy is Oslo’s museum peninsula, west of the centre. Make this a daytime excursion rather than a nightlife base.
• The Market is home to over one hundred Christmas stalls, pony rides, farm animals, Santa’s workshops, a candle factory, and exhibits about Norwegian Christmas traditions.
• Enjoy delicious hot wine or gløgg, along with traditional Norwegian dishes.
• The museum is decorated in line with various customs and eras, allowing you to experience anything from Christmas Eve in a fancy merchant’s home in 1769 to the home of a rural Norwegian family in 1959.
• The bus ride takes around 20 minutes from Jernbanetorget, the transport hub outside Oslo Central Station.
• Opening hours: 10:00-16:00 on all four market days – 5th, 6th, 12th and 13th December.

Christmas at Bærums Verk

• Next Edition: Saturday 21st November to Sunday 20th December 2026, Thursday to Sunday.
• Location: Verksgata, Bærums Verk, west of Oslo.
• Bærums Verk offers a different pace: former industrial buildings, small craft shops and market stalls along the old trading street.
• Come for gifts with a local craft focus, warming food and a walk through the historic setting. Fire pits provide places to pause between the stalls. Permanent shops and galleries make this a worthwhile outing beyond the market itself.
• The Christmas tree lighting is scheduled for Saturday 21st November. The market closes on Sunday 20th December; the wider shopping season continues towards Christmas Eve.
• Opening Hours: Thu-Fri 14:00-18:00 | Sat 10:00-18:00 | Sun 12:00-18:00 | closed Mon-Wed | Market ends 20th December

Oslos Supermarked at SALT

• Next Edition: Saturday 5th December to Sunday 6th December | Saturday 12th December to Sunday 13th December 2026.
• Location: SALT, Langkaia, on Oslo’s central waterfront.
• Oslos Supermarked is the pick for gifts from independent makers. Its 2026 program brings together 80 selected art and craft exhibitors across two weekends, with a changing selection each weekend.
• Expect ceramics, illustration, jewellery, coffee and small-batch food products. The program includes concerts, workshops and sauna experiences, making this an easy market to pair with an afternoon around the harbour.
• Opening Hours: 11:00-16:00 on all four market days – 5th, 6th, 12th and 13th December.
• For a boutique base closer to the main market and gay bars, choose Savoy 1918 on Universitetsgaten. Its individually furnished rooms, sauna and hotel bar suit a winter weekend, with SALT reached on a walk across the centre. 

Gay Oslo – Understanding the City

Oslo’s gay nightlife is compact rather than arranged along one long gay street. The most useful central reference point is the courthouse area around C. J. Hambros plass, a short walk north of Karl Johans gate.

• Sentrum is practical base for a first visit, combining the main Christmas market, shops, transport and London Pub.

Gay Bars and Parties at Christmas

• London Pub, at C. J. Hambros plass 5, remains the beststarting point for a gay night out. Start with drinks in the pub, then move to the connected club when it opens.
• Scandinavian Leather Men Oslo is the option for men seeking leather, rubber and fetish events. It operates through scheduled club nights with event-specific entry rules and dress codes.
• The AGENDA – A queer cocktail bar at Storgata 41, with DJs, drag shows, bingo, quizzes and comedy. A useful addition for meeting locals before a late club night, on the eastern side of the centre towards Grünerløkka.
• Bob’s Pub – A traditional neighbourhood pub at Grønland 3, east of Oslo Central Station, with an established gay following and an older crowd.

Where to Stay

Choose your hotel around the market you most want to visit. Spikersuppa is central; the other three suit trips beyond the city centre.

• Hotel Bristol – Our recommendation for Jul i Vinterland at Spikersuppa. Classic interiors, inviting lounges and a location a short walk from the stalls, Karl Johans gate and London Pub.
• Scandic Sjølyst – Stay close to Norsk Folkemuseum’s Christmas Fair. A practical base in Skøyen, with comfortable rooms and a gym. Skøyen station is five minutes away on foot, with free shuttle buses to the museum during the fair.
• Thon Hotel Oslofjord – Great for Bærums Verk if you prefer staying west of Oslo. Based in Sandvika, it offers a gym and sauna, with onward travel to the market by bus or taxi. This is a regional base rather than a hotel beside the stalls.
• Sundvolden Hotel – Our recommendation for a Hadeland Glassverk outing by car. A historic four-star hotel beside Lake Tyrifjorden, with a spa, restaurant and free parking. Choose it for a countryside Christmas break, with a drive to the market.