Lichtermarkt St. Lamberti
Lambertikirchplatz · Salzstraße
Blue pointed-roof huts at the foot of St. Lamberti's church, framed by gabled houses — with Münster's largest Christmas tree at its heart.
Why MünsterSix markets, one walk
See them all in a day if you like. Got an hour? See the two that suit you.
Each market has its own character: the oldest in the Town Hall courtyard with over a hundred stalls, the Lichtermarkt with blue pointed-roof huts at the foot of St. Lamberti's church, the tiny Christmas village among the half-timbered houses by the Kiepenkerl. You won't find this density anywhere else in Germany.
The sixWhere they are
Rund um das Rathaus
Rathausinnenhof · Platz des Westfälischen Friedens
The oldest and largest: over a hundred stalls beneath a canopy of lights, plus a nostalgic children's carousel.
Weihnachtsdorf am Kiepenkerl
Spiekerhof
A tiny Christmas village among the half-timbered houses, around the statue of the Kiepenkerl. Westphalian and cosy.
Giebelhüüskesmarkt
Überwasserkirchplatz
In front of the medieval walls of the Überwasser church, with a view of the floodlit cathedral towers. A lively, student feel.
Aegidii-Weihnachtsmarkt
Aegidiimarkt
A courtyard around a large wooden pyramid with a chime every half hour and a nativity scene. The most family-friendly of the six.
X-MS Weihnachtsmarkt
Harsewinkelplatz
Münster's market for Münster: local, regional, sustainable — with a small stage and live music.
DatesWhen they're open
The dates for the 2026 season are confirmed: 23 November to 23 December 2026.
The Lichtermarkt St. Lamberti and the Giebelhüüskesmarkt close a day earlier,
on 22 December; the other four markets on 23 December.
The usual opening times for all six old-town markets: Sunday to Thursday 11 am–8 pm, Friday and Saturday 11 am–9 pm.
The one routeThe advent walk
From the Himmelsleiter at St. Lamberti's to the wooden pyramid at the Aegidii market: a loop past all six markets, under ten minutes between any two. We've written it up step by step — with the legs in between, the fixed times and three shorter variants.
The route plannerYour visit, your route
Two questions are enough: what are you in the mood for, and how much time do you have? Out comes a ready-made suggestion with a schedule, walking times and a recommendation on when best to come.
Looking for handcrafts? You'll be pointed to the morning, when the makers have time for a chat. Want to see the lights? You'll get the dusk. Toilets, places to sit and step-free routes are built in, not an afterthought. In five languages, including Münsterland Low German.
Frequently askedAnswered briefly
How many Christmas markets are there in Münster?
Six in the old town: the Lichtermarkt St. Lamberti, the market around the Town Hall, the Christmas village by the Kiepenkerl, the Giebelhüüskesmarkt by the Überwasser church, the Aegidii market and the X-MS market on Harsewinkelplatz. Together they have 258 stalls and huts.
How far apart are the markets?
They're all in the old town and within walking distance. From the Lichtermarkt it's two minutes to the Kiepenkerl, three to the Town Hall market, five to eight to the rest. The longest connection in the whole network — between Aegidii and the Giebelhüüskesmarkt — takes nine minutes.
Where can I park?
The handiest option is the Theater car park on Tibusstraße: six levels underground, there's almost always a space, and you won't queue at the entrance. From there it's about a seven-minute walk to the Lichtermarkt.
How do I get there by bus and train?
From Münster's main station it's about a fourteen-minute walk to the Lichtermarkt, straight through the old town. Coaches are best dropped off at Schlossplatz.
Where are the toilets?
Almost every market has toilets right on the square, and the Town Hall market has two. Exactly where, the route planner shows at each stop — and there's a separate overview on the blog.
What's there to eat?
From reibekuchen (potato fritters), kale and flame-grilled salmon to crêpes, roasted almonds and baumstriezel; and from mulled wine and feuerzangenbowle to mulled beer. There are vegan options, alcohol-free alternatives and Westphalian specialities — the route planner shows where.
Is it worth visiting with children?
Yes. There are children's carousels at the Town Hall market and the Aegidii market, and with its wooden pyramid, half-hourly chime and large nativity scene the Aegidii market is the most family-friendly of the six. Early afternoon is quieter than the evening.
What shouldn't you miss?
The Anabaptist cages and Münster's largest Christmas tree at St. Lamberti's, the canopy of lights in the Town Hall courtyard, the Kiepenkerl, the wooden pyramid with its chime at the Aegidii, the view of the cathedral towers from the Giebelhüüskesmarkt and the live music at the X-MS. The advent walk takes you past them all; the route planner turns them into a loop of your own.
Read moreFrom our blog
For years we've been collecting whatever makes the visit easier — written by people who stand on the market themselves.