From mid-November to the end of December, the Netherlands starts the Christmas season.
The streets are adorned with Christmas lights, and large Christmas trees are set up in the squares.
Although Christmas markets in the Netherlands are generally small and short in duration, Christmas events are held across the country, so a market can be found somewhere every weekend.
The information for the 2024 Christmas markets in the Netherlands has been updated.
- X’mas Markets in the Netherlands
- Nov 16th – Dec 29th, “Cave Xmas Market” in Valkenburg
- Nov 19nd – Nov 24th, “Country Christmas Fair” in Vijfhuizen
- Nov 28 th – Dec 30th, “Magical Maastricht” in Maastricht
- Nov 28th – Dec 1st, “Castle Christmas Fair” in Velsen-Zuid
- Nov 30th – Dec 15th, “Christmas Market” in Vesting Bourtange
- Dec 5th – 23rd “Royal Christmas Fair” in The Haag
- Dec 11th – 15th, “Christmas at Middachten Castle” in De Steeg
- Dec 13th -15th, “Christmas Market” in Haarlem
- Dec 13th -15th, “Christmas Market” in Vaassen
- Dec 13th -15th, “Christmas Market” in Wezup
- Dec ?? -??, “Christmas Market” in Alkmaar
- Dec ?? “Christmas Market” in Leiden
- December 13th, “Candlelight” in Gouda
- Dec 14th -15th, “Christmas Market” in Dordrecht
- Dec 14th -15th, “Dickens Festival” in Deventer
X’mas Markets in the Netherlands
We’ve compiled information on 15 Christmas markets, from popular ones to quirky events.
*We recommend purchasing tickets early for events that require tickets.
Nov 16th – Dec 29th, “Cave Xmas Market” in Valkenburg
Valkenburg is a town in the south of the Netherlands. About 3 hours by train from Amsterdam.
A tourist attraction in Valkenburg is the Cave. A Christmas market is held in the cave.
The Christmas market in the cave is like a fantasy world like a Harry Potter movie. It’s an adventure like exploring a secret cave. This Valkenburg Cave Christmas Market was awarded the Best European Christmas Market 2018.
*Tickets are time slotted and we recommend purchasing your tickets online.
Date：Nov 16th to Dec 29th
Hours：11-19
(10-19 on Sat and Sun)
*December 25th: Closed
*December 24th, 26th, 30th: until 18pm
Tiket：€ 9〜
Map：Cauberg 4, Valkenburg
URL：Kerstmarkt Gemeentegrot
Nov 19nd – Nov 24th, “Country Christmas Fair” in Vijfhuizen
The Country & Christmas Fair is a Christmas market that is held in a different location every year.
In 2024 it will be held at EXPO Greater Amsterdam. It’s easy to visit, just 15 minutes by bus from Haarlem Station.
A Christmas market lined with Christmas decorations and food stalls selling mulled wine, hot chocolate, and Dutch sweets like poffetjes.
You can start your Christmas festivities a month early at the Country & Christmas Fair held in November.
*Tickets are time slotted and we recommend purchasing your tickets online.
Date：Nov 19th to 24th
Hours：10-22 (10-18 on Sun)
Tiket：€ 18.50
Map：Stelling 1, 2141 SB Vijfhuizen
URL：Country Christmas Fair
Nov 28 th – Dec 30th, “Magical Maastricht” in Maastricht
In Maastricht, about 2.5 hours by train from Amsterdam, the old town is decorated with illumination.
And in the square where the Magical Maastricht is held, there is a huge Ferris wheel, a skating rink, and Christmas markett.
There is a day when Santa Claus comes to visit Magical Maastricht only once a year.
Date：Nov 28th to Dec 30th
Hours：10-24 (10-25 on weekend)
＊24th: 10-18, 25th: 11-18, 26th: 11-24
Free entry
Map：Vrijthof, Maastricht
URL：Magical Maastricht
Nov 28th – Dec 1st, “Castle Christmas Fair” in Velsen-Zuid
The Castle Christmas Fair takes place this year Landgoed Duin & Kruidberg, a castle located a 20-minute train ride from Haarlem.
It will be a fantastical Christmas market held in a real castle.
*Tickets are time slotted and we recommend purchasing your tickets online.
Date：Nov 28th to Dec 1st
Hours：11-22 (11-18 on Sun)
Tiket：€ 15.75
Map：Duin- en Kruidbergerweg 60, Santpoort-Noord
URL：Castle Christmas Fair
Nov 30th – Dec 15th, “Christmas Market” in Vesting Bourtange
There’s a unique Christmas market held at Vesting Bourtange, near the border with Germany, about two hours by train and bus from Groningen in the north of the Netherlands.
The Christmas market, held in a fortress built at the end of the 16th century, is beautifully lit up, so it’s an event you’ll want to visit in the evening.
It takes more than four hours one way from Amsterdam, so it’s best to stay in a hotel inside the fortress and enjoy the night lights at this Christmas market.
Date：Nov 30th, Des 1st, 7th, 8th, 14th and 15th
Hours：Sat 11-21, Sun11-18
Ticket：€ 5
Map：Willem Lodewijkstraat 33, Bourtange
URL：bourtange.nl
Dec 5th – 23rd “Royal Christmas Fair” in The Haag
Den Haag Christmas market is held on the tree-lined street.
The Royal Christmas Fair is the one of the beautifulest Christmas market in the Netherlands. The tree-lined streets are decorated with illuminations in the evening.
Date：Dec 5th to 23rd
Hours：12-21
Free entry
Map：Lange Voorhout
URL：Royal Christmas Fair
Dec 11th – 15th, “Christmas at Middachten Castle” in De Steeg
About 2 hours by train from Amsterdam, the old castle Middachten‘s Christmas market is decorated with flower arrangements and you can experience a fragrant Christmas.
The market is small in size and mainly sells local products, but at night the garden is lit with hundreds of candles and you can take a walk through the fantastic scenery.
Date：Dec 11th to 15th
Hours：12-20 (12-19 on Sun)
Tiket：€ 13.50
Map：Landgoed Middachten 3, STEEG
URL：Kerstopenstelling Middachten
Dec 13th -15th, “Christmas Market” in Haarlem
The Christmas market in Haarlem, a town next to Amsterdam, will held the Christmas market in the whole city.
About 300 stalls will open at the Christmas market for three days only, and events such as live performances will be held here and there in the city.
Date：Dec 13th to 15th
Hours：10:30-20 (10:30-19 on Sun)
Free entry
Map：Grote Markt, Haarlem
URL：Haarlem Christmas Market
Dec 13th -15th, “Christmas Market” in Vaassen
The atmospherically lit forecourt of Cannenburch Castle will be filled with many stalls where you can find all kinds of fun Christmas items and treats. Stroll around and listen to the Christmas music while enjoying a cup of hot chocolate or mulled wine.
Get a taste of Cannenburch in the Christmas spirit this weekend and marvel at the many decorated rooms that match an 18th-century nobleman’s house that is getting ready for Christmas.
Date：Dec 13th to 15th
Hours：Fri 13-21:30, Sat 11-21:30, Sun 11-17
Tiket：€ 14.50
Map：Maarten van Rossumplein 4, Vaassen
URL：kerstmarkt-vaassen
Dec 13th -15th, “Christmas Market” in Wezup
The Christmas market in Wezup, a village near the German border, began in 1990.
This unique Christmas market, held in old farms and historic barns, attracts thousands of tourists every year.
The market, held in the midst of a landscape of old Holland with cobblestone streets and thatched roofs, has a nostalgic fairy tale feel.
Date：Dec 13th to 15th
Hours：Fri 19-22, Sat 14-21, Sun 11-17
Free entry
Map：Wezuperstraat 12, Wezup
URL：kerstmarktwezup.nl
Dec ?? -??, “Christmas Market” in Alkmaar
At the Winter Wonderland Christmas market held in the cheese town of Alkmaar, you can enjoy the Christmas market while sightseeing in the city.
Date：??
Hours：??
Free entry
Map：Waagplein 6, Alkmaar
URL：waagplein-s-winter-wonderland
Dec ?? “Christmas Market” in Leiden
Leiden, a student town about 40 minutes by train from Amsterdam, is famous for its floating Christmas market, which was chosen as Europe’s best Christmas market in 2016, but from 2022 the venue will be moved from the water to land.
It will no longer hold the title of the world’s only floating Christmas market, but one benefit of being on land is that it is now a much larger Christmas market than before.
Date：??
Hours：??
Free entry
Map：Hooglandse Kerkgracht
URL：Kerstmarkt Leiden
December 13th, “Candlelight” in Gouda
About an hour by train from Amsterdam, the cheese town of Gouda will hold its 69th Candlelight in 2024.
1500 candles are lit around the square where the historical town hall is located.
At dusk, the city is illuminated only by candlelight, and you can experience a fantastic night with church concerts.
Dec 14th -15th, “Christmas Market” in Dordrecht
The Christmas market held in Dordrecht, a city 15 minutes by train from Rotterdam, was the largest in the Netherlands. In recent years, the scale has shrunk due to a lack of operating funds, but various events are planned.
The whole city will be decorated with illuminations from December 13th until the end of the year. Last year, a 3km marathon was held in which people ran in Santa costumes. Many events are planned for this year as well.
Date：Dec 14th to 15th
Hours：Sat10-22, Sun12-20
Free entry
Map：Grotekerksbuurt, Dordrecht
URL：dordtsedecemberdagen.nl
Dec 14th -15th, “Dickens Festival” in Deventer
Deventer, a town about an hour by train from Amsterdam, hosts a unique type of Christmas event called the Dickens Festival, where townspeople dress up as characters from the works of Charles Dickens, author of The Christmas Carol, the most famous Christmas story.
This popular event attracts nearly 150,000 visitors every year to watch a parade of over 950 characters.
It was a magical day, like a daydream, where I was able to experience a Victorian-era Christmas in a Dutch countryside town.
Date：Dec 14th to 15th
Hours：??
Free entry
Map：Keizerstraat, Deventer
URL：dickensfestijn.nl