This guide explores Dutch Christmas traditions, what to expect from Christmas markets in the Netherlands, and how they compare with those in neighbouring Belgium. For a full list of markets and their 2026 dates, see our Christmas markets in the Netherlands and Belgium planner.
Christmas markets have become increasingly popular in the Netherlands, although they don’t have quite the same history as those in neighbouring Germany and Belgium. Many Dutch markets are smaller events held over a weekend, while others, particularly in the south (below ‘the rivers’), run for several weeks and attract visitors from across the country.
Belgium has a stronger tradition of larger Christmas markets, with cities such as Brussels, Bruges, and Ghent hosting events that continue throughout much of December. This makes Belgium worth considering if you’re visiting the Netherlands during the festive season, particularly if you’d like to combine a Christmas market with a day exploring another city.
There is plenty of variety in both countries, from the underground cave markets in Valkenburg to the winter festivities in Maastricht and the larger city-centre markets in Belgium. The important thing is to check the dates before travelling, as not every market is open throughout December.
Yes, Christmas markets have become increasingly popular in the Netherlands, although they aren’t quite as central to the festive season as they are in neighbouring Germany and Belgium. Some Dutch cities now host large winter events lasting several weeks, while smaller towns often organise markets for just a weekend or a few days.
One reason for this difference is the importance of Sinterklaas, a separate Dutch celebration that begins with his arrival mid-November. For many families, 5th December, known as pakjesavond, is traditionally the main occasion for exchanging presents, particularly when children are involved. The celebrations also bring their own seasonal treats, including pepernoten and chocolate letters.
After Sinterklaas, attention turns more fully to Christmas. Families gather for meals on Christmas Day and Boxing Day, both public holidays in the Netherlands. A particularly Dutch tradition is gourmetten, where everyone cooks small portions of food together at the table.
Christmas markets are now part of the festive season, but their dates and formats vary considerably. It’s worth checking what’s happening during your visit rather than assuming every market will be open throughout December.
What to Expect
At Dutch Christmas markets, you’ll usually find seasonal food and drinks, including glühwein (mulled wine), hot chocolate, and oliebollen, the traditional Dutch doughnuts. Some markets also have ice-skating rinks and other winter activities, particularly in larger towns and cities.
Many outdoor markets are free to visit, although certain attractions charge admission. The underground Christmas markets in Valkenburg and Amsterdam Winter Paradise at the RAI, for example, require tickets.
Here are some of the best places to visit if you’re in the Netherlands during the festive season.
Amsterdam has several Christmas markets and winter events, although they vary quite considerably in character:
The Ice Village at Museumplein runs from 3rd to 27th December 2026, with more than 50 stalls selling gifts, crafts, food, and drinks. Its location beside the Rijksmuseum makes it an easy addition to a day exploring the city.
Amsterdam Winter Paradise takes place at the RAI from 12th December 2026 to 2nd January 2027. This is more of a winter festival than a traditional Christmas market, with ice skating, fairground attractions, live entertainment, and seasonal food. Tickets are required.
For something smaller, the Funky Xmas Market at Westergas takes place on 20 December 2026, with independent makers, unusual gifts, and food stalls.
Amsterdam also has its annual Light Festival, running from 26th November 2026 to 17th January 2027. The illuminated artworks along the canals are a lovely way to experience the city during the darker winter evenings, whether you’re exploring on foot or taking a canal cruise. To see it from the water, our private Light Festival cruises take you past the artworks on your own heated boat.
From 11th to 13th December 2026, Haarlem’s Christmas market fills the historic city centre with around 350 stalls spread across twelve locations, including the streets surrounding the Grote Kerk. You’ll find gifts, decorations, local crafts, and seasonal food, with choirs and street musicians adding to the atmosphere.
Haarlem is only a short train journey from Amsterdam, making it an easy day trip during the market weekend.
The Royal Christmas Fair takes place along Lange Voorhout, one of The Hague’s most attractive historic avenues, from 3rd to 23rd December 2026. The market has wooden stalls selling gifts, decorations, and seasonal food, with Christmas lights and entertainment adding to the atmosphere.
Admission is free, and the market is open daily from 12pm to 9pm. Its central location makes it easy to combine with a visit to The Hague’s historic centre, shops, and museums.
Utrecht doesn’t have one large Christmas market running throughout December, but there are smaller seasonal events worth looking out for. One of the more unusual is the winter market at Molen de Ster, a historic working windmill, taking place on Saturday 12th and Sunday 13th December 2026.
The market brings together local craftspeople selling handmade gifts, alongside winter food and drinks. There’s also a playground and a small area with goats, making it a pleasant option for families.
Leiden’s Winter Wonder Weken bring Christmas festivities to the historic city centre, including a Christmas market along the Hooglandse Kerkgracht from 11th to 20th December 2026. The stalls offer gifts, decorations, food, and drinks, with the Hooglandse Kerk providing an attractive backdrop.
There’s also a floating ice rink on the Nieuwe Rijn, adding something a little different to Leiden’s winter celebrations. The compact city centre makes it easy to explore both attractions on foot, along with Leiden’s canals, shops, and historic streets.
Deventer offers something rather different from a traditional Christmas market. During the Dickens Festival, the historic Bergkwartier becomes a scene from nineteenth-century England, with more than 950 characters from Charles Dickens’s stories filling the streets. You might encounter Ebenezer Scrooge, Oliver Twist, Victorian street traders, and Christmas carol singers among the old buildings.
The festival takes place on Saturday 12th and Sunday 13th December 2026. There are also Christmas markets elsewhere in the city that weekend, including around the Grote Kerkhof. The Dickens Festival itself requires a ticket, and timed entry slots have been introduced for 2026 to help manage the crowds.
Dordrecht’s historic centre provides a lovely setting for its Christmas celebrations 11th – 13th December 2026, with market stalls spread along the streets and squares among the city’s historic buildings and old harbour areas. The festive atmosphere extends through much of the centre, making it enjoyable simply to wander between the stalls, shops, and cafés.
The celebrations form part of the Dordtse Decemberdagen, which bring Christmas lights, seasonal activities, and entertainment to the city. Dates and individual events can vary, so it’s worth checking the 2026 programme before planning your visit.
Valkenburg, in the southern province of Limburg, is famous for its unusual underground Christmas markets. From 13th November to 30th December 2026, the passageways of the Gemeentegrot (Municipal Cave) and Fluweelengrot (Velvet Cave) are filled with stalls selling Christmas decorations, gifts, food, and drinks. The caves provide a setting quite unlike the usual outdoor Christmas market.
Both cave markets require tickets, which are best booked in advance, particularly at weekends. There is plenty happening above ground too, including Christmas stalls, seasonal entertainment, and the town’s popular Christmas parade. The wider Christmas Town celebrations continue until 3rd January 2027.
Magisch Maastricht (Magical Maastricht) transforms the city’s famous Vrijthof square into a Christmas market and winter festival from 28th November to 29th December 2026. Wooden chalets sell gifts, decorations, seasonal food, and drinks, while a Ferris wheel, ice rink, and other attractions make it particularly popular with families.
Beyond Vrijthof, Maastricht’s historic streets, shops, and cafés are beautifully decorated for Christmas. With its distinctive architecture and location close to Belgium and Germany, Maastricht has a festive atmosphere that feels a little different from cities further north in the Netherlands.
If you’re visiting the Netherlands during the festive season, it’s also worth considering a trip across the border to Belgium. Cities such as Brussels, Bruges, Ghent, and Antwerp host Christmas markets and winter celebrations, often lasting several weeks.
Belgium’s historic city centres provide wonderful settings for these markets, with plenty of seasonal food, drinks, and gifts. Our Christmas markets planner lists the Belgian markets with their dates, so you can see where to go and when.
Depending on where you’re staying, some Belgian cities are quite manageable as a day trip from the Netherlands. You’ll find the individual Belgian markets, their dates and what to expect in our Christmas markets planner.
A little planning can make visiting Christmas markets in the Netherlands and Belgium much easier.
Check the dates: Not all Christmas markets run throughout December. Some are open for several weeks, while others take place over a single weekend. Our Christmas market planner can help you find events during your stay.
Travel by train where possible: Many markets are in historic city centres, where parking can be difficult or expensive. The Dutch and Belgian rail networks make it relatively easy to visit several destinations.
Dress for the weather: December can be cold, wet, and windy. Warm layers, a waterproof coat, and comfortable shoes are particularly useful for outdoor markets.
Check whether tickets are needed: Most outdoor Christmas markets are free to enter, but some attractions and events, including Valkenburg’s cave markets, require tickets.
Allow time to explore: Many markets are in attractive historic towns and cities, so it’s worth leaving time to enjoy the surroundings rather than visiting only the stalls.
Christmas markets are a lovely way to explore the Netherlands during the festive season. Whether you prefer the larger celebrations in Maastricht and Valkenburg, the historic streets of Haarlem and Dordrecht, or a smaller local market, there’s plenty of variety.
Many of these events also offer a good reason to discover somewhere new, with Christmas lights, seasonal food, and historic surroundings adding to the experience. And if you have time to venture across the border, Belgium has some wonderful Christmas markets of its own.
Whichever you choose, check the dates before travelling, particularly for markets that only take place over one weekend.
Prefer someone else to do the driving? If you’d rather not navigate public transport, our private Christmas market and events tour offers a more flexible way to visit seasonal events, with transport arranged around your plans.
Here are some of the main Christmas markets and festive winter fairs happening across the Netherlands in 2026:
| Location | Event | Dates 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Valkenburg (Limburg) | Christmas Town Valkenburg, the underground cave markets | 13th November – 30th December 2026 |
| Valkenburg (Limburg) | WinterGlow, above ground on the Walramplein | 13th November 2026 – 3rd January 2027 |
| Maastricht | Magisch Maastricht (Vrijthof) |
28th November to 29th December 2026. |
| The Hague | Royal Christmas Fair (Lange Voorhout) | 3rd – 23rd December 2026 |
| Amsterdam | Ice Village, Museumplein | 3rd – 27th December 2026 |
| Haarlem | Christmas market across the old centre | 11th – 13th December 2026 |
| Leiden | Leidse Kerstmarkt, Hooglandse Kerkgracht | 11th – 20th December 2026 |
| Gouda | Gouda bij Kaarslicht | 11 December 2026 |
| Dordrecht | December Market | 11th – 13th December 2026 |
| Deventer | Dickens Festival | 12th – 13th December 2026 |
| Santpoort-Noord (near Haarlem) | Castle Christmas Fair, Duin & Kruidberg | 24th – 29th November 2026 |
| Uddel (Gelderland) | Wintermarkt Uddel | 20th – 21st November 2026 |
The Christmas markets in Belgium are larger and have a more traditional, historical feel than the Dutch ones. You can find out more about Belgian Christmas Markets here.
Christmas markets in the Netherlands generally begin in November or early December, although dates vary considerably. Some, such as Valkenburg and Maastricht, run for several weeks, while others, including Haarlem and Deventer, take place over a single weekend. Our Christmas markets planner can help you find markets open during your visit.
That depends on what you’re looking for. Maastricht is popular for its large Christmas market and winter attractions on Vrijthof square, while Valkenburg is famous for its underground cave markets. Haarlem offers a traditional market spread through its historic centre, and Deventer’s Dickens Festival provides a very different Christmas experience. Amsterdam also has several smaller markets and larger winter events.
Most outdoor Christmas markets in the Netherlands are free to visit, including those in Haarlem and The Hague. However, some events require tickets, particularly Valkenburg’s underground cave markets, Amsterdam Winter Paradise, and Deventer’s Dickens Festival. It’s always worth checking before travelling.
You’ll find plenty of Christmas decorations, handmade gifts, candles, and local crafts, alongside seasonal food and drinks. Popular treats include oliebollen (Dutch doughnuts), stroopwafels, hot chocolate, and glühwein (mulled wine). The selection varies from market to market, with some focusing more on independent makers and local products.
Many Dutch Christmas markets are easy to reach by train from Amsterdam. Haarlem, Utrecht, Leiden, and The Hague are all relatively straightforward journeys, while Maastricht and Valkenburg take longer. Some smaller markets may require a bus or a short walk from the station. If you’d prefer to travel by car, a private tour can also be arranged around the markets and seasonal events you’d like to visit.
December in the Netherlands can be cold, damp, and windy, with temperatures often between 0°C and 8°C. Rain is common, so warm layers, a waterproof coat, and comfortable shoes are a good idea, particularly if you’re spending several hours exploring an outdoor market.
