Leipzig Christmas Market: Things to do in Leipzig in Winter

Leipzig is known for its history and charm but if you’re heading to Leipzig in winter, you’ll also be able to explore the Leipzig Christmas market which brings a whole new world of festive fun and culture to the city.

From food and drink stalls to finding your new favourite Christmas shopping spot, Leipzig Christmas market has something for everyone whether you’re visiting solo or with friends and family. 

Your guide to visiting Leipzig Christmas Market

Leipzig Christmas market is one of the best in Germany. Dating  back to 1458, it is rich in history, culture, and tradition to really help get you into the Christmas spirit!

As well as being one of the best Christmas markets in Germany, the Leipzig Christmas market is also one of the biggest with more than 300 stalls available for visitors to explore. With so much available, it can be difficult to work out where to start, so we’ve compiled a few of our top tips for visiting Leipzig Christmas market to help you make the most of your trip.

When is Leipzig Christmas market open?

This year, Leipzig Christmas market will be open to visitors between 28^th November – 23^rd December 2023 and is open every day at the following times:

Sunday to Thursday: 10am – 9pm

Friday and Saturday: 10am – 10pm

22^nd December 2023: 10am – 8pm

On the 23^rd of December, it’s important to note that only the stalls in Marktplatz will remain open for visitors, so if you’re looking to get the full Leipzig Christmas market experience, we’d recommend making sure you go earlier in the month to experience all the stalls available. Or, you could even make a few trips!

Where are the Leipzig Christmas market stalls?

Leipzig Christmas market spans several different locations – all within easy distance of each other! – and each has different stalls and attractions to enjoy, so to get the full experience, we’d recommend visiting each of them if you can fit them into your trip:

• Market Square (Marktplatz) – this is the central market location where you’ll find a large number of the stalls
• Altes Rathaus (Old Town Hall) – where you’ll also find the traditional city Christmas tree
• Naschmarkt (behind the Old Town hall) – here, you’ll find stalls that specialise in handicrafts so if you’re looking for something a little more unique this should be top of your list
• Grimmaische Strasse – near the Market Square, this turns into a fairytale forest with decorated trees making it a stunning place to visit in the evenings when all of the lights are turned on
• Augustusplatz (in front of the Opera) – here, you’ll find more stalls and a few fairground rides such as carousels and Ferris wheels which makes this a great place to visit if you’re with the family
• St Thomas Church (Thomaskirche) and St Nicholas Church (Nikolaikirche) – here, you’ll find smaller markets to enjoy which are perfect if you’re looking for something a little calmer away from the crowds

Bring cash with you

While most stalls at Leipzig Christmas market will accept card payments, there are still some vendors who will prefer to deal in cash – particularly for some of the smaller stalls and those selling handicrafts – so you’ll want to make sure you’ve got a bit of cash with you alongside credit or debit cards to avoid being caught out in the moment.

Find a hidden gem!

With so much happening in Leipzig at Christmas time, the Christmas market gives you ample opportunity to find a hidden gem or a new stall to try, but you can also go further afield and check out some of the many cafes, bars, and restaurants putting on festive menus throughout the season.

Whether you’re looking for something special or want to explore everything the city has to offer, Leipzig is steeped in history and culture will be sure to have something incredible in store for you. Don’t be afraid to go on an adventure down one of the many side streets near the Christmas markets to find hidden gems that locals love, but the crowds won’t know about!

Top Winter Events in Leipzig

The famous Leipzig Christmas Market is one of the best reasons for visiting the city in December. However, that doesn’t mean there aren’t all sorts of other events to tempt you after the market closes a couple of days before Christmas. Here are some of the top upcoming events to whet your appetite.

1. Partner Pferd at the Leipzig Exhibition Centre

The 26^th edition of this celebration of all things equestrian will feature world-class sport and World Cup qualifications in the disciplines of show jumping, carriage driving and vaulting. You’ll also find shows and a diverse exhibition area. Partner Pferd takes place at the Leipzig Exhibition Centre.

From the 18^th to 21^st of January, 2024.

2. New Year’s Eve in Leipzig

You’ll find all sorts of New Year’s Eve (‘Silvester’ in Germany) events, parties, and programmes at venues around the city. Two highlights include the Gewandhaus Orchestra’s New Year’s Eve concerts (there are several planned for the 31^st of December) and dinner at the Panorama, Central Europe’s highest restaurant, which offers a spectacular view of the fireworks on one of the most exciting nights in Leipzig in winter.

3. Glanzzeit Variety Show at Krystallpalast

Journey through the heydays of the 1920s at the Glazzeit Variety Show at Krystallpalast. See original film recordings of Leipzig’s well-known locations from 1925, let a live band get your toes tapping, and be spellbound by aerial acrobatics, dancers, contortionists, glass balancers, foot juggling, spinning top art, sling board jumpers, and more.

From the 27^th of October 2023 to the 24^th of February
2024.

4. Gans Ganz Anders at the Spiegelpalast

An annual festive season highlight, the Gans Ganz Anders Extravagant Dinner Show at the historic Spiegelpalast (Mirror Palace) boasts top acts of international artistry, drama, live music, show dance and an exclusive four-course menu. The show promises a great evening out for couples and families with older children. Check out more recommendations on things to do with kids in Leipzig.

From the 11^th of November, 2023 to the 13^th of January, 2024.

5. A Christmas Carol at the Schauspiel Leipzig

See Charles Dickens’s play A Christmas Carol at the Schauspiel Leipzig and find out what happens to Scrooge, a miserly and cold-hearted merchant, who undergoes a transformation after being visited by three ghosts on Christmas Eve.

On the 8^th of December, 2023.

The Best Things To Do In Leipzig In Winter

If you’re not in Leipzig in time for any of the events mentioned above, Leipzig offers a host of other attractions and things to do in winter. Here are a few of our favourites.

• Explore Augustusplatz: One of Europe’s largest squares, Leipzig’s Augustusplatz is home to numerous landmarks and places of interest. Explore the square and see one of the city’s tallest buildings, the Kroch-Hochhaus (be sure to visit the observation platform), the Opera House and Gewandhaus Concert Hall, the Neues Theatre, the Museum of Fine Arts, the new Augusteum, and the Mendebrunnen fountain.

 

• Take in a concert at Thomaskirche: The famous choir as well as various musicians perform concerts at the historic Thomaskirche on Fridays, Saturdays, and some Sundays. Enjoy exquisite music in a gorgeous setting.

 

• Eat Allerlei at Auerbachs Keller: Indulge in the city’s signature dish at a restaurant and wine bar that was established in the 1400s. Mentioned in Goethe’s Faust, Auerbachs Keller is one of the few restaurants that use traditional methods to prepare Allerlei, a dish of asparagus, carrots, peas, and morel mushrooms usually served with crayfish and bread dumplings.

 

• Warm up at the Coffee Museum: There’s nothing like a hot cup of coffee to stave off the chills on a cold winter’s day. Why stop at drinking a cup of the beverage when you can spend a few hours exploring its fascinating history at the Coffee Museum? You’ll find the museum at Zum Arabischen Coffe Baum, one of Germany’s oldest coffee houses. Treat yourself to a coffee and a pastry at the coffee house after your explorations.

 

• Visit the Bach Museum: Located opposite Thomaskirche, the Bach Museum is a celebration of the life and works of esteemed composer Johann Sebastian Bach. See handwritten documents, instruments owned and played by Bach, his family tree, and an assortment of other exhibitions.

Other Places to visit in Leipzig in winter

When it comes to Leipzig, Christmas Markets and festive events are only some of the many things you can expect to enjoy if you visit in winter. Experience all that Leipzig has to offer with its rich history, architecture, cultural cuisine and arts scene right from your doorstep when you stay at Capri by Fraser Leipzig.

• St. Thomas Church: Famous for having Johann Sebastian Bach as their cantor between 1723 and 1750, this 13^th- century Gothic church is remarkable in its architecture and history in equal measure. It has also been Bach’s burial place since 1950: you can find his ledger stone on the floor of the choir and see a statue in his honour outside. Come to hear the world-ranked choir on weekends, and take a tour of the Baroque tower, on Sundays.

 

• Altes Rathaus: The Altes Rathaus is considered to be one of Germany’s best examples of Renaissance architecture, and is embellished with gables, mullioned windows and a tower that is slightly offset to the left. Situated in the Old Town, under the building’s ground floor arcades house all kinds of restaurants and has housed the Leipzig city museum since 1909. From a complete historical model of Leipzig in the monumental Festsaal, remnants of the city hall’s former dungeon, decoration from the destroyed St John’s Church, and Roman artefacts - this district has something for everyone.

 

• Völkerschlachtdenkmal: This monument to the Battle of Leipzig is a lasting piece of Wilhelmine architecture. The battle took place in 1813 (bringing about one of Napoleon’s final defeats) against an alliance of armies from Russia, Prussia, Austria and Sweden. The monument was inaugurated on the battle’s centenary in 1913 and is still one of the tallest war monuments in Europe at 91 metres. Well worth visiting on your trip to Leipzig.

 

• Markt: Whenever you visit Leipzig, the chances are that something will be happening on the market square. Leipzig’s world-famous Christmas market is located here, where you’ll find an enormous Saxon spruce amid hundreds of stalls, as well as weekly produce markets. The square’s architecture is a blend of old and new: framed by the Old Town Hall and the 16th-century Alte Waag building (this housed the city scales, and for centuries was the hub of Leipzig’s trade fairs).

We couldn’t list them all, but here are a few more of our favourite places to visit in Leipzig in the winter:

• St. Nicholas Church
• Zeitgeschichtliches Forum
• Leipzig Panometer
• Mädlerpassage (a plush walkway through speciality
  shops)
• Panorama Tower
• Auerbach’s Cellar (to dine like Goethe)
• Leipzig Hauptbahnhof
• Café Riquet
• Karl-Liebknecht-Straße (for a stroll through a
  street more art than walkway)

Where to stay in Leipzig this Winter 

Here at Capri by Fraser Leipzig, we have serviced apartments that give the feeling of living like a local with the comfort of a hotel. Choose from serviced studio apartments that have the perfect mixture of luxury and city living or live it up in serviced one-bedroom apartment; ideal for putting your feet up after a day exploring the city.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Does Leipzig have snow in winter?

Yes, it usually snows in Leipzig in December and January, with December being the month of the heaviest snowfalls.

When is the Leipzig Christmas Market 2023?

The Leipzig Christmas Market in 2023 is scheduled to take place from the 28^th to the 23^rd of December.

Where Are the Leipzig Christmas Markets?

The main Leipzig Christmas Market 2023 is located on the Leipzig Marktplatz (Market Square).

Is Leipzig a beautiful city?

Leipzig is a beautiful city with its cultural heritage. Even though many of Leipzig’s historic buildings were destroyed during the Second World War, many historic buildings were rebuilt or restored, so you’ll find an incredible mix of Renaissance- and Baroque-style architecture as well as modern architecture. There’s also an abundance of green spaces, such as Clara-Zetkin-Park, the Botanical Garden, and the Zoo.