Striezelmarkt and Dresden's Christmas markets: when to go and which tours exist
5 min read
The answer first. You do not need a tour to enjoy Dresden’s Christmas markets: the dates and places are public, and you can simply walk between them. A tour earns its price when you want someone to link the markets, the food and the history. The simplest way to see several markets in one go is the Christmas sightseeing tour with a “Pflaumentoffel”, a two-hour outing in German at €25 per person that is rated 4.3 from 21 reviews.
The 2026 dates
According to the city of Dresden, the 592nd Striezelmarkt runs from 25 November to 24 December 2026 on the Altmarkt. The city gives opening hours of 10 am to 9 pm daily from 26 November to 23 December; on the opening day, 25 November, the market opens at 4 pm with the opening ceremony, and on 24 December it runs from 10 am to 2 pm. The other markets listed on the city’s tourism pages for 2026 are:
| Market | Place | Dates in 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Striezelmarkt | Altmarkt | 25 November to 24 December |
| Weihnachtsmarkt at the Frauenkirche | Münzgasse | 25 November to 24 December |
| Advent auf dem Neumarkt | Neumarkt | 25 November to 23 December, 27 to 30 December, New Year’s Eve, 2 and 3 January 2027 |
| Mittelalterweihnacht | Stallhof at the Residenzschloss | 25 November to 23 December |
| Augustusmarkt, the international market | Hauptstraße | 25 November to 3 January 2027, closed 24 to 26 December and 1 January |
| Dresdner Winterlichter | Prager Straße | 25 November to 23 December |
The Elbhangfest Christmas market at the Blue Wonder runs from 5 to 20 December. The Stallhof also stages a separate event, the Rauhnächte, from 27 to 30 December and from 2 to 6 January. We did not find admission details for each market, so look at the organiser’s page before you set out, especially for the Stallhof.
Which tours exist
City bus and Pflaumentoffel. The listing describes a city bus tour followed by a tour of three of the largest Christmas markets with a traditional Pflaumentoffel guide. According to the booking page, the three markets are the Striezelmarkt, the medieval market in the Stallhof and the market at the Frauenkirche. The bus leaves from Postplatz by the Zwinger’s Kronentor, the guide speaks German only, food and drinks are not included, and the whole tour takes two hours.
Stollen tasting. The guided bus tour to a Stollen bakery is described as a tour and tasting with a Stollen baker in a traditional Dresden bakery. It takes two hours and costs €29; it is rated 4.2 from 49 reviews. According to the booking page, a double-decker bus takes you from Postplatz to Emil Reimann’s show bakery in the west of the city, the tasting and a coffee are included, stollen to take away costs extra, and the guide speaks German only. It suits visitors who care about the pastry, not the market stalls.
Food tour. The guided Christmas market food tour lists tastings of Saxon Würzfleisch, Dresdner Christstollen and Glühwein over three hours for €79.20. According to the booking page, it starts at the Golden Rider in the Neustadt, ends at the Striezelmarkt, is guided in English or German among other languages, and is not suitable for vegans or people with mobility impairments. It has no reviews yet.
Carols and concerts. The Old Town tour with a meal and Advent carols in the Frauenkirche takes five hours and costs €119, including dinner and admission to the carol singing; it is guided in German and has no reviews. For music instead, there is a festive Christmas concert in the Zwinger at €55, lasting 1.5 hours in the Wallpavillon; its page marks it as not suitable for people with mobility impairments, and the toilets can only be reached by stairs.
On the river. The Christmas lunch river cruise takes three hours at €61, but only on 25 and 26 December, when most markets have closed. According to the booking page, it runs from the Old Town to Pillnitz and back with a three-course menu, the host speaks German, and it is not suitable for children under five.
The Christmas Garden at Pillnitz is a separate light-trail event: the Christmas Garden entrance ticket costs €14.90 for a two-hour visit; according to the booking page, children under six go free and the ice rink is included.
Before you book
Choose your date on the booking page, compare it with the market dates above and make sure it falls inside them. Only the food tour lists English-speaking guides; the Pflaumentoffel tour, the Stollen tour and the carol evening are guided in German, according to their booking pages.
For everything in one place, see Christmas market tours in Dresden. For the church the carol tour visits, read our Frauenkirche guide.
Our recommendation
Walk the markets on your own first, and add one thing you cannot do alone: the Stollen tasting if you like baking, or the Pflaumentoffel tour if you want the markets linked with some history.
