Aachen puts its Christmas market in the best possible spot: between Charlemagne’s cathedral and the Gothic town hall, a short walk from the station. Add a day in Monschau, a half-timbered town in the Eifel hills with a weekend-only market, and you have an easy two-day trip. It suits couples and families, and it sits close to the Belgian and Dutch borders.
Why go
Aachen is a manageable city with a big history. Charlemagne made it his capital, and his chapel is now the core of a cathedral that was the first German site on the UNESCO World Heritage list. The market spreads through the old town around the cathedral and the town hall, so you browse stalls with a thousand years of history overhead.
The town’s speciality makes it different too. Aachener Printen, a hard, spiced gingerbread, is sold everywhere, alongside mulled wine. In April 2026 the market received the "Excellent European Christmas Market" quality seal, one of twelve markets to be awarded it, according to the organiser.
Monschau is the contrast. Its slate-roofed and half-timbered houses line a narrow river valley, and its market opens only on Advent weekends, which gives it the feel of an event.
Aachen
Don’t miss
The places that make the trip, and why each one deserves your time.
CEphoto, Uwe Aranas / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 Aachen Cathedral
Charlemagne's octagonal chapel, more than 1,200 years old and the first German site on the UNESCO World Heritage list, rises right above the market stalls.
Visit in the morning, before the market opens at 11am.
ACBahn / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 de Aachen Town Hall and the Markt
The Gothic town hall, built on the walls of Charlemagne's palace, makes a grand backdrop for stalls of Printen, mulled wine and Christmas decorations on the square below.
Thomas Hummel / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 Katschhof
The open square between the cathedral and the town hall fills with stalls, giving you both landmarks in one sweep of the eye.
Karl Friedrich Schinkel / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.5 Elisenbrunnen
A classical colonnade over Aachen's warm thermal springs, a reminder that this was a Roman spa town long before it was Charlemagne's capital.
Monschau old town
Half-timbered and slate houses crowd the narrow Rur valley, and on Advent weekends stalls fill the market square and the lanes along the river.
Open Friday to Sunday only, on the four Advent weekends.
CEphoto, Uwe Aranas / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 Red House, Monschau
The grand 18th-century house of a cloth merchant shows how rich the town became from fine woollen cloth, with its famous carved staircase inside.
Steffen Heinz Caronna / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0 Monschau Castle
The castle on the ridge above town gives the classic view down over the rooftops and the bends of the Rur.
Aachen Christmas market 2026 dates and hours
The organiser, MAC (Märkte und Aktionskreis City), lists the 53rd Aachen Christmas market from Friday 20 November to Wednesday 23 December 2026.
- Daily: 11am to 9pm.
- Sunday 22 November (Totensonntag): 6pm to 9pm only.
- Saturday 12 December: 11am to 10pm, the "long Christmas market" evening.
- Wednesday 23 December: 11am to 8pm, the last day.
- Where: The old town around the cathedral and the town hall.
Monschau Christmas market 2026
The Eifel district tourist board lists Monschau’s market on the four Advent weekends only, from 27 November to 20 December 2026:
- Dates: 27–29 November, 4–6 December, 11–13 December and 18–20 December.
- Friday and Saturday: 11am to 9pm.
- Sunday: 11am to 8pm.
- Where: Around the Markt, Gerberplatz, Rurstraße, the Markthalle and Austraße in the old town.
Monschau’s old town is small and closed to coaches on market days. The town runs park-and-ride shuttles from car parks outside the centre; check monschau.de for this year’s stops and times before you set off.
Tip: Go to Monschau on the Friday. Saturdays are the busiest day in the valley.
The 48-hour route
Day 1: Aachen
Morning: Start at the cathedral before the market opens at 11am, when the octagon is quietest. The treasury next door holds some of the finest medieval goldwork in Europe.
Afternoon: Walk the stalls on the squares between the cathedral and the town hall, then wander down to the Elisenbrunnen, the colonnade over the city’s thermal springs.
Evening: Come back to the market after dark, when the town hall façade is lit. On 12 December the stalls stay open to 10pm.
Day 2: Monschau
Morning: Head out early to Monschau by bus or car and climb towards the castle for the view down over the rooftops.
Afternoon: Walk the market lanes along the Rur, visit the Red House, the old cloth merchant’s mansion, and browse the stalls in the Markthalle and on the Markt.
Evening: Stay until the lights come on in the valley, then head back to Aachen.
What to eat and drink
- Aachener Printen: The city’s spiced gingerbread, crisp or soft, sometimes coated in chocolate. Buy a tin to take home.
- Glühwein: Mulled wine, red or white, served in a market mug.
- Reibekuchen: Crisp potato fritters with apple sauce, a Rhineland favourite.
- Bratwurst: Grilled sausage in a roll, the standard market lunch.
- Monschau mustard: The town’s historic mustard mill makes flavoured mustards that are a classic Monschau souvenir.
- Eifel game and stews: In Monschau, look for warming stews and game dishes in the cafés along the river.
Where to stay
- Aachen old town: Walk to the market, the cathedral and the restaurants. Best for couples.
- Near Aachen Hauptbahnhof: Convenient for rail arrivals and a short walk to the centre. Best for train travellers.
- Monschau: A night in the valley lets you see the lit lanes after the day visitors leave. Best for a slower trip; book well ahead for Advent weekends.
Getting there and around
Aachen Hauptbahnhof has long-distance and regional trains from Cologne, and international trains from Brussels and Liège. From the station, the market is about a 15-minute walk through the centre. The organiser publishes park-and-ride and coach information for drivers on its site.
Monschau has no railway station. Regional buses link it with Aachen; use the DB or AVV journey planner for current times. Drivers should use the park-and-ride shuttles rather than try to reach the old town.
Good to know
- Dates: Aachen runs 20 November to 23 December 2026; Monschau opens on Advent weekends only. Compare other cities in our Christmas markets 2026 dates roundup.
- Totensonntag: On Sunday 22 November, Aachen’s market opens only from 6pm.
- Late night: Saturday 12 December runs to 10pm.
- Monschau crowds: The valley is narrow, so weekend afternoons get crowded. Arrive in the morning.
- More markets nearby: Combine Aachen with the Cologne Christmas market weekend or the cave markets in Valkenburg, and see more ideas in our best Christmas markets in Germany and best Christmas markets in Europe guides.
FAQ
When is the Aachen Christmas market 2026?
From 20 November to 23 December 2026, daily from 11am to 9pm. On 22 November it opens only from 6pm, on 12 December it stays open to 10pm, and on 23 December it closes at 8pm.
Is the Monschau Christmas market open every day?
No. Monschau’s market opens only on the four Advent weekends, Friday to Sunday, from 27 November to 20 December 2026. It runs from 11am to 9pm on Fridays and Saturdays and to 8pm on Sundays.
Can you visit Monschau as a day trip from Aachen?
Yes. Monschau is in the Eifel hills south of Aachen and is reached by regional bus or car. Drivers should use the park-and-ride shuttles, as the old town is closed to coaches on market days.
What should you buy at the Aachen Christmas market?
Aachener Printen, the city’s spiced gingerbread, is the classic buy. In Monschau, the historic mustard mill’s mustards make a good gift.
