Trento and Bolzano sit on the same railway up the Adige valley, so you can see two Alpine Christmas markets in one weekend without a car. Trento’s stalls gather under its castle and old walls; Bolzano’s Christkindlmarkt fills Piazza Walther with South Tyrolean crafts. Both run until 6 January 2027, which suits anyone planning a trip after Christmas.
Why go
These are Italian markets with an Alpine accent. Trento feels Italian first: cakes, vin brûlé and a passeggiata past frescoed houses. Bolzano, the capital of German-speaking South Tyrol, is closer to an Austrian Christkindlmarkt, with speck, strudel and felt slippers, and signs in two languages.
The two cities are a short train ride apart. Base yourself in one, spend a day in each and you get two very different takes on Christmas in the mountains. If you want more Italy, our things to do in Italy guide has ideas for a longer trip.
Trento and Bolzano
Don’t miss
The places that make the trip, and why each one deserves your time.
Nonunabanana / Wikimedia Commons, CC0 Piazza Fiera, Trento
Wooden chalets line the square beside a surviving stretch of Trento's medieval walls, with mulled wine, cakes and the scent of pine under the lights.
Food stalls stay open to 9pm on Fridays and Saturdays.
Jakub Hałun / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 Piazza Mostra and the castle
The second half of Trento's market sits in front of the Buonconsiglio, the prince-bishops' castle, whose towers and loggias make a grand backdrop after dark.
Jakub Hałun / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 Piazza Duomo, Trento
A short walk from the stalls, the Romanesque cathedral and the Neptune fountain frame one of the finest squares in northern Italy, ringed by frescoed houses.
Bartleby08 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0 Piazza Walther, Bolzano
Bolzano's main square fills with wooden stalls round a tall Christmas tree, selling felt slippers, wool hats, wooden toys and glass decorations from South Tyrol.
The tree is lit at the opening on 26 November.
sailko / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 Bolzano Cathedral and Piazza Duomo
The Gothic cathedral's patterned tiled roof rises over the artisan market in the square below, where craftspeople sell carvings, ceramics and handmade decorations.
Via Stazione, Bolzano
The avenue from the station to Piazza Walther carries more stalls and the children's area, so the market starts almost as you step off the train.
Hubert Berberich (HubiB) / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0 South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology
Ötzi, the Iceman found in the Alps in 1991, lies here in his cold cell, with the tools and clothes he carried more than 5,000 years ago.
Trento and Bolzano Christmas markets 2026: dates and hours
These are the dates published by Trento’s tourist board (APT Trento), Visit Trentino, the South Tyrol tourist board and Bolzano’s tourist office.
Trento Christmas market
- Dates: 20 November 2026 to 6 January 2027.
- Where: Piazza Fiera and Piazza Mostra, in the centre of Trento.
- Hours: Daily 10am to 8pm. On Fridays and Saturdays only the food area stays open later, to 9pm, and the same applies on 20 and 21 November and 7 December.
- Special days: 24 and 31 December and 6 January, 10am to 6pm. Christmas Day, 4pm to 8pm. From 26 December to 5 January (except 31 December) the whole market is open 10am to 8pm.
- What’s special: The market has run since 1993 and is part of the wider Trento, City of Christmas programme of concerts, food events and museum visits.
Bolzano Christmas market
- Dates: 26 November 2026 to 6 January 2027, the 35th edition. The opening ceremony, with the lighting of the tree on Piazza Walther, is on Thursday 26 November at 5pm.
- Where: Piazza Walther and Via Stazione, with a nativity scene on Piazza Municipio, an artisan market on Piazza Duomo and Via Isarco, and a solidarity market on Piazza del Grano (26 November to 23 December). Piazza Mazzini has a weekend market from 27 November to 20 December.
- Hours: Stalls open at 10am. The South Tyrol tourist board lists different closing times in different places for 2026, so check the official calendar for the day you go.
- Special days: 24 December 10am to 4pm; closed on 25 December; 26 December 10am to 9pm; 31 December 10am to 6pm; 1 January 11am to 9pm.
- After Christmas: From 27 December the food stalls open 11am to 9pm Monday to Thursday and 10am to 9pm Friday to Sunday; on 6 January, 10am to 7pm.
The 48-hour route
Day 1: Trento
Morning: Start on Piazza Duomo, with the cathedral and the Neptune fountain, then walk Via Belenzani and its painted palazzi. Reach the market when it opens at 10am, while the stalls are calm.
Afternoon: Browse Piazza Fiera, beside the old city walls, then cross to Piazza Mostra in front of the Castello del Buonconsiglio. Visit the castle itself if you want frescoes and views over the rooftops.
Evening: Come back to the stalls after dark for vin brûlé under the lights. On a Friday or Saturday the food area runs to 9pm.
Tip: Trento opens six days before Bolzano. A weekend from 20 to 22 November has Trento’s market to itself, but check our Italy strikes 20–22 November update first, as a rail strike is scheduled that weekend.
Day 2: Bolzano
Morning: Take the train up the valley. The market begins on Via Stazione, a few minutes’ walk from the station, and leads you straight to Piazza Walther.
Afternoon: Walk under the arcades of Via dei Portici to the fruit and vegetable stalls of Piazza delle Erbe, then see Ötzi at the South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology. Finish at the artisan stalls on Piazza Duomo.
Evening: Try a glass of Lagrein or St Magdalener at the market and stay for the lit tree on Piazza Walther, then take a late train back if you are based in Trento.
The train hop between Trento and Bolzano
Both cities are stops on the Brenner line, which links Verona with Innsbruck and Munich. Trains run often through the day, and the trip takes about half an hour on the fastest services and under an hour on regional trains. Both stations are close to the markets: Bolzano’s stalls start on Via Stazione itself, and Trento’s Piazza Dante gardens lead you into the centre in a few minutes. Bolzano’s tourist board encourages visitors to arrive by train rather than drive.
What to eat and drink
- Vin brûlé: Italian mulled wine, the drink of both markets.
- Speck: South Tyrol’s smoked, cured ham, sold in slices or in rolls at Bolzano’s stalls.
- Strudel and Zelten: Apple strudel in Bolzano, and Zelten, the dense Christmas fruit and nut bread of the region.
- Krapfen and fritters: Fried pastries, sold warm.
- Lagrein and St Magdalener: Bolzano’s own red wines, plus South Tyrolean sparkling wine and grappa at the market’s wine lounge.
- Apple juice: From South Tyrol’s orchards, served hot or cold.
Where to stay
- Trento centro storico: Walk to both squares and the cathedral. Best for a first visit and for an early Trento opening weekend.
- Bolzano old town: Around Piazza Walther and the arcades. Best for couples who want the Christkindlmarkt on the doorstep.
- Near Bolzano station: Short walks to the market and quick trains to Trento. Best for a two-city trip.
- Merano or the Dolomites: A longer stay with mountain air, connected to Bolzano by train or bus. Best for a week rather than a weekend.
Getting around
Both centres are compact and mostly pedestrian, so you will walk between the squares. Use the train between the cities. For our full Europe-wide calendar, see best Christmas markets in Europe.
Good to know
- Two opening dates: Trento opens on 20 November, Bolzano on 26 November. Both close on 6 January 2027.
- Christmas Day: Bolzano is closed on 25 December; Trento opens from 4pm to 8pm.
- Strike weekend: A national rail strike is scheduled from Friday 20 to Saturday 21 November. See our news section for updates.
- Into January: Both cities are on our Christmas markets open in January 2027 list, along with Salzburg and Vienna.
- Two languages: Bolzano is officially bilingual, so its squares have Italian and German names: Piazza Walther is Waltherplatz.
FAQ
When do the Trento and Bolzano Christmas markets open in 2026?
Trento’s market opens on 20 November 2026 and Bolzano’s on 26 November 2026, with the tree lighting on Piazza Walther at 5pm. Both run until 6 January 2027.
Are the Trento and Bolzano markets open on Christmas Day?
Trento opens on 25 December from 4pm to 8pm. Bolzano’s market is closed on 25 December and reopens on 26 December.
How long is the train from Trento to Bolzano?
About half an hour on the fastest trains and under an hour on regional ones. Both stations are a short walk from the markets.
Which is better, Trento or Bolzano?
Bolzano is the bigger, more Alpine market, with South Tyrolean crafts and food. Trento is smaller and more Italian, with a castle setting and an earlier opening. They are close enough to see both.
