European Christmas Markets 2026: Dates, Tickets and Transport for 9 Markets in London, Paris and Rome
The 2026 European Christmas market season starts in early November. In London, the Southbank Centre Winter Market opens on 2 November and Hyde Park Winter Wonderland runs from 19 November 2026 to 3 January 2027. In Paris, the La Défense market opens on 12 November and the Tuileries market is expected to open in mid-November. Rome's Piazza Navona market is expected to run from early December to Epiphany on 6 January. Most markets are free; only Winter Wonderland needs a timed entry ticket (standard £5.50, peak £8.25).
Key takeaways
- Hyde Park Winter Wonderland is open daily from 19 November 2026 to 3 January 2027 (closed on Christmas Day), and you must pre-book an entry slot.
- The Southbank Centre Winter Market runs from 2 November 2026 to 4 January 2027, daily 11:00–22:00, closed on 25 and 31 December.
- Paris's biggest Christmas market is at La Défense, running from 12 November to 31 December 2026 (confirmed by the organiser), with more than 350 chalets and free entry.
- Rome's Piazza Navona market traditionally runs until Epiphany (La Befana) on 6 January; the 2026 dates are subject to the City of Rome's announcement.
- Eurostar takes as little as 2 hours 16 minutes from London to Paris, and Standard tickets include 2 pieces of luggage plus 1 small hand item per person.
European Christmas market dates 2026 at a glance
Here are the 2026 dates for nine popular Christmas markets and events in London, Paris and Rome. "Expected" means the organiser hasn't published dates yet and the estimate follows previous years, so check the official announcement before you travel.
| City | Market / event | 2026–27 dates | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| London | Hyde Park Winter Wonderland | 19 Nov–3 Jan (closed 25 Dec) | Officially announced |
| London | Southbank Centre Winter Market | 2 Nov–4 Jan (closed 25 and 31 Dec) | Officially announced |
| London | Covent Garden Christmas lights | Switch-on 12 Nov, decorations until early January | Switch-on date announced |
| Paris | Tuileries Christmas Market | 14 Nov–3 Jan | Expected |
| Paris | La Défense Christmas Market | 12 Nov–31 Dec | Officially announced |
| Paris | Notre-Dame Christmas Market | Late November–late December | Expected |
| Rome | Piazza Navona Christmas Market | Early December–6 Jan | Expected |
| Rome | St Peter's Square tree and nativity | Lit in early to mid-December, on display until early January | Expected |
| Rome | Christmas World | Not yet announced for 2026 | Not announced |
London Christmas markets 2026: Winter Wonderland, Southbank and Covent Garden
London's Christmas season starts in early November, and the three places not to miss are Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park, the Southbank Centre Winter Market on the Thames, and the Christmas lights at Covent Garden. The first two have market stalls; Covent Garden is mainly about its giant tree and decorated market building.
Hyde Park Winter Wonderland
Winter Wonderland is London's biggest Christmas event, open daily from 19 November 2026 to 3 January 2027 except Christmas Day, usually 10:00–22:00 (some days open later). It has a big wheel, roller coasters, an ice rink and hundreds of wooden chalets selling mulled wine, roasted chestnuts and decorations.
Hyde Park Winter Wonderland at night. Photo: Garry Knight / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 2.0
- Book an entry slot in advance on the official site: off-peak slots are cheapest (listed as free or £1), standard is £5.50 and peak £8.25, and popular slots sell out.
- Rides and food cost extra; spending £25 or more in one online transaction gets you free entry.
- The organisers recommend Victoria, Bond Street or Paddington stations for a calmer journey; Hyde Park Corner, Marble Arch and Knightsbridge get very busy and are sometimes closed.
Southbank Centre Winter Market
The Southbank Centre Winter Market sits on the Queen's Walk under Hungerford Bridge on the South Bank, open from 2 November 2026 to 4 January 2027, daily 11:00–22:00 (craft stalls until 21:00), closed on 25 and 31 December. You browse it on a riverside stroll with the London Eye in view, which makes it a good evening stop with a hot drink. The nearest Tube stations are Waterloo and Embankment.
Covent Garden Christmas lights
Covent Garden switches on its lights on Thursday 12 November 2026, with more than 300,000 lights and giant gold bells on the Market Building and a British-grown Christmas tree on the West Piazza. There's no separate chalet market here, but the shops in the market building, the Apple Market stalls and the street performers make it one of London's most festive shopping areas.
Christmas decorations in the Covent Garden market hall. Photo: Matt Brown / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 4.0
| Market | 2026–27 dates and hours | Admission | Getting there |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter Wonderland | 19 Nov–3 Jan (closed 25 Dec), usually 10:00–22:00 | Pre-booking required; off-peak cheapest, standard £5.50, peak £8.25 | 12–19 min walk from Victoria, Bond Street, Paddington or Green Park |
| Southbank Centre Winter Market | 2 Nov–4 Jan (closed 25 and 31 Dec), 11:00–22:00 | Free | Walk from Waterloo or Embankment |
| Covent Garden Christmas lights | Switch-on 12 Nov, decorations until early January | Free | Walk from Covent Garden or Leicester Square |
Paris Christmas markets 2026: Tuileries, La Défense and Notre-Dame
Paris Christmas markets are expected to open from mid-November 2026. The most popular are the Tuileries Garden in the centre, the much larger market at La Défense, and the small market next to Notre-Dame, which reopened in December 2024. All three are free to enter; dates are subject to the organisers' announcements.
Tuileries Christmas Market (Marché de Noël des Tuileries)
The Tuileries Christmas Market is expected to run from 14 November 2026 to 3 January 2027. Last season it had about 80 wooden chalets plus plenty of rides, so it feels like a Christmas funfair with a market attached. Past hours were about 11:00–23:45, closing early at 19:30 on 24 and 31 December. The nearest Metro stations are Tuileries (line 1) and Concorde (lines 1, 8 and 12).
La Défense Christmas Market (Marché de Noël de La Défense)
La Défense hosts the biggest Christmas market in the Paris region, on the esplanade in front of the Grande Arche. The organiser has confirmed 12 November to 31 December 2026 (the "Le Sommet" area stays open until 3 January 2027), with more than 350 chalets across 10,000–15,000 m². It sells cheeses, sausages, mulled wine and crafts from all over France, and weekdays are calmer than the central markets. Take Metro line 1 or RER A to La Défense; the market is right outside.
Chalets at the La Défense Christmas market (2021). Photo: Thomon / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0
Notre-Dame Christmas Market
A small Christmas market sets up each year in Square René Viviani, across the river from Notre-Dame, and is expected to run from late November to late December 2026. It has only a handful of stalls, but you get a view of the cathedral, which reopened in December 2024. Take Metro line 4 or RER B/C to Saint-Michel and walk about 5 minutes.
| Market | 2026–27 dates and hours | Admission | Getting there |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuileries Christmas Market | Expected 14 Nov–3 Jan, previously 11:00–23:45 | Free (rides extra) | Metro Tuileries or Concorde |
| La Défense Christmas Market | 12 Nov–31 Dec (Le Sommet area to 3 Jan) | Free | Metro line 1 / RER A, La Défense |
| Notre-Dame Christmas Market | Expected late November–late December | Free | Metro line 4 / RER B, C, Saint-Michel |
Rome Christmas markets 2026: Piazza Navona, St Peter's Square and Christmas World
The highlights of Christmas in Rome are the traditional market in Piazza Navona and the Christmas tree and nativity scene in St Peter's Square, both free. Rome's markets are smaller than London's or Paris's, more religious in feel, and they carry on until Epiphany on 6 January.
Piazza Navona Christmas Market
The Piazza Navona market is Rome's best-known Christmas market, traditionally running from about 1 December to Epiphany on 6 January, with stalls selling nativity figures, sweets and toys and a carousel in the square. Epiphany's traditional figure is La Befana, a broom-riding witch who brings presents, so it's also called the Befana market. The 2026 dates haven't been announced; check the City of Rome tourism site.
The Christmas carousel in Piazza Navona. Photo: Lalupa / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0
St Peter's Square Christmas tree and nativity
Every December a giant Christmas tree and a life-size nativity scene (presepe) go up in St Peter's Square. In 2025 they were lit on 15 December and stayed until the end of the Christmas season on 11 January 2026; in 2024 the lighting was on 7 December. The 2026 lighting is expected in early to mid-December, subject to the Vatican's announcement. Take Metro line A to Ottaviano and walk about 10 minutes.
The Christmas tree in St Peter's Square (2024). Photo: Wikimedia Commons / Public domain
Christmas World (Villa Borghese)
Christmas World is a ticketed Christmas theme park in the Villa Borghese gardens. The 2025–26 edition ran from 29 November to 11 January over more than 40,000 m². As of October 2026 the official site hasn't confirmed a 2026 edition or ticket prices, so check there for updates.
| Market / event | 2026–27 dates | Admission | Getting there |
|---|---|---|---|
| Piazza Navona Christmas Market | Expected early December–6 Jan | Free | No nearby Metro; take a bus to Largo di Torre Argentina and walk about 10 minutes |
| St Peter's Square tree and nativity | Expected lighting in early to mid-December, on display until early January | Free | About 10 min walk from Metro A Ottaviano |
| Christmas World | Not yet announced for 2026 (2025–26: 29 Nov–11 Jan) | Ticketed, see official site | Villa Borghese, Piazzale delle Canestre entrance |
How to combine London, Paris and Rome on one Christmas market trip
The smoothest plan for all three cities is to travel in early to mid-December and go London → Paris → Rome: every main market is open by then, and Rome's carry on until 6 January. Two to three days per city covers the main markets.
- Spend 2–3 days in London: do the Southbank and Covent Garden on weekday daytimes and book an off-peak Winter Wonderland slot.
- Take Eurostar from London St Pancras to Paris, as little as 2 hours 16 minutes.
- Spend 2–3 days in Paris: pair the Tuileries and Notre-Dame on the same day and give La Défense half a day.
- Fly from Paris to Rome (about 2 hours) and spend 2–3 days there; Piazza Navona and St Peter's Square fit in one day.
How to handle big luggage on a European Christmas market trip
December in Europe is cold, so suitcases fill up with coats and gifts, and moving between cities is the hard part. Eurostar Standard allows 2 pieces of luggage per person (up to 85 cm long on London routes) plus 1 small hand item; extra bags on London routes must be pre-booked through the registered luggage service (from about £35) and only on selected trains. Paris Metro stations and central Rome are crowded and full of stairs at Christmas, and dragging a big case is tiring and makes you an easier target for pickpockets.
One option is LuggAgent's luggage delivery: hand your bags over at the airport or hotel and we deliver them the same day to your city hotel or the airport, so you can head straight to the markets after landing and stay hands-free on check-out day. See the London, Paris and Rome service pages for details. At the airport, we recommend choosing a pickup time about 1 hour after your flight lands, so you have time for immigration and baggage claim; then go to the meeting point shown in your booking confirmation, where an agent waits with a LuggAgent sign. For airport deliveries, we recommend choosing a delivery time at least 2 hours before your flight departs. From a hotel, choose a pickup time between 09:00 and 11:00 when booking, leave your bags at the front desk before then and send a photo to customer service. We operate as normal over the Christmas and New Year holidays. Most services need to be booked at least 24–72 hours in advance; the exact cutoff is shown on the booking page, and booking early is a good idea in peak season.
If you land at Heathrow, hand your bags over at the airport and we'll take them to your hotel in central London:
Flying into Paris, we can take your bags from Charles de Gaulle straight to your hotel in the city:
At your last stop, send your luggage from your Rome hotel to Fiumicino after check-out and keep your final half day for St Peter's Square:
FAQ
When do the European Christmas markets start in 2026?
London is first: the Southbank Centre Winter Market opens on 2 November 2026 and Hyde Park Winter Wonderland on 19 November. In Paris, La Défense opens on 12 November and the Tuileries market is expected to open in mid-November, and Rome's Piazza Navona market in early December. To catch every market on one trip, travel in early to mid-December.
Do you need a ticket for Winter Wonderland in London?
Yes. In 2026 you must pre-book a timed entry slot: standard tickets cost £5.50 and peak £8.25, and off-peak slots are cheapest (listed as free or £1). Rides and food cost extra, and spending £25 or more in one online transaction gets you free entry. It's open from 19 November 2026 to 3 January 2027, closed on Christmas Day.
What is the biggest Christmas market in Paris?
The biggest in the Paris region is the La Défense Christmas Market in front of the Grande Arche, with more than 350 chalets, running from 12 November to 31 December 2026 and free to enter. The most popular in central Paris is the Tuileries Christmas Market, which had about 80 chalets last season and is expected from 14 November 2026 to 3 January 2027.
Are Christmas markets open on Christmas Day?
Most close or shut early on 25 December: Winter Wonderland and the Southbank Winter Market are closed on 25 December, and the Southbank is also closed on 31 December. The Tuileries market in Paris has previously closed early at 19:30 on 24 and 31 December, and in 2026 La Défense is open until 18:00 on 24 December and from 15:00 on 25 December. In Rome, Piazza Navona and the St Peter's Square decorations stay up until early January.
How much luggage can you take on Eurostar?
Eurostar Standard and Plus allow 2 pieces of luggage plus 1 small hand item per person, Premier allows 3, and children 1; on London routes each piece can be up to 85 cm long. Extra bags on London routes must be pre-booked as registered luggage, from about £35 one way, and only on selected trains.
Cover photo: Garry Knight / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 2.0
This article offers general travel tips for reference only. For actual services and conditions, please rely on the booking page and the latest official announcements.
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