Heidelberg Christmas Market

The market threads along the Hauptstraße from Bismarckplatz at the west end into the old town. The largest square is Universitätsplatz, where a carousel more than a century old turns between the university buildings. On the Marktplatz the stalls form a small wooden village around the Hercules fountain, and a wooden barrel about ten metres tall carries a turning figure of Perkeo, the court jester Heidelberg has adopted as its mascot.

Keep walking east to the Kornmarkt for the Winterwäldchen, a little forest of more than a hundred fir trees with white tents and a nativity scene. Next door, the ice rink on Karlsplatz looks straight up at the castle, so bring a camera even if you won't skate. The rink is run separately from the market and keeps going into January.

Music has its own stage by the Heiliggeistkirche on the Marktplatz. In 2025 the mayor opened the market at 18:00 on the first Monday, with the Heidelberg Christkind arriving with angels and a children's choir before an ecumenical service. Hauptstraße closed to traffic between Karlsplatz and Kornmarkt during market hours in 2025, so the buses skipped the Universitätsplatz stop.