Merano Christmas Market
Meraner Weihnacht46°40′ N 11°10′ EMeranofrom Nov 26Seasonal
The Merano Christmas Market lines the riverside Kurpromenade and suits couples and families who want a spa town with an ice rink across the river, though its hours are shorter than Bolzano's on most days. In 2026 it runs from 26 November to 6 January 2027, with craft stalls open 10:00–19:00 Monday to Thursday and Sunday and 10:00–20:00 on Friday and Saturday, dates confirmed by the Kurverwaltung Meran.
Merano Christmas Market runs November 26, 2026 to January 6, 2027 · confirmed by the organizer (source)
Advent SundaysGaudete, 13 DecemberChristmas Eve
Dates and hours
- November 26, 2026 to January 6, 2027Confirmedsourcechecked Oct 10, 2026
- November 28, 2025 to January 6, 2026Confirmedsourcechecked Oct 10, 2026
Hours · Mon–Thu 10:00–19:00; Fri–Sat 10:00–20:00; Sun 10:00–19:00
- Nov 26, 2026 · 17:00 (Opening celebration at 17:00. The info point opens 17:00–19:00, and stall hours for the evening are not published.)
- Dec 24, 2026 · 10:00–15:30 (Christmas Eve. Food stalls stay open to 17:00.)
- Dec 25, 2026 · closed (Christmas Day.)
- Dec 26, 2026 · 10:00–20:00 (St Stephen's Day runs on holiday hours. Food stalls stay open to 22:30.)
- Dec 31, 2026 · 10:00–15:30 (New Year's Eve. Food stalls stay open to 17:00, and the organizer says some will stay open later that night.)
- Jan 1, 2027 · 10:00–20:00 (New Year's Day runs on holiday hours. Food stalls stay open to 22:30.)
- Jan 6, 2027 · 10:00–18:00 (Last day. Food stalls also close at 18:00.)
Access and crowds
- Getting around
- The organizer publishes no access details. The main market runs along the flat riverside Kurpromenade, and buses 1, 1A, 1B, 3 and 4 run from Merano station to the centre.
Merano lays its market out along the Passer. The stalls run down the Kurpromenade in front of the Art Nouveau Kurhaus and carry on through the old town to the Pfarrplatz and the Kornplatz. Cross the Lenoir footbridge and you reach the Thermenplatz, where the rink and the pavilion bar sit beside the thermal baths.
Eat here at least once. Egon Heiss, who holds a Michelin star, cooks in the big chalet of the Sandplatz village during the day, and in the evening the chalet seats diners at its tables. The baubles on the Thermenplatz need booking and suit a long lunch out of the cold.
Trains run between Bolzano and Merano every half hour on weekdays and every hour on Sundays and holidays, so Merano makes an easy day out from Bolzano. Stay the night if you want the river path after dark, when the stalls glow along the water.
Worth knowing
- Do your shopping before 19:00 on weekdays. The food stalls carry on until 21:00, or 22:30 on Fridays and Saturdays.
- Bring cash as well as a card, since the organizer says not every stall takes card payments.
- Book a bauble on the Thermenplatz through Therme Meran before you travel if you want a table at the weekend.
Quick answers about Merano Christmas Market
When is the Merano Christmas market 2026?
The Merano Christmas market runs from 26 November 2026 to 6 January 2027, with an opening celebration at 17:00 on 26 November. The Kurverwaltung Meran has confirmed the dates.
Is the Merano Christmas market open on Christmas Eve?
Yes. On 24 December 2026 the Merano craft stalls open 10:00–15:30 and the food stalls 10:00–17:00. The market closes on Christmas Day.
Does the Merano Christmas market have an ice rink?
Yes. The Thermenplatz, across the Passer from the main market, has an ice rink open daily with skate hire on site.
How do I get from Bolzano to the Merano Christmas market?
Take the train. The organizer says trains run between Bolzano and Merano every half hour on weekdays and every hour on Sundays and holidays.
In the journal and guides
Read more about Merano Christmas Market
Guide · 12 min read
What's open in Europe on Christmas Eve?
Seventy-nine markets open on 24 December 2026, and most of them close by 18:30, so do your last shopping before dark.
Guide · 12 min read
Which Christmas markets are open after Christmas?
Prague, Salzburg, Dresden and Cologne keep their markets going through the week after Christmas, and Colmar runs to 29 December.
Guide · 9 min read
Which Christmas markets in Europe are open on Christmas Day?
Vienna and Colmar give you the most choice on 25 December 2026, and Tivoli reopens for the day with fireworks at 20:45.
Guide · 12 min read
Which Christmas markets stay open until New Year and Epiphany?
Budapest stays up until 03:00 on New Year's Eve, and 15 markets with confirmed dates are still open on Epiphany, 6 January 2027.