Fluweelengrot Christmas Market
Kerstmarkt Fluweelengrot50°52′ N 5°50′ EValkenburgfrom Nov 13Seasonal
The Fluweelengrot Christmas Market in Valkenburg is the smaller and cosier of the town's two cave markets, and it suits families who like a theme to follow, though you will need a timed ticket and a weekday if you want space. Its 27th edition runs from 13 November to 30 December 2026 under the castle ruin, with about 60 stalls and adult tickets from €9.
Photo Pitlane02 · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0 and others, credited in the gallery
Fluweelengrot Christmas Market runs November 13, 2026 to December 30, 2026 · confirmed by the organizer (source)
Advent SundaysGaudete, 13 DecemberChristmas Eve
Dates and hours
- November 13, 2026 to December 30, 2026Confirmedsourcechecked Oct 10, 2026
Hours · Mon–Fri 11:00–19:00; Sat–Sun 10:00–19:00
- Dec 24, 2026 · 11:00–17:00 (Christmas Eve)
- Dec 25, 2026 · closed (Christmas Day)
- Dec 30, 2026 · 11:00–18:00 (Last day of the 2026 market)
Access and crowds
- Step-free
- Yes, Fluweelengrot Christmas Market has a step-free route
- Getting around
- Kerststad Valkenburg lists the Fluweelengrot market as wheelchair accessible. Dogs are not allowed underground, even in a bag or dog buggy.
- Busiest
- Kerststad Valkenburg says weekends often sell out, the caves above all.
- Quieter
- Weekday slots, which Kerststad Valkenburg asks visitors to choose when they can.
The Fluweelengrot, whose name means Velvet Cave, runs right under the ruin of Valkenburg Castle. The organizer dresses the tunnels as a North Pole this year and adds a cave guardian called Dewan with an elf kingdom for children to find. Between the stalls you pass old charcoal drawings on the walls and a small 18th-century chapel. Halfway round there is a food court underground where you can warm up before the second half.
Combination tickets are the thing to look at if you have a full day in town. The organizer pairs this cave with Kerst in MergelRijk, the Ongelofelijk Zand sand-sculpture show in the Nieuwe Kerk, or the castle ruin above, all at a reduced rate.
Worth knowing
- Do the castle ruin on the same ticket: the combination price is lower than buying the two separately.
- Christmas Eve closes early at 17:00, an hour before the Gemeentegrot.
Quick answers about Fluweelengrot Christmas Market
When is the Fluweelengrot Christmas Market open in 2026?
The Fluweelengrot Christmas Market in Valkenburg opens from 13 November to 30 December 2026. Weekday hours are 11:00 to 19:00 and weekends 10:00 to 19:00, with a 17:00 close on Christmas Eve and no opening on Christmas Day.
How much does the Fluweelengrot Christmas Market cost?
Adults pay €9 from Monday to Thursday and €11 from Friday to Sunday in 2026, and children aged 5 to 11 pay €5. Children under 5 go free.
Which Valkenburg cave market should I choose?
Pick the Gemeentegrot for size and the Fluweelengrot for its castle setting, chapel and children's story. Both run on timed tickets at the same adult prices, so many visitors book one in the morning and the other in the afternoon.
In the journal and guides
Read more about Fluweelengrot 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 · 23 min read
When do Europe's Christmas markets open and close in 2026?
Vienna and Copenhagen open first, on 6 November 2026, and Cologne's Heumarkt keeps its stalls up until 10 January 2027. Every row below names who published the date.
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.