Gorlitz
51°09′ N 14°59′ ETownPop. 55,065Saxony and the Ore Mountains
Görlitz suits travellers who want a family-friendly market with a strong Christmas story and a walk across the river into Poland, and its market runs for only 17 days. The Schlesischer Christkindelmarkt opens from 4 to 20 December 2026.
Photo Juri Kowski · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0 and others, credited in the gallery
Who should base here
Staying in Görlitz on the Brückenadvent weekend of 11 to 13 December 2026 lets you see the market stretch across the old town bridge to Zgorzelec and come back to the Untermarkt after dark.
Things to do in Gorlitz
Görlitz holds its Silesian Christkindel market on the Untermarkt and in the surrounding old town. The organizer centres it on the Christmas story. The Christkindel appears on stage, and a living nativity stands beside the Bethlehemshof with its wood workshop and bakery. The MDR broadcaster's market test named it the winner in 2016 and 2019.
The Neisse river forms the border here, and the Polish town of Zgorzelec stands on the far bank. From 11 to 13 December 2026 the Brückenadvent carries the market onto the old town bridge between the two.
Worth knowing
- On weekdays the market opens at 14:00, so spend the morning in the old town first.
Quick answers about Gorlitz
When is the Görlitz Christmas market in 2026?
The Schlesischer Christkindelmarkt zu Görlitz runs from 4 to 20 December 2026, and the Brückenadvent to Zgorzelec follows from 11 to 13 December.
Is Gorlitz a good place to stay?
Staying in Görlitz on the Brückenadvent weekend of 11 to 13 December 2026 lets you see the market stretch across the old town bridge to Zgorzelec and come back to the Untermarkt after dark.
