Zurich
47°22′ N 8°32′ ECityPop. 452,421Switzerland
Zurich suits travellers who want several different markets inside a short walk and a hub with direct trains everywhere, and its trade-off is Swiss prices on every mug and fondue. In 2026 the city's markets and lights start together on Thursday 19 November, and the Sechseläutenplatz market by the opera house has a new operator and a new name, Bellevue Noël.
Photo kuhnmi · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 2.0 and others, credited in the gallery
Who should base here
Zurich works as a base because almost everything starts from the main station. The Polarzauber market fills the station hall and the Singing Christmas Tree stands nearby on Werdmühleplatz, while the old-town lanes of the Niederdorf lead on toward Bellevue Noël by the lake. Trains for Einsiedeln and Lucerne leave from the same hall.
Zurich's 2026 season looks different from the last decade. The city council gave the Sechseläutenplatz permit to Future Events GmbH, whose Bellevue Noël replaces the Wienachtsdorf that ran there from 2015 to 2025, and the station market has run as Polarzauber under the Thryve Group since 2025. The Niederdorf market, which its organizer calls the oldest in Zurich, still threads through the old-town lanes below the Grossmünster.
Bring a plan for the weekends, when the station hall and the old town both get crowded. The free choir concerts at the Singing Christmas Tree run twice each weekday evening at 17:30 and 18:30, and children aged 4 to 9 can ride the Märlitram from Bellevue while their parents wait.
Worth knowing
- Lucy and the rest of the city's lights switch on at 18:00 on Thursday 19 November 2026, during the city's late-night shopping evening.
- The station market and Bellevue Noël close on 24 and 23 December respectively, so plan any Zurich market day before Christmas Eve afternoon.
Quick answers about Zurich
When do Zurich's Christmas markets open in 2026?
Zurich's main Christmas markets open on Thursday 19 November 2026. Polarzauber in the main station runs to 24 December, while the Niederdorf market, the Singing Christmas Tree and Bellevue Noël run to 23 December.
What happened to the Wienachtsdorf in Zurich?
The Wienachtsdorf on Sechseläutenplatz ended after the 2025 season. The city gave the square's Christmas market permit to Future Events GmbH, which runs it from 2026 as Bellevue Noël.
When are Zurich's Christmas lights on in 2026?
Zurich's Christmas lights, including Lucy on Bahnhofstrasse, switch on at 18:00 on 19 November 2026 and stay up until 4 January 2027, according to Zürich Tourism.
Is Zurich a good place to stay?
Zurich works as a base because almost everything starts from the main station. The Polarzauber market fills the station hall and the Singing Christmas Tree stands nearby on Werdmühleplatz, while the old-town lanes of the Niederdorf lead on toward Bellevue Noël by the lake. Trains for Einsiedeln and Lucerne leave from the same hall.
