Christmas in Cologne: markets and free audio guides
Cologne in December: 5 Christmas markets, the first opening on November 13 and the last closing on January 10. Mappu’s self-guided walk passes Neumarkt, Roncalliplatz, Alter Markt, and Rheinauhafen, and the free audio guides tell the story of the places along the way.
Audio guides in Cologne
Cologne Cathedral
Germany
Chocolate Museum
Germany
Cologne City Hall
GermanyCologne Central Mosque
Germany
Great St. Martin Church
Germany
Basilica of the Holy Apostles
Germany
Photo attribution
- Cologne Cathedral: Soroush H. Zargarbashi
- Chocolate Museum: Dietmar Rabich / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0 (CC BY-SA 4.0)
- Cologne City Hall: Arminia / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0 (CC BY-SA 3.0)
- Cologne Central Mosque: Mohammad alabdolye
- Great St. Martin Church: Dietmar Rabich / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0 (CC BY-SA 4.0)
- Basilica of the Holy Apostles: Raimond Spekking / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0 (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Self-guided walks in Cologne
Free audio walks that connect the guides above into one route, with a map, distances and walking times.
Photo attribution
- Basilica of the Holy Apostles: Raimond Spekking / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0 (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Christmas markets: walk the city centre
In the Christmas season 2026, markets open in the heart of Cologne. Mappu’s free audio guides tell the story of the places and the buildings around them, not of the stalls.
Market dates 2026
Neumarkt
November 16 – December 23
Audio guide nearby: Basilica of the Holy Apostles
Roncalliplatz
November 16 – December 23
Audio guide nearby: Cologne Cathedral
Alter Markt
November 23 – December 23
Audio guide nearby: Cologne City Hall
Heumarkt
November 23, 2026 – January 10, 2027
Audio guide nearby: Cologne City Hall
Rheinauhafen
November 13 – December 23
Audio guide nearby: Chocolate Museum
Official dates: koeln.de · checked on October 25, 2026
The best Christmas markets in Europe
Walk the route: Cologne Christmas marketsPlanning a trip to Cologne?
Get your plan
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- Weekend trip, €9.99: Your day-by-day plan plus 2 live walks
- Save your trip’s free guides on your phone in the Mappu app: they play with no signal
Useful for your visit
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