A Guide to the Best Christmas Markets Across the Netherlands

During the month of December, the Netherlands once again prepares with a rich array of Christmas markets and festive winter events. Across the country, kerstmarkts bring old and new traditions together: brightly illuminated stalls fill historic town squares, while some markets take place in more unusual settings. Besides the traditional markets, the Dutch winter markets offer a range of unusual settings where people can immerse themselves in the holiday spirit, from underground cave markets to themed events in both major cities and smaller towns. What follows is a guide to some of the most notable Christmas markets of the season, complete with dates, locations and highlights.

Dates: 14 November - 30 December 2025
Location: Valkenburg aan de Geul, Limburg

Often considered the most remarkable Christmas market in the country, Valkenburg’s annual event takes over a network of marlstone caves around Cauberg. Here, visitors stroll through subterranean markets beneath the old town, surrounded by festive lights, artisanal gifts and traditional winter fare. The cave setting adds a magical feel that distinguishes it from other European markets In addition, the city lies just ten minutes from Maastricht, which hosts its own Christmas market in the historic Vrijthof square.

Dates: 4 - 23 December 2025
Location: Lange Voorhout, The Hague

One of the country’s longest-running markets, the Royal Christmas Fair returns to The Hague’s elegant Lange Voorhout boulevard. With more than 100 stalls, festive lighting, theater and music performances and traditional treats such as poffertjes and mulled wine (glühwein), it’s a festive urban destination that attracts locals and tourists alike.

Dates: 19 - 21 December 2025 

Location: Hoge der A, Turftorenstraat and surrounding canal quays in Groningen

In Groningen, the holiday season offers a variety of inviting winter settings, from the regular Christmas market in the city center to the WinterWelVaart, one of the most atmospheric Christmas events in the northern Netherlands. Each December, the quays of the Hoge der A and the surrounding A-Quarter transform into a festive waterfront market, where stalls selling handmade gifts, local delicacies, winter drinks and artisanal products line the canal. Historic sailing ships moor along the water, illuminated with strings of lights and often opening their decks to visitors as temporary galleries or intimate music stages. The market is part of the city’s broader Wintergoud programme, which runs from late November into early January and brings additional winter activities to the city centre, including an ice rink, seasonal food stands and a Ferris wheel to the Grote Markt. Together. These events give Groningen a distinctly festive and maritime twist on the traditional Dutch kerstmarkt, turning the historic canal district into one of the country’s most picturesque winter destinations.

Dates: 12 - 14 December 2025
Location: Grote Markt and city center, Haarlem

Set against the backdrop of Haarlem’s striking Gothic church and its winding historic streets, this market spreads across multiple squares and lanes, hosting more than 300 stalls offering handcrafted gifts, decorations and regional delicacies. Choirs and brass ensembles perform throughout the weekend, adding a warm soundtrack to the busy streets, while the scent of roasted nuts and spiced gluhwein drifts between the stalls. The combination of traditional market chalets, heritage architecture and festive lighting makes it one of the most picturesque and atmospheric kerstmarkten in the Netherlands. Despite its popularity, the market retains a distinctly local feel, drawing both residents and visitors who return year after year for its classic Dutch Christmas charm.

Dates: 13 - 14 December 2025
Location: Historic city center, Deventer

Less a traditional market and more a seasonal spectacle, the Dickens Festival brings Charles Dickens’ Victorian England to life. Street actors and costumed characters fill the streets, and the market stalls and music add depth to this immersive holiday weekend. More than a thousand volunteers appear as costumed characters, from Scrooge and Oliver Twist to chimney sweeps, orphans, shopkeepers and gentlewomen, turning the narrow streets into a bustling 19th-century scene. Visitors queue to step into this time-shifted world, where actors interact with passers-by, choirs perform carols and period ensembles recreate the sounds of Dickensian London. Market stalls, decorated in vintage style, offer seasonal food, handmade goods and warm drinks, adding to the immersive atmosphere. The combination of theatre, history and festive charm has made the Deventer Dickens Festival one of the most distinctive and beloved winter events in the Netherlands.

While Amsterdam does not have one central Christmas market on the scale of those in The Hague or Maastricht, festive markets and events run through the season:

Dates: 4 - 28 December 2025

Set against the backdrop of the Rijksmuseum, the Ice Village recreates a cosy, forest-style winter market with wooden chalets, seasonal snacks and a skating rink at the centre. The market attracts a broad mix of locals and tourists, making it one of the city’s most photographed winter spots.

Dates: 20 December - 5 January 2025

The Amsterdam Winter Paradise at the RAI is the city’s largest winter event, combining a market with indoor and outdoor skating, live entertainment, a Ferris wheel and numerous family-friendly activities. It leans into spectacle more than tradition, offering light shows, snow zones and music performances that draw crowds well into the evening. For many families, it has become a staple of the holiday calendar.

Dates: 21 December 2025

The Pure Markt in Amstelpark offers a quieter, more community-focused alternative to the city’s bigger events. Centred on artisanal food producers and handmade goods, it appeals to visitors looking for high-quality products and a more local feel. The park setting adds a peaceful backdrop, making it ideal for those wanting a relaxed winter stroll rather than a large-scale event.

The Netherlands’ Christmas markets reveal just how many forms a winter celebration can take: visitors might find themselves wandering through candlelit caves in Valkenburg, browsing stalls beneath Haarlem’s historic facades, or admiring the illuminated masts of Groningen’s ships along the canal. For anyone wanting to enjoy the familiar formula of glühwein, Ferris wheels, ice rinks and rows of souvenir and food stalls, the country’s kerstmarkten offer ample inspiration for cosy day trips and longer seasonal getaways.