Key Takeaways
- Copenhagen has seven Christmas markets and only one sells a ticket. Tivoli charges entry; the six on squares and quays do not.
- Four of the seven have organiser-confirmed 2026 dates as of 19 October 2026: Tivoli (13 November to 3 January), Nytorv & Gammeltorv (6 November to 21 December), Højbro Plads (14 November to 20 December) and Christiania (8 to 20 December).
- The Højbro Plads market most guides still list is not happening. Its organiser has cancelled it on that square and is moving to Rådhuspladsen. A different market, with a new organiser and stalls from Denmark, Greenland and the Faroe Islands, takes Højbro Plads instead.
- Tivoli publishes no flat Christmas price. Entry changes with the date; last season the official tourist board listed adults at 180 to 200 DKK ($27 to $30).
- The metro from the airport to the markets is a 3-zone ticket, 30 DKK ($4.50). A 24-hour City Pass covering the airport and every market is 100 DKK ($15).
Only one of Copenhagen's seven Christmas markets charges entry: Christmas in Tivoli, where the ticket price moves with the date and last season ran 180 to 200 DKK ($27 to $30) for an adult. The other six are on open squares and quays. Four markets have confirmed 2026 dates; three, including Nyhavn, have not announced yet.
We built this trip in Navoy: a 3-day Copenhagen Christmas market plan, 27 to 29 November.
When are the Copenhagen Christmas markets in 2026?
The first opens on 6 November 2026 and the last closes on 3 January 2027. Nytorv & Gammeltorv runs 6 November to 21 December, Tivoli 13 November to 3 January, Højbro Plads 14 November to 20 December and Christiania 8 to 20 December. Rådhuspladsen, the H.C. Andersen market and Nyhavn had not published 2026 dates on 19 October.
Here is the position market by market, taken from each organiser's own site. "Confirmed" means the organiser or venue has printed the 2026 dates; "not announced" means nobody has, whatever other pages say.
| Market | Where | 2026 dates | Entry | Status (19 Oct 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Christmas in Tivoli | Tivoli Gardens, by the Central Station | 13 November to 3 January | Ticket, price varies by date | Confirmed |
| Julemarked Nytorv & Gammeltorv | Nytorv and Gammeltorv, on Strøget | 6 November to 21 December | Free, with a free ice rink and skate loan | Confirmed |
| Jul på Højbro Plads | Højbro Plads, by Amagertorv | 14 November to 20 December | No ticket | Confirmed (new market, new organiser) |
| Christiania Julemarked | Den Grå Hal, Christiania | 8 to 20 December, 12:00 to 20:00 daily (last day to 18:00) | Free | Confirmed |
| Traditional Højbro Plads market, moving to Rådhuspladsen | Rådhuspladsen (City Hall Square) | Not published by the organiser | No ticket | Not announced |
| H.C. Andersen Julemarked | Nytorv in recent years | Not published | Free | Not announced |
| Nyhavn Christmas market | Nyhavn quay | Not published | No ticket | Not announced |
Two things follow from that table. If your dates are fixed, the first Advent weekend (27 to 29 November 2026) is the safest: Tivoli, Nytorv & Gammeltorv and Højbro Plads are all confirmed open, and Nyhavn's market has run in December every recent year. If you want Christiania, you need a date between 8 and 20 December, and the whole market closes at 18:00 on the last day.
Hotel rooms do not wait for the last three announcements. Check what's left for your night: Copenhagen hotels with live prices.
Which Copenhagen Christmas markets are free, and what does Tivoli cost?
Six of the seven markets cost nothing to enter. Tivoli is the exception: it needs an entry ticket, priced by the day. For the 2025 season the official tourist board listed adults (8 and over) at 180 to 200 DKK ($27 to $30) and children aged 3 to 7 at 90 to 100 DKK ($13.50 to $15). Under-3s are free.
That is the honest state of Tivoli pricing in October 2026. Tivoli's own FAQ says tickets "vary in price based on the visit date" and that "some visiting periods are cheaper than others", and the only place the 2026 Christmas price appears is the day-by-day calendar in its shop and app. For scale, on 19 October 2026 that shop listed autumn-season entry at 200 to 220 DKK ($30 to $33) for an adult and half price for children aged 3 to 7, so budget the same range for a Christmas evening until the calendar shows your date. Rides are extra: entry gets you into the gardens, the lights and the stalls, not onto the rides.
Every other official cost in a Copenhagen market weekend is small and fixed:
| Item | Official figure | Source and edition |
|---|---|---|
| Entry to Nytorv & Gammeltorv | Free ("gratis adgang") | Organiser, 2026 |
| Ice rink and skate loan at Nytorv & Gammeltorv | Free | Organiser, 2026 |
| Entry to Christiania Julemarked | Free ("gratis entré") | Venue, 2026 |
| Entry to Højbro Plads, Rådhuspladsen, Nyhavn | No ticket sold | Open public squares and quay |
| Christmas in Tivoli, adult 8+ | 180 to 200 DKK ($27 to $30), varies by date | Tourist board listing, 2025 season |
| Christmas in Tivoli, child 3 to 7 | 90 to 100 DKK ($13.50 to $15), varies by date | Tourist board listing, 2025 season |
| Kongens Nytorv ice rink (not a market) | 70 DKK ($10.50) to get on the ice (the operator's Danish article; its English version says 60 DKK) | Metro operator's article, 16 December 2025 |
| Metro, airport to the centre, 3 zones | 30 DKK ($4.50) | Metro operator, 2026 fares |
| City Pass, 24 hours, zones 1 to 4 | 100 DKK ($15) | Metro operator, 2026 fares |
| Gløgg, æbleskiver | Not published | No organiser prints a price |
The last row matters. None of the seven organisers publishes a gløgg or æbleskiver price, so any figure you read online is one visitor's receipt, not a list price. Our Christmas market food prices for 2026 explains which cities do publish prices and what the cup deposit does to your bill.
How much more do Copenhagen hotels cost on an Advent weekend?
On 19 October 2026 we priced a double room on book.navoy.io for Saturday 28 November, the first Advent Saturday, against Saturday 14 November (before most squares open) and Saturday 16 January. The cheapest room barely moved: $87 on 28 November against $82 and $65. The hotels the engine ranks first did move: a median of $423 on the Advent Saturday against $188 two weeks earlier and $153 in January.
| Night (1 room, 2 adults, taxes included) | Cheapest | Median of the 12 cheapest | Median of 12 top picks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sat 28 Nov 2026 (Tivoli, Nytorv & Gammeltorv and Højbro Plads open) | $87 | $143 | $423 |
| Sat 14 Nov 2026 (Tivoli open, most squares not yet) | $82 | $119 | $188 |
| Sat 16 Jan 2027 (everything closed) | $65 | $82 | $153 |
Read it as a split market. The budget floor holds: a room under $100 existed on every date we checked. The central, well-reviewed hotels more than double for the Advent weekend, and those are the ones that let you walk between the squares. Book that room first, early and refundable. Prices are live quotes on 19 October 2026 and will move. Check what's left for your night.
What happened to the Højbro Plads Christmas market?
The German-style market that filled Højbro Plads is not being held there in 2026. Its organiser's site says "Julemarked Højbro Plads afvikles ikke i 2026" and that it is moving to Rådhuspladsen. A new market, Jul på Højbro Plads, with a different organiser, opens on the square on 14 November 2026 with stalls from Denmark, Greenland and the Faroe Islands.
This is the fact most 2026 guides have wrong, because the square keeps the name and the dates look similar. Two separate things are happening:
- The old market has left the square. Julemarked Højbro Plads, the one with the German-inspired wooden chalets, carries a cancellation banner for 2026 on its own site and says the "traditionsrige" market moves to City Hall Square. It had not published Rådhuspladsen dates on 19 October.
- A new market takes its place. Jul på Højbro Plads is organised by Olsen Sj. ApS and themed on the Danish Realm: food, crafts and gløgg from Denmark, the Faroe Islands and Greenland. It runs 14 November to 20 December, Monday to Wednesday 11:00 to 19:00, Thursday to 20:00, Friday and Saturday to 21:00, Sunday 12:00 to 19:00. The organiser lists no ticket.
For a visitor the effect is good: Højbro Plads still has a market, and if the traditional one confirms Rådhuspladsen, the city gains a square. Just do not plan around a Rådhuspladsen date you read elsewhere until the organiser prints it.
Which is the best Christmas market in Copenhagen?
It depends what you came for. Tivoli is the one worth a ticket for lights and rides, and the only one open into January. Nytorv & Gammeltorv is the big free one, with a free rink. Højbro Plads is the new one this year. Christiania is the indoor one for handmade gifts, in its 51st year. Nyhavn is the setting.
How to pick, square by square:
- Christmas in Tivoli (13 November to 3 January). The amusement park dressed for Christmas: stalls, lights, rides, and the one place still open between Christmas and New Year. Budget the ticket plus rides. Go after dark.
- Julemarked Nytorv & Gammeltorv (6 November to 21 December). Two connected squares on Strøget, 200 metres from Rådhuspladsen by the organiser's own measure. Free entry, and the ice rink and skate loan are free too.
- Jul på Højbro Plads (14 November to 20 December). New in 2026, and the one that is different: Greenlandic and Faroese stalls next to Danish ones, a few steps from Amagertorv.
- Christiania Julemarked (8 to 20 December). Inside Den Grå Hal in Freetown Christiania, every day 12:00 to 20:00. Free entry, no prams inside (there is a tent for them outside), and the venue says bus 2A stops almost at the door.
- Nyhavn (December, dates not announced). Stalls along the quay under the coloured houses, a short walk from Kongens Nytorv metro. The most photographed, and the one whose dates you cannot yet rely on.
- Kongens Nytorv itself has no market. The square hosts a large ice rink; the Metro operator's Danish article quoted 70 DKK ($10.50) to skate last season (its English version says 60 DKK).
If you have one evening, walk Strøget from Nytorv & Gammeltorv to Højbro Plads, then on to Nyhavn at dusk. Give Tivoli its own evening.
How do you get from Copenhagen Airport to the Christmas markets?
By metro. Line M2 runs from the airport station into the centre; Kongens Nytorv, for Nyhavn and Højbro Plads, is about 15 minutes. The airport is zone 4 and the centre is zone 1, so you need a 3-zone single ticket, 30 DKK ($4.50). A 24-hour City Pass for zones 1 to 4, airport included, is 100 DKK ($15).
The operator's own figures for planning:
- Frequency: about every 2 minutes in rush hour (07:00 to 09:00 and 14:00 to 18:00), about every 3 minutes off-peak and at weekends, every 8 minutes overnight after Friday and Saturday and every 20 minutes overnight on other nights.
- Tickets: 2 zones 24 DKK ($3.60), 3 zones 30 DKK ($4.50); a 3-zone ticket is valid for 90 minutes. The 2026 fare change in January raised only 4, 5 and 6-zone single tickets, so these prices are the current ones.
- Children: an adult can bring two children under 12 free on the metro; 12 to 15-year-olds pay half.
- For the markets: Rådhuspladsen (M3/M4) for Tivoli and the Nytorv & Gammeltorv market, Kongens Nytorv (M1/M2/M3) for Nyhavn and Højbro Plads, Christianshavn (M1/M2) and then bus 2A for Christiania.
If you are doing two or three markets in a day plus the airport run, the City Pass wins: one 3-zone airport ride and three 2-zone rides in town already come to 102 DKK against the pass's 100 DKK.
Search flights to CPH: flights to Copenhagen, 27 to 29 November.
What is the weather like at the Copenhagen Christmas markets?
Cold, damp and dark early. Denmark's December climate normal (1991 to 2020, DMI) is a mean temperature of 2.8 °C, 70.9 mm of precipitation and about 12 frost days in the month. December 2025 was unusually mild at 5.3 °C, so pack for the normal, not for last year.
The markets run outdoors except Christiania's, so the rules are simple: waterproof shoes for wet cobbles, layers rather than one heavy coat, the outdoor squares in the late afternoon when the lights come on, and the indoor stops for the wettest hour.
Where should you stay for the Copenhagen Christmas markets?
In the Indre By, the medieval centre, if you want every market on foot: Nytorv, Gammeltorv, Højbro Plads, Rådhuspladsen and Nyhavn sit along and around Strøget, a short walk apart. Around the Central Station and Tivoli if you arrive late or leave early, since the metro and the trains land there. Christianshavn if Christiania is the point of the trip.
How the three options compare:
- Indre By (around Strøget, Kongens Nytorv, Nyhavn): the squares with markets are your neighbourhood. Fewest rooms and the highest Advent-weekend prices, which is why the price check above matters.
- Vesterbro and the Central Station: Tivoli across the road, the M3/M4 at Rådhuspladsen and København H, and the largest stock of hotel rooms. Nytorv & Gammeltorv is a short walk up from Rådhuspladsen.
- Christianshavn and Amager side: canals, the M1/M2 line that runs to the airport, and Christiania's hall a bus ride away. Quieter in the evening once the market closes at 20:00.
Still deciding where in the city? Browse hotels across Copenhagen.
Plan this trip
- See the trip we built: a 3-day Copenhagen Christmas market plan, 27 to 29 November
- Plan your own for free: tell Navoy your dates and budget and it builds the day-by-day plan. The free plan covers up to three trips of up to 14 days each. Start free
- Hotels in Copenhagen: compare live prices for your dates
- Flights: search flights to Copenhagen CPH, 27 to 29 November
- Still choosing a market city: browse hotels across Europe
Frequently asked questions
When do the Copenhagen Christmas markets open in 2026?
The first, Julemarked Nytorv & Gammeltorv, opens on 6 November 2026 and runs to 21 December. Christmas in Tivoli runs 13 November to 3 January, Jul på Højbro Plads 14 November to 20 December, and the Christiania market 8 to 20 December. Rådhuspladsen, the H.C. Andersen market and Nyhavn had not announced 2026 dates on 19 October 2026.
Is the Tivoli Christmas market free?
No. Christmas in Tivoli is inside the amusement park and needs an entry ticket, priced by the day in Tivoli's shop and app. For the 2025 season the official tourist board listed 180 to 200 DKK ($27 to $30) for adults and 90 to 100 DKK ($13.50 to $15) for children aged 3 to 7; under-3s go free. Rides cost extra. Every other Copenhagen market is free to enter.
Is there a Christmas market at Kongens Nytorv in 2026?
No. Kongens Nytorv hosts an ice rink, not a market; the Metro operator quoted 70 DKK ($10.50) to skate last season. The nearest markets are Nyhavn, a short walk away, and Jul på Højbro Plads, a few minutes down Strøget. The traditional Højbro Plads market is moving to Rådhuspladsen in 2026.
When is the Christiania Christmas market in 2026?
From 8 to 20 December 2026 in Den Grå Hal, open 12:00 to 20:00 every day and closing at 18:00 on the last day, according to the venue. Entry is free. Prams are not allowed inside (there is a tent for them outside) and bus 2A stops almost at the door. It is the market's 51st year.
How much is the metro from Copenhagen Airport to the city centre?
30 DKK ($4.50) for an adult 3-zone single ticket, valid for 90 minutes, on line M2. The airport is zone 4 and the centre zone 1. A 24-hour City Pass covering zones 1 to 4, airport included, costs 100 DKK ($15). An adult can take two children under 12 free; 12 to 15-year-olds pay half.
Sources
- Tivoli, opening hours and seasons - Christmas season "November 13 - January 3", listed ahead of the 2027 Easter and Summer seasons
- Tivoli, Christmas in Tivoli - the season page, 13 November to 3 January
- Tivoli, FAQ - tickets "vary in price based on the visit date"; prices only in the visitor calendar and app
- Tivoli, terms and conditions - children under 3 free with a paying adult
- VisitCopenhagen, Christmas in Tivoli Gardens - 13/11/2026 to 03/01/2027 header; the 2025 season entry bands, adult 180 to 200 DKK, child 90 to 100 DKK
- Julemarked Nytorv & Gammeltorv - 6 November to 21 December 2026, "gratis adgang", free ice rink and skate loan, 200 m from Rådhuspladsen
- Jul på Højbro Plads - opens 14 November 2026, runs to 20 December, weekday hours, organiser Olsen Sj. ApS, stalls from the whole Danish Realm
- VisitCopenhagen, Christmas at Højbro Plads - "From 14 November to 20 December 2026", Denmark, Greenland and the Faroe Islands
- Julemarked Højbro Plads, the traditional market - "Julemarked Højbro Plads afvikles ikke i 2026", moving to Rådhuspladsen
- Den Grå Hal, Christiania - post of 19 October 2026: opens 8 December at 12:00, 12:00 to 20:00 daily, 20 December closes 18:00, free entry, no prams inside, bus 2A, 51st edition
- VisitCopenhagen, H.C. Andersen Christmas Market - Nytorv, entry "Free"; no 2026 dates on the organiser's site julemarked.co
- VisitCopenhagen, Nyhavn - a Christmas market "during December", a short walk from Kongens Nytorv metro
- Metroselskabet, tickets - 2 zones 24 DKK, 3 zones 30 DKK for the airport, City Pass 100 DKK, children's rules
- Metroselskabet, M2 route - Vanløse to Copenhagen Airport, 16 stations, frequencies by time of day
- Metroselskabet, the ice rink at Kongens Nytorv (Danish) - 70 kr. to get on the ice, posted 16 December 2025; the English version of the same article says 60 DKK
- VisitCopenhagen, zones - centre zone 1, airport zone 4, three zones between them, minimum 2 zones at 24 DKK
- DSB, fares 2026 - from 18 January 2026 only 4, 5 and 6-zone single tickets changed east of the Great Belt
- DMI, December 2025 summary (PDF) - December normal 1991 to 2020: 2.8 °C, 70.9 mm, 12.2 frost days; December 2025: 5.3 °C
- ECB euro reference rates - 19 October 2026: USD 1.1225, DKK 7.4747, so 1 USD = 6.66 DKK
All figures verified 19 October 2026. Tivoli entry prices describe the 2025 season as listed by the official tourist board; the 2026 price is set day by day in Tivoli's shop. Rådhuspladsen, H.C. Andersen and Nyhavn had not published 2026 dates at the time of writing.
Related articles
- Christmas Markets 2026: Which Dates Are Actually Confirmed
- Christmas Market Food Prices 2026: The Deposit Nobody Mentions
- Strasbourg Christmas Market 2026: Dates, Hotels and What to Book Now
Going to Copenhagen this Advent? Plan the trip free, then compare live hotel prices - Navoy: your AI Travel Agent
About the Author
Haroun Moula
Haroun Moula is the founder and CEO of Navoy. Before Navoy, he worked in luxury travel with VVIPs and high-profile travelers. He built Navoy to bring curated, adaptive trip planning to more travelers through an AI travel agent that plans and books core trip parts in one place.
