Christmas Markets in Stockholm: Skansen, Stortorget, Dates and Walking Tours
5 min read
Stockholm has several Christmas markets, and they differ most in dates: Skansen opens only on weekends, while the market on Stortorget runs for most of Advent. Here is what the official pages say for 2026, and which guided walks fit around them.
The markets at a glance
| Market | 2026 dates | Where | What the source says |
|---|---|---|---|
| Skansen | 27 Nov to 20 Dec, Fridays to Sundays | Djurgården | Fri and Sat 10:00–17:00, Sun 10:00–16:00 |
| Stortorget | 21 Nov to 23 Dec | Gamla Stan | 41 stalls; check hours with the organiser |
| Kungsträdgården | 28 Nov | Kungsträdgården | 11:00–16:00 |
| Royal Stables | 4 to 6 Dec | Väpnargatan 1 | Check hours and admission with the organiser |
The Skansen dates and hours come from Skansen’s market page. The three others come from Visit Stockholm’s event listings, which for the Old Town market give the season (21 November to 23 December), the 41 stalls and the nearest station, Gamla Stan, but leave the time column empty. Check the organiser before you travel for hours or admission.
Skansen: the one with the long tradition
Skansen says its market has been held since 1903, and its page describes handicrafts, design, sweets, candles, waffles, mulled wine and roasted almonds. The park’s general hours in winter are shorter on weekdays, but on market days they stretch to 17:00 on Fridays and Saturdays. Check with Skansen whether the market itself needs a park ticket. The separate Christmas Market at Skansen ticket costs €29.47 and lists an entry ticket to Skansen with access to the market and visits to the historic houses. Food, drinks and souvenirs appear in the same list without being marked as included, so budget for them yourself. The page advises warm clothing, because it is outdoors.
One thing to watch: the booking page gives different market dates (26 November to 19 December) from the 27 November to 20 December on Skansen’s own page. Go by Skansen. For the park itself, animals and how to get there, read our Skansen guide.
Stortorget: the one in the Old Town
The market fills the main square of Gamla Stan, next to the Nobel Prize Museum. It is the easiest to combine with a walk through the lanes, which is why many of the Christmas tours below start or pass here. It also has the longest season of the four: the listing covers 21 November to 23 December. With no official hours on the listing, treat any time you read elsewhere as unconfirmed. Our guide to Gamla Stan on foot covers the area outside the market.
Guided Christmas walks
Three of the Christmas walks listed on GetYourGuide are compared here. Each one lasts two hours, and they differ in start point and language.
- Christmas market and City Lights walking tour (€27.12): starts at Gustav III:s Obelisk, Slottsbacken 1, and walks from the Old Town to Strandvägen via Stortorget, Kungsträdgården and the NK windows. The page lists guides in German, English, Spanish, French and Italian, and says that from 5 to 13 December the route passes selected Nobel Week Lights installations. It is a new listing without reviews yet.
- Christmas walking tour: lights, market and tastings (€27.21, rated 4.8 out of 5 from 74 reviews): starts at Sergels torg, spends about 45 minutes in Gamla Stan and, according to the page, ends with alcohol-free glögg and sweets, plus hand warmers. English and Spanish.
- Christmas traditions and food small-group tour (€41.26, rated 4.7 out of 5 from 141 reviews): meets in front of the Nobel Prize Museum, tastes items such as roasted almonds, reindeer meat, crispbread and saffron buns, and serves mulled wine, with an alcohol-free option. English, French and German. The page lists wheelchair users as not suitable.
The first walk is the one that names Strandvägen and the Nobel Week lights. For a tasting, pick the third; the second starts at Sergels torg, in the city centre, and ends with glögg and sweets.
How to choose
If you only have one day, go to Skansen on a Friday or Saturday for the longest hours, or to Stortorget on any day of the season. If you want the story behind the traditions, book a walk. Whatever you pick, dress for being outside: all three walk pages say the tour runs in winter weather. For other winter ideas see our page for winter and sauna in Stockholm and walking tours.
