Rothenburg Reiterlesmarkt

Rothenburg ob der Tauber's Christmas market takes its name from the Reiterle — a costumed herald who opens each year's market with a ceremonial spoken prologue, a tradition unlike anything else in this year's roundup of Bavarian and Franconian markets. The 2026 run is November 20 through December 23, closed on Totensonntag (Nov 22), with 61 stalls spread across the Marktplatz and through the medieval old town. The setting does most of the work here: Rothenburg's walled Altstadt is one of Germany's best-preserved medieval towns, and the market threads through it rather than occupying a single modern square. It's one of the larger markets in this year's set of new additions — more than half again the stall count of nearby Straubing's — and the city's own tourism office traces the market tradition itself back to the 15th century. Rothenburg is a well-known Romantic Road stop on its own; the market gives Advent-season visitors a reason to build a full day around the old town rather than just passing through.