Quick answer
Kempten's Christmas Market is a free, ~70-stall Advent market on the Rathausplatz in the largest city of the Allgäu, Nov 26 – Dec 21, 2026, known for a curated craft focus and a multi-part nativity program rather than imported mass-market goods.
- Best for
- Travelers already routing through the Allgäu for winter Alpine scenery who want a free, craft-focused city market rather than a headline "bucket list" Christmas market.
Allgäu's largest city hosts its Christmas market in front of the historic town hall in Kempten's old town.
Kempten's Weihnachtsmarkt fills the square in front of the Rathaus in one of Germany's oldest continuously settled towns, with Roman-era Cambodunum ruins just across the river. Free entry and a central Allgäu location make it a natural stop for travelers already touring the region's Alpine scenery.
The full story
Kempten's Christmas Market fills the Rathausplatz in the largest city of the Allgäu, a free, roughly 70-stall market that leans on curated, handcrafted goods over the imported mass-market items sometimes found at larger markets. The 2026 run is November 26 through December 21, opening daily at noon. What sets it apart is an unusually layered nativity program: a hand-carved sculptural nativity by Robert Liebenstein on the Rathaus's east side, a 200-plus-figure Bründl Krippe, a crib-building-school exhibition in the town hall foyer, and an illuminated arcade "Krippenweg" crib path.
The drink program is mulled wine, not beer — red, rosé, and white Glühwein varieties, plus Feuerzangenbowle — alongside raclette, roasted almonds, and Bosna sausage. A children's hut, carousel, and Christkind wish-list mailbox round out the family programming.
One pairing to skip: do not plan Viehscheid as a same-trip pairing — it occurs in September in villages outside Kempten, a different season and a different place. A better same-day pairing is the Archäologischer Park Cambodunum, Roman ruins on the opposite bank of the Iller, though its published season runs March through November, so its winter status during the market's run should be confirmed before planning around it.
Eat & Drink Nearby
- Local specialty
- Standard Christmas market fare in front of Kempten's historic Rathaus, in one of Germany's oldest continuously settled towns.
- Pair it with
- Kempten's Altstadt restaurants for a sit-down meal beyond the market.
- Itinerary fit
- Free entry and a central Allgäu location make this an easy stop alongside a visit to the Roman-era Cambodunum ruins just across the river — confirm the park's winter opening hours before planning a same-day pairing, since its published season runs March through November.
Frequently asked questions
- Can I pair this with the Allgäu's Viehscheid cattle drives?
- No — Viehscheid happens in September in outlying Alpine villages, two to three months before this Christmas market opens. They're worth separate trips in different seasons, not a same-visit pairing.
- What's distinctive about the market's nativity program?
- A multi-part display: a hand-carved nativity by sculptor Robert Liebenstein, a 200-plus-figure Bründl Krippe, a crib-building-school exhibition in the Rathaus foyer, and an illuminated arcade crib path.
- Is it beer-focused?
- No — the drink program centers on mulled wine in red, rosé, and white, plus Feuerzangenbowle, not beer.
- Free entry