Christmas markets in Sweden 2026 – ten Christmas markets that suit children

A Christmas market can be the highlight of Advent – or a crowded, dull afternoon among stalls of candles and felted Santas. For children there is a difference between Christmas markets where there are only things to buy and Christmas markets where there is something to do: animals to look at, rides, old houses to run between, Christmas workshops and Santas.

Here are ten Christmas markets around Sweden that work well with children. Most open around the first Sunday of Advent, which in 2026 falls on 29 November. The table above shows when each market is usually open – but always check this year's dates with the organiser before you go. You will find more dates for the run-up to Christmas in Christmas with kids 2026.

Christmas at Liseberg – Gothenburg

Christmas at Liseberg is often called Scandinavia's largest Christmas market and usually opens as early as mid-November. The park is transformed with lights everywhere, several Christmas market areas with different themes, Santas and reindeer – and, most importantly for the children, rides that stay open even in the cold. It is the Christmas market that suits children best if they find ordinary markets boring.

Go early in the day and bring warm clothes – it gets cold once the sun has gone down. You can see what Liseberg looks like in autumn in our Halloween at Liseberg, and more ideas for a weekend in the city are in Gothenburg with Kids. What Liseberg and the rest of the city have open between Christmas and New Year is in Christmas holidays in Gothenburg.

Skansen – Stockholm

Skansen has held a Christmas market since 1903, and it is still one of the most atmospheric in the country. Besides the stalls there are the animals, the old houses where Christmas baking and cooking is done the old way, and folk dancing around the Christmas tree. In 2026 the Christmas market is open Friday to Sunday from 27 November to 20 December.

Stortorget in Gamla stan – Stockholm

The Christmas market on Stortorget is Stockholm's classic Christmas market, with red stalls among the old houses. It is usually open every day from late November until 23 December and is free to visit. It gets crowded at weekends – go on a weekday afternoon if you can, and combine it with a walk around Gamla stan. More about Stockholm during the holidays is in Christmas holidays in Stockholm.

Jamtli – Östersund

Jamtli's Christmas market is one of the largest in northern Europe, with around 200 exhibitors over a weekend in early December. The open-air museum gives children room to run between the houses, and there are often activities and old-fashioned games. Make the most of it and combine it with a trip to the mountains – Jämtland is close to some of Sweden's biggest ski resorts.

Gamla Linköping – Linköping

Gamla Linköping is an open-air museum with hundreds of old houses and free entry. During Advent the streets become an old-fashioned Christmas market with stalls, crafts and festive atmosphere. It is a calmer market than the big-city ones, and perfect for a full day out with young children.

Wadköping – Örebro

Wadköping, Örebro's old wooden town, has an old-fashioned Christmas market on the Sundays of Advent. It is smaller and cosier than the big ones, and the wooden houses by the Svartån river make it a lovely walk even for the youngest.

Kalmar Castle – Kalmar

Kalmar Castle hosts a Christmas fair in the castle halls, usually one weekend around the first Sunday of Advent. It is one of the few Christmas markets that is largely indoors – a good choice if the weather is bad or the children are small.

Astrid Lindgren's Näs – Vimmerby

At Astrid Lindgren's Näs in Vimmerby there is usually a Christmas market one weekend in December, with around fifty exhibitors and a Christmas display in her childhood home that tells the story of Christmas 1913. For children who have grown up with Emil, Pippi and the Bullerby children, it is an extra special Christmas experience.

Tjolöholm Castle – Halland

Tjolöholm Castle in Halland has a Christmas market on Advent weekends, in a castle setting with a large park where the children can run. There is more about the castle and the park in Tjolöholm.

Huseby Bruk – Växjö

Christmas at Huseby, 20 kilometres south of Växjö, is one of the largest Christmas markets in the Nordic countries and the first to open – it is usually held in early November, well before Advent. Around 170 exhibitors fill the old ironworks, the roads are lit by hundreds of torches, and the children can watch the Santa parade and the Lucia procession on the castle steps. A good choice if you want to start Christmas early.

How to enjoy a Christmas market with children

• Go early. The first hours are the calmest, and children have more energy in the morning.
• A baby carrier instead of a pushchair. Cobblestones, narrow lanes and steps turn the pushchair into an obstacle. Bring a baby carrier for the little ones.
• Warm clothes and reflectors. It gets cold when you stand still, and dark early. Thermal base layers and warm shoes make a big difference.
• Bring food. The food stalls often have long queues. Bring a flask of glögg or hot chocolate, a few lussekatter and a jar of homemade knäck toffee.
• Set a budget beforehand. Give each child an amount to spend – that way you avoid discussions at every stall.
• One thing per child. Let each child choose one thing they want to do – Santa, the carousel, the animals – and do it first.

A Christmas market without driving yourself

If you want to avoid parking and queues, there are coach trips to Christmas markets around Sweden and Europe. It is a comfortable way to visit a Christmas market further away, and the children can sleep on the way home. Rolfs has day trips to Swedish Christmas markets and longer trips to the classic Christmas markets in Germany. Back home the Christmas table awaits – if you want a little fire in your Christmas, you can smoke and glaze the Christmas ham in a smoker box.

More about Christmas 2026 – from Advent to St Knut's Day – is collected in Christmas with kids.