Ring in the holidays at one of Norway's many Christmas markets, where you'll find unique gifts and culinary delights!
Christmas is approaching at the speed of stampeding reindeer! This means traditional Norwegian Christmas fairs will soon appear with their local crafts, exciting artisan foods, and quaintly decorated streets.
Find the best places to celebrate Christmas in Norway.
In the weeks leading up to Christmas Eve, a multitude of fairs pop up around the country. Here are eleven Christmas markets that will infuse you with the holiday spirit.
Winter Wonderland in Spikersuppa, Oslo
9 November–31 December
Spikersuppa, one of the capital’s Christmas fairs, lasts for well over a month. It takes place on Oslo’s main high street, Karl Johans gate, a mere stone’s throw from the Royal Palace. The market features delightful food stalls, a romantic skating rink, and a Ferris wheel. This combination sets the scene for a magical Christmas in Oslo.
Christmas market in Bergen
22 November–22 December
With its unique traditions and world-famous cultural stage, it’s fun to celebrate Christmas in Bergen!
The Christmas market is in the heart of the city, Festplassen. It features a Ferris wheel, carousel, and indoor and outdoor stalls. There's a warm, cosy tent where you can enjoy hot chocolate, gingerbread cookies, and other holiday delicacies.
Christmas market in Lillehammer
7–8 December and 14–15 December
If you’re dreaming of a winter wonderland, Lillehammer is a safe bet. The quaint city by Lake Mjøsa is about an hour and a half from the Oslo airport by train.
Visit the Christmas market in the city centre as well as the one at the Maihaugen open-air museum – where you'll discover how Christmas was celebrated in the Middle Ages.
Check out the Christmas market at the arts and crafts hub Fabrikken as well. Afterwards, you can search for the perfect Christmas gift in the city's festively decorated streets.
If you you enjoy skiing, combine your trip to Lillehammer with a visit to one of the nearby top-notch ski resorts Hafjell and Kvitfjell, which are usually open from November. Are you brave enough to try the bob and luge tracks used at the 1994 Winter Olympics? If not, you can take the chairlift to the top of the Lysegårdsbakkene ski jump for a fantastic view.
Christmas market in Trondheim
4–21 December
Trondheim is a cosy Christmas town with lots to experience.
At the Christmas market in Trondheim, you’ll meet farmers and craftspeople eager to tell the stories behind their wares, be it a ceramic bowl at a wooden stall or an exotic jam in the farmer’s market area.
Large lavvo tents cover cafés and stages featuring fireside troubadours, local food, and plays for children. On the Torvscenen stage, there’s a constant stream of talented artists performing for the benefit of the Salvation Army.
Christmas market in Røros
5–8 December
If you want to catch the holiday spirit, there are few places on earth more suitable than Røros – the town that inspired Disney’s megahit “Frozen”. With its old wooden houses, multitude of crafts shops, and cosy cafes, Røros is the kind of place where you feel a touch of Christmas as soon as the snow settles on the streets.
And then the magic begins. Children with rosy cheeks emerge to gaze at locally produced artisan wares like knitted gloves, glassware, and woodwork at what could conceivably be named “the mother of all Christmas fairs”.
This is where you go to take a horse-drawn sleigh ride under a sheepskin blanket, and to see actual reindeer.
Christmas market in Kristiansand
30 November–22 December
From the end of November until December 22nd, there’s a large Christmas market in the public square in Kristiansand. The market is inspired by Christmas markets in other European cities and consists of several charming stalls filled with everything from handicrafts to tasty Christmas treats.
Right next to the market you can test your skills on the ice skating rink called “Kompis”.
Christmas at Bærums Verk
23 November–22 December
Experience a good, old-fashioned pre-Christmas celebration at Bærums Verk, with Christmas trees, horse-drawn carts, holiday music, and performances.
You can listen to Christmas stories at Verket 1814 and admire crafts in labourer houses from the 18th century. Join a historical walk or a tour of the sculpture park, and let the little ones take part in fun Christmas workshops. On the last four Sundays before Christmas Eve, you can buy locally-sourced treats at the farmer’s market.
Norsk Folkemuseum’s annual Christmas fair
30 November–1 December and 7–8 December
One of Norway’s most popular Christmas events is the Norsk Folkemuseum’s annual Christmas fair, and understandably so. At this open-air museum in Oslo, visitors can shop at over a hundred stalls while wandering through a historical retelling of Christmases, both decades and centuries past.
The whole museum is decorated according to various customs and eras, allowing you to experience everything from Christmas at a fancy merchant’s home in 1769 to the home of a rural Norwegian family in 1959.
Christmas market at Hadeland Glassverk
26 October–23 December 2024
At Hadeland Glassverk, you can easily combine Christmas shopping and pre-holiday cosiness. Here, you’ll find shops, restaurants, an art gallery, and Norway’s largest indoor Christmas market.
Create your own ornament, greet Santa's helpers, and take a sleigh ride throughout the holiday-decorated village.
Førjulseventyret, Pre-Christmas adventure in Henningsvær
1 November–22 December 2024
Northern Norway is about much more than the midnight sun – especially when the Christmas spirit is lurking around the corner. And few places convey the mood of this holiday like Henningsvær when bathed in northern lights.
With tall mountains and deep fjords as a picturesque frame, you can try regional delicacies such as Lofot caviar and paté, buy local ceramic and glass crafts (or make your own), or borrow a kicksled for cruising the wintry streets.
Christmas in The Fortified Town of Fredrikstad
23 November–15 December (weekends only)
The square in the fortress town of Fredrikstad has been busy with trade, shopping, and Christmas preparations at this time of year for many generations.
The star-shaped old town is also the backdrop for both a Christmas TV-show and a Christmas movie, so you might feel like you’re in a Christmas fairy tale yourself while wandering the charming streets. The market is held on the three first weekends in December.
Christmas market in Egersund
5–8 December and 12–15 December
Surrounded by small, traditional wooden houses, there is nothing quite like the scents, sights, tastes, and sounds of this town during the holidays. There’s something for everyone – from concerts to parades to Christmas decoration workshops. The Christmas market began in 2004, and this year Santa Claus will be there to welcome you.
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