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 pop up around the country with their local crafts, exciting artisan foods, and charmingly decorated streets.
Find the best places to celebrate Christmas in Norway.
Here are Norway's biggest and most famous Christmas markets that will infuse you with the holiday spirit.
Christmas markets in the Oslo region
Winter Wonderland in Oslo
8 November–4 January 2026
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.
Looking to add a little bit of flair to your festive season? In Oslo, you'll also find some creative, alternative markets, taking place during the first two weekends of December.
At 'The Designers' own Christmas Market' you can buy one-of-a-kind Christmas gifts from curated artists. The location is Hausmannsgate 16 in Oslo.
Or check out the Oslo Supermarked Christmas Market at SALT by the harbour promenade in Oslo. With over 80 curated artists, you can find unique gifts, hear Norway’s largest queer choir singing Christmas carols, unwind in a hot sauna, and more.
Norsk Folkemuseum’s annual Christmas fair
6–7 December and 13–14 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 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 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.
Christmas market at Hadeland Glassverk
Every day until 23 December
At Hadeland Glassverk just outside Oslo, 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.
Christmas in The Fortified Town of Fredrikstad
22 November–14 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 Bergen
21 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 Trondheim
3–21 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
4–7 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 markets in Tromsø
Northern Norway is an extraordinary place to celebrate Christmas, and the Arctic metropolis Tromsø has the perfect setting with its festive charm and stunning polar landscapes.
Tromsø doesn't have one Christmas market in one location – instead, the entire downtown area is sprinkled with magic, earning it the title of Christmas Town Tromsø.
Some of Tromsø's Christmas fairs last for over a month, at various locations around the city, both outdoors and indoors. Join child-friendly events and workshops, indulge in the flavors of Arctic cuisine, take a romantic spin in the Ferris wheel, and stock up on original handmade gifts like warm wool mittens.
Here's three of the most popular Christmas markets that will be held in Tromsø in 2025:
- Juleglede Market at Nerstranda shopping centre, 21 November–21 December (closed on Sundays in November)
- Tromsø Christmas Market at Stortorget, 21 November–22 December
- Christmas Market in 'Skomakergata', Strandgata 34 (SevenDesign Atelier), 3 November – 22 December
In Tromsø and the surrounding area, you can enjoy a wide range of activities, such as dog sledding, whale safaris, or a reindeer sleigh ride. If you’re lucky, the northern lights might even dance across the sky above you.
Førjulseventyret in Henningsvær, Lofoten
1 November–21 December
Førjulseventyret, the Pre-Christmas Adventure, begins early in November. It’s not an ordinary market, but a unique atmosphere and experience that embraces the entire village. Here, you’ll find numerous artisans, craftsmen, and small niche shops offering one-of-a-kind local ceramics and glass art, or you can even create your own. Borrow a wheeled kicksled and glide through the wintery streets! The best time to visit is toward the end of the week or on weekends, when most shops are open.
Few places capture the magic of the season quite like the small, charming fishing village of Henningsvær in Lofoten. Framed by dramatic mountains and the deep blue sea, Henningsvær offers a taste of the region’s finest specialties, from lutefisk made with local stockfish to Lofoten lamb, Lofot caviar and many more regional delicacies.
Christmas market in Lillehammer
6–7 December and 13–14 December
Maihaugen: 29–30 November
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 Kristiansand
30 November–22 December
Usually, from the end of November until December 22nd, there’s a large Christmas market in the public square in Kristiansand in Southern Norway. 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 market in Egersund
4–7 December and 11–14 December
Surrounded by small, traditional wooden houses, there is nothing quite like the scents, sights, tastes, and sounds of this town during the holidays. The market is modelled on the German Christmas markets, and there’s something for everyone – from concerts to parades to Christmas decoration workshops. Santa Claus will sure be there to welcome you!
23 November–15 December
An hour's drive from Egersund you'll find Winterland in Sandnes, which has also been voted one of Norway's best Christmas towns!
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