PePlaiuri.roTourist attractions in Romania

Christmas markets in Bucharest 2026: which ones, where and when

The esplanade of Constitution Square seen from the palace balcony, with three flags on flagpoles, colonnaded blocks on the sides and Bulevardul Unirii disappearing into the distance under a clear sky
The esplanade of Constitution Square seen from the palace balcony, with three flags on flagpoles, colonnaded blocks on the sides and Bulevardul Unirii disappearing into the distance under a clear sky · Bricot Valentin · CC BY-SA 4.0

Two Christmas markets in Bucharest had their 2026 dates announced on 4 November. The one in Constitution Square (Piața Constituției): 27 November – 27 December 2026, with free entry, 133 wooden stalls, a 30 m Christmas tree, a Ferris wheel and a carousel, according to Bucharest City Hall; and the West Side Christmas Market in Drumul Taberei, from 26 November to 27 December, according to the organisers. The capital has more markets than these, but in past editions the most searched for were the one in Constitution Square and West Side in Drumul Taberei Park, a private market in a public park.

This guide compares the 2025 and 2026 markets on what matters when choosing: location, dates, organiser, entry, attractions and metro. Where the 2026 edition has not been announced, it gives the 2025 pattern, with its source. The markets in the other cities are in the list of Christmas markets in Romania.

In short

  • The Bucharest Christmas Market in Constitution Square runs in 2026 from 27 November to 27 December, with 133 stalls, a 30 m Christmas tree, a Ferris wheel and a carousel (Bucharest City Hall, via Bugetul.ro and Euronews, 31 and 28 October 2026).
  • Entry to the market in Constitution Square and to Father Christmas's House is free; the products and some of the attractions are paid for.
  • The West Side Christmas Market, organised by Untold Universe in Drumul Taberei Park, has the dates 26 November – 27 December announced by the organisers for 2026 (b365.ro, 22 October 2026); in 2025 it had free entry, a 750 m² ice rink and a 33 m Ferris wheel.
  • In 2025, Bucharest City Hall also opened markets in University Square (29 November – 28 December) and at the National Opera (6–28 December); there is no announcement for 2026.
  • Metro: for Constitution Square, walk from Izvor (~10 minutes) or from Piața Unirii (~15 minutes); for West Side, get off at Parc Drumul Taberei (M5); for University Square, the station is in the square itself (M2).

Christmas markets in Bucharest: a comparison

The table puts the capital's large markets side by side. The 2026 dates are given only where they have been announced (Constitution Square and West Side); for the others it shows the 2025 edition, as a pattern. In Constitution Square, the 2026 opening hours will be announced at the opening.

Market and locationDatesOrganiserEntryAttractionsMetro
Constitution Square27 Nov – 27 Dec 2026Bucharest City Hall, CREARTfree133 stalls, 30 m Christmas tree, Ferris wheel, carousel, Father Christmas's HouseIzvor (~10 min on foot), Piața Unirii (~15 min)
West Side, Drumul Taberei Park26 Nov – 27 Dec 2026 (announced by the organisers)Untold Universe, with Sector 6 City Hallfree (2025)750 m² ice rink, 33 m Ferris wheel, carousel, 60 stalls, 8 food trucksParc Drumul Taberei (M5)
University Square2025: 29 Nov – 28 Dec; 2026 not announcedCREART, Bucharest City Hallfree (2025)food trucks, light installations, DJ, themed Christmas treeUniversitate (M2)
National Opera2025: 6–28 Dec; 2026 not announcedCREART, Bucharest City Hallfree (2025)recitals, workshops for children, food stallsEroilor (~400 m)
Romexpo, Crăciunul Nordului2025: 28 Nov – 4 Jan; 2026 not announcednot publishedfree (2025)indoor ice rink, Ferris wheel, funfair, concertsnot published

Sources: Bugetul.ro (31 October 2026) and Euronews (28 October 2026) for Constitution Square 2026, b365.ro (22 October 2026) for West Side 2026; Wall-Street.ro (18 November 2025), Playtech (3 December 2025) and Revista Biz (25 November 2025) for 2025. Metro: the attraction pages on this site. Checked on 4 November 2026.

The Constitution Square market: 27 November – 27 December

The City Hall's market is the largest with published figures: 133 stalls on 20,000 m², a 30 m Christmas tree made of LED mesh, a Ferris wheel and a carousel. The festive lights, 6 million bulbs, are switched on on the evening of 27 November. For the 2026 edition the City Hall has also announced free entry to the market and to Father Christmas's House; the products in the stalls and some of the attractions are paid for. The last edition had more than 1.5 million visitors, according to the City Hall.

In 2025 the market was open Monday to Friday 12:00–22:00 and Saturday and Sunday 10:00–22:00, opening at 17:00 on the first day; the stage had choirs, folk ensembles, carols, children's theatre and concerts. For 2026, the opening hours will be announced at the opening, and the stage programme is on creart.ro. The announcement of 31 October does not mention an ice rink in the square. The square is in front of the Palace of the Parliament, and on market days traffic around it is restricted.

West Side Christmas Market in Drumul Taberei

The West Side Christmas Market is a private market, organised by Untold Universe in partnership with Sector 6 City Hall, in a public park: Drumul Taberei Park. For 2026 the organisers have announced the dates 26 November – 27 December (b365.ro, 22 October 2026); the opening hours and the concert programme have not been published. In 2025 it ran from 28 November to 27 December, Monday to Friday 15:00–22:00 and Saturday and Sunday 11:00–22:00, with free entry. 2024 was its fourth edition, according to Wall-Street.ro.

The 2025 edition had a 750 m² ice rink, a 33 m Ferris wheel, a carousel, an illuminated bridge, a 100 m² Father Christmas's House, 60 stalls and 8 food trucks, with live concerts every day from 19:30 in the first days (Andia, Smiley, Loredana, Vunk and others). Under communism the park was called Moghioroș, the name many Bucharest residents still use when searching for it. The park's cable-stayed footbridge has been under repair since June 2026, with a deadline of December 2026, so access to it may be restricted.

University Square and the Opera: the 2025 pattern

In 2025, CREART and Bucharest City Hall opened three markets: Constitution Square, University Square and the Bucharest National Opera. The Bucharest Downtown Christmas Market in University Square ran from 29 November to 28 December, with 15 food trucks, light installations, a DJ and a carousel. The Bucharest Opera Christmas Market, on the Opera's esplanade, ran from 6 to 28 December, with weekend recitals, winter food and workshops for children.

No official announcement has been found for either of them for 2026. The Old Town and the University Palace are a few steps from each other; if the University Square market returns, you can combine it with a walk through the Old Town (Lipscani).

Other Christmas markets in Bucharest

The 2025 list has four more places, all with the 2026 edition not announced on 4 November 2026: Crăciunul Nordului (“Christmas of the North”) at Romexpo (28 November 2025 – 4 January 2026, with an indoor ice rink and a funfair), Winter Wonderland in Piața Alba Iulia (27 November 2025 – 7 January 2026, with an ice rink and a mini funfair), Tărâmul de Gheață (“the Land of Ice”) in Lumea Copiilor Park (27 November – 28 December 2025) and Poveste de Crăciun (“Christmas Story”), in the garden of the Comic Opera for Children (weekends, 21–28 December 2025). The last one is for children.

The building of the National Museum of the Romanian Peasant hosts seasonal fairs, Christmas ones among them; the dates are not published on the museum's page.

Which Christmas market in Bucharest to choose

The largest: Constitution Square, the only one with 133 stalls announced; West Side had 60 stalls in 2025, and the number for 2026 has not been published.

With children: Constitution Square has Father Christmas's House, with free entry. In 2025 West Side had an ice rink, a carousel and a 100 m² Father Christmas's House; the attractions for 2026 have not been published. For small children, the market at the Comic Opera has weekends with workshops.

In the evening: Constitution Square and West Side closed at 22:00 in 2025 (the 2026 opening hours have not been published); the lights in Constitution Square are switched on on 27 November.

Closest to the centre: Constitution Square and, if it returns, University Square, next to the Old Town.

With an ice rink: West Side and Romexpo in 2025; for Constitution Square, the announcement of 31 October 2026 does not mention one.

How to get to the Christmas markets in Bucharest

Constitution Square: the nearest metro station is Izvor, ~10 minutes on foot through Izvor Park; Piața Unirii is ~15 minutes along Bulevardul Unirii. Driving is not recommended, because on market days traffic around the square is restricted.

West Side: the Parc Drumul Taberei station (M5) is at the edge of the park. In 2025 the organiser also listed tram 41, trolleybuses 69 and 93 and buses 105, 138, 168, 221, 222, 232 and 368. Parking: not published.

University Square: the Universitate station (M2) is right in the square. The palace has no car park for visitors.

Opera: the Eroilor station is ~400 m away. Check the routes on the STB website.

How much the Christmas markets in Bucharest cost

Entry is free at the market in Constitution Square (official announcement for 2026) and was free in 2025 at West Side, University Square, the Opera and Romexpo. You pay for the products in the stalls, the food and drinks, and for some attractions, such as the Ferris wheel, the carousel or the ice rink. The prices for 2026 have not been published as of 4 November 2026; check them on the organisers' websites (creart.ro, Untold Universe, Sector 6 City Hall). At Poveste de Crăciun, the activities are paid for with tickets (1 ticket = 3 lei, in 2025).

Christmas markets in other cities

For Craiova, Sibiu, Cluj-Napoca, Brașov, Timișoara, Oradea, Iași and the others, the 2026 dates are in the calendar of Christmas markets in Romania.

Frequently asked questions

When does the Bucharest Christmas Market open in 2026?
The market in Constitution Square opens on 27 November 2026 and runs for a month, until 27 December, according to Bucharest City Hall (Euronews and Bugetul.ro, October 2026). The festive lights are switched on on the evening of 27 November.
How many Christmas markets are there in Bucharest?
In 2025 there were at least eight: Constitution Square, University Square, the Opera, West Side in Drumul Taberei, Winter Wonderland, Tărâmul de Gheață, Poveste de Crăciun and Crăciunul Nordului at Romexpo (Playtech, 3 December 2025). For 2026, the ones in Constitution Square and West Side have been announced.
Is the West Side Christmas Market on in 2026?
Yes. The organisers have announced the dates 26 November – 27 December 2026, in Drumul Taberei Park (b365.ro, 22 October 2026). The opening hours and the programme are published by Untold Universe and Sector 6 City Hall.
Is there an entry fee for the Constitution Square Christmas market?
No. Entry to the market and to Father Christmas's House is free, according to the Bucharest City Hall announcement. The products and some of the attractions are paid for.
How many stalls does the Christmas market in Constitution Square have?
133 stalls in 2026, on 20,000 m², according to Bucharest City Hall (Bugetul.ro, 31 October 2026). In 2025 there were more than 120.
Is there an ice rink at the Bucharest Christmas Market?
The announcement of 31 October 2026 for Constitution Square does not mention an ice rink. In 2025, West Side (750 m²) and Crăciunul Nordului at Romexpo (indoor) had ice rinks.
What are the opening hours of the Christmas market in Constitution Square?
In 2025: Monday–Friday 12:00–22:00, Saturday and Sunday 10:00–22:00. The 2026 opening hours will be announced at the opening; the stage programme is on creart.ro.
How do I get to the Christmas market in Drumul Taberei?
By metro to Parc Drumul Taberei (M5), the station at the edge of the park. In 2025 tram 41, trolleybuses 69 and 93 and several bus routes also went there.
What is the largest Christmas market in Bucharest?
Of the ones with published figures, the market in Constitution Square: 133 stalls in 2026, compared with 60 stalls at West Side in 2025.
Where are the Christmas markets in the other cities?
The list with the 2026 dates by city is in the guide to Christmas markets in Romania, in the section with the 2026 list.

Sources

All guides