Article written by Elisa
This article may contain compensated links. Please read disclaimer for more info.
Festivals & Events• Grand Est
Obernai Christmas Market 2025 – Dates, Locations, and Things to Do
16/07/2025If you’re looking for a special Christmas trip, you should definitely visit Obernai! This charming town is located in the Alsace region, and is one of the easiest day trips from Strasbourg – a 40-minute ride on the regional train.
Obernai boasts one of the best Christmas Markets in Alsace, famous for delighting visitors with tasty treats, local goodies, and amazing crafts!
If you decide to visit Obernai at Christmas time this year, here’s a quick guide to the Obernai Christmas Market 2025—dates, locations, things to do, and insider tips. I visit the Alsace Christmas Markets almost every year, so all the information here is first-hand!
Obernai Christmas Market Dates 2025 and Opening Hours
The Obernai Christmas Market 2025 dates are from 28 November to 31 December.
The Obernai Christmas Market opening hours this year are:
- Monday to Thursday, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
- Friday to Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
- On December 24 and December 31, the market is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- The Obernai Christmas Market is closed on December 25.
TOP TIP: Accommodation in Obernai during the holiday season is more affordable than in Strasbourg. Book a hotel in Obernai and visit the Strasbourg Christmas Market on a day trip.
Obernai Christmas Market Locations
The Obernai Christmas Market has different locations, each one with its unique atmosphere. Here’s where to go for some Christmas fun:
Place du Marché
Obernai Christmas Market’s main location is Place du Marché. Here, you will find the town’s weekly food market, which has been hosted every Thursday since 1310.
This square is beautiful every season, with its elegant half-timbered houses, Sainte-Odile fountain, and the old carousel. The Hotel de Ville, with its imposing belfry, and the Halle aux Blés (former wheat market) are also located here.
During the Christmas season, Place du Marché becomes the beating heart of the festivities, featuring around 15 chalets and a massive Christmas tree.
Be sure to visit the Christmas market at Place du Marché when the sun goes down to admire the belfry lit up with a unique Christmas projections.
Place de l’Etoile
Another Christmassy spot in Obernai is Place de l’Étoile. The Christmas Market in this square is entirely dedicated to children.
From a lovely carousel to a Christmas train ride to a chalet model as Santa’s workshop, where the little ones can drop off their letters, every kid will love this part of the Obernai Christmas Market.
The grown-up can spend their time watching their kids having fun and sipping a cup of hot mulled wine they can buy in the food chalets. Here, you can also find all sorts of goodies, including crêpes, pain d’épices, pâte à tartiner, and gauffres.
Unfortunately, I was visiting the Obernai Christmas Market on Friday when the kids were still at school, so this part of the market was very quiet.
Place du Beffroi
This location at the foot of the Belfry is dedicated to Obernai’s famous mulled wine, the wines of Alsace in general, and quick eats such as tarte flamblées, soups, local cheese, and pâtés.
There are also a couple of picnic tables here, so it is a perfect spot for a quick lunch or a yummy break during your market explorations.
Church of Saints-Pierre-et-Paul
Something special you can visit at the Obernai Christmas Market is the fascinating Christmas cribs exhibition at the Church of Saints-Pierre-et-Paul. The Church of Saints-Pierre-et-Paul is one of the main attractions in Obernai, and it was built in the 19th century in the neo-Gothic style using pink stone from the Vosges.
Each year, this peculiar exhibit highlights handcrafted nativity scenes from a specific region or country. The 2024 edition showcased Christmas cribs from North and South America, so visitors could see how different American communities have adapted their own landscapes and beliefs to this Christian tradition.
I’m sure you will love discovering the exotic decors and surprising characters these nativity scenes display!
You can visit this exhibition for free, out of the religious services, every day from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Place André Neher
Attached to the medieval ramparts, on the eastern side of the Old Town, Place Neher makes the perfect final stop on this Obernai Christmas Market tour, as it’s just a short walk back to the train station. Here, you will find seven chalets or so offering beautiful, handcrafted products made in Alsace.
It will also be your last chance to grab a bite to eat on the train back to Strasbourg!
Obernai Christmas Market 2025 – Things to Do
Obernai Christmas Market Events
One of the best parts of every Christmas Market is the many events that animate the days and nights! The Obernai Christmas Market makes no exception, so here is the full program (details not available yet):
- Concerts: on Saturdays and Sundays
- Treasure Hunts
- Santa’s Mail Box
- Exhibition at the Belfry’s Exhibition Hall (subject of the exhibition not known yet)
- Cribs exhibition at the Church of Saints-Pierre-et-Paul
Look for the Perfect Christmas Gift
At the Christmas Market in Obernai, there are around 40 wooden chalets entirely dedicated to arts and crafts, and you can check them out for your Christmas gift shopping.
The local artisans sell a wide range of fantastic items, including adorable knitted hats and scarves, beautiful handmade jewelry, painted wooden cutouts, and unique decorations for your Christmas tree. You will have a blast finding the perfect gift to bring home with you!
Taste the Specialties of Alsace
Among the top things you can do at the Obernai Christmas Market is taste the Christmas specialties of Alsace.
For the sweet tooths, make sure to try Bredele (cookies, pictured above), Manala (brioche in the shape of a little man, plain or with chocolate chips), and Kougelhopf (a yeasted bread made plain, with raisins or other dried fruits).
If you prefer savory goodies, available all year round but great in wintertime, don’t miss the famous Tarte Flambée, a pizza-like bread traditionally made with bacon and onions. Other dishes to try are Fleischschnacka (French beef rolls) and Baeckeoffe, a gourmet stew made with Riesling wine, 3 types of meat, onions, and potatoes.
Taste Obernai’s Mulled White Wine
A must at the Obernai Christmas Market is the famous white mulled wine. This is typical of Obernai, so there isn’t another place where you can taste it!
Beloved by locals and everyone trying it for its unique taste, white mulled wine is made with a base of one of the white wines of Alsace (such as Pinot blanc, Pinot Gris, Sylvaner, Riesling), mixed with citrus fruits and spices.
There isn’t a fixed recipe for making mulled white wine, so a great idea would be to try it on different chalets to choose your preferred one. Once you’ve found the mulled wine you like the most, don’t forget to ask for the recipe!
Other Things to Do In & Around Obernai
If you decide to spend more than one day in Obernai, there are many other things to do here besides enjoying the fabulous Christmas Markets.
Stroll around the Old Town
Once you have visited the sites mentioned above, such as the stunning Church of Saint-Pierre-et-Paul, the Hotel de Ville, and the Belfry, take a stroll around the Old Town. Everywhere you lay your eyes, you will see elegant half-timbered houses with beautiful Christmas decorations and lights.
Besides admiring these medieval edifices and the superb Renaissance buildings, you should also take advantage of Ruelle des Juifs, one of the narrowest and oldest in Obernai. It’s super fun to snatch photos inside this unique-looking street!
A stroll along the medieval ramparts, which protected the Old Town, is also fun. You will find one of the gates at Place Neher.
If you are a shopaholic or want to finish your Christmas shopping, head to Rue du Général Gouroud, Obernai’s shopping street.
Visit Mont Saint-Odile
Just a short drive from Obernai is Mont Sainte-Odile, a must for anyone visiting Alsace!
Located at the heights of the town, the mount was a worship place already in Celtic times. At the end of the 7th century, a beautiful abbey was built on Mount Sainte-Odile, which has since become an important pilgrimage site.
Make sure to visit the Hohenburg Abbey and marvel at the superb views you can enjoy from the mount! On one side, you can admire the Alsace Plain and the Black Forest, while on the other, you can see the Vosges Mountains.
I visited Mont Saint-Odile during a fall trip to Alsace, and I fell in love with the place and its wonderful views. My pictures are with the fall colors, but in winter, there are high chances of snow here, and Mont Sainte-Odile under the snow looks like a magical place!