Fribourg Christmas Market 2026
5 December 2026 · 2 markets
In Fribourg the Christmas market is part of the Saint-Nicolas festival and lasts one day: on Saturday 5 December 2026, stalls stand in the lanes around the cathedral (2025: 08:00–19:00) and in the Collège St-Michel (2025: 55 stalls). Around 17:00 Saint-Nicolas rides his donkey from the college to the cathedral and around 18:00 speaks to the crowd from its terrace. According to Fribourg Tourisme, the custom goes back to the Middle Ages; on market day buses and trains in zones 10 and 11 are free.
At a glance
- Dates
- 5 Dec
- Markets
- Grand marché de la St-Nicolas, Marché des artisans (Collège St-Michel)
What to expect
Dates and opening hours 2026
Grand marché de la St-Nicolas
Quartier du Bourg around St-Nicolas Cathedral
On the Saint-Nicolas Saturday, stalls stand in the medieval lanes around the cathedral, in 2025 from Place Notre-Dame to Place Ste-Catherine. There are mulled wine, biscômes and regional products; in the evening the Saint-Nicolas procession arrives here.
Opening hours
2025 hours – the 2026 opening hours have not been published yet · Times from 2025 (Fribourg Tourisme). Procession from 17:00, speech around 18:00.
Marché des artisans (Collège St-Michel)
Courtyard and historic corridors of the Collège St-Michel · 55 stalls (2025)
In the courtyard and the historic passageways of the college, craftspeople from the region sell their work, along with pupils and local associations. In 2025 there were 55 stalls. In the evening the Saint-Nicolas procession starts here.
Christmas in Fribourg
NOVA – Les rendez-vous de l'hiver
The city of Fribourg's festival site on Place Georges-Python, 26 November to 23 December 2026: ice rink, fondue tavern, food and drink chalets and light installations. Closed on Mondays and Tuesdays; about 7 minutes' walk from the station.
Source: Fribourg Tourisme et Région, checked on 18 October 2026
Good to know
Free public transport on market day
On 5 December buses and trains in zones 10 and 11 are free all day. The Bourg is closed to traffic from 05:00.
Family day on Sunday
On 6 December, 10:00–16:00, there are free activities for children in the Bourg and at the MEMO, bilingual and without registration.
Opening on Friday evening
On 4 December at 19:00 a procession with Saints Barbara and Catherine moves from the Temple to the Collège St-Michel.
Buses disrupted in the evening
Between 16:00 and 19:30, bus services in the city centre are severely disrupted. It is about 15 minutes on foot from the station to the Bourg.
How to get there
- About 15 minutes' walk from Fribourg station via Rue de Romont and Rue de Lausanne into the Bourg; on Saturday 5 December 2026 public transport in zones 10 and 11 is free (bus lines through the Bourg are diverted from 5:00 to 21:00).
- About 10 minutes' walk uphill from Fribourg station to the Collège St-Michel; on 5 December 2026 public transport in zones 10 and 11 is free.
Questions and answers
When is the Fribourg Christmas market 2026?
How do I get to the Fribourg Christmas market?
Is there a Christmas market in Fribourg that runs for several weeks?
What are biscômes?
More Christmas markets in the canton of Fribourg
3 more markets from the event calendars of municipalities, tourist offices and organisers, as of 18 October 2026