Which Christmas markets can I visit on a day trip from Amsterdam in 2026?
Within about three hours by car on a clear road you reach Valkenburg's Christmas Town (November 13 to January 3, with cave markets until December 30), Magisch Maastricht (November 27 to December 27), Aachen (November 20 to December 23), Düsseldorf (November 20 to December 30), Brussels (November 27 to January 3) and Cologne's cathedral market (November 16 to December 23). Closer to home, Haarlem (December 11 to 13), Gouda by Candlelight (December 11), Deventer's Dickens Festival (December 12 and 13) and The Hague's Royal Christmas Fair (December 3 to 23) are short trips.
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With a driver by the hour: prices per vehicle
| Option | Price | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Business Class, Christmas market day from Amsterdam | €65 / hour | per hour · minimum 2 hours · 40 km included per hour · E-Class, EQE, EQE SUV, BMW i5, BMW 5 Series · up to 3 passengers, 3 bags |
| Van Class, Christmas market day from Amsterdam | €80 / hour | per hour · minimum 2 hours · 40 km included per hour · V-Class, EQV · up to 7 passengers, 7 bags |
| First Class, Christmas market day from Amsterdam | €100 / hour | per hour · minimum 2 hours · 40 km included per hour · S-Class, EQS, EQS SUV, BMW i7 · up to 3 passengers, 3 bags |
By the hour: minimum 2 hours, 40 km included per hour, and the day starts and ends in the same city. The driver waits between stops. Prices are per car, not per person, with 9% Dutch VAT included, and the same day and night. During ADE week (pickups October 20 to 26, 2026) fixed ADE-week prices apply, shown before you book; promo codes cannot be used that week. Booked less than 12 hours before pickup: +10%. At an airport or an intercity station the first 60 minutes of waiting are free, elsewhere 15 minutes; after that waiting is charged per minute at the class's hourly rate (Business €65 an hour). Free cancellation up to 1 hour before pickup.
What is included in the price
- A fixed price confirmed at booking, with VAT included: no meter and no surge
- The chauffeur’s name, car and phone number before pickup, plus e-mail reminders 24 hours and 2 hours ahead
- Water and phone chargers (iOS and Android) in the car
- Status updates to the person who booked, if that is not the passenger: confirmed, chauffeur en route, guest in the car, arrived
The 2026 markets at a glance
| Market | 2026 dates | From Amsterdam by car | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Valkenburg Christmas Town | Nov 13 to Jan 3; cave markets Nov 13 to Dec 30, closed Dec 25 | About 2 h 54 | Markets inside caves |
| Magisch Maastricht | Nov 27 to Dec 27 | About 2 h 50 | Vrijthof, ice rink, Ferris wheel |
| Aachen | Nov 20 to Dec 23 | About 3 h 09 | The setting around the cathedral |
| Cologne, cathedral market | Nov 16 to Dec 23; closed Sun Nov 22 | About 3 h 03 | The classic German market |
| Düsseldorf | Nov 20 to Dec 30 | About 2 h 42 | Seven themed markets and the new Kö Winter Village |
| Brussels, Plaisirs d'Hiver | Nov 27 to Jan 3 | About 2 h 48 | 238 chalets in the center |
| Bruges | Dates not announced on October 20 | About 3 h 15 | Medieval squares |
| Haarlem | Dec 11 to 13 | About 29 minutes | About 350 stalls in the old town |
| Gouda by Candlelight | Fri Dec 11 | About 1 h 03 | The market square by candlelight |
| Deventer, Dickens Festival | Dec 12 and 13 | About 1 h 34 | Victorian street scenes, timed tickets |
| The Hague, Royal Christmas Fair | Dec 3 to 23 | About 57 minutes | Chalets on the Lange Voorhout, free entry |
| Winter Efteling | Nov 16 to Jan 31 | About 1 h 31 | Families |
Drive times are measured road times from central Amsterdam on a clear road; weekend and holiday traffic adds more.
What a day costs with a driver
| Trip | Hours | Business Class | Van Class, up to 7 | First Class |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Haarlem or Gouda | 5 | €325 | €400 | €500 |
| The Hague | 6 | €390 | €480 | €600 |
| Deventer | 7 | €455 | €560 | €700 |
| Winter Efteling | 9 | €585 | €720 | €900 |
| Valkenburg, Maastricht or Brussels | 11 | €715 | €880 | €1,100 |
| Aachen or Düsseldorf | 12 | €780 | €960 | €1,200 |
The hours cover the round trip at 40 km included per hour, so the far markets need longer days than the time you spend there. Cologne (about 14 hours) and Bruges (about 13 hours) are longer still: ask us before you book them.
Related questions
Car or train?
Trains reach most of these cities, but a car saves changes, carries your purchases, and lets you combine two markets in one day.
Which is the best single trip?
For a first visit: Cologne for scale, Valkenburg for something different, or Haarlem or The Hague if you would rather not spend the day on the road.
Do German markets open on Sundays?
Yes. Cologne's cathedral market closes only on Sunday, November 22, but most shops in Germany are closed on Sundays.
Are the Valkenburg caves open on Christmas Day?
No. The cave markets close on December 25 and end on December 30, while Valkenburg's Christmas Town carries on until January 3.
Sources
- Valkenburg Christmas Town (checked October 20, 2026)
- ANWB: Valkenburg (Dutch) (checked October 20, 2026)
- ANWB: Maastricht (Dutch) (checked October 20, 2026)
- Festivals in Deutschland: Aachen (checked October 20, 2026)
- Festivals in Deutschland: Cologne Cathedral (checked October 20, 2026)
- Festivals in Deutschland: Düsseldorf (checked October 20, 2026)
- Plaisirs d'Hiver, Brussels (checked October 20, 2026)
- ANWB: Haarlem (Dutch) (checked October 20, 2026)
- Gouda by Candlelight (checked October 20, 2026)
- Dickens Festival Deventer (checked October 20, 2026)
- Royal Christmas Fair, The Hague (checked October 20, 2026)
- Winter Efteling (Dutch) (checked October 20, 2026)
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