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On 9 October 2026 City Hall confirmed the dates: stalls open on 27 November, the official opening with the lights is on 30 November, and the market closes on 3 January 2027. Hours and programme are not out yet.
The 2026 Brașov Christmas market opens in Piața Sfatului on Friday 27 November 2026, with a preview weekend. The official opening, when the city’s Christmas lights and the big tree are switched on, is on Monday 30 November, and the market runs until 3 January 2027. Brașov City Hall announced these dates on 9 October 2026. Entry is free. In 2025 the stalls were open 14:00–22:00 on weekdays and 10:00–22:00 at weekends, and mulled wine cost about 15–20 lei.
Dates for 2026/27
| What | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Preview: stalls open, no festive lights yet | Fri 27 – Sun 29 November 2026 | Confirmed |
| Official opening, Christmas lights and tree switched on | Mon 30 November 2026 | Confirmed |
| Last day | Sun 3 January 2027 | Confirmed |
| Daily opening hours, concerts, New Year’s Eve | Not announced yet | Expected in November |
Source: Brașov City Hall, 9 October 2026. Brașov County Council’s 2026 fair calendar gives the same dates, 27 November – 3 January (CJ Brașov, PDF).
The 30 November opening is a tradition. The market opened on that day in 2025 as well, and stayed open until 11 January 2026 (City Hall, 16 October 2025). The 2024 edition ran from 29 November 2024 to 7 January 2025 (Piețe Publice Brașov). The hours and the programme are expected in November. Other December events are in What’s on in Brașov.
Opening hours
The 2026 hours have not been published yet. In 2025 they were (Piețe Publice Brașov):
- Monday to Friday: 14:00–22:00
- Saturday, Sunday and public holidays: 10:00–22:00
- 31 December: the food and drink area stayed open 14:00–01:00
The lights and the tree stay on in the evening, so the square is worth a walk after 22:00 even when the stalls are shut.
Where it is
The main market fills Piața Sfatului (Council Square) around the Council House, the old town hall. In 2026, City Hall promises “over 50 stalls in three zones”. It names Piața Sfatului and Piața Sfântul Ioan, a small square nearby, which will have surprises for children. The third zone hasn’t been named yet. In 2025 it was the area in front of the Transilvania University rectorate, on Bd. Eroilor.
In 2025 the market had 54 stalls (2025 regulations, PDF):
- Piața Sfatului: 41 wooden chalets, split into 16 craftspeople, 9 food producers, 8 hot-food stalls, 6 drinks stalls and 2 other traders
- Piața Sfântul Ioan: 6 food trucks
- Rectorat area: 7 stalls
City Hall reserves more than 70% of the producer and craft stalls for people from Brașov city and county. Handmade goods get extra points in the selection (City Hall, 2026).
What’s there
- Food and drink. Expect vin fiert (mulled wine), mulled țuică (plum brandy), hot chocolate and hot apple juice. Hot food includes sarmale (cabbage rolls) with polenta, sausages cooked in a cauldron, kürtőskalács (chimney cake, sold as kurtos), crêpes and roasted chestnuts.
- Local products and crafts. Most chalets go to food producers and craftspeople, and handmade goods are favoured in the selection.
- The tree and the lights. In 2025 the tree in Piața Sfatului was a 31-metre natural tree from the forests around Poiana Brașov, decorated with 200,000 bulbs and 5,000 baubles. The city as a whole had about 1.3 million lights (City Hall, 24 November 2025; City Hall, 30 November 2025).
- A stage. In 2025 the square had a stage for concerts, carols and shows on many evenings in December (see below).
Prices
There’s no entry fee. These are prices reported at the Brașov market in the last two seasons. Expect similar or slightly higher prices in 2026.
| Item | 2025 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Mulled wine (vin fiert) | about 15–20 lei | 12–18 lei |
| Hot chocolate | about 15 lei | 15–20 lei |
| Hot apple juice / cider | about 12 lei | 12 lei |
| Mulled țuică | 15 lei | |
| Sarmale with polenta | about 30 lei | 20 lei |
| Sausages | about 30–35 lei | 30 lei |
| Crêpes | 20–30 lei | |
| Roasted chestnuts | 20 lei | |
| Bread with lard (pâine cu untură) | 10 lei |
Sources: 2025 prices from Observator, 22 December 2025; 2024 prices from Știrile ProTV, 5 December 2024. As a rough guide, 10 lei is about €2.
Events: what to expect
The 2026 programme hasn’t been published. In 2025 it included:
- 30 November: the lights were switched on at 18:00, followed by a laser show and a concert by Fly Project in Piața Sfatului.
- 1 December (Romania’s National Day): the Junii met in Piața Unirii at 10:00, there was a military ceremony on Bd. Eroilor at 12:00, and a folk show in Piața Sfatului from 18:00.
- 5 December (St Nicholas’ Eve): a children’s theatre show and a concert for children.
- Mid to late December: carol singers and concerts, plus live screenings of Christmas concerts from the Black Church, the Philharmonic and the Opera (City Hall).
- 31 December: a free New Year’s Eve party in Piața Sfatului with DJs and a laser show at midnight instead of fireworks (City Hall, 29 December 2025).
Ice skating
City Hall did not set up a rink in Piața Sfatului in 2025. In recent winters an outdoor rink has run at Olimpia, the old home of the Brașov Skating Club, which now houses the Sport and Mountain Tourism Museum. It was open in January 2026 (Agerpres). In December 2024, a 75-minute session cost 20 lei for adults and 15 lei for children, and skate hire was another 20 lei (Observator). 2025/26 prices weren’t published.
Getting there and parking
- On foot: Piața Sfatului is the centre of the Old Town, and the easiest way to reach it is to walk.
- By bus: get off at Livada Poștei (lines 1, 2, 2B, 4, 6, 14, 16, 17, 20, 24, 28, 31, 34, 34B, 36, 41 and the A1 airport bus) or Primărie (4, 6, 16, 34, 34B, 36, 41, 52). From either stop, walk down Str. Mureșenilor or Str. Republicii to the square. A single ticket costs 5 lei and is valid for 90 minutes; a day pass costs 20 lei (RAT Brașov fares). City Hall itself recommends the bus on opening night, when Str. Mureșenilor, Str. Gheorghe Barițiu and the square were closed to traffic from 17:30 to 20:30 in 2025. For tickets and apps, see our guide to getting around Brașov.
- By car: central parking is paid and fills up in December. The closest public car parks are on Bd. Eroilor, Str. Castelului, Aleea Tiberiu Brediceanu and by the County Library at Livada Poștei. Under the current rules you pay 08:00–20:00 and Sundays are free. City Hall is consulting on higher central rates and paid Sundays, so check the signs (City Hall, 18 September 2026).
- From the airport: the A1 bus stops at Livada Poștei. See our Brașov airport guide.
Tips
- Go after dark. The lights are the point. In late December the sun sets at around 16:40.
- Expect crowds on opening night (30 November). In 2025 RAT Brașov added 29 extra buses on 13 lines for it (City Hall). Arrive well before 18:00 if you want to see the lights go on from the square.
- Dress for the cold. December evenings in Brașov are usually around or below freezing. Our what to wear today tool turns the live forecast into a packing list, and Brașov in winter covers the rest of the season.
- Carry some cash for small purchases, in case a stall doesn’t take cards.
- Combine it with the Black Church, a minute’s walk away. It’s open Tuesday to Saturday 10:00–18:00 and Sunday and Monday 12:00–18:00 in winter, and closed on 25 December (Black Church). Our Black Church guide has more.
Buying a Christmas tree in Brașov
Most visitors won’t need one, but if you’re renting a flat over the holidays: cut and potted trees go on sale in early December at the big DIY stores and at stalls around the city.
- Dedeman, at B-dul Griviței 1T and at Calea București 246D, is open 08:00–21:00. Its website has a natural-tree section (Dedeman stores).
- Hornbach, at Str. Bucegi 3, is open Monday to Saturday 08:00–21:00 and Sunday 08:00–19:00 (Hornbach Brașov).
Compare prices between shops before you buy. In January 2026, City Hall ran a collection campaign for used trees.
FAQ
When does the Brașov Christmas market open in 2026?
The stalls open on Friday 27 November 2026 for a preview weekend. The official opening, with the lights switched on, is on Monday 30 November.
When does it close?
On 3 January 2027, according to City Hall. That’s earlier than in 2025, when the market ran until 11 January.
Is it free?
Yes. You only pay for what you eat, drink or buy.
Is it worth visiting?
Yes, if you’re in Brașov anyway or on a day trip from Bucharest. It’s a compact market of about 50 stalls in one of Romania’s best-looking squares, with the mountain behind it. If you’re comparing it with the big markets in Vienna or Germany, it’s smaller and more local: come for the setting and the food, not for shopping.
Is there a skating rink?
There was none in Piața Sfatului in 2025. Check the Olimpia rink (see above).
Is the market open on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day?
The 2025 schedule listed public holidays at 10:00–22:00, the same as weekends. The 2026 hours haven’t been published, so check before you go.
Sources
- Brașov City Hall: 2026 dates (9 October 2026); 2025 dates; 2025 opening and the tree
- Piețe Publice Brașov, the market organiser: 2025 hours, 2025 regulations
- RAT Brașov: fares
- Observator and Știrile ProTV: market prices (2025 and 2024)
What changed
- New guide replacing our 2025 market, lights and Christmas-tree posts, with the confirmed 2026/27 dates.
