2025 Mainz, Wiesbaden, Rudesheim Christmas Market Questions

My bias is for Wiesbaden. The Christmas Market was renamed Sternschnuppen Markt many years ago. I lived near Wiesbaden for 13 years and was a joy going to that Markt.

There’s a Merkur nearby (covered parking) within about a 5-10 minute walk. There’s also the Nassauerhof Hotel equally close with parking and the well known Michelin rated Die Ente restaurant.

I would stay in Wiesbaden and take a local train for Mainz and its Market. A great event but tends to get real crowded in the evening. I used to go late afternoon.

Rudesheim can also be a destination by local train. Personally I’m underwhelmed by the very touristy atmosphere there and can’t tell you much about the Christmas Markt there from a short visit maybe 15 years ago.

There will be opinions across the spectrum….but from living there and wanting to be in the Christmas spirit, Wiesbaden wins hands down.

Wiesbaden is nice. The area around the church is well suited for the purpose (it holds the normal Saturday markets in season) and the lights and decorations around town are nice. Mainz is very good, it basically fills all the central shopping area, although it may be a little different this year with the construction around the Gutenberg fenced off. The thing is there's just so much more to see and do in Mainz. Rudesheim is a pass. Touristy, foreign made junk, and frankly I'd rather stay on the Bingen side. If you want to stay on the Rhine go up to Koblenz and do the market there, then stay for the Winter Garden in the Ehrenbritstein Fortress. If you want a smaller town, easy to get to, go to Bad Kreuznach.

I really like the Hyatt Regency in Mainz, and I'd stay there to do all the cities you listed (and my alternates). It's on the Rhine, incorporates part of the old city fortifications, has a really good restaurant, and is a 5 minute walk from the Altstadt. It has parking, and easy access to the trains via the Roman Theater exit.

Another vote for Wiesbaden, I also lived there for a few years. The Mercure would be a good compromise base as it's a decent walk between the train station and the pedestrian zone. However if you want something special there is a small boutique hotel called Hotel Oranien on the north side of the city. It is a walk from there to the bus station and you can catch a bus to the train station. From Hotel Oranien you can easily walk into the main pedestrian zone. I don't know where the market is being held this year - some years it's on the Kirchgasse / Langgasse, some years (and more recently I think) it's been held on Dernsches Gelände, but either way the walk is pleasant as the shops and streets will be decorated for Christmas. Oranien has parking, not sure about the Mercure. I think you would have to book it. You could take your chances trying to get street parking nearby but honestly if you could not book parking I would return the car. Wiesbaden is about 40 minutes from the airport by train, and the trains are pretty reliable. It is really only a short hop by train from Mainz, too, so you could definitely base there and see the surrounds easily.

I would also endorse Mainz and its Christmas market - if you stay in one of these cities, do see the other. Rüdesheim is unfortunately a tourist trap, and especially at this time of year I would not bother with it. The Rheingau is prettier in the summer, although you might be able to visit Kloster Eberbach and the castle ruins in Eltville at that time of the year. A car might be interesting to be able to do these. Mainz is a similar distance from the airport by train.

Lavandula

Rüdesheim used to be a lot better, with many international stands. Now, most of the stands are selling stuff made in China. For me, it is only worth going to on a weekday, and to ride the gondola up to the Niederwald Denkmal at sunset. The view of the Rhein is stunning from up there. Then ride back down to the twinkling lights of the market.

The Frankfurt market has been spreading out the last couple of years and is a lot nicer because of it. If you are there on Wed. or Sat. there is a brass band playing from the gallery of the Alte Nikolai at 18:00. There are concerts of various sorts in all of the inner city churches, like the Kasierdom, Liebfrauen Church, Drei König Church, or the Alte Nikolai.

There are lots of more interesting markets around this area, easy to reach by train. I would not use a car, because parking is a madhouse, and you can't indulge in any glühwein, etc.
Try Limburg, Marburg, or south of Frankfurt, Seligenstadt. North of Frankfurt on the weekends, the market in Bad Homburg is wonderful. They have more hand-made items there than at any other market I have been to. Depending on the weekend you are here, you could also go to Idstein or the Büdingen markets. (Büdingen is like Rothenburg, but all original and with massive stone walls and towers)

My market list:
Darmstadt Christmas Market 17.11-23.12 (closed on 23.11 Toten Sonntag)
Offenbach Christmas Market 17.11-29.12 (closed on 23.11 Toten Sonntag)
Rüdesheim Christmas Market of Nations 20.11-23.12
Rothenburg ob der Tauber 21.11-23.12 (closed on 23.11, Toten Sonntag)
Aschaffenberg Advents Market 22.11-22.12
Koblenz Christmast Market 22.11-05.01
Frankfurt Christmas Market 24.11-22.12
Heidelberg Christmas Market 24.11-22.12
Michelstadt Advents Market 24.11-23.12
Wiesbaden Sternschnuppen Market 25.11-23.12
Speyer Christmas Market 25.11-6.01
Seligenstadt Christmas Market 27.11-14.12
Mainz Christmas Market 27.11-23.12
Bad Homburg Christmas Market am Schloss – Weekends, 28-30, 5-7, 12-14, 19-21
Limburg Christmas Market 28.11-22.12
Marburg Advents Market 28.11-23.12
SMALLER, SHORTER MARKETS
Burg Ronneburg 29-30, 6-7, 13-14 (this is a medieval market)
Idstein Advents Market 5-7.12
Königstein Christmas Market 5-7.12
Büdingen Christmas Market 3-7.12
Gelnhausen Christmas Market 11-14.12
Eppstein Advents Market 13-14.12