Ravenna Gorge Christmas Market 2026: A Discovery Guide

The Ravenna Gorge Christmas Market takes place in a setting that seems to have been imagined especially for Advent evenings: wooden chalets, forested slopes and, above the lights, the sweeping arches of a railway viaduct.

As night falls, the landscape takes on a completely different appearance. And when snow arrives, the Black Forest adds its own finishing touch to the scene.

This Christmas village lies in Breitnau, near Hinterzarten, in south-western Germany. Its German name, Weihnachtsmarkt in der Ravennaschlucht, is rather harder to remember than its silhouette!

In 2026, the market opens from 26 November to 20 December, from Thursday to Sunday, with an evening reserved for local residents on 10 December.

But before you start dreaming of mulled wine beneath the viaduct, a little preparation is needed: you must book your visit in advance.

Let us begin with the practical information before exploring the chalets, the food and the history of this unusually named valley.

 Watch our short video on Christmas in Germany, which will inspire you to explore this beautiful country in Europe for the holidays

About the Ravenna Gorge Christmas Market

The German name for the Ravenna Gorge Christmas Market is Weihnachtsmarkt in der Ravennaschlucht.

When searching for information about this market in English, you can try several variations of its name:

• Ravenna Gorge Christmas Market,
• Ravennaschlucht Christmas Market,
• Christmas market in Ravenna Gorge,
• or Ravenna Christmas Market in the Black Forest.

In this guide, I use the name Ravenna Gorge Christmas Market.

The Christmas market is a relatively recent creation. The first edition took place in 2010, and it quickly became a success.

Its reputation has spread well beyond the Black Forest, attracting growing numbers of visitors from France and Switzerland.

Following a two-year interruption during the pandemic in 2020–2021, the market was back in 2023 for its 12th edition.

Ravenna Gorge Christmas Market 2026 at a glance

• Location: At the foot of the Ravenna Viaduct, near Hofgut Sternen, in Breitnau in the Black Forest.
• Dates: 26 November to 20 December 2026, Thursday to Sunday.
• Opening hours: Thursday, 4–9 pm, except 10 December, which is reserved for Hochschwarzwald residents. Friday, Saturday and Sunday, 2–9 pm.
• Ticket sales: Scheduled to open on 14 October 2026 at 10 am, local time in Germany.
• Booking: Book online before your visit; there is no ticket office on site.
• Getting there: Depending on your ticket: shuttle bus, car with reserved parking, or on foot.

Information checked on 13 October 2026 with Hochschwarzwald Tourismus GmbH. Consult the market’s official website before booking and before setting off.

Ravenna Gorge Christmas Market dates and opening hours

In 2026, the market opens over four weeks:

• 26–29 November.
• 3–6 December.
• 11–13 December for the general public; 10 December is the evening for local residents.
• 17–20 December.

The market therefore does not run until Christmas Eve. If you are planning a trip over the Christmas holidays, check carefully that your dates coincide with its opening period.

The Thursday openings also make it possible to plan a visit before the weekend. For visitors travelling from Alsace, these are additional options to consider when choosing a time slot.

Please note: Thursday 10 December 2026 is the Wäldertag, an evening reserved for residents of the participating Hochschwarzwald municipalities. It is not one of the regular openings for the general public.

Sources: official 2026 programme and Wäldertag conditions.

Tickets and prices: how do you book a visit?

This Christmas market is organised differently from those you can wander around freely in a town square. Here, you need to plan your visit in advance, choosing a ticket that matches how you intend to arrive.

How much does admission cost in 2026?

• Adult, afternoon rate: €7.50.
• Adult, evening rate: €9.50.
• Accompanied child aged 6–15 inclusive: Free admission; €4 for the shuttle transfer.

Adult prices include booking fees and allow a visit of around two hours. Check the rate for your time slot, the conditions for younger children and the parking arrangements when booking.

Source: prices published by the organiser.

Choose your ticket to suit your journey

Before choosing a time slot, decide how you will reach the site. The main options are:

• Shuttle bus and admission, from Titisee, Hinterzarten, Himmelreich or Freiburg im Breisgau.
• Parking and admission, for those arriving by car, subject to availability.
• Walking ticket, for visitors arriving on foot.

The organiser specifies that a ticket for arrival on foot or by car does not include a return journey by shuttle bus. Better to sort that out before setting off than discover it when it is time to head home!

For a family or small group, make sure everyone has the necessary reservations and that the times match.

Ticket sales are scheduled to begin on 14 October 2026 at 10 am. To book, use the official Christmas market ticket page.

Source: the organiser’s press release of 28 September 2026.

How do you get to the Ravenna Gorge Christmas Market?

The site lies near the B31 road in the Höllental, between Freiburg im Breisgau and Hinterzarten. When planning your journey, make sure you distinguish between the market itself and the departure point for your shuttle bus, if you have booked one.

By car: remember to book parking too

The site’s address is Hofgut Sternen, Höllsteig 76, 79874 Breitnau.

If you want to park close to the market, choose the appropriate option and check availability before organising the rest of your outing. An admission ticket should not be confused with a parking reservation.

Allow some extra time for the journey. In December, a tightly calculated schedule leaves little room for traffic delays or weather that turns out to be less favourable than expected.

By train and shuttle bus

The shuttle services make it possible to include the market in a car-free holiday. Compare the options from Hinterzarten, Himmelreich, Titisee and Freiburg, then choose your trains to fit your booked ticket.

Pay as much attention to the return journey as to the outward one: your visit may end some distance from your accommodation or connecting train.

My advice would be to keep the train times, shuttle times and booked time slot together in one place. It is a small thing, but it saves spending the evening searching through your emails for the right confirmation.

On foot: do not confuse the Löffeltal with the gorge

The designated winter approach is through the Löffeltal from Hinterzarten, taking around 45 minutes.

Ravenna Gorge is closed in winter: do not follow a summer walking route through the gorge to reach the market. There is also no pedestrian access route through the Höllental from Himmelreich.

Source: the organiser’s access information.

If you decide to walk, check the condition of the path and prepare for the return journey in the dark, with suitable footwear and a torch. A winter walk calls for a little more preparation than a stroll between the chalets.

Guided lantern or torchlight walks are also advertised from Hinterzarten. They offer another way to begin the evening; check availability and exactly what the package includes before booking.

A Romantic Christmas Market

With the practical arrangements taken care of, let us return to what makes this market so appealing: its setting.

The chalets stand at the foot of a great stone viaduct, surrounded by wooded slopes. In place of an Alsatian village’s half-timbered façades, trees and railway arches form the skyline.

As night falls, coloured lights reveal the curves of the bridge. Beneath it, the little wooden huts look almost miniature. The photographs give a good sense of this contrast between the imposing structure and the intimate Christmas village below.

And if a train crosses the viaduct, even the heights above the market spring to life!

The fairy-tale setting of the Ravenna Gorge Christmas Market

The Christmas market enjoys a unique setting: the steep, wooded hillsides of Ravenna Gorge, the Galgenbühl hill near the Hofgut Sternen inn, and the Höllentalbahn railway’s 40-metre-high viaduct.

The Christmas market unfolds within the mysterious atmosphere of Ravenna Gorge, somewhere between peaceful stillness and a sense of intrigue.

Chalets and regional craftsmanship

Regional authenticity lies at the heart of the careful selection of handmade treasures that adorn the Christmas market.

The craftspeople, proud representatives of their region, display creations that capture the essence of local skills.

Each meticulously handmade piece tells a story of commitment and dedication, requiring the patient work of skilled hands.

This approach does more than support Black Forest craftspeople: it helps safeguard regional traditions and pass on a heritage with passion.

Music at the Ravenna Gorge Christmas Market

The music filling the market comes from the cheerful melodies of local performers.

Skilfully playing traditional instruments that echo the spirit of the region, these musicians draw visitors into an immersive musical experience.

Food and drinks

All the food and drink suppliers come from the Black Forest and mainly use regional produce.

The Christmas market organisers also ensure that local specialities such as trout, smoked Black Forest ham, farm produce and regional schnapps feature in the selection. Plant-based alternatives are also continually being added to the menu.

Imagine sipping a delicious mulled wine in this Christmas village at the foot of the viaduct!

The Höllental: a historic valley and an exceptional natural setting

Beyond the Christmas market, Ravenna Gorge is an important natural and historic site in the Black Forest.

The Ravenna Gorge Christmas Market lies in the heart of the Höllental, a deeply cut valley that resembles a gorge in places. The name “Ravenna” is thought to come from the French word ravine.

The Valley of Hell

Höllental means “Valley of Hell”.

The Rotbach flows through the valley. It was originally known as the Höllenbach, or “Hell’s Brook”.

Fortunately, the Christmas market brings a little light to this rather ominously named place.

A Valley in the southern Black Forest

The valley stretches for around nine kilometres between Hinterzarten and Buchenbach-Himmelreich, in the southern Black Forest, roughly twenty kilometres east of Freiburg im Breisgau.

The photograph below shows the Christmas market site in daylight, with the cluster of buildings around the Hofgut Sternen inn.

The Höllentalbahn: A Scenic Railway

The Höllentalbahn is a Black Forest railway line linking Freiburg im Breisgau and Donaueschingen via the Höllental.

The railway has gradients of up to 57.14‰ on the section between Himmelreich and Hinterzarten, making it Germany’s steepest railway line.

The Ravenna Bridge is a stone viaduct with nine arches, built in 1926–1927. At one end, it leads into the small, 47-metre-long Ravenna Tunnel.

An interesting historical detail: German forces blew up the bridge in April 1945, shortly before the end of the Second World War. It was rebuilt under the supervision of the French occupying forces by 80 German prisoners of war brought from Offenburg.

During the Christmas market, the viaduct is beautifully illuminated, with lighting that changes over the course of the evening, from blue and green to red and purple.

A Royal Visit

On 4 May 1770, Marie Antoinette passed through Ravenna Gorge on her bridal journey from Vienna to Versailles.

At that time, the gorge lay within Austrian territory, known as Further Austria, or Vorderösterreich.

According to local legend, the route through the valley was improved to allow the procession to pass. The future Queen of France is said to have stopped outside the Hofgut Sternen Inn.

Later, in 1779, the celebrated German poet Johann Wolfgang von Goethe spent the night there.

From Hinterzarten (Germany) to Eguisheim (France)

The nearby village of Hinterzarten is a well-known mountain health resort.

It is noted for the lovely onion-domed tower of its Maria in der Zarten church and its ski jumps.

In 1968, the German village signed a friendship agreement with Eguisheim, an Alsatian village famous for its Christmas market. This agreement was formalised with the signing of twinning documents in 2004 and 2005.

Planning a trip from Alsace to the Ravenna Gorge Christmas Market

If you are staying in Alsace, the Ravenna Gorge Christmas Market offers an opportunity to discover a different Advent atmosphere on the other side of the Rhine.

I would recommend planning the day around your market booking. First choose how you will get there, then add another stop according to the time you actually have. This will help you avoid turning a Christmas outing into a race against the clock.

Combining Freiburg im Breisgau and Ravenna Gorge

A stroll around Freiburg could form the first part of your day, before heading to the market at the gorge. The two settings complement each other: an old town on one side, a wooded valley on the other.

If you would also like to visit the Freiburg Christmas Market, check its own dates and opening hours. Allow plenty of time between the two visits, particularly if you have connections to make.

Spending the day around Hinterzarten or Titisee

You could also spend the day in the Black Forest, stopping in Hinterzarten or Titisee before your evening beneath the viaduct.

This option keeps you in the market’s surrounding region and lets you enjoy the landscape in daylight. Adapt your plans to the weather, though: a long walk holds rather different appeal beneath a clear sky and in cold rain.

From Colmar, Mulhouse or Strasbourg, calculate your journey to the arrival point you have actually booked. A shuttle ticket will not necessarily take you to the same car park as a booking for direct arrival at Hofgut Sternen.

Where to stay near the Ravenna Gorge Christmas Market

When visiting the Ravenna Gorge Christmas Market, choosing suitable accommodation is important if you want to make the most of the festive season.

The most convenient and closest accommodation is Hofgut Sternen, on the Christmas market site itself. As you might expect, however, it could be fully booked throughout the Advent weekends.

Alternatively, there are other hotels in the region to choose from. In particular, look for accommodation in Kirchzarten, Hinterzarten, Breitnau and Titisee-Neustadt.

You can also base yourself in Freiburg im Breisgau, which will allow you to visit the Christmas market!

Further south, look for accommodation in the Schluchsee region and Sankt Blasien.

If you are travelling from Alsace or northern Switzerland, you can make the trip without necessarily needing to book an overnight stay.

To make your search easier, use the interactive map below to find accommodation near the Christmas market and choose somewhere that suits your needs.

Practical questions before visiting the Ravenna Gorge Christmas Market

Can you visit without a reservation?

No. A visit to the Ravenna Gorge Christmas Market requires advance online booking. Do not plan to buy your admission ticket on arrival.

Can you visit the market without a car?

Yes. Packages including a shuttle bus are available. Choose your departure point and arrange any connections before booking.

Should you bring cash?

Yes, it is recommended: the organiser warns of an unreliable mobile signal, meaning that cash is often the only payment option. Download your ticket before arriving too.

Is the market wheelchair accessible?

The organiser says that wheelchair visits are possible, but the approach from the car park is steep and the ground is unpaved. The weather can make getting around more difficult. Indicate your requirements when booking the shuttle bus.

Source for payments and accessibility: the organiser’s information and practical FAQs.

Can you explore the gorge during this outing?

The gorge is closed in winter. If you are coming on foot, plan your approach through the Löffeltal.

What should you bring for the evening?

Warm clothing, suitable footwear, your booking confirmation and enough time to reach your departure point. If you are walking, bring a torch and plan your return route too.

What are the driving distances to the site?

The Ravenna Gorge site lies alongside the Bundesstraße 31, which crosses the Black Forest between Breisach and Lindau via Freiburg im Breisgau and Titisee-Neustadt. It is:

• 10 km from Titisee-Neustadt.
• 26 km from Freiburg im Breisgau.
• 75 km from Colmar.
• 85 km from Mulhouse.
• 95 km from Basel.
• 110 km from Strasbourg.
• 170 km from Stuttgart.
• 295 km from Frankfurt.

About the illustrations in the article

To illustrate this article, I have selected some of the finest photographs of the site from tourist office websites, Wikimedia and Depositphotos, a commercial platform connecting the creators of high-quality licensed photographs, graphics, vectors and videos with discerning buyers.

Featured image: Weihnachtsmarkt in der Ravennaschlucht © Hochschwarzwald Tourismus GmbH