Christmas Markets Dublin: Dates and Where to Go

Christmas markets in Dublin are free to wander, but dates change by year, so this list says where each date comes from. The list starts with the two biggest and ends with what is not on.

A December trip is also kind to your wallet. In December 2026, a 4-star hotel room in Dublin had a median price of €119 a night in the 2026 Dublin Travel Cost Study, against €216 in August, the priciest month.

1. TwinkleTown at Smithfield Square: the biggest market

TwinkleTown at Smithfield Square runs from 20 November to 31 December, according to TwinkleTown's own site. Entry is free for all ages, while ice skating and the Santo Panto show need tickets. The site lists a craft market and a Big Wheel, and Dublin City Council adds a vintage funfair, live music, festive food and an Irish makers' market. The site names no year and no opening hours, so check the times before you go. No official page lists what each stall sells, so expect crafts and festive food but do not count on a set product.

Pro Tip Go on a weekday afternoon, when ice skating and the Big Wheel are easier to book than on a weekend evening.

2. TwinkleTown at St Patrick's Park: lights and choirs

TwinkleTown at St Patrick's Park in the Liberties runs from 27 November to 23 December. This is the second, southside site, and the two sites are about a 20-minute walk apart. Dublin City Council says the park gets new lighting, Christmas-themed carousels and choir performances from Sing Ireland. Both sites will have sensory-friendly experiences. The council said in September that the full programme would be announced in November.

Here is how the two sites line up across the season.

3. City street markets: Temple Bar, Henry Street and Moore Street

Dublin City Council lists Christmas markets in Temple Bar, Henry Street and Mary Street, Moore Street, Smithfield, the Liberties and Inchicore. The council page gives no dates for them. These are street-level stalls, so they suit a stroll more than a planned stop. Temple Bar is the easiest to fit into a city walk.

Key Takeaway TwinkleTown is the only Dublin market with published dates for 2026, so build the day around it and treat street stalls as a bonus.

4. Swords Castle Christmas market: last year's dates only

The Swords Castle market is run by Fingal County Council, and its 2026 dates were not posted on the page read. In 2025 it ran on Friday 28 November from 3pm to 8pm, on 29 and 30 November from 12pm to 7pm, and on 6 and 7 December from 12pm to 7pm, as Fingal's Christmas page shows. That page does not say whether entry is free. Swords is in north County Dublin, so it is a trip out of the city, not a walk.

5. Dublin Castle: no market this year

Dublin Castle will not host a Christmas market this year, because the whole campus is closed to the public. The castle's notice says it stays closed until January 2027, for Ireland's Presidency of the Council of the European Union. Plans that rely on the castle courtyard need another place. See the Dublin Castle page for what to expect when it reopens.

A market is only as good as the weather and the company.

6. The Christmas lights bus tour: a dry way to see the lights

A bus tour is the dry option when the market weather turns. The Christmas lights bus tour with afternoon tea lasts 80 minutes on a 1960s double-decker and costs from €62 per person. It is run by Vintage Tea Tours, rated 4.6 from 68 reviews, with free cancellation. It starts at 20-22 St Stephen's Green, takes up to 38 people and is not suitable for wheelchair users. The price includes the ride, a guide and afternoon tea with unlimited drinks, but not tips. The ride is a fair pick over doing it yourself, because the free lights are spread across the city and a seat on a warm bus saves a wet walk.

Dublin City Council also runs free lights. The council lists projections on the GPO and City Hall, a light trail on O'Connell Street and over 30 lit trees, one of them over 13 metres tall.

In Things to Do in Dublin's count of GetYourGuide listings on 25 October 2026, 6 listings name Christmas in their title, 4 of them priced from €22 to €73 per person and 2 priced per group.

7. Walking tours that run all winter

Walking tours run all winter, so they fill the hours between market stops. The Walking Tour of Dublin is from €18.50 per person and lasts 105 minutes. It is run by Finn McCools Tours, rated 4.7 from 567 reviews, with free cancellation, and starts at 12 Aston Quay in Temple Bar. The group is up to 53 people. The price includes a live guide, but not meals and drinks. The tour is not suitable for people with mobility impairments. Doing the old centre on your own is free, so pick this tour if you want a guide to explain what you pass.

The 2-hour city centre guided walking tour is from €20 per person and has free cancellation. It is run by Dublin Walking Tours, rated 4.8 from 60 reviews, and starts at the Gaiety Theatre on King Street South. It is a small group of up to 10 people and lasts 2 hours. Food, drinks, tips and entrance fees are not included. For more options, see the guide to the dublin free walking tour and its paid alternatives.

How to choose among the Christmas markets in Dublin

Pick TwinkleTown if you want one big, free market with rides and food. Pick a walking tour or the bus tour if you want something that does not depend on stalls being open. Going alone is enough for the markets, which are free. A tour is worth it when the weather is bad or you want a guide for the history and the lights.

Dress for the weather. Tourism Ireland puts average December temperatures at 7 to 9 degrees Celsius, usually cloudy with some wet periods. Snow is uncommon, so waterproofs matter more than gloves. The best time to visit Dublin guide has more on the winter months.

Getting between sites is easy to plan. You cannot tap a bank card on Dublin Bus, Luas or DART at the moment. A Leap card caps adult travel at €6.00 a day in Zone 1, as Transport for Ireland lists. Taxis charge a higher maximum rate from 8pm on Christmas Eve to 8am on St Stephen's Day. Dublin Airport closes only on Christmas Day, its FAQ says. The getting around Dublin page covers the rest. Opening hours for sights on 24 to 26 December vary, and the pages read did not confirm them, so check each sight before you go.

If you want a base near the lights, Temple Bar Inn is on Fleet Street, a 3-minute walk from O'Connell Street and Trinity College. Castle Hotel is on Gardiner Row, a 2-minute walk from O'Connell Street. See where to stay for more areas.

Prices and ratings as shown on GetYourGuide on 25 October 2026.