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Dortmund travel video

Things to Do in Dortmund, Germany 2026: Christmas Market, Giant Tree and Getting There

SchengenGermanyCity guide

Where is Dortmund, Germany? It lies at the eastern end of the Ruhr, in North Rhine-Westphalia in western Germany, and is known for industry and football. The centre is small enough to explore on foot, and every Advent the market’s 45-metre tree is raised on Hansaplatz. We came by train from Düsseldorf on a day trip. Below are the best things to do in Dortmund from our video, nine stops in all, the three things we tasted at the market, when the Dortmund Christmas market runs in 2026, what a day here costs and which base to pick.

Things to Do in Dortmund, Germany: Football Museum, Dortmunder U, Phoenix See

9 stops
City

The nine stops from our video

in the order we filmed them · blue cards lie beyond the centre

The white cards cover central Dortmund, where every stop is walkable from the next. For the blue cards (Hohensyburg, Phoenix See, Westfalenpark, Kokerei Hansa) you need public transport or a car.

1

German Football Museum (Deutsches Fußballmuseum)

directly opposite Dortmund Hbf

Adults €19Closed Mondays

This museum brings the whole story of German football together under one roof. Inside are old shirts, trophies, photographs and archive footage of famous matches, and some sections are told through screens and short films. It is the first building you see when you step off the train.

The permanent exhibition costs €19 for adults and €15 for students under 26; children under 6 go free, and a combined ticket with the special exhibition is €25. The museum opens Tuesday to Sunday, 10:00-18:00, with last entry at 17:00 (fussballmuseum.de, October 2026).

Watch the video 2:02
2

Dortmunder U and the Flying Pictures on its roof

Leonie-Reygers-Terrasse, a short walk from the Hbf

70 metres, 7 floorsClosed Mondays

You can spot this building from all over the city: a huge golden U sits on top of it. Today it is a cultural centre full of digital art, exhibitions and workshops, and you can go inside.

The lit panels at the top play a show called Flying Pictures (Fliegende Bilder); it looks best after dark.

Open Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday 11:00-18:00, Thursday and Friday 11:00-20:00 (dortmunder-u.de, October 2026).

Watch the video 3:10
3

Westenhellweg shopping street

between the Hbf and St. Reinoldi Church

Free

Dortmund’s busiest and best-known shopping street, with just about every kind of shop. At Christmas the market stalls line this street too, and you can walk straight on to St. Reinoldi Church and the Alter Markt.

Watch the video 3:51
4

Hohensyburg: castle ruins and the Kaiser Wilhelm Monument

Syburg, a hill south of the city above the Ruhr Valley

ViewpointPublic transport or car

The hill rises above the spot where the Ruhr and the Lenne rivers meet, with the Hengsteysee lake below. People come here for both the history and the view.

You can walk among the remains of the old castle walls and buildings, and the Kaiser Wilhelm Monument stands right next to them.

Watch the video 4:08
5

St. Reinoldi Church and the cracked Emperor Bell

St. Reinoldi, at the eastern end of Westenhellweg

Tower open to climb

The church is named after Reinoldus, the city’s patron saint. Legend says that when Dortmund was under siege, Reinoldus appeared on the walls, caught the stones in mid-air and threw them back at the enemy. It is only a legend, but people in Dortmund still think of it as Reinoldus’s city.

You can climb the tower; we could not confirm its hours or price, so ask at the church before you go.

The cracked bell on the south side, the Kaiserglocke, was placed there as a reminder of the destruction of the war .Watch on YouTube · 5:37 

Watch the video 5:08
6

Alter Markt: the medieval market square

right next to St. Reinoldi Church

Heart of the Christmas market

In the days of the Hanseatic League, the guild houses of Dortmund’s merchants stood around this square. Today it is a lively square lined with cafés and restaurants.

This is the heart of the Christmas market.

Watch the video 5:46
7

Phoenix See: from steelworks to lake

Hörde district, south-east of the centre

FreeWalking and cycling

This was once one of the city’s biggest steel production sites. When the works closed, an artificial lake was dug in its place. You can walk or cycle around the lake, and there are cafés and restaurants along the shore.

Watch the video 6:20
8

Westfalenpark and the Florianturm

south of the centre, a 70-hectare park

View from the topLift to the top

One of Dortmund’s best-known large parks, with wide paths and plenty of places to sit, a short escape from the city. A lift takes you up the park’s landmark, the Florianturm, for a view over Dortmund.

We could not confirm the park and tower prices, so look them up on Westfalenpark’s official site first.

Watch the video 7:02
9

Kokerei Hansa: where coal became coke

Huckarde district, Emscherallee 11

Industrial heritageGuided tours

Here coal was heated to very high temperatures without air and turned into coke for steelmaking. Today you can walk past the old ovens, machines and production halls, and there are exhibitions and events from time to time. It is a good stop for a quick look at the city’s industrial past.

The site can be visited on a guided tour or on a signposted route with an audio guide; we could not confirm times or prices.

Watch the video 7:42
Dortmund Vlog on YouTube: Best Moments
2:02German Football Museum · Opposite the Hbf3:10Dortmunder U · Flying Pictures on the roof4:08Hohensyburg · Castle and Kaiser Wilhelm Monument5:08St. Reinoldi Church · The saint who caught stones5:46Alter Markt · Medieval square6:20Phoenix See · From steelworks to lake7:42Kokerei Hansa · Industrial heritage8:52Christmas market · The giant Christmas tree10:18Market sweets · Chimney cake and Schneeballen11:56Flame-grilled salmon · Flammlachs Watch the full Dortmund vlog

How to Get to Dortmund: Flights from London, the Airport and Trains

By Air

Flights to Dortmund, Germany land at Dortmund Airport (DTM), on the eastern edge of the city. Most of its routes are low-cost flights to Central and Eastern Europe; from the UK, Wizz Air UK flies between London Luton and Dortmund (dortmund-airport.com, last checked 30 Oct 2026).

To reach the centre, take the AirportExpress bus to Dortmund Hbf. This bus is not part of the regional public transport fare, so you buy its ticket separately (dortmund-airport.com).

If no Dortmund flight fits your dates, fly into Düsseldorf Airport instead: it is a much bigger airport with far more airlines, and the train on to Dortmund is quick. That is how we came too, by train from Düsseldorf.

By Train

Düsseldorf to Dortmund by train: 45 minutes at the fastest and 51 minutes on average, with tickets from €4 (Omio, October 2026). Step out of Dortmund Hbf and you are already in the city centre. Düsseldorf to Dortmund train times and fares  Ad

From Dortmund, Essen is 18 minutes away at the fastest and Cologne 54 minutes (Omio, October 2026). Booking links are in the nearby routes list below.

By Car

Walking covers the centre, so skip renting for sightseeing in town. Hiring one pays off only if you plan to link the outlying stops, Hohensyburg and Kokerei Hansa for example, with other Ruhr cities in a single day. For park and ride at the Christmas market, see the Christmas section. See Dortmund car rental prices  Ad

When to Visit Dortmund
Apr-MayGood
3-18°C
Jun-AugBest
12-24°C
Sep-OctQuiet
4-19°C
Nov-MarBest
1-6°C

Areas to Stay in Dortmund at a Glance

For Dortmund you have two bases to pick from: the streets by the Hbf, right where the Christmas market sets up, or Düsseldorf if your trip takes in several Christmas markets.

We only came for the day: the hotel was in Düsseldorf (Garner Hotel Düsseldorf Main Station), and the train brought us to Dortmund. For neighbourhoods, match and fair days and train times, see our where to stay in Dortmund  guide.

Choose

Where to stay in Dortmund

two options · decide in 30 seconds

Want the market on your doorstep? Central Dortmund. Touring markets in several cities? Base yourself in Düsseldorf. Rooms go quickly in December, so reserve well ahead.

1

Central Dortmund

around the Hbf, Westenhellweg and the Christmas market

Walk everywhereAirport bus from the Hbf

Best for: anyone who wants to sleep in the middle of the Christmas market, catch the tree’s evening light show and stroll to bed afterwards. The Football Museum, Dortmunder U and the Alter Markt are all within walking distance.

Keep in mind: around the market it gets busy in the evenings at Christmas; ask for a quiet room.

See hotels in Dortmund Ad
2

Düsseldorf

the city we stayed in

Day trip by train

Best for: pairing Dortmund’s giant tree with the Christmas markets of Cologne, Essen and Düsseldorf. From 20 to 24 November 2025 our hotel was the Garner Hotel Düsseldorf Main Station, not one in Dortmund; we reached Dortmund on a day trip by train and saw a different city each day.

Keep in mind: you have a return train ride every day; journey times are in the getting there section.

Watch the video · 1:08See hotels in Düsseldorf Ad See Garner Hotel Düsseldorf Main Station prices Ad

Is Dortmund Expensive? Daily Budget for 2026

On a Budget
35-€45

A day ticket for buses and trains (24 hours), the sights that cost nothing (Westenhellweg, the Alter Markt, the Phoenix See shore, the Christmas market and the giant tree), plus an inexpensive restaurant meal at midday and again in the evening.

Mid-Range
70-€85

Entry to the Football Museum, a 24-hour ticket, an inexpensive midday meal and an evening meal somewhere mid-priced. Most Dortmund days land in this band.

Luxury
100-€120

The combined Football Museum ticket, lunch and dinner at mid-priced restaurants, a coffee break and local transport. Eating out is what lifts this band the most.

All figures are for one person over one day. Food is in the total; your room and your flight are not.

Entry and transport prices are taken from the official tariffs (fussballmuseum.de, vrr.de); for meals we relied on Numbeo’s Dortmund data (its 2 October 2026 update), because no official price list exists for eating out.

Prices in Dortmund sit close to the German average, much like its Ruhr neighbours. We took the numbers below from official fare tables and from Numbeo; our last check was on 3 October 2026.

Getting around: under the VRR fares valid since 1 June 2026, one ride inside the city zone (A) is €3.80, a strip of four rides is €15.20 and a day pass covering 24 hours is €7.60 (vrr.de). Planning to reach Hohensyburg, Phoenix See and Kokerei Hansa? Then the day pass is the better deal.

Admissions and tours: each place card lists its own price; in the centre, the Football Museum is the largest expense.

Food: expect roughly €15 each for a meal in a basic restaurant, and about €70 for two people sharing three courses at a mid-priced place, drinks extra (Numbeo, 2 October 2026).

Costing nothing: strolling the Christmas market and watching the giant tree’s light show, Westenhellweg, the Alter Markt, the Phoenix See waterfront and the Flying Pictures atop Dortmunder U.

Dortmund Quick Facts
Weather8°C
Local time09:48
VisaSchengen
Germany visa guide 
LanguageGerman; English is widely understood in the centre
German phrase guide 
InterneteSIM guide 
CurrencyEuro (€)
Plugs230 V, type C and F sockets.
Country code+49

What to Eat in Dortmund: Pfefferpotthast and Christmas Market Food

3 food stops

Dortmund’s own dish is Pfefferpotthast: beef stewed with onions until tender, then seasoned with pepper, capers and lemon. The Christmas market classics are flame-grilled salmon (Flammlachs), potato fritters (Reibekuchen) and sugared almonds. What we tried: chimney cake, Schneeballen and flame-grilled salmon. The Dortmund dish we missed: Pfefferpotthast.

Food

What we tried at the Christmas market

three tastes · in video order

All three came from the market stalls.

1

Chimney cake at the Christmas market

dough wrapped round a stick and baked over embers

Served hot

We tried it as soon as we saw it at the market. It was nice and warm, but to be honest, the one we had in Düsseldorf was better.

Watch the video 10:18
2

Schneeballen: skip this one

a ball of pastry topped with chocolate and nuts

Not our pick

This was the first time we had seen them at this market. It is a ball of crunchy pastry covered in chocolate and nuts. I had eaten one before in Heidelberg and it was delicious; here it did not taste good at all, and you can see it on our faces. Skip this one.

Watch the video 10:30
3

Flame-grilled salmon (Flammlachs)

salmon cooked on wooden boards beside an open fire

In a bun with sauce and lettuce

We had eaten it the day before and loved it, so when we saw it again we bought another. They put the salmon in a bread roll with sauce and lettuce.

Watch the video 11:56
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Things to Know Before Visiting Dortmund

Before

Things to know before visiting Dortmund

five points

The tree lights, which airport to fly into and what is shut on Mondays change your plan the most.

1

The Christmas tree lights are not on all day

come in the late afternoon

Light show in the evenings

When we arrived during the day the lights on the tree were off; we asked, and they are not lit all the time. If you want to see the tree lit up, come to the market in the late afternoon. Light show times are in the Christmas section below.

2

Fly to Dortmund or to Düsseldorf?

which airport

We came by train from Düsseldorf

Dortmund Airport has a limited route list, while Düsseldorf has far more flights. If no Dortmund flight suits your dates, fly to Düsseldorf and take the train. Routes and train times are in the getting there section.

Watch the video 1:08
3

Two museums are closed on Mondays

watch out on a day trip

Football MuseumDortmunder U

The German Football Museum and Dortmunder U are both closed on Mondays. If you are coming for the day, pick another day of the week; opening hours are on the place cards.

4

Allow half a day for the stops outside the centre

Hohensyburg, Phoenix See, Kokerei Hansa

Public transport24-hour ticket

The central stops are all within walking distance, but the places on the blue cards are in different districts. Do not try to squeeze them all into one day; head back to the Christmas market for the evening. Ticket prices are in the budget section.

5

Do you need a visa for Dortmund?

Germany is in the Schengen Area

SchengenCheck your passport

Germany is part of the Schengen Area. Your passport decides whether you need a Schengen visa for Dortmund; the rules for each nationality are in our Schengen visa guide . If you do need one, apply early for the Christmas season.

Festivals and Events in Dortmund

Christmas

Dortmund Christmas market guide

five points · free entry

Opens on 19 November and closes on 30 December 2026. Dates and hours from the official source

2026

When is the Dortmund Christmas market? 2026 dates and hours

19 November – 30 December 2026

Official 2026: 19 November – 30 DecemberFree entry

The market opens on 19 November and runs until 30 December. Food and drink stalls close about an hour later than the hours below. Dates and hours are from the official website (weihnachtsstadt-do.de )

2026 daysHours
Monday-Thursday11:00-21:00
Friday-Saturday11:00-22:00
Sunday12:00-21:00
24 December11:00-14:00, few stalls
26-27 December12:00-21:00
28-30 December11:00-21:00
22 November and 25 DecemberClosed

We visited in November 2025.

Tree

Dortmund’s giant Christmas tree: 45 metres

Hansaplatz, every year since 1996

Light show daily from 17:00

The tree is not a single tree: about 1,200 red spruces from the Sauerland are fixed onto a frame, for a total weight of around 40 tonnes. It carries 138,000 LEDs and a 4-metre angel on top. Every day from 17:00 there is a light show of about two minutes, and the show changes every half hour (weihnachtsstadt-do.de).

The official website describes it as one of the largest Christmas trees in the world.

Watch the video 8:52
Where

Where is the Dortmund Christmas market?

10 squares in the city centre

More than 250 stallsOn foot from the Hbf

The market spreads across 10 squares in the city centre, with more than 250 stalls (weihnachtsstadt-do.de). The tree stands on Hansaplatz. Get off at the Hbf and walk along Westenhellweg straight into the market.

P+R

Driving to the Christmas market

park and ride car parks

Four park and ride car parks

The city opens four park and ride car parks. With a valid public transport ticket you can park free for up to 24 hours; without one it costs €0.50 an hour, up to €6 a day (weihnachtsstadt-do.de). From there, take the bus or train into the centre.

Route

Dortmund, Düsseldorf, Cologne and Essen: four markets on one route

our Christmas trip

Based in Düsseldorf, by train

Our base was Düsseldorf, and we came to the Dortmund market from there by train too. Our Cologne guide  and the Cologne Christmas market  dates are in the “Near Dortmund” list below, with Düsseldorf and Essen; train times sit in the getting there part of this guide.

Watch the video 1:08

One Day in Dortmund: The Centre and the Christmas Market

We covered Dortmund in a single day on a train trip from Düsseldorf, and that was plenty for the central sights plus the market. Phoenix See, Westfalenpark, Kokerei Hansa and Hohensyburg need a second day.
1One day1 day: the German Football Museum…
3Three days3 days: the centre and the…
7Seven days7 days: base yourself in Düsseldorf…

How far is Düsseldorf from Dortmund?

69 km by road, about 50 minutes by car (rome2rio, October 2026).

How far is Cologne from Dortmund?

90 km; roughly an hour by car (rome2rio, October 2026).

Where is Dortmund in Germany?

Dortmund lies at the eastern end of the Ruhr region, in North Rhine-Westphalia, western Germany. Düsseldorf is 69 km away and Cologne 90 km.

How many people does Signal Iduna Park hold?

81,365 for Bundesliga matches, including standing places (bvb.de).

What time is it in Dortmund?

Dortmund keeps German time: UTC+1 (Central European Time) during the Christmas market weeks and UTC+2 in summer. More on the clocks in our Germany travel guide .

Plan your trip to Dortmund
  1. FlightsAdStep 1: Find a flightDortmund, or fly into Düsseldorf
  2. Tours & ticketsAdBook tours and tickets ahead
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How We Made This Guide

We visited every place here ourselves. We checked prices on site or officially. Prices and hours can change.

Best Christmas Markets in Europe

Things to Do in Freiburg, Germany 

Rust, Austria 

Things to Do in Eisenstadt, Austria 

Things to Do in Salzburg 2026 and Christmas Market 

Near Dortmund

stops on the same Christmas trip

Düsseldorf 

the city we stayed in, about 45 minutes by train

Essen 

Dortmund's Ruhr neighbour

Our Christmas Market Guides

cities we visited and filmed

Things to Do in Dresden 

another German Christmas city

Prague Christmas Markets 

Old Town Square dates

Vienna Christmas Markets 

the Rathaus market and more

Budapest 

Vörösmarty Square

Europe's Christmas Markets 

Prague, Dresden and Vienna route

By Train from Dortmund

Omio

Essen 

the neighbouring Ruhr city Ad

Cologne 

the cathedral and Christmas markets Ad

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