Ravenna Gorge Christmas Market 2025: Ultimate Guide To Visiting

Hidden deep in Germany’s Black Forest, beneath a towering stone railway viaduct, lies one of the most magical Christmas markets in Europe: the Ravenna Gorge Christmas Market. Unlike the bustling city markets of Cologne, Nuremberg, or Munich, this one feels like you’ve stepped straight into a fairytale.

What makes Ravenna Gorge so special is not just its setting—it’s the intimacy. With timed entry tickets, limited crowds, and vendors who focus on handcrafted gifts and regional specialties, the market feels cozy and authentic rather than overwhelming. It’s the perfect place to slow down, sip Glühwein by a fire pit, and embrace the magic of the holiday season.

In this ultimate guide, I’ll cover everything you’ll need to know before visiting the Ravenna Gorge Christmas Market for 2025.

The Unique Setting of the Market

Considered one of the most beautiful Christmas markets in Germany, the Ravenna Gorge Christmas Market is one you do not want to miss. Honestly, one of the key factors that sets this Christmas market apart from others is the location and the ambience it gives.

Also known as Ravennaschlucht Weihnachtenmarkt, it’s known for its unique location. The market is located under the 40-meter high Höllental Railway Viaduct, which frames the market beautifully.

Once the sun goes down, they shine lights against the bridge that change colors throughout the night. It’s even more magical when the regional train drives over the bridge.

Opening Dates & Times

Held annually, the Ravenna Gorge Christmas Market starts at the end of November until mid December, finishing up before Christmas. The market is only open on select Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays.

Ravenna Gorge Christmas Market 2025 dates:

• November 28 – 30
• December 5 – 7
• December 12 – 14
• December 19 – 21

Ravenna Gorge Christmas Market 2025 opening hours:

• Fridays: 3:00 pm – 9:00 pm
• Saturdays: 2:00 pm – 9:00 pm
• Sundays: 2:00 pm – 8:00 pm

Purchasing Your Tickets

You read that right! This is one of the only Christmas markets that requires tickets to enter. Tickets can only be purchased in advance online or at all tourist information offices in the Black Forest Highlands. Around mid-October, tickets will go on sale, so keep an eye out.

• Arrival Before 4:00pm: Adults €6.50, children ages 6-15 free/€3.00 shuttle transfer
• Arrival After 4:00pm: Adults €8.50, children ages 6-15 free/€3.00 shuttle transfer
• Parking: €8.00

Ticket prices are for a timed window of approximately two hours. This allows for limited visitor capacity to allow the Christmas market guests to have adequate space, avoid long lines, and truly have the best experience.

The official website offers numerous ticket options for admission, parking, and shuttle buses from either Titisee, Hinterzarten, Himmelreich, or Freiberg.

You can purchase tickets here once they’re available.

Ravennaschlucht also offers experiences in addition to your admission to the market to book. Two experiences to book include a “Saic” lantern guided hike to the Christmas market and a torchlight guided hike to the Christmas market.

If you have a group of friends and family with up to 8 people, you can book a “Stubede” experience to stay comfortably in the parlor for your two hour time window.

Although a bit expensive, this experience includes admission and the warm room, two pots of mulled wine and a pot of children’s punch, and two parking spots on site.

How to Get to Ravenna Gorge Christmas Market

Getting to this winter wonderland is an adventure in itself. Whether you opt for a scenic train ride through the snow-covered landscapes or a picturesque drive along winding roads flanked by evergreen forests, the journey to Ravenna Gorge sets the stage for the festive experiences that await.

The market is located close by to the town of Hinterzarten, right in the heart of the Black Forest, so it offers a few easy ways to get there.

By Car

If you choose to drive, the market is easily accessible from the B31 road via Freiburg or Stuttgart. From the B31, take the exit for Hinterzarten and follow the signs for “Ravennaschlucht Weihnachtsmarkt.”

There is a small area dedicated to parking vehicles near the market, but keep in mind there is limited spots and they will fill up!

If parking worries you, plan your visit to be early to secure a spot. And don’t forget, you do need to purchase a ticket for parking in addition to admission.

Another option is finding a nearby accommodation with parking available, and taking one of the shuttles to the market.

Shuttle Bus

During the Christmas market season, there is a shuttle bus that operates out of quite a few places. The shuttle buses depart from either Titisee, Hinterzarten train station, Himmelreich, or Freiburg. The shuttle operates on a fixed schedule and will correspond to your timed ticket slot.

Per the official website, Freiburg is the only option where you book your guaranteed round trip seat on the shuttle.

Be sure to check the shuttle bus schedule when planning your visit, and do not be late. Additionally, keep in mind there is limited parking for the shuttle buses at each spot.

Public Transportation

Depending on where you are coming from, you can take the train to either Himmelreich, Hinterzarten or Titisee stations via Deutsche Bahn.

From any of those options, you can then take the free shuttle bus service that operates during the market hours. If you choose to take the train to Hinterzarten, you do have the option to hike to the market.

Another option is a taxi. The local taxi companies can drop you off or pick you up from the market. Taxi options include:

• Taxi Stier | Hinterzarten: 07652 1666
• Taxi Scherf | Neustadt: 07651  5553
• Taxi Scherrer | Kirchzarten: 07661  912121
• Taxi Frank Witte | Hinterzarten: 07652 919929

Hiking In

If hiking into the Ravennaschlucht Christmas Market interests you, you can hike via the 3.2km winter trail from Hinterzarten via the Löffeltal valley.

You will need 45 minutes to an hour to complete the hike to the market. Be prepared for weather conditions and an extra light depending on the time of day you’ll be hiking.

Keep in mind you’ll also still need an admission ticket to get into the market, or if you do not want to hike back, you can purchase an “entrance and shuttle from Hinterzarten” ticket to return to your car.

Organized Tour

Organized tours are one of my favorite ways to visit popular attractions for the pure convenience of not planning and just showing up. On top of that, they also provide transportation and your tickets.

EuroTrip Adventures is one company that offers a full day bus trip to Freiburg and Ravennaschlucht Christmas Market. On certain days, they offer departures and returns in Stuttgart, Kaiserslautern, Nuremberg, and Grafenwöhr.

What the Market Offers

As you step into the Ravenna Gorge Christmas Market, the air is filled with the sweet scent of mulled wine, roasting chestnuts, and the melodies of holiday music.

One cannot miss the giant Christmas tree adorned with thousands of twinkling lights, creating a mesmerizing centerpiece for the market square.

With over 30 market stalls, decorated with festive lights and decorations, they offer a diverse array of handcrafted treasures and seasonal and regional treats to the Black Forest.

One stall in particular offers meat products that come exclusively from domestic hunting. I did grab a new cozy scarf for €10.00 and my Father-in-law grabbed some fuzzy, warm socks!

Food & Drink

Food options at the market included fruits and chocolate, pulled beef and pork from the smoker, sausages, raclettes, flammkuchen, potato spirals, crepes and waffles, goulash soup, and more!

If you’ve been to a few Christmas markets before, they also sell the usual mulled wine, or glühwein, fruit punch, and hot chocolate.

The pulled pork sandwich and krautschupfnudeln were delicious from the smoker stall!

If you’re new to Christmas markets in Europe and Germany, you will pay a deposit, or pfand, on your mug in addition to the price of the drink.

You can either return your mug for the deposit back, or keep your mug to collect. Usually the deposits are about €2.00 – €4.00 depending on the market.

Activities at the Market

The Ravennaschlucht Weihnachtenmarkt can be enjoyed by everyone, not just the adults eating and drinking their way through the market.

For the children, the Christmas Market Rally tests your knowledge with answering questions about the market. It’s almost like a scavenger hunt around the market finding the answers and pairing each answer with the corresponding letter. If you can figure out the final word at the end of the 10 questions, you can get a reward at the Christmas Post Office.

In the forest behind Ravenna Gorge, you can find the illuminated Nativity Trail. As you wander up the hill, you’ll learn more about the birth of baby Jesus and Christmas. As you make your way to the top, you can admire the view of the market and enormous lit up Christmas trees.

If you get chilly throughout your visit, there were quite a few bonfires to keep guests warm!

Outside the market, you can visit the glass art shop or the cuckoo clock that goes off on every hour with music and dancing figures. Inside the “Cuckoo’s Nest,” you can find more unique items for sale from small, local businesses.

The collection in the glass art shop is beautiful and impressive. I will also note that they have free bathrooms outside the ticketed market area!

Tips for Visiting

Here are a few tips to making your visit to the Christmas easy and memorable.

Plan Your Visit

Like previously mentioned, you will need to purchase all your tickets for visiting this Christmas market in advance.

Tickets go on sale mid October, but it’s essential to visit their website for up to date information. If you’re driving or taking a shuttle, don’t forget to purchase your tickets for either in addition to your entrance tickets.

Some people have bought back to back time slots to spend more time visiting, if they don’t feel like the two hours is enough to spend there. Personally, I think 2 hours is perfect. It’s a smaller market, so there aren’t as many stalls to shop at.

Keep in mind that the shuttle tickets include round trip and only correspond to the booked times on the tickets. So make sure you’re early to get a spot on the shuttle!

Dress for Winter Weather

This market is entirely outdoors, and the Black Forest in December is cold, which is often snowy, sometimes icy, and always crisp.

Temperatures can even drop below freezing. Dress in warm layers, winter coats, hats, scarves, and gloves. Comfortable, waterproof shoes or boots are a must since paths can be uneven, muddy, or even icy. If you can find hand or feet warmers to pack in your bag, that’s even better!

Being warm and dry means you can linger longer, soaking in the lights and atmosphere instead of rushing back to the shuttle to thaw out.

Bring Enough Cash

The Ravenna Gorge Christmas market is cash only due to the unstable network in the forest area.

I always recommend bringing around €50.00 – €100.00 to the market depending on if you’re eating and drinking, plus planning on finding some gifts to purchase.

Drinks were about €4.00 with an additional €3.00 for the glass deposit, or pfand. Food prices ranged from €4.00 to €10.00. Always keep in mind that prices may change from year to year. I’d rather make sure to have enough euro on hand, than not enough.

Black Forest Getaway

If you have the time, combine your trip to the Ravenna Gorge Christmas market with a Black Forest getaway.

If you’re traveling from further away, consider spending the night in a nearby town like Hinterzarten or Titisee. There are some beautiful B&Bs located in the surrounding mountains nearby the Christmas market.

If you’re feeling busy and adventurous, you can even pair this trip with a visit to the Freiburg Christmas market, located only about 30 minutes away.

Not only will this make your trip more relaxed, but you’ll also get to enjoy the snowy Black Forest surroundings—perfect for a cozy winter escape.

The Ravenna Gorge Christmas Market is a Christmas market you have to visit at least once while you’re in Germany. Whether you come for the handcrafted treasures, the delicious treats, or simply to soak in the magical atmosphere, this enchanting market promises a memorable holiday experience.

Frohe Weihnachten! Merry Christmas!