ItalySouth TyrolChristmas marketsChecked Oct 2026

Birmingham to Bolzano Christmas Market

Italy's biggest Christmas market, with the Dolomites as a backdrop. Every way to get there from Birmingham, plus dates, opening times and the nearby markets you can add on by train.

27 Nov – 6 JanMarket dates 2026/27
Verona (VRN)Best airport from Birmingham
~1h 30mVerona to Bolzano by train
6–7 hoursFastest, door to door

The short answer

Fly from Birmingham to Verona, take the Aerobus to Verona Porta Nuova station and catch a train to Bolzano, about an hour and a half up the valley. No car needed: the market starts right outside Bolzano station.

Market essentials

Bolzano's market spreads from Piazza Walther to the station, with an artisan trail along Via dell'Isarco.

Dates

27 November 2026 to 6 January 2027. Food and drink stalls open on the evening of 26 November.

Opening hours

Craft stalls open daily 10:00–19:00. Food and mulled wine stalls stay open later.

Closures

Closed on 25 December. Shorter hours on 24 and 31 December and 1 January.

Where

Piazza Walther and Viale Stazione, about a five-minute walk from Bolzano station.

Every way to get there

From the quickest flight-and-train combo to a flight-free journey across Europe.

1

Fly to Verona, then train

Best for most
Door to door6–7h
Cost££
Best forMost trips
  1. Birmingham (BHX) to Verona (VRN)About 2h 15m. Ryanair, Jet2 and TUI fly this route. Winter schedules are thinner than summer, so check your dates.
  2. Aerobus to Verona Porta Nuova stationAbout 20 minutes, running roughly every 20 minutes.
  3. Verona Porta Nuova to BolzanoAbout 1h 30m on regional or EuroCity trains.
  4. Walk to the marketAbout five minutes from Bolzano station.
Compare BHX–VRN flightsItalian train times

Verona has its own Christmas market too, so it's easy to spend a night there on the way.

2

Fly to Innsbruck, then over the Brenner by train

Most scenic
Door to door6–7h
Cost££
Best forMid–late December
  1. Birmingham (BHX) to Innsbruck (INN)Jet2's ski flights, usually from mid-December, a few times a week.
  2. Bus to Innsbruck stationAbout 20 minutes from the airport.
  3. Innsbruck to Bolzano via the Brenner PassAbout 2 hours through snowy Alpine scenery.
Compare BHX–INN flights

Best for later-December trips. Innsbruck has its own Christmas markets, so you can see two countries' markets in one trip.

3

Fly to Munich, then a direct train

Door to door9–10h
Cost££
Best forFlexible dates
  1. Birmingham (BHX) to Munich (MUC)Regular direct flights. Check current schedules.
  2. S-Bahn to Munich HauptbahnhofAbout 40 minutes.
  3. Munich to BolzanoAbout 4 hours on direct EuroCity trains over the Brenner Pass.
Compare BHX–MUC flights

A good backup when Verona flights don't suit your dates. Munich's markets are famous in their own right.

4

Train all the way

Flight-free
Door to door1–2 days
Cost£££
Best forMaking it an adventure
  1. Birmingham to LondonAbout 1h 20m.
  2. Eurostar from London St Pancras to ParisAbout 2h 20m.
  3. Paris to MunichAbout 6 hours via Stuttgart. Many people stop overnight here.
  4. Munich to BolzanoAbout 4 hours.
Plan the full route

Book early: Eurostar and German high-speed fares rise quickly before Christmas.

5

Drive via Le Shuttle

Door to door2 days
Cost££
Best forFamilies, longer trips
  1. Birmingham to FolkestoneAbout 3 hours.
  2. Le Shuttle to CalaisAbout 35 minutes through the Channel Tunnel.
  3. Calais to BolzanoAbout 11 hours and 1,100 km, best split over two days.
Le Shuttle crossings

Austrian and Swiss motorways need a vignette, and winter tyres or chains are required in South Tyrol in winter.

All options compared

Typical times and relative costs. £ is cheapest, £££ is priciest.

OptionDoor to doorCostBest for
Fly to Verona + train6–7h££Most trips
Fly to Innsbruck + train6–7h££Mid–late December
Fly to Munich + train9–10h££Flexible dates
Train all the way1–2 days£££Flight-free
Drive via Le Shuttle2 days££Families, longer trips

Add more markets by train

Base yourself in Bolzano and day-trip to South Tyrol's other markets. Each has its own character.

Your base

Bolzano

Stay near Piazza Walther to walk everywhere. Book early: central hotels fill up on December weekends.

Hotels in Bolzano
About 40 min by train

Merano

An elegant spa town with its market set along the river promenade.

Hotels in Merano
About 30 min by train

Bressanone

A cathedral square market in South Tyrol's oldest town, smaller and cosier than Bolzano.

Hotels in Bressanone
About 1h by train

Vipiteno

A pretty medieval town close to the Austrian border, with a compact market below its clock tower.

Hotels in Vipiteno

Local tip: Look at the South Tyrol Mobilcard. It covers regional trains and buses for 1, 3 or 7 days, which is usually cheaper than separate tickets if you're market-hopping.

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers to what people ask most about this trip.

When is the Bolzano Christmas market in 2026?

From 27 November 2026 to 6 January 2027, with food and drink stalls opening on the evening of 26 November. It's closed on Christmas Day.

What's the best airport for Bolzano from Birmingham?

Verona. Ryanair, Jet2 and TUI fly there from Birmingham, and the train to Bolzano takes about 1h 30m. From mid-December, Jet2's ski flights to Innsbruck are another good option.

How do I get from Verona airport to Bolzano?

Take the Aerobus to Verona Porta Nuova station (about 20 minutes), then a train to Bolzano (about 1h 30m).

Do I need a car?

No. The market is next to Bolzano station, and trains reach the other South Tyrol markets easily.

Can I combine the market with skiing?

Yes. Val Gardena is about an hour from Bolzano. See our Birmingham to Val Gardena guide.

Travelling from somewhere else?

Pick any spot on the map and see every way to get there from your nearest airport or station, with kids, pets or without flying.

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