Traben-Trarbach is a small town set along the Moselle River in western Germany, best known for its wine heritage and distinctive underground architecture. In the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, Traben-Trarbach became one of Europe’s most important wine trading centers, second only to Bordeaux. To support this booming industry, vast wine cellars were built beneath the town, many of which still exist today.
During the Christmas season, several of these historic wine cellars are transformed into the Mosel Wine and Christmas Market, a one-of-a-kind Christmas market held almost entirely underground. The cellars are decorated like traditional Christmas markets and filled with handmade gifts, local wines, cheeses, pottery, clothing, and festive decorations. Being underground keeps the market warm and weatherproof, making it especially appealing in winter.
Outside of Christmas, Traben-Trarbach is still worth a visit for its Art Nouveau architecture, riverside walks, castle ruins overlooking the town, and the unexpected Buddha Museum. The town is compact and easy to explore on foot, making it a pleasant short stop along the Moselle Valley.
We visited Traben-Trarbach on a day trip from Cologne. Since the town itself took us about three hours to explore, we paired it with a visit to Trier, which is a short drive from Traben-Trarbach. This combination worked well and allowed us to see two very different destinations in one day.
Our primary reason for visiting Traben-Trarbach was the unique Christmas market. While Traben-Trarbach was not our favorite stop of the trip overall, we genuinely enjoyed the novelty of exploring Christmas markets inside centuries-old wine cellars. This is a great stop if you have extra time and want to experience a Christmas market that feels very different from the large city markets.
Mosel Wine and Christmas Market
The Mosel Wine and Christmas Market is held across five historic wine cellars throughout Traben-Trarbach and is the only Christmas market in Germany that takes place almost entirely underground. The market has been recognized by Condé Nast Traveler as one of the best Christmas markets in Germany for its originality and atmosphere.
Each cellar offers a slightly different experience, with unique layouts, vendors, and sizes. Most focus on shopping, while food and drink stalls are often located just outside or above the cellar entrances. Because Traben-Trarbach is small, the markets are only a five- to ten-minute walk apart.
When is the Mosel Wine and Christmas Market Open?
The market typically operates on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from late November through early January, so careful planning is essential. Maps, hours, and ticket information are published annually on the official website.
Here are the dates the market is open:
- November 21 to December 21, 2025: Friday to Sunday 11 am to 9 pm
- December 26 to December 30, 2025 and January 2 & 3, 2026: 11 am to 9 pm daily
- December 31, 2025 and January 1, 2026 11 am to 4 pm
- Closed on November 23, December 24 & 25
IMPORTANT!: The market is closed Monday through Thursday, except for the week between Christmas and New Year’s.
Tickets for the Christmas Market
Tickets are required to enter the Mosel Wine and Christmas Market. Ticket booths are located near the Moselbrücke bridge and at the entrances to some of the cellar markets. Tickets are valid for all cellar locations on the same day.
We purchased our tickets at the ticket stand on the north end of Moselbrücke.
Cost: €5, children under 16 are free
PRO TRAVEL TIP: There is an app you can download onto your phone which provides hours, pricing, and the location of each market.
Market #1: Cellar Moselschlösschen
Located next to the Moselle River, the Moselschlösschen cellar is the largest and most impressive of the five markets. Inside, the space is filled with Christmas lights, festive decorations, and a wide range of vendors selling ornaments, wood carvings, jewelry, clothing, and regional wines.
This was our favorite of the five markets and where we spent the most time. We browsed several stalls, had lunch consisting of Italian sandwiches, and warmed up with glühgin. The size and variety here make it an excellent starting point for the market.
Market #2: Old Town Hall and Old Guild Hall (Altes Rathaus and Alte Zunftscheune)
Located along Neue Rathausstraße, this cellar is entered by descending past a café offering food and drinks before reaching the main market area. Vendors here sold cheeses, pastries, wooden carvings, alcohol, hats, and other handmade goods. The layout feels more intimate and traditional than that of the Moselschlösschen.
Market #3: Weingut Axel Emert
Situated near Am Bahnhof, this cellar features a familiar mix of cheese, scarves, jewelry, and baked goods. When we visited, food stalls above the cellar entrance were selling flammlachs, sausages, and glühwein. This market felt quieter and less crowded, making it a good place to browse at a relaxed pace.
Market #4: Galerie Heidi Bogner
This cellar sits next to the Moselle River and is divided into several rooms. Inside, vendors sold pottery, scarves, jewelry, cheeses, and Christmas decorations. Above ground, there is a café and additional food stalls, making this a nice stop to take a break between markets.
Market #5: Villa Nollen
Located farther along the river past the Moselschlösschen, Villa Nollen offers a festive atmosphere with strings of lights hanging across the ceiling. This cellar includes a large indoor seating area for enjoying food and drinks, along with stalls selling Christmas decorations and handmade gifts. The seating makes this one of the more comfortable markets for lingering.
Christmas Tree Cellar: Near Parkplatz am Postamt
Not counted among the five markets, the Christmas Tree Cellar is located near Parkplatz am Postamt, beneath the bridge. Inside, several themed Christmas trees are displayed, including trees decorated with aviation items and stuffed animals. It is a quick but charming stop that adds to the underground experience.
Things to Do in Traben-Trarbach
If you want to spend a little more time than just visiting the Christmas market, here are a few more things to do in Traben-Trarbach.
Grevenburg Castle Ruins (Burgruine Grevenburg)
The ruins of Grevenburg Castle sit high above Traben-Trarbach and offer sweeping views over the Moselle River. The castle was originally built in 1350 as the ancestral seat of the Counts of Sponheim. After centuries of conflict, it was destroyed by French troops in 1734, leaving only fragments of the original structure.
Today, a restaurant occupies part of the site, and the viewpoint is the main draw.
GETTING HERE: The best way to get here is to drive up to the ruins by following signs from L190, though the road is narrow with steep drop-offs. A small parking area is available near the top.
For those on foot, several trails lead up to the ruins from near the Bridge Gate (Brückentor). The Sponheimer Weg is the steepest and most direct route. All Trails also lists a 1.2-mile loop trail that includes both the ruins and a war memorial.
Bridge Gate (Brückentor Trarbach)
Located on the Trarbach side of the Moselle River, the Brückentor is an ornate Art Nouveau gate built in 1899. It marks the entrance to the bridge and has become one of the town’s most recognizable landmarks, reflecting Traben-Trarbach’s architectural prosperity during its peak in wine trading.
Buddha-Museum
One of Traben-Trarbach’s most unexpected attractions, the Buddha Museum houses one of Europe’s largest private collections of Buddhist art. The museum displays thousands of Buddha statues and artifacts from across Asia, set within indoor galleries and a peaceful garden.
The museum only operates on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays during the Christmas season. It is typically closed entirely from January through March. Always check the official website before visiting.
How Much Time Do You Need in the Traben-Trarbach Christmas Market?
We spent a leisurely 3 hours visiting the five markets. Some were very quick, and we spent less than 15 minutes in two of them, and we spent the most time in market #1, as this was the largest market, filled not only with food stalls but also some wonderful stalls selling crafts and handmade gifts.
We also spent about 30 minutes driving to and from the Grevenburg Castle Ruins, which is well worth it if you have a rental car.
From Traben-Trarbach, we drove to Trier to visit Trier’s Christmas market. We liked Traben-Trarbach a lot more than Trier, so we don’t think Trier is a must-see. But since it isn’t too far away (about an hour drive), it is nice to visit two markets in one day.
How to Get to Traben-Trarbach
Traben-Trarbach makes a good day trip from Cologne or Frankfurt. The town is accessible by train and bus, and seasonal shuttle and coach services operate when the Christmas market is open.
There is a train and a bus station in Traben-Trabach. This is a small town, so although it is possible to travel here by train, you will likely have one to two transfers, depending on your starting point. Trains from Cologne take roughly 3 hours with two transfers. Trains from Frankfurt take 3 to 4 hours with two transfers, and trains from Luxembourg take two and a half hours with one transfer.
If you have a rental car, here are driving distances and times from nearby cities and towns:
- Trier, Germany: 58 km, 1 hour
- Luxembourg City, Luxembourg: 123 km, 1 hour 30 minutes
- Frankfurt, Germany: 140 km, 2 hours
- Cologne, Germany: 165 km, 2 hours 15 minutes
- Strasbourg, France: 265 km, 3 hours
We had a rental car, arriving in Traben at 11 am. We parked at Parkplatz Enkircher Straße, a small paid parking lot that fills up very early. There is additional parking at Parkplatz Schiffsanleger and PKW Parkplatz on Dr. Ernst-Spies-Allee.
Finally, it is also possible to hire a coach/shuttle service, if you don’t have a rental car and don’t want the hassle of multiple train transfers.
Is the Traben-Trarbach Christmas Market Worth It?
We have visited a lot of Christmas markets across Germany and Europe, as this was our fourth Christmas market trip in four years. The four of us enjoyed the Mosel Wine and Christmas Market, but there are many more in Germany that we liked a lot more.
The Christmas markets in Cologne and Frankfurt are amazing, but also extremely crowded. These have a totally different atmosphere, being located in major cities, but they are worth a visit.
The Christmas markets in southern Germany (Nuremberg, Esslingen am Neckar, Munich, Ludwigsburg, and Ravenna Gorge) are some of our favorites. Dresden is also home to an incredible Christmas market not to be missed.
The Mosel Wine and Christmas Market is worth it for those who will already be in the area (Frankfurt, Cologne, or Luxembourg) and like the idea of visiting a smaller, lesser-known Christmas market with a local feel. For us, one of the highlights of visiting this market was seeing the Mosel Wine Region and its collection of tiny, charming towns that sit along the Moselle River.
We have also visited Christmas markets in London, Prague, Vienna, Wrocław, and the Alsace wine region in France.
If you are planning a European Christmas market trip, we have a wealth of information in our European Christmas Market Guide ↓
If you have any questions about visiting the Mosel Wine and Christmas market in Traben-Trarbach, let us know in the comment section below.
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