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In the festive season Valkenburg transforms into a bustling Christmas town. Thousands come to this small southern Dutch town to experience a traditional Christmas: roasted chestnuts, holiday shopping, and wonderful sights and smells. Adorned with lights and Christmas greenery, the historic town of Valkenburg in South Limburg is perhaps the most visited Christmas market in the Netherlands.

There are 3 underground Christmas markets in Valkenburg: in the Municipal Cave, in the Velvet Cave, and in Mergelrijk, a Santa’s village, where you can indulge in special Christmas treats and meet with friends and family for a mug of gluhwein. Twice a week there is a Christmas parade (Landal Christmas Parade) through the streets of the town and you can play curling at the foot of Wilhelmina Tower and then get the chairlift to the top to enjoy a bird’s eye view of the Christmas lights.

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Valkenburg Christmas Market dates 2023

The Valkenburg Christmas Market will be held between 17 November 2023 and 7 January 2024.

Christmas Market in the caves

Although they are known as caves, these are not strictly caves. In the past Valkenburg was a major mining centre where chalk (mergel in Dutch) and coal were mined. So the underground ‘caves’ in Valkenburg are actually underground tunnels dug during the mining.

These old mines, however, make it for an amazing setting of a Christmas market. The best part about visiting them is that you actually are visiting the tourist attraction, so you are also sightseeing.

Municipal Cave Christmas Market

The Gemeentegrot (or the Municipal Cave), a former chalk mine, a WWII hiding place and a nuclear fallout shelter, offers a fascinating look over thousands of years layers of history. The Christmas Market in the Municipal Cave is Europe’s largest underground Christmas market and in 2022 it was named the Netherlands’ best Christmas market.

Open between 17 November and 30 December 2023. Closed on 25 December.

During the Christmas season, this maze of underground tunnels is transformed into a huge Christmas market for those who truly love the holiday!

Every nook and cranny is decked out in Christmas spirit, featuring elaborately decorated scenes, and hundreds of twinkling lights. There are Christmas stalls everywhere offering handcrafted gifts, Christmas ornaments, and other Christmas goodies. And, of course, you can savor the drinks and the snacks, that are typical of any classic Christmas market.

Velvet Cave Christmas Market

The Fluweelengrot (or Velvet Cave) is another former chalk mine. The passageways cut out by the so-called “block breakers” in the Middle Ages form an extensive 5-km long labyrinth. There are also secret escape routes that connected the Valkenburg castle with the underground quarry.

Open between 17 November and 30 December 2023. Closed on 25 December.

Just like the market in the Municipal Cave, the Christmas market in the Velvet Cave is truly magical. Stroll along the 50+ Christmas stalls and admire the historical charcoal drawings on the walls. There are also various nativity scenes and lots of amazing Christmas decorations.

Don’t forget to have a cup of warm chocomel (hot chocolate) with a freshly-baked stroopwafel on your way out of the Velvet Cave!

Mergelrijk Christmas Market

The Christmas Market in Mergelrijk (yet another chalk mine) is a bit different from the other two Christmas markets in the caves of Valkenburg. While the first 2 Christmas markets are all about Christmas shopping, Mergelrijk is all about Christmas decorations.

Open between 17 November 2023 and 7 January 2024.

One of the main highlights in Mergelrijk is the remarkable 30-meter-long diorama that brings the Biblical Christmas story to life through intricate miniature scenes. The miniature Christmas villages all around the maze of underground tunnels create a heartwarming and festive atmosphere.

But that’s not all. The spectacular 3D paintings on the cave walls add a modern twist to the traditional Christmas experience. Make sure you take pictures of yourself in front of all of them! It’s so much fun!

Santa’s Village

Santa’s Village is the above-the-ground Christmas market in Valkenburg. It takes place in the heart of town, at the Theodoor Dorren Square. The numerous wooden chalets create a cozy atmosphere of a traditional Christmas market.

You can do your Christmas shopping here, choosing gifts for friends and family, or just stroll around soaking in the Christmas spirit.

Open between 17 November and 31 December 2023.

In Santa’s Village there is the Santa’s Grill where you can try bratwurst (German grilled sausages) and the Santa’s Bar, where you can relax and have a chat with friends sipping on a mug of gluhwein.

Winter Wonderland

In Valkenburg there’s no shortage of special Christmas attractions. The Wilhelmina tower and the cave underneath are transformed into a Winter Wonderland. In the cave there’s a life-size nativity scene. You can take the chair-lift to the tower that’s beautifully illuminated like a gigantic Christmas tree.

Open between 17 November 2023 and 7 January 2024.

On the top of the hill there is a small Christmas market and you can enjoy the lovely views of the castle and the festively decorated streets from above.

What to eat at the Christmas Market

No visit to a Christmas market is complete without trying the local traditional Christmas treats. Let’s start with a mug of aromatic gluhwein (mulled wine) or a cup of warm chocomel (the Dutch version on hot chocolate).

There’s lots of German influence at the Christmas markets in Valkenburg. You can try the traditional German bratwurst (grilled sausage), reibekuchen (potato pancake) and baked champignons.

If you have a sweet tooth you can try poffertjes – miniature pancakes served with butter and dusted with sugar, or the freshly baked stroopwafels (caramel waffles) and Belgian waffles with various toppings. You will also find churros, not typically Dutch, but quite loved at fairs and markets.

Another Dutch treat that you have to try at the Christmas market is the oliebol. Oliebollen (plural for oliebol) are a type of deep fried dough balls and are typical for the holiday season. They are traditionally eaten on New Year’s Eve, but you can find them on the dedicated stalls throughout December all over Netherlands.

Tips for visiting Valkenburg Christmas Town

If you are tight on a budget or don’t have much time, you can choose to visit only one of the caves, which will be enough to get you in the Christmas spirit.

Although there is no fee to visit the Christmas Town, you will need to pay for the underground Christmas markets. Some people are quite surprised that these Christmas markets are paid, but actually you are visiting those tourist attractions AND enjoying the underground Christmas markets. Basically the entrance fee is for the tourist attraction, not for the market itself.

The Santa’s Village, which also has a Christmas market, can be visited for free.

Highly recommended is to visit on a weekday as in the weekends it can get quite busy.

Also, if possible come by train or by bus, as finding a parking space, especially in the weekend is almost impossible.

To prepare for your trip, read these posts: