Ravenna Gorge Christmas Market 2025: Is It Really Worth It?

The Ravenna Gorge Christmas Market is one of Germany’s most unique markets. Brightly lit, decorated stalls sit around the base of a train viaduct, which is illuminated in a rainbow of colors throughout the night. It’s a beautiful sight to see.

But is it worth it?

This market is only held on a few weekends each November and December. It’s one of the few markets you need a ticket for, and tickets sell fast. Transportation logistics can also be slightly challenging.

So, it’s not the easiest Christmas market to visit in Europe, but it does come with its rewards. Sipping mulled wine next to a roaring bonfire, while the viaduct does a dance of colors around you, is a magical experience.

In this guide, we cover what you need to know to plan your visit here, and dive more into whether or not the Ravenna Gorge Christmas Market should be added to your Christmas market trip.

# 1 Tip for Visiting Ravenna Gorge Christmas Market

Before we go deeper into how to visit the Ravenna Gorge Market, the most important thing to know is that the market is only held a few weekends during the Christmas season. Plus, you must have a ticket and these sell out in advance.

Dates of the Ravenna Gorge Christmas Market in 2024

The exact dates of the Christmas market for 2025 will be released in early autumn. The market is held on four weekends in November and December. Here are the dates the market was held in 2024:

November 22 & 23
November 29, 30, and December 1
December 6, 7 & 8
December 13, 14 & 15

Tickets go on sale in October. In 2024, tickets went on sale on October 14 at 10 am Central European Time (GMT+1). If you plan to drive and park at Ravenna Gorge, you will need an entrance ticket and a parking ticket. These parking tickets sell out almost instantly (I’ll get to this in more detail below).

So, as you plan your Christmas market trip, you will have to design your itinerary so that you will be in the area on a weekend, plus be ready on October 14 to purchase your tickets.

How to Visit Ravenna Gorge Christmas Market

Where is Ravenna Gorge Christmas Market?

Ravenna Gorge, also called Ravennaschlucht, is located in the southwest corner of Germany, in a wooded valley in Black Forest. The closest city is Freiburg im Breisgau, a charming town that is well worth visiting before going to the Ravenna Gorge Christmas Market.

Because its location, it is a good add on to the Christmas markets in the Alsace or a bigger trip through Bavaria and southern Germany.

Things to Do at the Ravenna Gorge Christmas Market

Take lots of Photos of the Viaduct

When you first see the viaduct, it’s awesome, especially if you arrive in the evening once the sun has set. It slowly changes color, going from pink to blue to green to red to purple, making it fun to photograph all night long.

Your first good view of it will be the entrance, where you can capture the viaduct with the brightly lit entrance sign.

As you visit the market stalls, you’ll cross underneath the viaduct multiple times. It’s fun to photograph from all vantage points, but the best view is from viewpoint on the hill.

If you are here early in the afternoon, when the market first opens, you won’t get to see much of this illumination.

Get an Aerial View of the Market

For the best view of the Ravenna Gorge Christmas Market, make the short uphill walk to the viewing area.

It’s a 3 to 5-minute walk to get here. It’s a little steep but doable for most people. Coming down can actually be harder, because it can be slippery. It snowed a little bit the day we were here, and this path was slick. In fact, the trail will close if it is too icy or snowy. I’m glad it wasn’t closed on the day we were here, because this view was the highlight of the Christmas market for us.

You don’t even have to go all the way to the top for a great view. But if you do, there is a small gazebo plus a nice view looking down on the parking lots, hotel, and restaurants in Ravenna Gorge.

Visit the Market Stalls

There are roughly 40 stalls at the Ravenna Gorge Christmas Market. About half sell food and drinks and half sell locally made items, such as jewelry, scarves, wooden toys, clocks, candles, ornaments, and Christmas decorations.

The foods here were a bit different from those at other Christmas markets we visited in Germany. Local foods from the Black Forest are the main thing for sale, with Black Forest ham, potato soup, tarte flambée, and potato dumplings. We were fans of the fish and chips and the grilled flatbread rolls at Till’s Tolle Rolle.

Of course, there is glühwein for sale…what better way to stay warm? Some stalls also sell hot chocolate (plus a shot of rum), feuerzangenbowle, and hot apple punch.

IMPORTANT: Bring cash! Because of the market’s remote location, credit cards machines don’t work, so it’s cash only.

Walk the Nativity Trail

The Nativity Trail is a short path that leads away from the viaduct. Along this trail are statues from the Nativity scene. It’s very short and it only takes a few minutes of your time.

Black Forest Parlor

Also called the “Schwarzwälder Stubede,”you can also book a spot in this small, heated building, which is a nice break from the cold evening. Your ticket includes a 2-hour stay, mulled wine, plus 2 parking spaces. However, this has a fairly big price tag (€169).

This was listed as an option when I was purchasing our tickets in October. Currently I can’t find any information on the official website, but it is something to look for in early autumn, once the website is updated with new pricing and dates. This sold out just as quickly as the parking tickets, so keep that in mind.

Best Time to Visit Ravenna Gorge Christmas Market

The best time to visit the Ravenna Gorge Christmas Market is right around sunset, which is 4:30 pm in December. To see and photograph the market when there is still a little bit of light left in the sky, plus see it in total darkness, is ideal.

I think a visit from 4 to 6 pm is perfect, to have one hour to watch the sunset and one hour of darkness.

When you visit Ravenna Gorge, your time will be limited to 2 hours. When purchasing your tickets, you will choose a time slot for your visit.

If you are planning to take a shuttle, the 2-hour time slots are offered every 20 minutes, which gives you some flexibility in planning your time. I think the 4 to 6 pm time slot is perfect, to have one hour to watch the sunset and one hour of darkness.

If you plan to drive to and park at Ravenna Gorge, you will purchase a ticket for a 3 – 5 pm slot, a 5 – 7 pm slot, or a 7 – 9 pm slot. The 5 to 7 pm slot is the best one in my opinion, as there is still a little bit of light left in the sky when you arrive. We had a 5 to 7 pm time slot and really like being here at this time.

The least crowded time to be at Ravenna Gorge is from 3 pm to about 4:30, since it is still daylight. Then it gets crowded, as everyone prefers to plan their visit when the viaduct illumination can really be seen.

Is 2 Hours Enough Time? Yes. This is a small market and 2 hours is more than enough time to do a little shopping and sample the various foods, glühwein, and hot punch.

Is Ravenna Gorge Christmas Market Worth It

How to Get to Ravenna Gorge Christmas Market

As you will see, there are many ways to get to Ravenna Gorge: by car, by shuttle, and even on foot.

Driving to Ravenna Gorge

There are several large parking lots at Ravenna Gorge. If you will have a rental car, driving here can be the most convenient way to get here. You simply park and it is a 5-minute walk to the entrance.

But here’s the catch: parking tickets are extremely limited. If you want a parking ticket, you will have to purchase your tickets right when they go on sale. In 2024, tickets went on sale at 10 am local time, which was 4 am where I live. I set my alarm, rolled out of bed, and purchased our tickets the moment they became available. When I checked the website at 1 pm local time (just 3 hours later), all parking tickets were sold out.

PRO TRAVEL TIP: If you plan to park at Ravenna Gorge, sign up for the Ravenna Gorge newsletter. Those who are subscribed get a link to purchase their tickets one hour earlier than the general population (9 am local time).

For those who are purchasing a parking ticket, there are three time slots to visit Ravenna Gorge:

3:00 pm – 4:50 pm
5:00 pm – 7:00 pm
7:00 pm – 9:00 pm

Your parking ticket is valid for 2 hours. We had a 5 – 7 pm time slot to visit Ravenna Gorge. That meant I could arrive and park 5 pm or later and then had to exit the parking lot at 7 pm.

DRIVING TO RAVENNA GORGE: The road to Ravenna Gorge is a windy, two-lane road. Traffic was heavy the day we did this. It had just snowed a little bit, and the combination of high volume and lower speeds made travel times a lot longer to get here. Give yourself a little extra driving time. I don’t know if you will be turned away if you arrive a little early for your parking time slot, but it could be better than being a little bit late (like we were).

Shuttles to Ravenna Gorge

Since there is limited parking at Ravenna Gorge, the most popular way to get here is on a shuttle.

There are shuttle stations in the nearby towns. These shuttle stations are located along a suburban rail system. From Freiburg, ride the S-bahn to one of these shuttle stations. You can also drive to and park at these shuttle stations, as well.

Here are the locations of the shuttle stations:

Hinterzarten train station
Himmelreich train station
Kurhaus car park in Titisee

There is also a shuttle bus that leaves from the central bus station in Freiburg. These tickets include a guaranteed seat on the shuttle plus entry into the Christmas market. I think this is a great option for getting to Ravenna Gorge. Freiburg is definitely worth a quick visit, which you can do the afternoon before visiting the Ravenna Gorge Christmas Market. Plus, you could spend the night here in town, rather than taking a train or driving to another city in Germany or France.

When purchasing your Ravenna Gorge tickets, you will also choose the shuttle you plan to use and the time slot.

Shuttle tickets are free (they are included in your entry fee into the Christmas market).

Shuttle tickets are offered roughly every 20 minutes, starting at opening time (which varies between 2 pm and 3 pm, depending on the day). For example, the Hinterzarten shuttle is has time slots of 15:35 – 17:55, 15:55 – 18:15, 16:05 – 18:25, and so on. By shuttle, it takes a little longer to get to and from the Christmas market (which is why the time slots are slightly longer than 2 hours), but you have more flexibility on your arrival time. That’s a nice advantage over arriving by car.

Taxis

We saw quite a few taxis dropping people off at Ravenna Gorge. The official website has a link with phone numbers for taxi companies, should you prefer this option.

On Foot

You have the option to park at the Hinterzarten train station and hike 3.2 km to the Christmas market. Learn more here.

There is also the option to take a lantern-lit guided hike to the market. This was new for 2024. Several people have written in that they did this and loved it, highly recommending it. It sounds like a very memorable way to get to the market. If this sounds interesting to you, plan on purchasing your tickets as soon as they are released, because I have a feeling this is going to become a very popular experience.

Tickets for Ravenna Gorge Christmas Market

All tickets must be purchased in advance. There is no on-site ticket office.

The new pricing and hours for 2025 have not been released yet. Below is pricing from 2024. I will update this information once available, but you can also take a look at the official website.

In 2024, tickets went on sale on October 14 at 10 am Central European Time (GMT+1).

Ticket Prices

Entry before 4 pm: €5.50
Entry after 4 pm: €7.50
Parking fee: €8.00
Shuttle Bus: free
Freiburg Entrance fee + shuttle bus: €24.00

Our visit was in 2024. I purchased our tickets at 10 am local time, right when they went on sale.

Since I knew that I would be writing this guide, I revisited the official website several times the morning they went on sale to see how long it would take for tickets to sell out. Entry tickets with a parking space sold out in less than 3 hours. Shuttle tickets were available all day, with plenty of availability.

I recommend having a time slot picked out in advance, especially if you plan to reserve a parking space. These parking spaces are limited and sell out super fast, so it’s best to know exactly which one you want ahead of time.

If you are booking entry tickets and plan to use a shuttle, there is no rush. And I see no need to wake up early to book these tickets, but you should still plan make your purchase the day tickets are released, so you get the time slot you want. I went back to the website a few hours later (around 2:30 pm local time) and there were still plenty of shuttle ticket time slots available.

Don’t Miss the Lovely Town of Freiburg!

Freiburg im Breisgau is beautiful small city tucked away in the foothills of the Black Forest. It is about a 30-minute drive from Ravenna Gorge. A suburban railway connects Freiburg to the shuttle stops for the Christmas market.

We’ve been here twice, once in the summer and again in 2024, just before visiting the Ravenna Gorge Christmas market.

Freiburg has a small Christmas market with a very local vibe. It’s nice to visit but the real highlight of Freiburg is exploring the streets that crisscross through the old town and seeing the old gates and gothic cathedral. Watch out for the Freiburg Bächle, a system of gutters that run through the city.

It’s well worth spending at least an hour or two in Freiburg, before heading off to the Ravenna Gorge Christmas Market.

I think the Freiburg shuttle + entry ticket combo is a great idea, as it handles your transportation to and from the market. Consider spending the night in Freiburg, before moving on.

If you like the idea of staying in Freiburg, take a look at Ferienwohnungen am Theater Freiburg (a small property with several apartment options that is located near the train station), or Historical Luxury Homes – Luxus Familien Suite (one-bedroom apartment that gets rave reviews).

Is Ravenna Gorge Christmas Market Worth It?

For most people, yes.

This is not an easy market to plan, with its limited dates, tickets that sell out in advance, and remote location. It feels like a giant hassle at times.

Since it is only open on weekends, you have to design your itinerary to basically be at the right place at the right time.

And then you’ll have to set your calendar, and perhaps wake up before the crack of dawn, to make sure you get a ticket.

Once the big day finally arrives, you’ll have to plan how to get to the shuttle station, if you didn’t get a parking ticket.

Once here, it’s beautiful. Seeing the illuminated viaduct surrounded by brightly lit market stalls is one of the best Christmas market experiences in Europe. It will be crowded. Most likely it will be cold. Hopefully you’ll see it with some snow, but not too much, because climbing the hill to the viewpoint is awesome.

I’m glad we did it, but I can’t say that I loved it. It does feel like a hassle, not only in planning it but also in getting here. And the big crowds do take away from the experience a little bit (the only market that was more crowded was Nuremberg on a Saturday night).

Prior to our visit here, we had spent over a week in Bavaria, visiting the big city markets and those in smaller towns. Many of these markets we liked much more than Ravenna Gorge. So, I don’t think the Ravenna Gorge market is an absolute must-see.

If this looks absolutely amazing to you, definitely work it into your schedule. If you are visiting the Christmas markets in Bavaria and/or the Alsace region of France, this is a great addition to your itinerary. But I don’t think it is worth going out of your way to get here.

If you have been to Ravenna Gorge Christmas Market and would like to share your opinion, you can do so at the comment section at the end of this guide. Thanks!

What We Did

We visited Ravenna Gorge Christmas Market as part of a big trip through Bavaria and the Alsace wine region.

Our trip started in Munich, and then we moved on to Regensburg, Nuremberg, Bamberg, Würzburg, Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Stuttgart, Ludwigsburg, and Esslingen before visiting Ravenna Gorge. This trip ended with a quick visit to Colmar and Strasbourg.

We traveled by car and by train. For Ravenna Gorge, we had a car. In fact, one of the reasons we rented a car was to make it easier to get to Ravenna Gorge. In hindsight, I think the Freiburg shuttle option with an overnight in Freiburg is an excellent way to visit the Ravenna Gorge Christmas Market. Plus, there is no need to rent a car.

All of the places listed above are very easy to get to by train. In the upcoming weeks, we will be publishing more information about all of these places, plus an itinerary to help you plan a German Christmas market trip. If you have any questions, let us know and we’d love to help!

If you have any questions about how to visit Ravenna Gorge Christmas Market, or if you want to share your experience, let us know in the comment section below.

More Information about the European Christmas Markets