Craiova’s yearly Christmas market is considered the best in Romania and the second-best in Europe – and all the praise is real, as you can see in my photos below, based on my previous visit to see the Christmas fair there.
As soon as you step in, you can feel the magic of Christmas, even though it’s pretty crowded, especially during the evening and the weekend. Due to its size, it still feels relatively airy and you fully enjoy all the attractions there without having to wait a lot.
This year’s Christmas market in Craiova runs between November 14th, 2025 and January 4th, 2026. Unlike last year, which had four unrelated themes, this year we only get one unified theme: the Nutcracker, divided into four areas:
• Mihai Viteazul Square – The “Nutcracker” Story (Candy Land)
• Doljana Area – Carousel Christmas
• Frații Buzești Square – Traditional Christmas
• William Shakespeare Square (National Theatre) – Santa’s Land
• Theodor Aman Street – Christmas Street Food
• English Park – Toyland
Below you can see the map of the area (it has last year’s themes, but the areas are the same):
Walking around the entire area will not take long – maybe 15-20 minutes if you don’t take long photo breaks, or ride the attractions/sample the food.
Insider Tip: Make sure to be in the main, Piata Mihai Viteazul Square, a bit before 6:30PM each day. That’s when Santa Claus will fly his sleigh over the fair area, but also stop a little to share a message (in Romanian language only) for everybody. Nice to see, but get there early as it gets crowded and look up!
Where to stay in Craiova if you visit to see the Christmas Market?
My tip: visit during the weekdays, if possible! We visited during the weekend when the hotel room prices are insanely high – and unless you book WELL in advance, you won’t find anything available. We tried to book a room one week before our arrival and we couldn’t find ANY!
So plan ahead and book your stay as early as possible, especially for the weekends. I recommend three hotels below, all of them keeping you close to the Christmas Market area:
- Hotel 5 Continents (my favorite – we stayed there in the past and we’ll always return here – just minutes away from the Christmas market).
- Hotel Bavaria (budget option, still good although a bit farther away)
- Hotel Splendid 1900 (perfect location, old building, good choice overall)
If you get there by car and wish to avoid paying the premium fees hotels charge during the winter season, I recommend booking your stay at Carul din Stele in Beharca (a 15-minute drive from Craiova’s Christmas market area).
And if you spend more time in the city, check out my recommended things to do in Craiova.
Craiova’s Christmas Market: Prices
Except for the inflated accommodation costs, other prices are decent at the Christmas market in Craiova.
Here are some of the costs for various things, both in Romanian Lei and Euros:
- Ticket for the rides: 20-30 lei/4-6 Euros (the small roller coaster, the Ferris Wheel etc)
- Santa’s Elevator: 50 lei (10 Euros) – the little ones can hear a message from Santa himself.
- Mulled Wine: 10 Lei/2 Euros
- Coffee/Hot Chocolate: 10-15 lei (2-3 Euros)
- Chimney Cake – 25 lei (5 Euros)
- 1 mic (traditional Romanian sausage) – 7 lei (1.4 Euros)
- Sarmale – 8 lei (1.6 Euros) per 100 grams
- Beans with Pork Knuckels – 45 lei (9 Euros)
- Dubai chocolate – 30 lei (6 Euros) per 100 grams
All in all, the prices are higher than what you would pay in any of the nearby restaurants for similar products, with the main difference being that in a restaurant you’ll sit down in a hopefully heated place and your food will be nicely served by a waiter.
If you prefer to go this route, take a look at my recommended restaurants in Craiova (all of them are centrally located, in the Christmas market area).
You can also grab water/soda from any of the nearby stores, for half the price, or get a really good specialty coffee from one of the brick and mortar coffee places (also cheaper).
My Insider Tips for Visiting Craiova’s Christmas Market
Keep these in mind when preparing for your trip to visit the Craiova Christmas market:
- Arrive Early: Get there by 3 PM to find parking and enjoy the market before it gets too crowded (although it becomes truly magical when it gets dark and all the lights are on).
- Parking spots: Stay away from the main area because it will be almost impossible to find parking (and even more difficult to get out). We parked on a small, lateral street some 5 minutes of walking away from the Market, for free.
- Bundle Up: Temperatures can drop significantly after dark, so dress warmly and bring gloves.
- Have Cash on Hand: While some vendors accept cards, cash is faster and more widely accepted for small purchases.
- Plan time for Photos: The entire area makes for stunning Instagram shots, especially with the city hall projections in the background. Take your time – everybody does so.
- Have a few hours: We spent around 4 hours in the area, exploring, taking photos, riding a few of the attractions, and grabbing something to eat. Plan to spend a minimum of 1 hour there, even though you can rush through everything in as little as 20 minutes.
If you want to learn more about Christmas in Romania, read my previous article: Celebrating Christmas in Romania.
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Craiova’s Christmas Market: Photos and Final Opinions
I intentionally left this area last, as I don’t want to mess up your surprise of getting there and experiencing the beauty of Craiova’s Christmas Market.
This is currently based on our previous visit (the Beauty and the Beast theme of last year), but it helps you better prepare for what’s to come:
As mentioned before, Craiova’s Christmas market is indeed beautiful and special, but with fewer traditional products sold than I had anticipated, probably because it’s located in an area that’s already filled with restaurants, coffee shops and stores.
But the place is amazing without a doubt. Visit after dark to fully enjoy the atmosphere. Stroll slowly through the area and take it all in. There are all sorts of small decorations (and large ones) that you can discover and enjoy.
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! (You can learn some Christmas Greetings in Romanian here).
I am a journalist and local expert who has been documenting life in Romania since 2013. Based in Constanta (after living in Bucharest and Drobeta Turnu Severin), I provide up-to-date, on-the-ground advice for expats and travelers. My articles are based on real life experiences and plenty of research – from paying Romanian bills to exploring the wild “Rawmania” countryside.