Where the Advent Season Ends and Christmas Begins
On the fourth Sunday of Advent, Trondheim's midwinter darkness is at its deepest — the sun barely clears the horizon, and by mid-afternoon the city settles into a long blue twilight. That is precisely when the lights come on. The Christmas market stalls along Torvet, the city's central square, glow against the dark, and the smell of roasted almonds, gløgg and wood smoke drifts through the crowd. Locals and visitors move between the market, the shops along Nordre gate and the walk toward Nidaros Cathedral, and the whole centre takes on the atmosphere of a season reaching its peak.
Shop the Christmas Market on Torvet
Trondheim's main Christmas market fills the central square, Torvet, in the weeks leading up to Christmas, and the fourth Sunday of Advent is among its busiest days. This is where you go for handmade gifts, Christmas decorations, wool mittens and warm food from the stalls. Come in the afternoon when the light fades and the square is at its most atmospheric, and give yourself time to wander rather than rush through.
- Warm up with gløgg — the Nordic mulled wine of red wine, spices, raisins and almonds — sold at market stalls through December.
- Look for traditional Norwegian handicrafts and Christmas ornaments rather than mass-produced souvenirs.
- Expect crowds on the final Sunday before Christmas; the market is at its liveliest in the afternoon and early evening.
Hear the Season in the City's Churches
Trondheim's Advent and Christmas concert season runs through December, and the fourth Sunday falls squarely within it. Nidaros Cathedral, the Gothic cathedral at the heart of the city and the traditional site of Norwegian royal consecrations, hosts choral and organ concerts in the Advent period, and its architecture alone justifies a visit. Vår Frue Church, the medieval church on Kongens gate in the middle of the pedestrian centre, is another venue that draws audiences for seasonal music. Check local listings for what falls on the fourth Sunday itself — programming varies year to year — but the concert tradition in these buildings is a fixed part of the city's December.
- Nidaros Cathedral: Norway's national sanctuary and the country's most significant church; a December concert here is as much about the building as the music.
- Vår Frue Church: centrally located on Kongens gate, easy to combine with a market visit.
- Book ahead where tickets are required; the most popular Advent concerts sell out.
Walk the Bakklandet and the River
Cross the Gamle Bybro, the old town bridge, from the centre into Bakklandet, the wooden houses of the old town on the east bank of the Nidelva river. In December the facades are strung with lights and the streets are quiet enough to feel like a different city from the market square. This is the walk to take when you want the season without the crowds: over the bridge, along the river, past the small shops and cafés, and back as the lights come on.
- Gamle Bybro: the wooden bridge linking the centre to Bakklandet, and the classic view of the river and the old warehouses.
- Bakklandet: wooden buildings, small shops and cafés; a slower, quieter counterpart to Torvet.
- Nidelva river: the walk along the banks gives you the city's best winter views.
Eat and Drink Like It's Christmas
Norwegian Christmas food is rich and specific, and December is when you find it. Look for ribbe (roast pork belly) and pinnekjøtt (salted, dried lamb ribs) on restaurant menus through the season, along with medisterkaker and julepølse sausages. The Christmas market and the cafés around Torvet and Bakklandet serve the sweeter side of the season: riskrem, multekrem and julekake. Wash it down with gløgg or with juleøl, the seasonal Christmas beer.
- Ribbe and pinnekjøtt: the two traditional Norwegian Christmas dinners, widely served in Trondheim restaurants in December.
- Juleøl: seasonal Christmas beer, available in bars and restaurants from late November.
- Market food: warm, portable and best eaten standing up in the cold.
Plan Around the Shortest Days
Trondheim sits at roughly 63 degrees north, and around the fourth Sunday of Advent the daylight is brief — plan outdoor activity for the middle of the day and save the churches and concerts for the dark hours. The fourth Advent Sunday falls on 20 December in 2026. Dress for cold and wet: layers, wool, and footwear that can handle slush and ice. The city centre is compact and walkable, and most of what matters on this day — the market, the cathedral, the bridge to Bakklandet — sits within a short walk of each other.
Start with the date: 20 December 2026. Book your concert tickets early, plan your market visit for the afternoon when the lights take over, and leave the evening free for the walk across Gamle Bybro into Bakklandet. Trondheim in the last days of Advent is cold, dark and entirely worth it.