As the weather cools down and the festive season starts to ramp up, there’ll be one thing on your mind as you wander down the street– when will the Christmas markets begin? With so many to choose from across the UK, Christmas markets are one of the best ways to celebrate the start of the festive season, with stalls, fairground rides, ice rinks and events taking place across the country. Having originated in Germany centuries ago, Christmas markets nowadays attempt to capture the true essence of an original and authentic German Christmas Market. If you enjoy soaking up the festive atmosphere, trying some freshly made mulled wine or hot chocolate or are on the lookout for the perfect gift, Christmas markets across the UK have something for everyone. We’ve created this list of the top 25 Christmas markets across the UK that are truly a cut above the rest.
25. Portsmouth Christmas Festival
Dates: 22nd November–30th December
Best for: The best food and drink options
Portsmouth’s annual Christmas extravaganza is worthy of its praise. There’s a large collection of market stalls selling everything from clothes, artisan food products, Christmas trinkets and ornaments, international cuisines and the best hot and cold festive drinks to truly get you into the Christmas spirit. But, it’s not just the Christmas Markets that make Portsmouth a great place to be during the festive season. Every year, the city comes alive with Christmas events and illuminations, creating the perfect atmosphere for everyone to enjoy.
24. Swansea Winter Wonderland
Dates: 23rd November–22nd December
Best for: Unique and charming gift ideas
Swansea’s take on the German staple includes a variety of classic food and drink stalls manned by experienced and passionate vendors, as well as entertainment hubs, gift stalls and some of the best mulled wine and hot chocolate around. Head to Swansea’s famous waterfront whilst you’re there, where the Winter Wonderland takes place. Perfect for a fun-filled day or night thanks to the abundance of attractions, rides and an ice rink. The Winter Wonderland is open from the 15th November–2nd January.
23. Worcester Victorian Fayre
Dates: 28th November–1st December
Best for: Historic entertainment, family fun
Worcester may be quite an underrated UK city, but it comes out on top with its festive events that are perfect for the whole family but with a unique twist. Worcester’s Victorian Christmas Fayre features vendors and market stallholders dressed as Victorian characters, along with festive and historic themes across 200 stalls. The Victorian Fayre really is entertainment galore, and certainly the place you want to be as Christmas approaches.
22. Stratford-Upon-Avon Christmas Festival
Dates: 7th-8th and 14th-15th December
Best for: Quaint market stalls, light displays, food & drink
Stratford-Upon-Avon is probably best known as the birthplace of Shakespeare, but the town has another claim to fame among locals and curious tourists alike which is its Christmas Festival/Market. Complete with around 200 stalls selling the highest quality gourmet food and sweet treats, Christmas decorations, stocking fillers and festive hot drinks, Stratford’s Christmas market is the perfect place to ring in the Christmas period.
21. Cambridge Christmas Market
Dates: 14th-15th December
Best for: Small and quirky gifts, students and families
The historic Cambridge city may be best known for its university, but it certainly knows how to celebrate Christmas. Cambridge’s small but exciting Christmas market features local vendors and the finest food, drink and gift ideas for the upcoming festive period. If you’re looking for a quirky and unique gift for a friend or family member, Cambridge Christmas Market is the place to find it.
20. Exeter Cathedral Christmas Market
Dates: 15th November–15th December
Best for: Variety and choice, something for everyone
Exeter puts on a spectacular celebration of Christmas with Devon’s largest Christmas market, featuring local vendors, the best international food and drink, small but meaningful gifts, and an inviting festive atmosphere that’s rife with excitement. Exeter’s beloved Christmas market is a favourite of locals and visitors alike and an annual tradition that you won’t want to miss out on.
19. Belfast Christmas Fayre
Dates: 16th November–22nd December
Best for: Wide array of gifts, bustling festive atmosphere, immersive entertainment
Belfast’s Victorian-themed Christmas Fayre will transport you back in time while reminding you of the magic of Christmas. Stories, performances and characters bring the world of Charles Dickens to life before your very eyes, while local vendors will provide you with an extensive array of German and international food and drink. Browse the collection of homemade and artisan trinkets that would make for the perfect gift for a friend or loved one, or indulge in a warming mug of hot chocolate or mulled wine. If you didn’t already feel Christmassy before attending Belfast’s Christmas Markets, you certainly will once you leave laden with gifts and festive cheer.
18. Southampton Christmas Market
Dates: 15th November–5th January
Best for: Festive entertainment and activities
Southampton’s version of the classic German tradition includes live entertainment, activities and festivities that the whole family can enjoy– children’s rides and activities, a large ice rink, bars, market stalls and more. The lively atmosphere of the markets is like no other, with bustling streets filled with excited shoppers and locals who want to experience a taste of Christmas. Think of all the classics like bespoke trinkets and gifts, mulled cider, and chocolate galore, served alongside live entertainment and against a backdrop of twinkling Christmas lights and decorations. Bliss.
17. Leeds Christmas Market
Dates: 22nd November–22nd December
Best for: Festive atmosphere, more choices
Leeds is known for its Christmas events that it puts on every year, and this year the city wants to expand its annual Christmas market event to make it bigger and better than ever before. Locals will be pleased to know that the classic Ice Cube skating rink is staying put, alongside dozens of new market stalls where you can find an abundance of festive gifts, hearty food, warming drinks and the best indulgent sweet treats. Leeds certainly doesn’t skip the finer details when it comes to providing a fun, entertaining and inclusive atmosphere in everything they do.
16. Chester Christmas Market
Dates: 15th November–22nd December
Best for: Families and children
Chester may not be first on your list for a city with one of the best Christmas Markets, however, it should be. As the festive season gets underway, Chester is transformed into a Christmas wonderland, with appearances from Santa himself, dozens of Christmas market stalls serving everything from handmade goods to the best international cuisines, and the best festive and fun atmosphere below the twinkling lights.
15. Bristol Christmas Market
Dates: 1st November–23rd December
Best for: All-round festive fun for the whole family
Bristol likes to offer an inclusive atmosphere to its locals and visitors, and at this time of year, it is doing so with an abundance of festive cheer. Enjoy dozens of market stalls serving authentic West Country cheese and cider, plus the best hand-crafted gifts and trinkets. Plus, families or young children will enjoy visiting Father Christmas and his elves, or escaping the hustle and bustle of the markets via a gondola ride across the river– if you’re a tourist to the city, this is an excellent way of viewing some of the top sights while soaking up the festive atmosphere.
14. Aberdeen Christmas Village
Dates: 15th November–22nd December
Best for: Live entertainment, variety of activities
Aberdeen’s annual Christmas Village sees quintessential local market stalls combined with ice skating and fairground rides to bring you the ultimate pre-Christmas fun. Aberdeen city centre comes alive with festivities from November to December, helping you celebrate Christmas in style. Plus, the whole family is guaranteed to find something to enjoy, even your four-legged friends! Whether you’re simply on the lookout for a freshly-made crepe or hot drink or want to go all out ahead of Christmas, you’ll be able to do both plus more at Aberdeen’s Christmas Village.
13. Nottingham Winter Wonderland
Dates: 13th November–31st December
Best for: The best fun-filled day or night out
The heart of Nottingham’s lively city centre hosts the ultimate Christmas and New Year’s Eve extravaganza, with rides, bars, ski-themed attractions, market stalls and live entertainment all rolled into one. Enjoy 360° views of the city from the giant observation wheel, browse the artisan food and gift selection at the market, or indulge in a warm drink at one of the many bars– the choice is yours.
12. Durham Christmas Festival
Dates: 6th–8th December
Best for: Family entertainment
Durham’s Christmas Festival is as lively as you’d expect, with three separate markets hosting hundreds of independent traders and vendors. The lantern parade is an event that is perfect for the whole family too. The best thing about the Durham Christmas Festival is that it’s not just concentrated in one part of the city, as there is an abundance of Christmas events and activities to partake in across the two days, so you’re guaranteed to get your Christmas fill.
11. Leicester Square Christmas Market
Dates: 6th November–5th January
Best for: Countless festive celebrations
Leicester Square in London hosts one of the UK’s best-loved and liveliest Christmas celebrations, complete with market stalls, award-winning live performances and entertainment in one of London’s busiest districts. What can you expect from the numerous market stalls? Apart from an abundance of glühwein, burgers, hot dogs and other mulled drinks, you can expect hand-crafted goods, bespoke gift ideas and chocolate galore to satisfy your sweet tooth.
10. Bath Christmas Market
Dates: 28th November–15th December
Best for: A blend of culture and Christmas fun
Set against a backdrop of the stunning Georgian architecture that perfectly characterises Bath, Christmas is celebrated through a variety of market stalls serving everything from ceramics and artisan food to classic mulled beverages and small, meaningful gift ideas. Bath Abbey is illuminated over the market stalls to provide the perfect blend of sightseeing and festive activity. Across the city, there are also live performances and entertainment that are the perfect way to end the day or night and see in the festive season.
9. Cardiff Christmas Market
Dates: 14th November–23rd December
Best for: Handmade, meaningful gifts
Cardiff is always bustling near Christmas time, with an abundance of events, performances and twinkling lights, but a key characteristic of its streets is the lines of wooden huts. Cardiff’s Christmas market may be small, but it is rife with local vendors selling everything from hand-crafted goods, crafts, jewellery and clothing to mulled wine/cider, bratwurst and more. Although Cardiff Christmas Market may be much smaller than other city markets, it’s the perfect place to find an original and meaningful gift or enjoy a warming beverage after dark.
8. Liverpool Christmas Market
Dates: 16th November–24th December
Best for: Christmas food and drinks
Right in the heart of Liverpool, the city’s biggest celebration of Christmas takes place, with dozens of market stalls, rides, attractions and alpine bars. The younger ones among us will enjoy Santa’s Land and the carousel ride, while older people will feel at home at the many bars and food stalls, or browsing crafts and gifts. Liverpool Christmas Market is easily accessible from most major public transport hubs, so there’s no excuse not to visit while you’re there.
7. Glasgow Christmas Market
Dates: 9th November–5th January
Best for: Festive cheer
Glasgow Christmas Market and Winterfest are oodles of fun, with dozens of fairground rides, an ice rink, countless food and drink stalls and bars, plus every kind of Christmas Market Stall you can think of. Scotland’s largest city sure knows how to help its locals and visitors enjoy themselves ahead of the Christmas season, and thanks to its popularity, the Winterfest is back this year to help you celebrate Christmas with a large mug of mulled wine or a glide across the ice rink. No matter your preferences, there is much to see and do here.
6. York Christmas Market
Dates: 14th November–22nd December
Best for: An inclusive and welcoming atmosphere
York Christmas Market ensures that every member of the family or group is enjoying themselves, with rides, bars, market stalls and the best festive and community atmosphere around. One of the best things about the market is its local vendors, meaning that you can support local business owners and enjoy yourself at the same time– talk about spreading Christmas cheer and spirit! There’s nothing quite like a stroll down St Sampson’s Square and feeling the festive spirit ooze from each market stall. With hot food and drink, crafts, artisan products and more, there really is something for everyone here.
5. Winchester Cathedral Christmas Market
Dates: 22nd November–22nd December
Best for: Historic charm and festive spirit
The historic city of Winchester has been a hub of Christmas celebrations for more than a millennium, and that history has carried through into the present day with its Christmas Markets. Set adjacent to Winchester Cathedral, the market stalls offer you everything from unique handmade Christmas crafts and ornaments to artisan food and drinks and one of the best atmospheres. Warm up with a hearty mulled wine or hot chocolate, indulge in some sweet treats or simply window-shop and get inspiration for stocking fillers or small inexpensive gifts. The choice is yours!
4. Manchester Christmas Market
Dates: 8th November–22nd December
Best for: Something sweet
Manchester returns with its iconic annual Christmas market, seeing more than 200 unique stalls offering up the perfect slice of Christmas. Shop, browse, eat, drink or simply enjoy the atmosphere across the city– you may think you’ve seen all the stalls, but as you turn the corner another row of those familiar wooden huts will greet you. Manchester is one of the best places to be during Christmas. Not only is its market the stuff of legends, but it also hosts several fun events such as the Light Trail, and Christmas Parade, plus a nearby ice rink. You’ll certainly struggle on where to go first, and your hands will be overloaded with gifts and food.
3. Birmingham Frankfurt Christmas Market
Dates: 1st November–24th December
Best for: Traditional German markets, the ultimate festive vibes
Birmingham honours the German traditions with its take on the Christmas markets that have swept across Europe. Here, you’ll be spoiled for choice the second you arrive, and you’ll leave with hands full of gifts, cheeks full of chestnuts or bratwurst and a stomach full of authentic German beer and glühwein. With classic Alpine stalls and structures entwined with Christmas lights, emanating the true German and Austrian spirit, you’ll feel immediately welcomed by Birmingham’s Christmas Markets.
2. Edinburgh Christmas Market
Dates: 15th November–4th January
Best for: Lively Christmas and New Year celebrations
With Christmas and Hogmanay (Scottish New Year) being so close to each other, Edinburgh’s Christmas celebrations usually merge both Hogmanay and Christmas into one, making for a spectacular affair unlike any other. With a combination of illuminated fairground rides, dozens of market stalls and live entertainment, there’s no better place to be during the festive season. As Hogmanay begins, expect world-famous street parties, processions, parades and more– although Christmas is a more laid-back affair, the approaching Hogmanay celebrations offset the Christmas ones, making for a grand old time indeed. Skate, shop, stroll, party or observe across four top locations.
1. Hyde Park Winter Wonderland
Dates: 21st November–5th January
Best for: Large-scale celebrations, family-fun
London comes in at number one with its famous Hyde Park Winter Wonderland. Imagine the biggest Christmas celebration you can, combined with traditional elements and charm that make Christmas in London unlike anything else. Hyde Park’s Winter Wonderland is so much more than a few fairground rides and Christmas market stalls, as it features live entertainment, awe-inspiring performances, immersive experiences and themed events that elevate the true meaning of Christmas to the absolute highest level. You definitely don’t want to miss out on this wintertime spectacle, so if you’re in London during the festive season add Hyde Park to the top of your itinerary!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Lauren Coton
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