Whether you visit for the food and bars or want to shop for artisan crafts and gifts, you can spend hours at a good Christmas market – and it might even be a reason to book that weekend getaway. City centre options are popular and easily accessible by train, and the UK has many, including those in London, Birmingham, Cardiff and Manchester. Or, for olde worlde charm, there are the historical centres of Chester, York and Winchester. Stately homes also provide a great venue with a perfect winter wonderland backdrop – including Blenheim Palace Market and Chatsworth House. Read on to discover more.
Manchester
6 November – 22 December (Albert Square and Cathedral Gardens open until 3 January), Manchester Christmas Markets
Manchester has one of the biggest city centre markets – running for nearly 30 years, it sprawls outwards from Albert Square and stretches further into side streets and nearby squares with each passing year. Visitors can browse a tempting array of seasonal foods, including hog roasts, bratwurst and mince pies, at more than 210 wooden chalets (check the exact locations on the market’s website). Take a break to ride on the festive wheel or glide across the ice rink, or catch the Christmas parade taking place through the city streets on Sunday 6 December. Travel by public transport if you can – this is a busy and popular market.
Birmingham
5 November – 24 December, Birmingham’s Frankfurt Christmas Market
Birmingham is famous for its Frankfurt Market – it claims to be the largest authentic German market outside Austria and Germany – so if bratwurst, pretzels, waffles, gingerbread and glühwein appeal, this is the venue for you. There’s always an excellent roster of free live music on offer from community choirs, local musicians and German bands, plus annual attractions including an ice rink, ferris wheel and singing moose (you’ll know it when you see it!). Come by train and use the glass deposit scheme for your hot and cold drinks for a lower carbon footprint.
Chester
18 November -22 December, Chester Christmas Market
Set in Town Hall Square, the market’s 80 traditional chalets offer local crafts, gifts and produce from Taste Cheshire Chester Farmers’ Market, so you can pick up Cheshire cheese and small-batch gins among other goodies. With its Roman walls, Tudor shopping arcade and the lovely red sandstone cathedral from which you can look out at the River Dee, Chester is a pretty setting for a festive city break.
If you have time, the cathedral also has a Christmas tree festival (25 Nov- 3 Jan 2027) where you can take in over 80 trees decorated in the theme of ‘Spirit of Christmas’.
Chatsworth House
7 November – 13 December, Chatsworth at Christmas
Treat yourself to a festive getaway in the historic Peak District town of Chatsworth. Set against the grand backdrop of Chatsworth House, the market features more than 100 stalls with food, drink and gifts. It’s also part of the larger ‘Christmas at Chatsworth’ offering – a ticket to one of the events gets you entry into the market as well (during the period it’s open).
It’s worth noting that many National Trust properties have Christmas fairs and markets. Check out nationaltrust.org.uk to find venues near you and the National Trust Christmas events page for venue information.
Winchester Cathedral
20 November – 22 December, Winchester Cathedral
Hampshire’s county town – known as ‘England’s Christmas capital’ – is home to the Winchester Cathedral Christmas market, which is held alongside traditional Advent and Christmas services that feature the cathedral’s renowned choir. Organisers rotate traders every year to give local businesses fair representation, and keep a strong focus on British artisan goods and makers. This year, 34 new traders will join the line-up, offering clothing, crafts, homewares and more, making it an ideal stop for Christmas shopping. The market is also run as sustainably as possible, using solar and mains power, LED lights and no generators. Waste and water are closely managed, and decorations and signage are reused.
London
Dates vary
The capital hosts many festive markets, from the epic Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park (ticketed) to the more relaxed riverside market along the South Bank, plus stalls in the grand settings of Trafalgar Square and Greenwich or the food-focused Borough Market. Smaller venues offer a more curated experience: try Columbia Road on Wednesday evenings in December, or Chelsea Physic Garden, King’s Cross, London Bridge, Kingston and Old Spitalfields for eclectic gifts and creative crafts. Check visitlondon.com for dates and times.
Leeds
19 November – 23 December, Leeds Christmas markets
Leeds’ City Square transforms at Christmas into a wonderland of twinkling lights and chalet-style stalls. The Yorkshire craft and food market champions local businesses, and you’ll stay entertained with winter games, karaoke huts, Thor’s tipi bar – serving Brew York’s limited-edition Thor’s Thunder craft beer and festive snacks — and free live music from local artists, school choirs
and community groups.
Cardiff
12 November – 23 December, Cardiff Christmas Market
This well-established, much-loved market features around 70 stalls, many of which rotate throughout the season to give a roster of 200 food and drink producers, makers and artists the chance to promote and sell their work. Wooden huts offering ciders, cakes, chocolates, pastries and mulled wine line the streets around St John’s Church, while Trinity Street is home to ‘taster’ stalls, showcasing newer or smaller makers. Lights and decorations add to the festive atmosphere at Cardiff Castle and the city’s arcades – there are illuminations at Cardiff Central station too, so it’s worth leaving extra time to wander around while you’re there.
Edinburgh
14 November – 3 January, Edinburgh Christmas Market
Edinburgh has no shortage of yuletide spirit, with its Winter Festival spanning Christmas and Hogmanay and featuring craft stalls, food markets, funfair rides and street performers. The European-style Christmas market in East Princes Street Gardens offers continental snacks and drinks, plus local gifts and produce. Edinburgh looks magical at most times of year, but Christmas gives the city an extra glow.
Blenheim Palace
13 November – 20 December, Blenheim Palace website
Nestled within the magnificent grounds of Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire, this enchanting Christmas market really pulls out all the stops. As well as featuring more than 60 wooden chalets for shopping in the Great Court, plus plenty to eat and drink in the East Court – free to enter – there’s a showstopping light trail to explore, which is illuminated by more than a million lights. There’s also a covered ice rink and Cinderella story trail through the state rooms for a fee, and for even more treats, you can book in for afternoon tea in the Orangery, which keeps to the Cinderella theme.
York
12 November – 21 December, York Christmas Market
It’s no surprise that this cathedral city is one of the prettiest at Christmas, and for its annual market, chalet-style stalls fill Parliament Street and St Sampson’s Square. If you’re after locally produced gifts, the market is the right place to shop – more than 80 per cent of traders are from Yorkshire, and many offer ethical and eco-friendly goods. The rest of historic York
is a joy to explore, with more local producers at Shambles Market and the Food Court. The market is closed on Tuesdays, so plan your visit accordingly.
Take a trip around our travel hub for more holiday inspiration, or get more ideas for a cosy winter break.
Which is your favourite Christmas market? Leave a comment below…
