The 16 Most Magical Christmas Markets in UK

It might sound like The Holiday — and truthfully, it’s not far off. Across the UK, from London to northern Scotland, pop-up Christmas markets are preparing to welcome guests. They feature festive food trucks and bars, jaw-dropping seasonal light displays, outdoor ice rinks, and stalls selling everything from local homemade crafts and European-style Christmas decorations to cheerful novelty socks.

Here are some of the best Christmas markets in the UK — from award-winning heavyweights to smaller venues that spotlight regional vendors.

Edinburgh’s Christmas Market

• Dates: November 15 — January 4, 2026
• Opening times: Daily; most stalls run from late morning to around 10:00 PM (check official listings for day-by-day times)
• Where: East Princes Street Gardens, Edinburgh, Scotland

With illuminated historic architecture and festive events, Scotland’s capital is magical at Christmas. In the centre of the city is the East Princes Street Gardens Christmas Market. This spectacular market is seconds from the main shopping streets and has over 70 stalls selling handcrafted gifts, bespoke products, and seasonal food and drink. You can hop on the Big Wheel for panoramic views of the city and Edinburgh Castle, or saunter over to the neighbouring West Princes Street Gardens Family Funfair. This is free to enter and has rides and attractions (mainly for kids and teenagers), as well as festive food stalls where you can warm up with a hot chocolate or mulled wine — a must for all parents at this time of year. The garden’s Ross Bandstand also hosts a festive programme of live events, with choirs, ceilidh bands, and sing-along carol concerts.

A ten-minute walk away is Edinburgh’s Christmas Ice Rink on George Street. As it tends to rain a lot in Scotland, the rink is undercover, offering protection from the elements. It’s scheduled to run from November 20 to January 4. If you can visit during the week, I highly recommend avoiding weekends, as this is one of the most popular Christmassy things to do in Edinburgh. There are food trucks where you can grab a snack or book into a restaurant or bar on George Street, which have festive menus at this time of year.

New for this year, St Andrew Square’s Winter Garden features one of the UK’s largest Christmas Tree Mazes. The Royal Botanical Garden also has an award-winning, internationally acclaimed light trail, which I attend every year. You’ll need to book tickets for this in advance as it sells out quickly.

York Christmas Market

• Dates: November 13 — December 21, 2025
• Opening times: Daily from 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM
• Where: Parliament Street and St Sampson’s Square, York, England

Despite the cold northern winter, York’s medieval cobblestone streets burst into color and light come December. Its major attractions embrace the Christmas spirit with special events and displays, ensuring there’s always something new to discover, even for those who have previously experienced the city’s winter magic.

One of the highlights of York’s Christmas season is the Christmas Market, also known as St Nicholas Fair, held in Parliament Street and St Sampson’s Square. There are over 70 alpine chalets showcasing a delightful array of local crafts, artisan products, and delicious seasonal treats. Around 85 percent of traders this season are from Yorkshire, and food and drink operators are Yorkshire-based, making it a strong opportunity to support local businesses and discover the region’s best. The market also prioritizes accessibility and visitor care, with initiatives like “Take A Seat” and the “Safe Space Scheme” to ensure that everyone, including those with reduced mobility, can comfortably enjoy the festivities.

Belfast Christmas Market

• Dates: November 15 — December 22, 2025
• Opening times: Monday to Wednesday 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM, Thursday to Saturday 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM, Sundays 12:00 PM — 6:00 PM
• Where: Belfast City Hall, Donegall Square, Belfast, County Antrim, Northern Ireland

Belfast is such a welcoming place to visit, and this is amplified during the festive season when the city centre is adorned with lights and visitors browse stalls with a warming drink in hand. If you’re heading there in winter, a good starting point is Joy’s Entry — one of the historic narrow alleyways in the city centre. Come December, Joy’s is decorated with candy canes and festive lights, the pavement is painted red, and it’s lined with snow-dusted trees. After taking this in, head over to the market set against the backdrop of City Hall where you’ll step into a Victorian-inspired scene.

The market, featuring over 100 international and local traders, invites you to browse a wide selection of goods from handcrafted gifts to seasonal snacks. The outdoor food court serves everything from burgers to warming mugs of glühwein. Live storytelling, musical performances, and costumed characters add to the festive atmosphere.

The best Christmas markets in London

As the days grow shorter and the air begins to carry the crisp scent of snow, London’s Christmas markets reawaken. These pop-up markets, scattered throughout the city center, offer a delightful array of festive delights, from handcrafted gifts and delicious treats to twinkling lights and holiday-themed events. There are also a couple of markets, Covent Garden and the historic Borough Market, which are open year-round but transform into winter wonderlands at the end of November. There are honestly too many Christmas markets in London to choose from, but here are a few of the best, from the grand Hyde Park and the iconic Covent Garden to Southbank, where you’ll have more options to buy local goods and support indepent food vendors. I’ve also included Kingston Christmas Market in Surry for those of you who want to get out of the city for a day trip (and because it’s simply beautiful).

Hyde Park Winter Wonderland

• Dates: November 14 — January 1, 2026
• Opening times: Daily from 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM (last entry around 9:30 PM)
• Where: Hyde Park, Serpentine Rd, London, England

Now in its eighteenth year, this beloved market offers a festive feast for people of all ages. The park fills with the sound of music and the smell of roasted nuts and mulled wine as visitors wander through the Bavarian Village, skate on the UK’s largest open-air ice rink, and explore the Magical Ice Kingdom 00 a frozen world of sculptures, slides, and intricate displays carved from more than 500 tonnes of ice and snow.

This year’s event also brings new attractions, including Luminarie Lane, a dazzling walkway of light installations, and over 150 rides, games, and festive stalls spread across the park. Timed-entry tickets are required, with off-peak sessions free and standard tickets starting from around £5. The ice rink, circus shows, and rides are individually ticketed, so booking in advance is recommended. As always, expect crowds — but also some of the most impressive Christmas lights and entertainment in London.

Southbank Centre Winter Market

• Dates: November 3 — January 4, 2026
• Opening times: Daily from 11:00 AM to 10:00 PM (craft traders until 9:00 PM, bars until 11:00 PM; closed Christmas Day and limited hours on New Year’s Eve)
• Where: Queen’s Walk, Southbank Centre, London, England

The Southbank riverside is a superb place to spend a winter afternoon. Yes, many visitors come for the London Eye and nearby attractions, but the market itself is one of the city’s most atmospheric Christmas spots — warm lights, wooden chalets, and views over the Thames that sparkle after dark.

The Southbank Winter Market returns in 2025 with more traders than before, stretching from the London Eye to the Golden Jubilee Bridge. Rows of chalets sell gifts from independent makers, festive foods, and seasonal drinks, while street food stalls serve duck wraps, raclette, and winter desserts. There are also new craft pop-ups and an expanded bar area near the Riverside Terrace, perfect for mulled wine or hot toddies. As the sun sets, the Winter Light installations across the Southbank Centre and riverfront switch on, creating a glow that makes this stretch of the Thames one of the most photogenic spots in the capital during December.

Covent Garden Christmas Market

• Dates: November 12 — January 5, 2026
• Opening times: Daily from 10:00 AM; closing times vary by retailer and restaurant
• Where: Covent Garden, West End of London, England

Dating back to the 17th century, Covent Garden Market is a must-visit, attracting visitors from all over the world. During the Christmas season, the marketplace is adorned with thousands of glittering lights, creating a magical atmosphere that is sure to put you in the holiday spirit. For 2025, more than 140,000 LED lights cover the piazza and Market Building, including the return of the oversized bells and baubles first introduced in 2023. These towering decorations feature 40 gigantic bells with bows, 12 giant baubles, and eight spinning mirror balls.

This year’s installation also includes new open-air concerts, pop-up dining cabins, and a Christmas Village featuring London-based artisans. As you explore the market, you’ll discover everything from handcrafted Christmas gifts to stylish clothing. It draws a lunch and dinner crowd throughout the year, especially at Christmas, so expect exceptional food and drink which you can enjoy by the 60-foot Christmas tree with its picture-perfect bow. On weekends, the square also hosts live performances and family workshops, making the square even livelier once the lights come on at dusk.

Kingston Christmas Market

• Dates: November 13 — December 28, 2025
• Opening times: Sunday to Wednesday from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM, Thursday to Saturday from 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM
• Where: Ancient Market Place, Kingston upon Thames, England

You can take countless day trips from London — it’s one of the best-connected cities in the UK. When visiting, hop on the pleasant train ride to Surrey and stop in the market town of Kingston. Over the years, Kingston’s annual festive market has grown into one of the most popular day-trip Christmas destinations for Londoners looking for a slower pace.

Stalls line the pedestrianised Ancient Market Place, lights are strung across the historic shopfronts and narrow lanes, and the air carries the scent of roasted chestnuts, mulled wine, and winter spices. Local traders sell handcrafted jewellery, ceramics, homeware, clothing, and regional food, while musicians and choirs perform throughout December. The atmosphere feels distinctly local — small-scale, community-run, and less commercial than central London’s markets — but every bit as festive.

Manchester Christmas Markets

• Dates: November 7 — December 22, 2025
• Opening times: Daily from 10:00 AM (craft stalls usually until about 8:00 PM; food & drink stalls often until around 9:00 PM)
• Where: Multiple locations across Manchester city centre including Piccadilly Gardens, Albert Square, Cathedral Gardens, King Street, Exchange Square, New Cathedral Street, The Corn Exchange.

Manchester goes all out for Christmas. It squares up to London with its festive events and markets, making it an excellent alternative if you’re interested in exploring northern England. It’s also not horribly far (just over three hours by train) so you could easily visit Manchester and Edinburgh on one trip. The markets in Manchester date back to the late 1990s and have become one of the UK’s most popular festive events.

The main hub of the market is at Piccadilly Gardens, but there are several other locations spread across the city centre. At Piccadilly Gardens, two new light-covered marquees will host traders and live music, while the street food market has been expanded for 2025 with additional festive bars. The largest market remains at Exchange Square; New Cathedral Street is where you want to go for high-end shopping, and King Street is a must-visit for cannelloni from the Italian deli and rum from local distillery, Salford Rum. After shopping, head to Cathedral Gardens for Skate Manchester’s covered ice rink. There’s live entertainment here from Thursday to Sunday and a bunch more festive food and drink offerings.

Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire

• Dates: November 14 — January 1, 2026
• Opening times: Daily from 10:00 AM to 8:30 PM (last entry 7:00 PM)
• Where: Blenheim Palace, Oxford Road, Woodstock, England

Blenheim Palace, a magnificent UNESCO World Heritage Site, is a twenty-minute drive from the city of Oxford. The palace’s grand architecture, adorned with festive decorations, provides a breathtaking backdrop for the annual Christmas Market and Light Trail.

The courtyard of the palace houses the market of wooden chalets where you can wander and sample festive food and drinks and grab some souvenirs before going into the palace or onto the light trail, which winds through the grounds to a waterfall area illuminated in a stunning display of choreographed lights. For 2025, the trail features an all-new route and over one million lights, lasers, and projections set to classical and contemporary music.

For families with young children, the Christmas market also has a small fairground with a vintage carousel, helter-skelter (a wooden amusement spiral slide ride), and swingboats. Inside the palace, this year’s theme is “Sleeping Beauty: A Festive Fairy Tale,” transforming the State Rooms with theatrical installations, glowing trees, and storytelling displays. You can also lace up your boots and skate on the Palace’s Great Court ice rink, which returns this winter under a clear canopy so you can skate beneath the stars.

To make the most of your visit to Blenheim Palace during the Christmas season, it’s recommended that you book your tickets in advance. This is a hugely popular event, and advance preparation will ensure you have access to both the Christmas Market and the Light Trail, as well as parking.

Bath Christmas Market

• Dates: November 27 — December 14, 2025
• Opening times: Monday to Wednesday 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM, Thursday to Saturday 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM, Sundays 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM
• Where: Bath City Centre, Bath, England

The Bath Christmas Market, held annually in the heart of the city, features over 180 chalets and stalls spread across the historic center. It’s well spaced out, from Bath Abbey and York Street to the Roman Baths, and sells everything you need for Christmas. Because it is so big, it’s recommended that you download the Bath Christmas Market Map to navigate the market with ease. This handy resource highlights the main shopping zones, notable sections, and points of interest, helping you plan your route and make the most of your visit. This year marks the market’s 25th anniversary — expect a little extra pageantry and special performances throughout its run.

Cardiff Christmas Market

• Dates: November 13 — December 23, 2025
• Opening times: Monday to Saturday 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM (with late closing to 7:00 PM on Thursdays in December), Sundays 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM
• Where: Cardiff City Centre, Cardiff, Wales

The Cardiff Christmas Market has been running for over 30 years in the city centre. It’s grown over the decades, with over 200 pop-up stalls selling everything from local cheese, honey, gin, and chocolate to Christmas novelty items — perfect for that person with everything. This year introduces a refreshed layout with wider walkways and a larger artisan section on St John Street, giving more space to independent Welsh makers.

The city’s festivities extend beyond the market. The Light of Winter Trail, a magical light and sound installation, illuminates the city centre. This free event features a breathtaking array of illuminations, sculptures, and special effects and runs until early January. On the City Hall Lawn and the grounds of Cardiff Castle, there’s a Winter Wonderland where you can skate on the open-air ice rink, now fully covered for 2025, hop on fairground rides, and grab a bite to eat and drink in the Alpine Village and Ice Bar.

Birmingham’s Frankfurt Christmas Market

• Dates: November 6 — December 23, 2025
• Opening times: Monday to Thursday 11:00 AM to 9:00 PM, Friday 11:00 AM to 9:30 PM, Saturday 10:00 AM to 9:30 PM, Sunday 10:00 AM to 9:00 PM
• Where: Victoria Square and New Street, Birmingham, England

England’s second-largest city is home to the grandest authentic German Christmas market outside of Germany or Austria, Birmingham’s Frankfurt Christmas Market. This spectacular market is a firm fixture in the city’s annual calendar and attracts UK and European visitors.

Held in Victoria Square and along New Street, expect everything you’d want from an authentic Christmas market and more. Foodies will be delighted. You can gobble warm pretzels, authentic bratwursts, roasted almonds, warming glühwein, German beers, and rich hot chocolate. The market will also feature a new live-music schedule for 2025, with performances across the season at The Bandstand in Victoria Square rather than just on Christmas Eve.

Winchester Cathedral Christmas Market

• Dates: 21 November — 22 December 2025
• Opening times: Monday to Wednesday 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM, Thursday 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM, Friday and Saturday 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM, Sunday 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM
• Where: Inner & Outer Close, Winchester Cathedral, Winchester, Hampshire, England

Each winter, Winchester Cathedral Close becomes one of the most atmospheric settings for a Christmas market in England. The stalls sit beneath the cathedral’s limestone walls, their lights reflected in the stone as carols play from the square. Wooden chalets line the walkways, selling handmade glass, pottery, textiles, and locally made food.

Winchester’s market has earned its reputation as one of the best in Europe. It’s carefully curated — around a hundred independent makers and producers are chosen each year — so you’re as likely to find a hand-thrown mug or wool scarf from a local artist as you are a German stollen or wedge of English cheese.

When you need a break from the cold, step into one of the cafés nearby or head into the cathedral itself for evening carols. The light from the stained glass gives the market a warm glow after dark across the Cathedral Close.

Nottingham Winter Wonderland

• Dates: November 12 — December 31, 2025 (closed December 25)
• Opening times: Sunday to Thursday 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM, Friday to Saturday 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM
• Where: Old Market Square, Nottingham, England

Every winter, Nottingham’s Old Market Square transforms into one of the largest festive celebrations in the East Midlands. The city’s grand Council House and surrounding historic buildings are illuminated for the season, framing more than 60 wooden chalets filled with handmade gifts, local produce, and regional specialties.

There’s plenty happening beyond the main market stalls. A full-sized ice rink curves around the fountains, linked by the raised Sky Skate walkway where skaters glide above the crowd. The 32-metre observation wheel offers sweeping views over the square and rooftops, especially as dusk settles and the lights come on. Nearby, the Ice Bar — kept at freezing temperature and sculpted entirely from ice — pours drinks in chilled glasses, while open-air food stands fill the air with the smell of bratwurst, Yorkshire pudding wraps, hot cider, and local ales.

Nottingham’s Winter Wonderland is free to enter, though skating and bar reservations should be booked ahead. The market draws large crowds, particularly on weekends, so weekday visits are recommended for shorter queues and easier skating sessions.

Oban Winter Fest

• Dates: November 14 — December 21, 2025
• Opening times: Check the website for the latest programme of events
• Where: Oban, Argyll and Bute, Scotland

If you’re willing to go a little further north and embrace a Scottish winter, consider visiting the small town of Oban for a Christmas vacation. The town is situated on the west coast of Scotland and packed in summer with UK and international visitors wanting fresh seafood and coastal scenery. But come winter, the pubs get cozier and the locals warmer as they gear up for their annual Christmas festival.

Oban Winter Festival is well known in Scotland and has won town awards from publications such as TimeOut and the BBC for its festive efforts. The 2025 festival will run for more than a month, expanding from its previous ten-day format. It opens mid-November with a light parade and closes just before Christmas. The programme includes a new illuminated “Winter Woods” trail, weekend craft and food markets, art exhibitions, and concerts across the town. There’s even a Santa’s sleigh parade featuring real reindeer. Markets are scattered throughout Oban, with highlights at The Corran Halls, The Rockfield Centre, and Oban Distillery.