Five Magical Christmas Markets To Visit In The UK This Year

The festive season is here and, in the lead up to the big day, you may be planning to celebrate with your family.

What better way to get into the Yuletide spirit than visit a magical Christmas market full of unique gifts and delicious festive food?

Luckily, there are some excellent events happening up and down the country, so you don’t need to travel far for a gingerbread man and a glass of mulled wine.

Here are five of the best Christmas markets to visit in the UK this year.

1. Bath Christmas Market

The Bath Christmas Market is one of the most popular events of its kind in the UK, and it celebrated its 20th anniversary last year. The market is back in 2023 for 18 days between 23 November and 10 December, with plenty of festive treats to enjoy.

Bath city centre will be filled with over 200 stalls and wooden chalets selling all manner of handmade Christmas gifts and delicious food and drink.

There is also a light show to coincide with the market, so beautiful buildings around the city will be lit up and decorated in festive colours. This brilliant spectacle brings a bit of extra magic to the Christmas market and following the trail is a great way to explore the city if you have never been before.

2. Birmingham Frankfurt Christmas Market

The Birmingham Frankfurt Christmas Market is considered the largest authentic German Christmas market outside of Germany.

Every year, thousands of stallholders travel to the UK and set up on Victoria Square and New Street to sell German pretzels, schnitzels, and bratwurst. You’ll also get a chance to sample Glühwein, a traditional mulled wine drink enjoyed across Europe at Christmas. There are some excellent handcrafted decorations and gifts on sale too.

Each year, alongside the market, there is a whole host of live music events as well as a Ferris wheel and an ice rink, so it’s ideal for keeping the kids entertained.

3. York Christmas Market

York has a certain magical feel to it all year round, with its cobbled streets and historical architecture. That’s why it’s the perfect place for a traditional Christmas market.

The city goes all out during the festive period, with various events happening all over the place. The traditional market runs from 16 November to 22 December with all the food, drink, and handmade gifts that you expect to find.

You might also want to visit York Minster for their Christmas Tree Festival, which runs from 2 December to 5 January. Each tree is decorated by charities, schools or businesses from the local area, and you can vote for your favourite.

4. Manchester Christmas Market

The Manchester Christmas Market was the first in the UK, starting in 1998. Since then, it has grown into one of the largest festive events, drawing visitors from across the country every year.

From 10 November to 21 December, nine different sites throughout the city will host over 225 Christmas stalls, as well as a range of other events.

Every weekend while the market is on, Festive Sundays promise a full roster of family entertainment pop-ups in the city centre. Piccadilly Gardens will also be transformed into the Winter Gardens, complete with ski chalets, decorations, and the famous Christmas Windmill.

Elsewhere, you can enjoy an ice rink and a Christmas light trail that leads you around the different sites. With plenty to explore, you could easily spend a weekend at the Manchester Christmas market.

5. Chester Christmas Market

If the markets in Birmingham or Manchester seem too busy for you, you may want to consider Chester Christmas Market instead.

The traditional festive event, held between 17 November and 21 December, takes place outside Chester Town Hall. Alongside all the food and drink stalls and handmade gifts, you will find impressive light displays and a Santa’s Grotto for the kids.

The cathedral will also host some great Christmas shows, such as A Christmas Carol on 28 and 29 November, or Christmas by Candlelight on 19 and 20 December.

Get in touch

Get in touch or email us at advice@milstedlangdon.co.uk for more information or to book an appointment with one of our advisers.

Please note

This blog is for general information only and does not constitute advice.

Posted in Blog.