Hello everyone! I’m looking for insider tips on which Christmas Markets to visit in England over a 10 day travel period. We’re flying in and out of London, and will be renting a car to travel. I’m most interested in cozy, countryside markets with great food and drink, instead of massively busy huge markets.
Thank you!
Christmas markets are not really traditional in England like they are in say Germany. They’ve only become popular in more recent years. I didn’t go to a Christmas market until I was in my 20s and it was a total novelty.
There may be small markets dotted around. Sometimes National Trust properties host them for example. But these will all be one or two day affairs held at a weekend. You won’t find a small market that runs for a couple of weeks. This type are all in cities and they all tend to be very busy and relatively unpleasant (in my opinion).
A newspsper article at the weekend had Bath, Winchester. Lincoln and York among the best. Speaking personally, Winchester was OK, and Oxford was awful.
For instance in Cumbria (the Lake District) there are quite a few Christmas Markets, but they are all weekend affairs, such as Taste Cumbria at Cockermouth on 5 and 6 December, and the Ulverston Dickensian Festival on 29 and 30 November.
The Keswick Victorian Fayre is a one day event on 7 December.
The Hawkshead Christmas Fair is on 6 to 7 December.
Kendal Christmas Celebration is also on 7 December.
Whitehaven (on the Cumbrian coast) has a Christmas Market and Fireworks on Friday 5 December (the now traditional date for the fireworks, moved several years ago from Bonfire Night).
You'll have noticed they are all deliberately either on Advent Weekend or at St Nicholas' Tide.
Grassington Christmas Market (used to be the Dickensian Festival) in North Yorkshire (All Creatures Great and Small fame) is another one held on those two Saturdays- 29 November and 6 December.
Close by is the well known Skipton Christmas Market- on Sundays 7 and 14 December.
You will also come across Christmas Tree Festivals in many Churches and Cathedrals, during December.
(All 2025 dates)
Bath is incredibly, incredibly busy during the market and the locals hate it! I think it’s one of the better markets in that they do make a real effort to include genuinely local crafts people and makers so that it’s not just selling the same tat you get anywhere (plenty of tat as well though).
As has been said, Christmas markets like you see in mainland Europe aren’t traditionally a thing in the UK. They are generally a modern invention and in my experience not that great, often being a perfect storm of overcrowded, overpriced and full of tat. I emphasise not all but many!
If you are planning to visit an area it is worth googling to see if anything is being held in the area rather than going out of your way to visit a specific market. At the weekend in the run up to Christmas you might find church fetes being held. These are much more ‘traditional’ and would be fun to visit.
Agreeing with everything said above- I think you're more likely to find the type of thing you are looking for in Germany.
But maybe England won't be as cold as Germany.
Perhaps, but I'm not so sure. For example, in Kendal (a town in the Lake District, mentioned above) average December temperature is 7C, which is the same as Cologne (a city known for xmas markets). London is slightly warmer at 10C average.
hcklein11, if you decide to check out markets in other countries, you might want to run through these two threads that talk about Christmas markets in Europe. Germany has some wonderful ones as does France. And they're in the southern part of the country. 😊
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/general-europe/best-small-town-christmas-market
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/germany/side-trip-to-germany-from-paris-which-town-s-should-we-go-to
I love the Christmas market in Bath. There are so many locally made goods at reasonable prices. In addition to the market, Bath is beautifully decorated this time of year. I am going back in three weeks, taking my niece this time.
It does get very crowded, especially on the weekends and in the evening.
Helen, any strategies for the Bath market? We arrive in Bath the day the market opens. I thought we might stop in to see the market early afternoon the day when we arrive (pick up car at 11 near Heathrow) then visit charity shops and bookstores (so many great ones) until dark so we can get a little of the night time ambiance before heading to our BnB in Wells.
I've heard the weekends are busy but perhaps opening night may be, as well.
Cheryl
Try to go midweek as I guess it must be quieter then. The weekends are really busy with the trains and train station becoming overwhelmed. There are a lot of coach trips as well. If we go, it’s first thing on a Sunday morning but it starts to get busy very quickly.
As others have said, Christmas Markets are not traditional in Britain. I was a grown-up before I even heard of them. However, the London Evening Standard has published a list of some of London's Christmas markets which might be of interest to anyone visiting over the next month or so:
https://www.standard.co.uk/going-out/attractions/best-christmas-markets-london-2023-b1119912.html
(I know there is a "2023" in the URL but this article was published yesterday)
@CanAmCherie- Wells Cathedral now have their Christmas plans out- the last day you are in Wells (30 November) they have a Candlelit Carol Service at 5pm- https://www.wellscathedral.org.uk/whats-on/christmas/services
Also the previous evening (the Patronal Festival of the Cathedral, with a special Eucharist at 5.15pm) a concert- Christmas at the Movies- https://www.wellscathedral.org.uk/whats-on?event=97731392
Hi, I enjoyed the Bath market but was there on a weekday morning/lunchtime. Even then, it was busy. Agree that there are quality handicrafts and artisans. Winchester’s market was nice but very small—I would go if you planned to visit the cathedral, the high street or other sites in Winchester.
Using the Bath Spring Fayre as a strategy example (I was in Bath May 2025), I walked over to Milsom Street Sunday morning as soon as the booths opened to stroll through before heading to the train station. Going first thing in the morning was much more pleasant than battling the crowd Saturday afternoon. Have a good trip!
Harrogate Christmas Market from 5 to 14 December 2025 is quite a good one. At least when I've been there the town hasn't been packed, busy but not packed. Admittedly I was there the same weekend as Grassington, so at the very start of it.
Germany style Christmas markets have been popping up in our large cities for some time now. I was told by a stall holder that he had come over from Germany with his wares because he makes more money than in Germany.
I'm going to Birmingham in a couple of weeks. I find them very overpriced but enjoy having a snack such as garlic bread of churros.
Birmingham is about as far from a small village that jou can get. There is a market in bury near Manchester three times a week not just at Christmas. If you want to see the real northern England, bury is the place.
Thanks for all the info and strategies on visiting the markets.
Stuart, Thank you, very much for the Wells info!
This was published in the Guardian today
Not Christmas markets but it might be of interest to someone?
Ooh, Emma, thanks for the link! I'm saving that for a future trip!!
Any market is more likely than not to be oversubscribed.
That being said I'm surprised to see the market on Winchester mentioned here only because we've also got a non-Christmas market every day here on the High Street, one of the oldest daily running markets in the country (I believe). Comparably our Christmas market is quite small and sometimes there have been designated queues to get in!
So of you're coming to Winchester, be sure to have a look at the stalls on the High Street and be aware of the massive crowds who descend here at Christmas.
