Top 5: Best Christmas markets in the United Kingdom

14 November, 2019 | Update: 15/11/2023

Visiting a Christmas market is fantastic! All your senses will be stimulated as you walk among the wonderful wooden Christmas stalls, all beautifully lit up. You will be welcomed by the smell of mulled wine and hot chocolate and the Christmas carols will ring around your ears. Visiting a Christmas market will instantly put you in the Christmas mood. We have compiled a list of the top 5 best Christmas markets. And we have added some tips for campsites in the vicinity of the Christmas markets that are very suitable for camping in winter. Make a complete Christmas weekend of it.

1. A romantic stroll in Bath

Bath has a wonderful historic centre where you can stroll around for hours, so imagine what it is like when the streets are filled with more than 170 wooden chalets. Several stalls are located around Bath Abbey, making a visit to this Christmas market truly magical. You can find the nicest gifts here! You can get handmade toys, jewellery or a lovely Christmas decorations.

Bath Christmas Market 2023 is open from 23rd November – 10th December 2023

Bath

Bath

2. Bigger, better, Manchester

There is plenty to see at the Christmas market in Manchester! The Christmas stalls are spread over no fewer than nine different locations. Fortunately, they are all within walking distance. And while at many other Christmas markets in England you will encounter lots of English traditions, that is not the case at the Christmas market in Manchester. Here, you will find European traditions, so you will see German bratwurst, fresh cannelloni and arancini and you can get French style perfumes and soaps. Put on your ice skates and go around the ice skating rink, it’s guaranteed to be fun.

Manchester Christmas Market 2023 is open from 10 November – 21 December 2023
Campsite in the vicinity:  Woodlands Park

Manchester

Manchester

3. Meet Father Christmas in Edinburgh

The Christmas market in Edinburgh is one big winter wonderland. You can meet Father Christmas in St Andrew’s Square, you can glide down the George Street Ice Rink, or view the city from the Forth 1 Big Wheel. Besides all this, you can go along to three Christmas markets, one in the East Princes Street Gardens, one in the West Princes Street Gardens and the other on George Street.

Edinburgh Christmas Market 2023 is open from 17 November 2023 – 6 January 2024
Campsite in the vicinity Mortonhall Caravan & Camping Park

Edinburgh

Edinburgh

4. Soak up the German atmosphere in Birmingham

The Frankfurt Christmas market in Birmingham is the largest authentic Frankfurt market outside of Germany and Austria. Here, you can visit a large range of stalls all offering a great variety of traditional gifts. But, actually you come here for the German food and drinks. Here you can eat pretzels, schnitzels, bratwursts, and roasted almonds. It will tempt your taste buds, and can all be washed down with glühwein (Mulled wine), weissbee (White Beer), or hot chocolate. Victoria Square has a village feel and the Christmas market continues all the way to New Street.

Birmingham Christmas Market 2023 is open from 2 November 2023 – 24 December 2023
Campsite in the vicinity Somers Wood Caravan Park

Birmingham

Birmingham

5. Artistic in Brighton

In Brighton, besides the traditional Christmas market, there is another very intriguing market. Here, local artists are asked to open the doors to their houses and studios to give the shopping public a peak into their artistic lives. Here, you can see the most beautiful works of art and paintings and they are all for sale.

Artists Open Houses 2023 in Brighton: open from 25 November – 10 December 2023
Campsite in the vicinity
 Sheepcote Valley car. Club site

Brighton

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  • Author: Marieke
  • I grew up camping. The tent was pitched every year in beautiful places in the Netherlands and Belgium. I like active or relaxing holidays in the countryside best. Preferably at a campsite by a lake or river with a view of the mountains. For me, a day in the city is always part of a holiday.

    3 Comments

  1. Very surprised Winchester wasn’t in the list!

  2. Great report but only one little thing that I think that would need to be changed.
    Edinburgh is the Capital of Scotland, it is not part of England not now or ever since time began.

    • Dear Eric, thank you for your response. I have updated the title. Kind regards, Bianca

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