Gorgeous gifts and goodies are in abundance at the UK’s best Christmas markets. Here we’ve rounded up some of the top choices to help you plan your festive calendar.
Christmas is a-coming, and one of the best things about this time of year are the Yuletide stalls that pop up in towns and cities across the UK, giving us the chance to pick up unique gifts and tuck into tasty treats, all while soaking up the fabulously festive atmosphere.
In this guide, we’ve provided details of all the best Christmas markets happening in your local area, so that you can plan your seasonal shopping spree well in advance. With everything from German-inspired festivals to giant retail events, there’s loads here to put in your diary.
Throughout the article, we’ve also highlighted deals and discounts that you can take advantage of with your Boundless membership – remember, the more money you can save, the more you can spend on gifts!
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- Best Christmas markets in London & the South East
- Best Christmas markets in the South West & Wales
- Best Christmas markets in the Midlands & the East
- Best Christmas markets in the North of England
- Best Christmas markets in Scotland & Northern Ireland
- Best Christmas markets in Europe
The best Christmas markets in London & the South East
Credit: Getty Images
Spirit of Christmas Fair
3–9 November
With over 600 independent boutiques expected to attend this huge exhibition at London’s Olympia – selling everything from toys and games to fashions and fragrances – you could probably gather up enough gifts to last you the next ten years. It’s just one of several Christmas markets taking place in London this winter. Other highlights include Hyde Park Winter Wonderland (14 November – 1 January), which combines seasonal stalls with fairground rides, ice skating and immersive wintry experiences, and the Christmas Fair at Twilight (21 November), which will see the grounds of Fulham Palace transformed into a magical village, filled with decorative chalets, music and merriment. (Fees apply to all events)
Boundless offer: If you’re attending one of the London Christmas markets, why not go and see a West End show while you’re in the capital? Members get 10% off all seats when booking through Boundless Tickets.
Kingston Christmas Market
13 November – 28 December
The Ancient Market at Kingston-upon-Thames has been a hive of activity since 1170 – and it certainly doesn’t close for Christmas! Over the festive period, this historic hub is transformed into a European-style market, with traders selling everything from candles to crochet, music boxes to mulled wine, and live performers providing a fittingly festive soundtrack.
Kent Festive Gift & Food Show
14–16 November
Imagine walking into Santa’s workshop and seeing thousands of toys, trinkets and treats laid out in front of you, waiting to fill homes with Christmas cheer. That’s what it feels like to enter this giant festive event, held inside and out at the Kent Showground. Alongside the stalls, there will be live music and real reindeer, making it a great day out for the whole family. (Fees apply)
Christmas at Blenheim Palace
14 November – 21 December
Sir Winston Churchill’s birthplace offers a spectacular seasonal experience that includes a festive light trail, an outdoor ice rink and, this year, The Palace of Oz – an immersive exhibition inspired by a certain movie favourite. Of course, there’s a Christmas market, too, with rows of Alpine chalets stocked to the brim with crafts, curiosities and calorific treats. (Fees apply)
Kew Sparkle
5 December
Held for one evening only in Kew Village – just a stone’s throw from the world-famous Royal Botanic Gardens – Kew Sparkle serves up lashings of community cheer. Grab a warming winter drink and browse the myriad stalls, while stilt walkers and stage musicians perform in the background. If this doesn’t get you in the mood for Christmas, then nothing will!
Boundless offer: Maybe you could combine your trip to Kew Sparkle with a visit to the Royal Botanic Gardens. Boundless members get unlimited access for themselves and up to five children, with an additional adult able to enter at a 50% discount. You can also get up to 17% off adult tickets for the Christmas at Kew event until 31 October.
The best Christmas markets in the South West & Wales
Credit: Getty Images
Cardiff Christmas Market
13 November – 23 December
Arts and crafts are the primary focus of this Christmas market, with the organisers actively encouraging traders to demonstrate their skills while selling their wares. You won’t go hungry or thirsty while you browse the stalls, either – from churros to chestnuts, waffles to wursts, there’s lots here to tempt those tastebuds.
Exeter Cathedral Christmas Market
20 November – 19 December
The organisers of this annual event are promising something “bigger, brighter and more magical than ever” in 2025 – which is sure to excite those who come here year after year to browse the artisan crafts and gourmet nibbles beneath the majesty of Exeter Cathedral. If you decide to join the throng, why not use the opportunity to explore the cathedral interior – they only ask for a small donation.
Bath Christmas Market
27 November – 14 December
Cobbled streets and quaint Georgian houses provide a suitably picturesque backdrop for this popular event (pictured above) – voted Best UK Christmas Market 2024. From hand-carved tree decorations to local pies and puddings, there’s plenty here to fill your basket. Once you’ve finished shopping, warm your hands with a steaming mulled cider from one of the myriad refreshment stands.
Boundless offer: On Saturday 13 December, The Railway Touring Company is running a special steam train ride from Three Bridges in West Sussex to the Bath Christmas Market (with an option to carry on to the Bristol Christmas Market). With Boundless members able to get money off trips with The Railway Touring Company, you’re on track for a seasonal saving.
Christmas Market at Avebury
6 December
Step back in time at this National Trust Christmas market, which enables visitors to browse delightful handmade gifts within an idyllic, 17th-century threshing barn. With singers and musicians performing traditional carols in the background, and refreshment stalls selling a range of toasty treats, you’ll be in the Christmas spirit before you know it. (Fees apply)
Boundless offer: Members get 10% off every time they buy a National Trust Gift Card, which can be used to purchase National Trust memberships, make bookings, and pay for goods in National Trust shops and restaurants.
The best Christmas markets in the Midlands & the East
Credit: Getty Images
Birmingham's Frankfurt Christmas Market
1 November – 24 December
Hailed as “the largest authentic German Christmas market outside of Germany or Austria”, this jovial jamboree (pictured above) turns Birmingham’s Victoria Square and New Street into a Deutsche-themed winter wonderland filled with wooden chalets, funfair rides and a generous dose of Heiterkeit. If you love beer, bratwursts and oompah-style Christmas music, then this is the one for you!
Chatsworth Christmas Market
8 November – 14 December
People come from miles around to experience Chatsworth’s market, which sees the grounds of this Derbyshire mansion transformed into a magical festive village. Whether you’re looking to fill stockings or bellies, you’ll be spoilt for ideas with over 100 stalls to browse. Afterwards, listen to some live music while enjoying some decadent treats – it is Christmas, after all! (Parking fees apply)
Leicester Christmas Market
13 November – 28 December
Allow the sights, sounds and smells of Christmas to fill your heart with glee at Leicester’s annual festive market. Inhabiting the city centre from High Street to Gallowtree Gate, this vibrant village will tempt you with all kinds of handmade and locally produced goods. Confectionery, clothing, crafts – you name it, they’ll have it!
Christmas at Holkham
12 – 14 December
Over 60 makers and producers will be displaying their wares at this tinsel-tastic retail event, which takes place both inside the Lady Elizabeth Wing of Holkham Hall, and outside in a row of festive chalets. With everything from glass decorations to gilded oyster shells up for sale, you should find something for every member of your family. (Parking fees apply)
The best Christmas markets in the North of England
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York Christmas Market
13 November – 21 December
Named among the cheapest Christmas markets in the country, York’s award-winning festive fayre sees Parliament Street and St Sampson’s Square come alive with seasonal merriment. Stalls sell everything from handmade gifts to artisanal foods, with over 80% of the traders coming from Yorkshire – and there are fairground rides for the little ones, too.
Liverpool Christmas Market
15 November – 24 December
Laid out in a magical U-shape around the iconic St George’s Hall, Liverpool Christmas Market (pictured above) aims to inspire and delight. With a smorgasbord of crafts, clothes and foods on offer, you won’t be short of gift ideas. Neither will the kids be short of things to do, with a ferris wheel, a snow slide and a magical Santa Land all guaranteed to bring smiles to those little faces.
Chester Christmas Market
19 November – 22 December
We could never tire of visiting Chester, with its stunning architecture and unique city walls. But this historic city is particularly magical at Christmas, when more than 70 traders descend on Town Hall Square to showcase their goods. It may not be the biggest Christmas market on this list, but it’s undoubtedly one of the most inviting.
The best Christmas markets in Scotland & Northern Ireland
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Belfast Christmas Market
15 November – 22 December
It’s easy to find this festive shopping village – just look for Belfast City Hall illuminated against the night sky, and you’ll find the Christmas Market sprawled out in front of it. Everywhere you look there will be seasonal glitz, from the chalets laden with Glühwein and gingerbread, to the vintage carousels whirling and twirling in a blur of neon.
Edinburgh Christmas Market
15 November – 4 January
Hogmanay isn’t the only seasonal celebration that Edinburgh is known for. Occupying East Princes Street Gardens, the city’s Christmas Market (pictured above) is recognised as one of the best in Europe, with swathes of wooden huts parading a huge array of merry merch. Once you’re done browsing, hop aboard the LNER Big Wheel for a bird’s eye view of the festivities down below.
Deck the Halls
28–30 November
Organised in partnership with the National Trust for Scotland, this three-day shopping extravaganza fills Glasgow’s massive SEC with a mesmerising variety of Christmas gifts and goodies – all waiting for you to take them home. In addition to the stalls, there will be a festive fashion workshop, a cocktail-making session, a literary talk and much more. (Fees apply)
Boundless offer: Speaking of the National Trust for Scotland, Boundless Plus members get unlimited free access to all of its places for themselves, an additional adult and up to six children per visit.
The best Christmas markets in Europe
Credit: Getty Images
Feeling adventurous? Then how about heading for the continent to sample one of the best Christmas markets that Europe has to offer. Some of our favourites can be found in Vienna (pictured above), Budapest, Paris and Nuremberg, with Time Out naming the last on that list as “Europe’s best Christmas market to visit this year”. Click on the links to find out when each market is taking place in 2025.
Boundless offer: Members can save 10% when booking a European break through Hotels.com.
Do more with Boundless
If you're working in or retired from the public sector or civil service, Boundless has two great membership options to choose from: Boundless and Boundless Plus.
With Boundless, you get unlimited access or discounted entry to many of the UK’s top attractions, including Kew Gardens and Wakehurst and WWT centres across the UK, as well as year-round deals on restaurants, holidays, shopping and much more. With Boundless Plus, you can enjoy additional benefits including unlimited access to Historic Royal Palaces sites, National Trust for Scotland places, access to The Ramblers' extensive walking community, and peace of mind with roadside assistance and local recovery by Britannia Rescue.
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