Christmas Markets

[fatandfuuny]

What are the best Christmas Markets in the Uk? We have been to York, Sheffield and London.

Birmingham and Bath

Birmingham although due to the redevelopment of centenerary square it hasn't been as good as in recent years although still a lovely day out.

Birmingham ones are great

Harrogate was surprisingly good last year.

Edinburgh

Bury St Edmunds and Winchester are both really good and both cities have lots of independent shops too.

I went to Birmingham last year and found it very disappointing. There were basically the same 6 stalls repeated over and over again. And it was very crowded. We got bored and went and looked around the museum instead.

I have been to Edinburgh a few times. It's very pretty but it's just a bunch of stalls with repetitive expensive shit tbh. The food stalls are good, but in terms of actual decent buys, I didn't see a thing.

Bury St Edmunds & Lincoln

Cross posted!

I wonder if that's the standard Gin

Manchester! Better than Sheffield.

Another vote for Bath...and Bristol was good last year!!

Birmingham market is awful at the weekend. Streets are too narrow and nobody can move. Like human gridlock. (Maybe better early on a weekday?)

Manchester markets are brilliant as they are spread over a huge area so plenty of space. Avoid Albert Sq as this does get gridlocked.

How about Belfast? Anyone any experience of that one?

Manchester definitely! Really spread out over the whole city so not too busy... we go every year and stay overnight :)

Will there be any German markets this year after Brexit? Totally agree with @Ginfordinner & @Elodie2019. I'm in Birmingham & it's awful. Endless repetition of the same few types of stall selling stuff you can get in shops way over priced - don't bother buying the stollen, it's the same that Aldi sells.

Last year an alternative local trader market was set up in the grounds of St. Philip's, also city centre, complete with a wandering Santa, 2 elves & a brilliant train ride for the kids. If you're heading for Birmingham & that one's on again this year it'll be the better bet.

Chatsworth House

Thank you for all the lovely suggestions.

Hi, I'm thinking of York Christmas market this year OP, what was that like?

Belfast Christmas Market can be hit or miss IMO. Some years the atmosphere is brilliant and others not so much. It can get busy too and I don't think it's big enough to recommend any one travels over specifically for it.

That being said, combine it with a day that St George's Market is open, a wee trip round them both and then more sight seeing of Belfast itself...that I would recommend. I live here so I know I am biased but I love Belfast.

Lincoln was wonderful but that was a few years ago. Manchester was horrible, heaving, couldn’t move.

"Manchester was horrible, heaving, couldn’t move."

Birmingham was like that. I think some of these markets are a victim of their own success. York is OK. I quite liked it. It is quite small, but I would go again.

Winchester is lovely if you are in the south. It's not huge, but it's all in the pretty cathedral grounds and there's usually an ice rink. Twice a month there is also a big farmers market so I usually try to coincide my trip with those dates.

Bath so lovely if you get the at opening time. Any later and it's a human gridlock and you can't get anywhere near the market!

Every Christmas market I go to has the same old tat I find, so to a large extent it’s more about the surroundings and ambiance than the shopping.