Has anyone on Mumsnet ever been to a UK town or city Christmas Market and thought "that was great, so glad I went"?

[LindorDoubleChoc]

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Never in the UK. Used to live in Brum and hated the market. Overpriced rubbish. Went to a beautiful one in Boston once.

Yes, Birmingham, exh & I went for a weekend to go to the Good Food Show, we went round the market at night & it was brilliant, better than the ones at Sheffield & York.

I strongly suspect we live in the same town! In ours its outside the poundland/poundstretcher/whateverthehellitiscalled now, and Next!

Avoid Bath Christmas market at all costs. Dangerously overcrowded to the point of being shoulder to shoulder and not being able to move, full of overpriced tat. Train station also gets very busy with massive queues to platforms. Been once a few years ago when first moved to the area but won't be going back. It's not popular with the locals either.

Southampton not as crowded but still utterly crap and smelly too.

I have been at the Nottingham one this evening. Very busy but fun. There's an elevated ice rink and big wheel and lots of stalls which seemed to be selling good stuff. Haven't been to Nottingham for years and was expecting quite an edgy atmosphere but it was really nice

I'm a total hick though, so easily impressed.

I love the Bath Christmas market. I think it is better now that they are spreading it wider than the Abbey Square - it makes it less crowded, and encourages you to look at the shops as well as the stalls.

I've never regretted going to a Christmas Market. But then again I don't have high expectations and don't really travel for them.

Me too! Spectacular setting, varied and interesting stalls, very Christmassy

Another vote for Chatsworth. Shame it’s only on in November. We bought all our presents there last year. Plus cheese 🤣

Exactly this.

I've been to Birmingham - it was dreadful. People standing around shivering, wet and miserable, eating overpriced sweaty sausages and drinking luke warm overly sweet mulled wine. Never again.

Bath is the best I’ve been to and the setting is really lovely too. It’s such a beautiful city.

The Christmas Fair at Chelsea Physic Garden is always very beautiful.

York, Durham, the Moore

Not for many years.

Went to one the other day. What a load of shit. I don’t mind paying more for handmade goods but I expect them to be of good quality. I’m not spending £20 on a scent less scented candle. And £12 for a cheese toastie and hand full of crisps is a piss take

Only once. Lincoln and it was snowing. Just beautiful,

The Christmas fair at Waddesdon Manor (NT house and gardens in Bucks) was pretty good when we last went. Pricey, though, as we don’t have membership. It wasn’t too crowded either but that may have been luck. They also had a fab lights exhibition and the DC wore themselves out on the big play area there.

Manchester was great when I last went pre-kids. That was ages ago though.

We really loathed Winter Wonderland, never again. Soulless and miserable.

Putting in an unashamed plug for the Christmas market in our little town. It's always great! https://www.swanage.events/swanage-christmas-market/

Went to Liverpool on Tuesday and it was nice for a wander through and Dutch pancakes it wasn’t particularly crowded. Belfast holds a lot of memories and is a lovely nostalgic walk through-going to see the fake nuns and the French soap man who doesn’t speak French despite his best attempts at the accent. I went to Bath and Edinburgh pre covid and both were lovely though busy. Bath cathedral were doing 20 min carol services every hour which were brilliant and kicked off Christmas beautifully

I try and go the the one in Bath every year. Sample all the alcohol, have a lot of mulled wine and mini mince pies :)

I still can't believe they cancelled Lincoln Christmas market!
I think I'll try York this year.

Last year we ended up in Sofia in Bulgaria for a few days, very randomly. The Christmas market there was small but absolutely beautiful. There weren't any rides or anything flashy but they had a lot of choirs, the food was delicious and it was just such a beautiful Christmassy atmosphere. The snow may have helped a bit. It was exactly what I'd want from a Christmas market anyway and I'd recommend it to anyone who fancies venturing out there.

Between 15 and 20 years ago I went to Leeds, Birmingham and London South Bank. All were lovely and there was a lot of variety between the stalls.

The last 5 years or so they have been absolutely rubbish.

Lot of nice smaller ones put on all over the place, though - an Etsy-organised one for makers within 40 miles, a couple at stately homes or in pretty villages like Ruthin or Saltaire where it’s mostly independent makers selling their produce. I love a chance to buy something a bit out of the ordinary.

As I’m self employed and live in a city with a famous market I love going mid week on a sunny day pretty empty and chilled.

So funny all this hate for Christmas markets in here but they are actually really rammed so someone is going to them!

Years ago London Southbank was nice. It’s gone crap. Winchester was OK, but wouldn’t rush to go again. Canterbury was a joke, though I understand they moved it to the cathedral precinct this year. Southampton is meh now, too. They’re all just insanely overpriced, too.

I would book some AL to go to Bath. I went on the Friday last year and it wasn't too busy at all. The variety of stalls and local producers was brilliant.