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Christmas

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Original poster

Christmas Markets

37 replies

nancy75 · 20/08/2011 21:40

I would really like to take my DD to a big Christmas Market. I was thinking about Lille, but after the disasters on the eurostar with snow and cold in the past couple of years I'm a bit put off. Are there any really lovely Christmas markets in the uk? We live in london, but would go for a weekend if there is a nice place that anyone could recomend?

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overthemill · 20/08/2011 21:43

We wen to christmas market in lille a few years ago. Eurotunnel and drove to outskirts then parked and went to centre on metro.

It was brilliant, really lovely and lots of happy memories.

Would love to go again

We have also been to Lincoln which was also excellent but crowded!

ja9 · 20/08/2011 21:45

have heard york is good... or bath?

fortyplus · 20/08/2011 21:48

A friend told me that the Birmingham one was excellent but I couldn't go because of the snow! They have one at the Milton Keynes shopping centre and that's unbelievably bad!

Original poster
nancy75 · 20/08/2011 21:49

overthemill - what worries me is that last year and the year before the tunnel was shut due to snow/cold ect. It would be just my luck to get stuck there the week before christmas!

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HarrietSchulenberg · 20/08/2011 21:52

Birmingham one is lovely, and I hear the Manchester one is great too.

Original poster
nancy75 · 20/08/2011 21:55

York sound nice, is Birmingham a nice city to visit?
I am one of those londoners that think anything outside the M25 is abroad Blush, also my dp is Australian and has seen very little of the country (despite being here for 10 years) so I would like to go somewhere really historic if you know what I mean?

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Original poster
nancy75 · 20/08/2011 21:56

What about Scotland? Neither of us have been there!

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ja9 · 20/08/2011 22:00

edinburgh one is quite nice... nicer than glasgow anyway...

HarrietSchulenberg · 20/08/2011 22:02

Birmingham is nice to visit. It's not the derelict, soulless, epicentre of nowhere that it used to be (that accolade goes to Telford these days). Birmingham has gone rather upmarket over the last 10 years.

No, I don't live there, nor do I work for the tourist board.

foxinsocks · 20/08/2011 22:04

Lol Nancy

I quite fancy Vienna but like you, not sure I could be bothered with the hassle of cancelled flights etc

birdofthenorth · 20/08/2011 22:04

Manchester is the best in the UK by far!

Wormshuffler · 20/08/2011 22:07

I agree with Birmingham, the Lincoln one is ridiculously crowded, you can't just wander, you get herded around in one direction and the parking is a nightmare.

exoticfruits · 20/08/2011 22:08

Winchester is lovely-around the cathedral with an ice rink.

Original poster
nancy75 · 20/08/2011 22:12

I don't even know where Lincoln is! Some interesting ideas, I'm guessing by Ja9's less than enthusiastic reply Scotland is a no no?

I have never considered going to Birmingham, but I will have a look at some websites, and also for Manchester (at least I have an Idea of which area of the country they are inBlush)

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exoticfruits · 20/08/2011 22:16

There is a pretty comprehensive list here

LordOfTheFlies · 20/08/2011 22:19

I used to live in Glasgow for 3 years and I didn't even know they had one Blush Though it was years ago in my defence.

In London they have a German Market on the South Bank (starts in November)
It's not massive but I think there's more stalls each year.

Be warned, it's freezing as it's quite open ,being by the river.

Personally, I would go to York because the town is so gorgeous too.

Lilyloo · 20/08/2011 22:22

The christmas market in Manchester is really good , very authentic , especially with a bit of outdoors iceskating in the town square.

cat64 · 20/08/2011 22:25

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Original poster
nancy75 · 20/08/2011 22:26

Ooh too many choices now - I might spend every weekend in December dragging the family round Christmas markets!

Exotic Fruits, thank you for the list - losts of lovely places there, Winchester does look nice and not as far as some of the other places (i am thinking of the weather)
Lord of the flies - we live in london so have done the Southbank to death really, I do like the look of York as a place.

Lilyloo - I have counted your Manchester vote!

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LittleWhiteWolf · 20/08/2011 22:35

Did Hamburg a few years ago. Thats a proper Christmas Market! This year I'm determined to drag take DH to the one in Oxford, purely as its local.

LordOfTheFlies · 20/08/2011 22:43

Did you like the German Market nancy75?

I thought they were very atmospheric (been twice to SouthBank) but I don't think I actually bought anything.
There's alot of meat and mulled wine (cant spell Gluwine) stalls but I'm a non drinking vegetarian. Though the sweets and gingerbreads looked nice.

Then you have to transport the stuff home.
But the DCs like the Carousel and all the entertainment.

Original poster
nancy75 · 20/08/2011 22:47

Lord of the flies - its a nice afternoon out, but we live in SE london, so it just feels like somewhere we go anyway but with stalls! Tbh I'm not really looking to buy stuff, I would just like to take DD(aged 6) to a really big xmas market because they have a lovely atmosphere, especilly if it's in a really pretty place.

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LordOfTheFlies · 20/08/2011 23:48

York has got some really nice places (sadly The Forbidden Corner near Masham isn't open in winter Sad .Your 6 yo DD would love it)

We usually go on holiday to York in Sept, it's central for the family. But I would love to go at Christmas. Though last year they had horrendous snow. My brother lives near Halifax.

There was a "Great things about Yorkshire" thread last week (I think on chat) .Should give you some ideas. Grin

Original poster
nancy75 · 20/08/2011 23:53

York does look really lovely, it's got that kind of old fahioned look about it! It looks like one of those places that would be quite magical at christmas. Also because Dp is Australian it would be nice for him to see some of ye olde england! I am going to look up the graet things about Yorkshire thread now.
The snow is the reason I want to stick to the uk, if we are driving we can decide whether to go/ not go at the last minute - all you lose is the price of the hotel room, but if we get stuck on the wrong side of the channel tunnel it would be a nightmare!

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ja9 · 21/08/2011 00:18

I go to the Edinburgh one every year, and really enjoy it. BUT, i live in central Scotland... not really sure it's worth travelling a distance to. Having said that, Edinburgh itself offers plenty more... and you wouldn't be disappointed in it as a city / weekend break...it's just that the Christmas market isn't all that...