The best Christmas markets in London for 2026

If you’re struggling to find the perfect, unique present for a loved one, the Christmas Independent Ceramics Market is bound to have the answer. The annual fair brings together over 150 ceramics makers, from students to established artists, all selling their distinctive wares in one space. Browse stall after stall of cups, sculptures and more and keep your eyes peeled for that special treasure. The market will make things more festive with a sound system to soundtrack your shopping, plus mulled wine and seasonal food to keep you refreshed on your search.

Opening dates: Sunday December 13

What you’ll find: Stunning ceramics and sculptures

The DIY Christmas Art Market is a veritable jamboree of potential gifts – either to give to friends and family, or to treat yourself with. As well as art prints and risograph and screen prints, the market will have t-shirts, patches, comics, tote bags, ceramics, zines and independent publications on its stalls, ready to be wrapped up and put under the tree. Sample the eclectic creativity with a glass of mulled wine and a mince pie to really ramp up the festivities. 

Opening dates: December 12

What you’ll find: Truly one-off gifts from prints and zines to ceramics and homewares

Greenwich Market will kick off its festive season with a glowing lantern parade and light switch-on on November 18. It’ll be decked out with twinking decor and the scents of Christmas dishes and drinks, alongside the usual line up of stalls for all your stocking-filler or secret Santa needs. 

Opening dates: From November 18

What you’ll find: Expect eco-friendly candles, handmade jewellery and artisan accessories, homeware and interior. 

There’s always something faintly Christmassy about Leadenhall Market, thanks to its Victorian architecture, and it really comes into its own when the festive season arrives, when twinkling lights and pretty Christmas trees return to the shopping arcade. In 2026, two pop-up markets offer an added incentive to visit.  SoLo Craft Fair Christmas Market will happen on two Saturdays (Nov 14 and Dec 12), offering handmade delights aplenty from over 100 different designers and makers, with a free crafty workshop from 12-3pm in the Beehive Passage. 

Opening dates: All year round, with special craft markets on November 14, December 12

What you’ll find: Handmade goodies and majorly festive vibes

Every winter the Southbank Centre turns the banks of the Thames into a frosty wonderland, full of little wooden Alpine-style cabins selling gifts, warming drinks, and snacks. You’ll find huts serving up truffle burgers, duck wraps, mulled wine, Dutch pancakes, churros and many more tasty morsels to nibble on while you look through gifts, jewellery and decorations made by independent craft traders. Once you’re done browsing, snuggle up at pop-up king Jimmy Garcia’s riverside venue Fire And Fromage, where you can snaffle all you can eat raclette, sip on seriously decadent hot chocolates, and even toast your own marshmallows round a cosy fire pit. 

Opening dates: November 2-Jan 3

What you’ll find: Alpine treats to snack on while you browse

Need to buy something for that friend who always has the most on-point decor and an eye for unique and chic trinkets? Head to the North London Makers’ Market, a veritable treasure trove for all things arty and aesthetically pleasing. Over 60 artists, designers and makers will be showcasing their wares at each edition of this monthly Stoke Newington market, which is laying on two festive specials this year. First, there's an indie jewellers market (Nov 21-22), then another art and design market (Dec 12-13) for last-minute shoppers.

Opening Dates: November 21-22; December 12-13.

Best For: Standout wall art and little trinkets for the magpie in your life

Given that their nation is home to Lapland, is covered in snow for half the year and boasts a healthy population of wild reindeer, it’s no surprise than the Finns love Christmas. You can expect plenty of festive feels at this always-popular annual Christmas Market at Rotherhithe’s Finnish Church. Browse traditional Finnish toys, design pieces, Christmas cards and plenty of Moomin memorabilia before tucking into barbequed food, cinnamon buns and salmon sandwiches, all washed down with a glass of steaming glögg. 

Opening dates: November 27-29, December 4-6

What you’ll find: Edible gifts more memorable than a tin of Celebrations.

There's arguably nowhere in London more Christmassy than Covent Garden's Piazza in December. Every year, the shopping district aims to outdo itself for sheer festive pizzaz. Beneath the Market Building’s 40 gigantic glittering bells, 12 giant baubles and 8 spinning mirror balls, stalls will be selling handmade crafts and artisan gifts. There'll be pop-ups and events to enjoy as the season unfolds, including mulled wine stations and a Santa's sleigh photo op. 

Opening dates: November 12-January 5 

What you’ll find: One-of-a-kind jewellery, artwork, garbs and antiques. 

Had more festive goodwill and cheer than you can stomach? The Satanic Flea Market’s (anti) Christmas special is the perfect antidote. As always, there’ll be a whole range of traders selling stuff from the darker side of life, like taxidermy, occult trinkets and even human skulls, plus other slightly more unusual goods than you might find at your typical Christmas market. It might not be the kind of place where you can get all your gifts sorted under one roof, but at least you won’t hear ‘Last Christmas’ or any other saccharine festive hits as you’re making your way around.

Opening dates: December 13

What you’ll find: Pressies for the witchy people in your life

This traditional fair will help you have a very Scandi Christmas with its stalls selling all sorts of festive Swedish treats, gifts, and decorations. A pop-up café in the church hall will serve open sandwiches with meatballs and cheese and the Swedes' take on mulled wine: glögg. On Sunday, join a special short service at the church ahead of the market opening. 

Opening dates: November 20-22

What you’ll find: Scandi-themed treats and plenty of glögg

You’ll find all the usual joys of Spitalfields Market and then some over the Christmas period. The market’s festive programme includes Christmas Shopping Lates, where shoppers can browse until 8pm serendaded by a live gospel choir. There’ll also be wreath making classes, seasonal dishes and a pop-up bar serving steaming cups of mulled wine and spiced chai. Bishop’s Square will become a village of pop-up chalets serving food and drinks, with a Gingerbread House hosting a range of festive activations. 

Opening dates: November 12-December 24

What you’ll find: Endless handmade, vintage and independently sourced gifts. 

The regenerated King’s Cross area will once again be transformed into a Christmas paradise from November, with seven different markets popping up over the course of five weeks. The Lower Stable Street Market offers up everything from food and drinks to homeware, art, books and clothing while Christmas under the Canopy will be showcasing some of London’s best artisan traders and food stalls. The Illustrators Fair will highlight local independent artists and the Crafty Fox Markets will showcase more than 100 designers. Elsewhere, the Mexican Christmas Market will provide a spicy twist on the festive season, with piñatas and a roaming cumbia band playing while you browse artisanal crafts and ornaments from the country and the Shōtengai Christmas Market will bring a taste of Japan to London. Talk about shopping til you drop!

Opening dates: Nov 26-Jan 3 

What you’ll find: From vintage garbs to artsy zines to one-of-a-kind Japanese homeware, there’s something for absolutely everyone. 

Each year, the bright lights of Leicester Square get a little bit more dazzling with its massive festive pop-up, which boasts a Christmas market, tons of scrumptious food and drink, and live entertainment. Wrapping around the Shakespeare statue in the centre of the square, London’s newest pop-up skating venue for nine weeks over the festive season, encircled by the market stalls. 

Opening dates: Until January 3

What you’ll find: Classic Christkindlesmarkt snacks, beverages and crafts.

Borough Market is one of London’s finest foodie destinations, so naturally it comes into its own during the feasting and boozing of the festive season. Its Christmas programme usually involves a series of live demonstrations, tastings and masterclasses, and the famous ‘cheese-themed extravaganza’ An Evening of Cheese. More details to come. 

Opening dates: December 1-31

What you’ll find: A bountiful spread of some of the finest food in town. 

’Tis the season for rampant consumerism, but if all the covetable clobber, shiny new tech and luxury knick-knacks are failing to fill the void, you’d do well to swing by the Choose Love store during your Christmas shopping spree. First set up in 2017 by Help Refugees, the clever pop-up doesn’t peddle fancy beauty products or the latest trainers. Instead, its shelves are filled with emergency blankets, children’s shoes, sleeping bags, toiletries, mobile phone credit, nappies, education supplies and other essentials needed by refugees around the world. Once you’ve bought what you can, the products are distributed via more than 80 projects that the humanitarian aid organisation works with across the globe. Head down to 15 Carnaby Street to do your bit to spread some Christmas cheer to those who need it most.

Opening dates: Nov 4-Dec 24

What you’ll find: Essential supplies for refugees and displaced people across the globe.  

The Hawk’s Nest is a twinkling woodland hideaway under the railway arches near Goldhawk Road tube that serves up pretty good cocktails and pizza. In the run-up to Christmas, it’ll be filled with independent traders selling everything from unique stocking fillers and stylish accessories to art, ceramics and jewellery. Look out for local artists selling prints and Christmas cards as well as baked goods and hot beverages to keep you cosy. After the market closes at 6pm, there’ll be a carol-singing session with live band – plus, lots of mulled wine. 

Opening dates: December 13

What you’ll find: Crafty gifts from independent makers

Chelsea Barracks will welcome back its beloved Winter Fair this November. For two days, Garrison Square is turning into a delightful little festive village full of unique crafted gifts and other Christmassy bits. The Artisan’s Market at the heart of the fair has been curated in collaboration with luxury lifestyle magazine House & Garden, who make it their business to know the best of all the of established names and emerging creative talent out there. This year, the market will have more vendors than ever. The 30 sellers on the lineup include Langtons Pottery, knitwear purveyors Eldon London, jewellers Gold Charmer and artists Nicky Dupont, Rosanna Falconer and Heather Evelyn. Elsewhere in the fair, there’ll be whole load of festive food and drink to tuck into, live enterainment and the chance Father Christmas and his herd of real-life reindeer. 

Opening dates: Nov 28 - Nov 29

What you’ll find: Artisanal luxuries picked out by experts 

Novikov Bar and Restaurant spills out onto a traffic-free Mayfair Place for a weekend crammed with food stalls, carnival dancers, cocktails, music and actual reindeer. Peruse the luxury products on offer from the likes of Furever London, Lacorine, Maya J and Dollond London, and dine on gourmet food and drink such as caviar bumps, homemade pasta and whole tuna carved to order. Oh yeah, and there’s the Louis Roederer Ice Bar - a real fixture of Christmas in Mayfair. Carols will commence mid-afternoon and DJs will also be spinning tunes every evening from 6pm.

Opening dates: Nov 26-28

What you’ll find: Ultra-posh products from fur coats to handcrafted gold jewellery. 

There’s a Bavarian flavour to Kingston Christmas Market, so much so you might be fooled into thinking you’ve stumbled through a portal into Germany. As you shop its many stalls, you can keep you energy up with bratwurst and mulled wine or take a pit stop at the Bavarian curling lanes. Live music and Christmas carol singers will also soundtrack the activities to really get you in the mood for Yuletide.

Opening dates: November 12 - January 3 (excluding Christmas Day)

What you’ll find: Bavarian treats and cute decorations

Local traders will line up along the River Lea for Barge East’s lovely Christmas market. Stop by to discover handmade gifts and unique trinkets, and to pick up a sweet festive treat or two. Wick Wonderland will pop up every in Barge East Gardens every weekend in the lead up to Chrimbo, alongside the Barge East Christmas Tree Market. If you’re lucky, you might just get all your Christmas admin sorted in one go. 

Opening dates: Dec 5-20

What you’ll find: Unique arts and crafts made in Hackney. 

The rides, rink and performances might make Winter Wonderland, but that’s not all there is to Hyde Park’s big festive takeover. In the Scandinavian-themed market square, you’ll find a more peaceful escape, with quaint huts housing stalls selling gifts and trinkets to give your loved ones (or yourself). Live music from the bandstand will soundtrack your shopping, and after, you can take a rest at the fire pit to much on some meatballs and waffles and other market staples.

Opening dates: November 19-January 3

What you’ll find: Scandi-themed goodies for heightening your hygge

Tucked away in Marylebone, the immaculate HQ of Monocle is opening to the public for its annual Christmas market. The offices of the international news magazine and radio station transform into a cosy hub for one weekend, and fill of festive sounds, scents, stalls and special guests. Expect treats from Monocle's favourite international brands (in the past they’ve included Sunspel, Begg x Co and Earl of East), plus musical performances, food from the Monocle Café and – best of all – a visit from Santa's very own reindeer all the way from Rovaniemi in Finland. 

Opening dates: December 12-13

What you’ll find: A lovingly curated lineup of brands spanning fashion, homeware and accessories. 

Looking for a Scandinavian winter wonderland right in the heart of London? The Norwegian Church in Rotherhithe is once again hosting its much-loved Christmas Fair. Expect stalls brimming with Nordic crafts, handmade gifts, beautiful design pieces, and plenty of traditional Norwegian treats to feast on. Grab yourself a steaming cup of gløgg, an open sandwich and a cinammon bun, and lean into the festive atmosphere with live music and good cheer.

Opening dates: November 20-22.

What you’ll find: Nordic goodies to help any homebody perfect the art of hygge. 

‘Yokimono’ means ‘good things’ in Japanese and you’ll find plenty of stuff that falls under that category at this Dalston market. Head here for a wide variety of Nippon-themed goodies, including ceramics, stationery, clothing, jewellery and more. Everything on sale here is either made in Japan or produced by Japanese artists in London, so you know it’s authentic. You can enjoy live performances by Japanese musicians while you shop, as well as taking part in workshops teaching you how to make everything from shimenara (braided hemp) Christmas wreaths to nerikiri (sweets made out of red bean paste). Need sustenance to keep you going? There’ll be tons of yummy Japanese treats to enjoy, from onigiri to wagashi. 

Opening Dates: December 5-6

What you’ll find: Japanese ceramics, stationery, gardening tools, vintage kimonos, handmade jewellery, and edible goodies.

Hit up Urban Makers’ festive special for plenty of stocking-filler buying opportunities. Each day promises a different selection of 50 curated, handpicked local and independent makers who will be manning stalls packed with homeware, textiles, accessories, jewellery, ceramics and original prints, all made with sustainability in mind. Once you’ve filled your bags tuck into festive street food, warming drinks and coffee. And for more information about the sellers at each event, have a look at the market’s website here. 

Opening dates: November 29-30 and December 13-14

What you’ll find: Gifts for your eco-warrior friend