Thanks to a hotter than average September, it feels way too early to start talking about mince pies and mulled wine. But the festive season is in fact just two months away! Before you know it, UK streets will be decked out with Christmas lights and turned into dazzling Christmas markets. Well, most of them, anyway.
Many Crimbo markets open as early as November, so now’s as good a time as any to figure out which ones are worth visiting. And to help you out, the Times has curated a list of the best festive markets this winter.
Topping the list was Cardiff Christmas market, which runs from November 9 to December 3. This one has been around for almost three decades, so it’s got the vibe down to a tee. For 2023 Cardiff will have 70 stalls occupied by a rolling programme of over 200 businesses in the city centre.
The market at Blenheim Palace (near Oxford) came next. Running for a month from November 17, Blenheim Palace’s market involves wooden chalets selling craft vodka and local cheeses, as well as an illuminated trail through the palace gardens. The palace interior itself will be decorated with a ‘Sleeping Beauty’ theme.
Also making the list was the Birmingham market, which is the biggest German market outside of Germany and Austria, Bath market, which is one of the UK’s biggest, and Winter Wonderland in London’s Hyde Park, which has the UK’s biggest outdoor ice-skating rink.
Here’s the full of the UK's best Christmas market, according to the Times.
- Cardiff
- Blenheim Palace
- Birmingham
- York
- Chester
- Bath
- Southampton
- Belfast
- Holkham Hall
- Winchester
- Edinburgh
- London
- Manchester
- Nottingham
- Stratford-upon-Avon
- Liverpool
You can read more about the Times ranking for yourself on the official website here.
Time Out’s take
While we at Time Out have to agree with many of the Times’s picks, we have our own carefully crafted list of the very best and most magical Christmas markets in the UK. And our festival guides don’t stop there: for more seasonal festivities take a look at our ultimate guide to Christmas in London.
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