Christmas Markets 2026: UK Dates Guide

Christmas markets 2026: UK dates guide

The UK’s Christmas markets for 2026 run from early November into January, from Edinburgh to Winchester. This guide lists the dates, opening hours, locations and entry prices for the ten biggest markets — every fact below comes from the market’s own website, the city council or the official tourism site, checked on 28 October 2026. Where the official site does not publish a fact, this guide says so rather than guessing. Dates and times can change at short notice, so check the market’s own site before you travel.

Edinburgh Christmas Market

Edinburgh’s Christmas market runs from Saturday 14 November 2026 to Sunday 3 January 2027 in East Princes Street Gardens, with other festive areas in West Princes Street Gardens and George Street. The official site does not publish the market’s opening hours or an entry price — it lists start times only for ticketed attractions such as the Big Wheel and Santa’s Stories — so check edinburgh-christmas.com before you go. Do not use the old edinburghs-christmas.com address; that domain lapsed and now belongs to an unrelated site.

Read the full guide: Edinburgh Christmas Market 2026

Bath Christmas Market

Bath’s market runs from Thursday 26 November to Sunday 13 December 2026 around Bath Abbey and the Roman Baths, on Abbeygate Street, Bath Street, Milsom Street and New Bond Street. It is open Monday–Wednesday 10am–7pm, Thursday–Saturday 10am–8pm and Sunday 10am–6pm. Entry is free and no booking is required. Around 245 traders take part, 61 of them new for 2026, and 80% come from the South West.

Read the full guide: Bath Christmas Market 2026

Manchester Christmas Markets

Manchester’s markets run from Friday 6 November to Tuesday 22 December 2026 across 10 sites in the city centre — Albert Square, Lincoln Square (new for 2026), King Street, St Ann’s Square, Exchange Street, New Cathedral Street, Exchange Square, Corn Exchange, Cathedral Gardens and Market Street. Albert Square and Cathedral Gardens continue to Sunday 3 January 2027. All sites open 10am–9pm daily. The council pages do not publish an entry price. The Skate Manchester ice rink at Cathedral Gardens runs 6 November 2026 to 3 January 2027, and the Christmas Parade is on Sunday 6 December 2026.

Read the full guide: Manchester Christmas Market 2026

Birmingham Frankfurt Christmas Market

Birmingham’s Frankfurt Christmas Market runs from Thursday 5 November to Thursday 24 December 2026 in Victoria Square and New Street, with 80+ Bavarian-style stalls — described as the largest authentic German Christmas market outside Germany and Austria. Hours are Monday–Thursday 11am–9pm, Friday 11am–9.30pm, Saturday 10am–9.30pm and Sunday 10am–9pm; on Remembrance Sunday (8 November) it opens at 1pm. The official tourism page does not state an entry price. The ice rink and Big Wheel at Centenary Square are separate ticketed attractions.

Read the full guide: Birmingham Christmas Market 2026

Leeds Christmas Market

Leeds’ market runs from Thursday 19 November to Wednesday 23 December 2026 in City Square — directly outside Leeds railway station — with stalls and attractions at Millennium Square and Victoria Gardens. Stalls open Sunday–Thursday 10.30am–7pm and Friday–Saturday 10.30am–8pm, seven days a week. The Visit Leeds page does not state an entry price. Around 60 Yorkshire traders take part, alongside THOR’S Tipi Bar, Highland Lodge and Folié Ski Bar; the Ice Cube ice rink at Millennium Square runs 19 November to 31 December 2026 and is separately ticketed.

Read the full guide: Leeds Christmas Market 2026

York Christmas Market

York’s market runs from Thursday 12 November to Monday 21 December 2026 on Parliament Street and St Sampson’s Square. It opens 10.30am–7pm, Wednesday to Monday, and is closed every Tuesday. It closes at 5pm on Monday 21 December. Visit York does not publish an entry price. More than 80% of traders are from Yorkshire, and the market is organised by Make It York.

Read the full guide: York Christmas Market 2026

Nottingham Winter Wonderland

Nottingham Winter Wonderland runs from Thursday 12 November to Thursday 31 December 2026 in Old Market Square, with the Christmas market stalls open 12 November to 24 December. It is closed on Christmas Day. Market stalls open Sunday–Thursday 10am–6.30pm and Friday–Saturday 10am–8pm, with later hours from 12 December. Entry is free; rides and attractions such as the ice rink, Sky Skate, Observation Wheel and Ice Bar are ticketed separately.

Read the full guide: Nottingham Christmas Market 2026

Belfast Christmas Market

Belfast’s market runs from Saturday 14 November to Tuesday 22 December 2026 in the grounds of Belfast City Hall. It opens at 12 noon on Saturday 14 November and closes at 6pm on Tuesday 22 December. Hours are Monday–Wednesday 10am–8pm, Thursday–Saturday 10am–10pm and Sunday 12 noon–6pm. Admission is free. More than 100 chalets take part, over half of them run by local traders, and the Christmas lights switch-on at City Hall is on Saturday 14 November.

Read the full guide: Belfast Christmas Market 2026

Lincoln Cathedral Christmas Market

Lincoln’s famous traditional street Christmas market was cancelled permanently after 2022 and is not returning in 2026. The 2026 event is a separate, smaller, ticketed market inside Lincoln Cathedral, running Thursday 3 to Saturday 5 December 2026. Entry is by timed session only — Thursday 7pm–10pm, Friday 9.30am–10pm, Saturday 9.30am–5.30pm — and tickets cost £5.48 each, with everyone over 18 months needing their own ticket. Advance booking is strongly recommended. Stalls are in the nave, Chapter House and cloisters, with outdoor traders and a food court on Dean’s Green.

Read the full guide: Lincoln Cathedral Christmas Market 2026

Winchester Cathedral Christmas Market

Winchester’s market runs from Friday 20 November to Tuesday 22 December 2026 in the Cathedral Inner Close, with 128 wooden chalets. Hours are Friday–Saturday 10am–8pm and Sunday–Thursday 10am–6pm. Admission is free and no pre-booking is required. The Cathedral advises checking opening times in the week of your visit, as times can change at short notice.

Read the full guide: Winchester Cathedral Christmas Market 2026

Tips for visiting Christmas markets in 2026

• Check before you travel. Dates and hours can change at short notice — the market’s own website is the only reliable source on the day.
• Go early or on a weekday. Weekday mornings are the quietest; Bath, for example, suggests Tuesday and Wednesday 10am–12pm for quieter shopping.
• Book ticketed markets in advance. Lincoln Cathedral’s market is ticketed with timed sessions that can sell out.
• Wrap up warm. Most markets are outdoors, and evening visits in December are cold — gloves and a warm coat make the difference.
• Bring cash as well as a card. Most stalls take cards, but a few smaller traders are cash-only.

Frequently asked questions

Which is the biggest Christmas market in the UK in 2026?
Birmingham’s Frankfurt Christmas Market, with 80+ stalls, is described as the largest authentic German Christmas market outside Germany and Austria. Manchester’s trail, with 10 sites and 210+ stalls, is the biggest by area.

Are UK Christmas markets free to enter?
Most are. Bath, Nottingham, Belfast and Winchester all state free entry on their official sites. Edinburgh, Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds and York do not publish an entry price on their official pages. Lincoln Cathedral’s market is ticketed at £5.48.

When do Christmas markets open in 2026?
The earliest openers are Birmingham (5 November) and Manchester (6 November). Most others open in mid-November, and Bath opens last on 26 November.

Is the Lincoln Christmas Market back in 2026?
No. The traditional Lincoln street market was cancelled permanently after 2022. The 2026 event is a separate ticketed market inside Lincoln Cathedral, 3–5 December.