Posted on November 24, 2025 in Travel News
Photo by Daria Glakteeva on Unsplash
Bath? Edinburgh? Manchester? York? The battle to win holiday hearts is on!!
If you’re looking for a festive weekend getaway this holiday season, look no more…
Whether it’s mulled wine and wassailing you’re after or glittering lights and merry trinkets that say ‘I love you,’ across the UK, city streets are transforming into winter wonderlands, complete with local artisan stalls, twinkling fairy lights, sassy skating, and carol services to make even Scrooge smile. From Bath’s Georgian charm to Manchester’s cheery markets, here’s your Heartwood Travels guide to the UK’s unmissable Christmas markets.
These elf-approved destinations offer you everything from a family day out to a romantic fairy-lit stroll or a festive foodie adventure. Tis the season to sparkle!
Bath Christmas Market
Step into the cobbled streets and colonnades of Bath, where the annual Bath Christmas Market transforms the historic Abbey area into a picture-postcard Christmas fantasy. With over 170 chalets selling artisans’ handmade gifts, local art, and delicious festive food, it’s one of the most magical markets in the country.
Revel in the Christmas light displays that illuminate the Georgian architecture or take the tots for a little ankle-wobbling at Royal Victoria Park’s ice rink. Bath is also ideal for some frosty fun after a day of shopping. And for a touch of luxury, unwind at the Thermae Bath Spa with panoramic rooftop views over city.
27 Nov 2025 – 14 Dec 2025
York Christmas Market
Fast becoming one of the UK’s weekend getaway destinations, the medieval city of York oozes Christmas charm. Pop over to Parliament Street and St Sampson’s Square, where the St. Nicholas Fair brings the magic and alpine chalets brim with local Yorkshire crafts, seasonal treats, and steaming mulled wine.
Take a stroll beneath The Shambles’ fairy lights, visit the Christmas Tree Festival, and enjoy the city’s light switch-on, one of the prettiest in the UK. York’s wonderfully rich history and cosy, chocolate box atmosphere make it a yuletide utopia.
13 Nov 2025 – 21 Dec 2025
Manchester Christmas Market
Manchester’s wonderland wattage is legendary during the festive season. You won’t be able to keep calm as you jingle on through city-centre sites like Albert Square and King Street, fully decked and brimming with a lively mix of international street food, handmade gifts, and spicy seasonal drinks.
Lace up your skates at Cathedral Gardens, the city’s biggest open-air ice rink. Between twinkling lights, sizzling bratwursts, and live entertainment, Manchester is the ultimate destination for Christmas lovers looking for buzz and atmosphere.
7 Nov 2025 – 22 Dec 2025
Oxford Christmas Market
Oxford’s historic streets are picture-perfect at Christmas. Enjoy the Victorian Christmas Market on Broad Street with its world-class carol singers and handmade crafts, all set amidst the city’s dreaming spires and winding alleyways. The little Lyras and Harry Potters in your life will love the literary connections and iconic filming locations.
Just a short trip away, Blenheim Palace hosts its world-famous Illuminated Trail, where millions of lights bring the palace grounds to life. Combine it with a countryside detour through the Cotswolds for a cosy, storybook weekend that balances city magic with rural charm.
22 Nov 2025 – 31 Dec 2025
London Christmas Markets
London brings joy to the world at Christmas. Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park offers everything from rollercoasters to an enormous ice rink and a Bavarian-style Christmas market.
Beyond Hyde Park, discover smaller markets at Southbank Centre, Leicester Square, and Battersea Power Station. Round off your weekend with a romantic skate under the lights at Somerset House or the Natural History Museum.
And what’s London at Christmas without a visit to the Dickens Museum? London offers a magical mix of big-city sparkle, seasonal marvel and show-stopping fun for everyone.
14 Nov 2025 – 1 Jan 2026 (check venue dates to confirm)
Bristol Christmas Market
If you’re looking for somewhere truly creative, quirky, and full of local cheer, why not jingle all the way to Brizzle this Christmas? The Bristol Christmas Market in Broadmead offers traditional wooden chalets and a buzzing festive bar scene. For a local twist, visit St. Nicholas Markets for independent traders and the Made in Bristol Gift Fair, celebrating sustainable, artisan crafts.
Bristol’s harbourside is a stunner this time of year with glowing lights and live music aside the water, making it the perfect pick for those who love to eat, drink and be merry.
7 Nov 2025 – 23 Dec 2025
Edinburgh Christmas Market
Often ranked amongst Europe’s finest, Edinburgh’s enchanting Christmas market in East Princes Street Gardens sits at the foot of Edinburgh Castle and features twinkly wooden cabins filled with local artisan crafts and endless festive treats. Enjoy mulled wine and Irn Bru (ewwww) under the stars with the shimmering Instagram-ready castle hovering over your shoulder.
For those brave elves with big imaginations, pretend you’re riding on Santa’s sleigh when you take a ride on the LNER Big Wheel or the 80M Around the World Star Flyer, all with incredible views of the city.
15 Nov 2025 – 4 Jan 2026
Cambridge Christmas Market
If you crave Christmas spirit with cozy, compact charm, celebrate the season with a visit to Christmas in Cambridge. You’ll find it in Parker’s Piece in the city centre where you’ll discover its glistening Christmas Market, open-air ice rink, an Après Terrace with curling lanes, and a Big Wheel to take in the spectacular spires.
13 Nov 2025 – 31 Dec 2025
Wrap It All Up and Take It Home with You
Wherever you go, wrap up warm, sip something spicy and embrace the glow of fairy lights because the best way to experience Christmas in the UK is to wander its markets, one twinkling weekend at a time. And what better way to discover each city than with a local PopOut Map in your hands! Like Santa’s sleigh, they will take you wherever you want to go (locally of course ;)).
