Just hear those sleigh bells jingle-ing, ring-ting, tingle-ing – too soon? Bah humbug, we say! Christmas is literally just around the corner and, with the majority of Christmas Markets opening this month you better get your skates on if you want to make the most of the festivities. To make the decision process a little easier for you, we have found the top five Christmas Markets in the UK for 2021.
Winter Wonderland, London’s Hyde Park
From November 19th, London’s Hyde Park screams Christmas! The tourist hotspot it transformed into a true Winter Wonderland, offering just about every festive activity you can think of. A family-friendly event; visitors can enjoy a Christmas Circus, Santa Land, fairground rides, a Magical Ice Kingdom, various bars and eateries, workshops and much more! Tickets must be pre-booked for entry and activities via the Winter Wonderland website and entry times have been staggered to help make social distancing possible. Winter Wonderland will be open until the 3rd January 2022 but tickets are selling quickly – so, if you fancy a visit we recommend popping straight over to their website and securing yours!
Birmingham’s Frankfurt Christmas Market
Victoria Square and New Street are lined with alpine-style chalets as we speak. The largest authentic Christmas Market outside of Germany and Austria opened on the 4th of November and will be running through to the 23rd of December 2021. Visitors are welcomed free of charge and booking is not required. If you are looking to find that special someone the perfect, unique gift – this is the place for you! Once you are all shopped out, why not warm up with a mulled wine and traditional bratwurst. We can feel the Christmas spirit from here.
Winchester Christmas Market
The award-winning Christmas Market is back, and it’s easy to see why it’s one of the go to places this year. Traders from across the UK are hand-picked by organisers to sell their gifts and produce in one of the one hundred traditional-styled chalets. Festive music will fill the air from the 19th of November until the 22nd of Decembers. Booking is not required to visit the Market, however if you wish to give the Ice Rink a whirl you will need to book in advance online. Unique to Winchester’s Christmas Market, traders will be changing, and different gifts and produce will be available from the 7th of December. The popular Nativity Scene will be back too!
Plymouth Christmas Market
The city centre is a hub of activity all year round, but the Christmas Market takes Plymouth to a whole new level. Located in the heart of the city, visitors flock from near and far to explore the alpine chalets, sip mulled wine and enjoy traditional hearty food. But be quick, as this is one of the shorter Christmas Markets, opening from the 2nd December to the 19th December 2021. The festivities will also include performances from local choirs, illuminated roller skating and a visit from Santa’s Elves. Dates and times can be found on the Plymouth Christmas Market website.
Edinburgh Christmas Market
You won’t be able to miss where this one’s located – just look for the famous Big Wheel! Watch the festivities unfold below you and enjoy stunning 360o views from the Scottish capital. Fun for all the family; with smaller rides for the little ones, Santa Land and an ice rink – there’s plenty to keep everyone entertained. Visitors are welcomed free of charge, however pre-booking is essential for activities. Alpine-style chalets will be offering some real Christmas treasures with handmade gifts and great food!
Right, we’re off to work out how we’re going to cram in as many Christmas Markets as possible before the big day! Just before we go, we want to remind you that COVID restrictions may still be in place for some locations and to check before you travel; particularly if you are planning to cross over into another country (i.e. England to Scotland). And please don’t forget to buy your UK travel insurance policy if you are planning to make a couple of days of it – although it is highly unlikely you will need to use it for medical expenses (thankfully we are lucky enough to have the NHS here), it may come in useful if you need to cancel your trip, come home early or something happens to your pre-booked excursions. If you have an annual travel insurance policy you may already be covered for UK holidays, but check the pre booked accommodation conditions, some policies will only cover you for UK holidays if you have 2 nights or more pre-booked accommodation. And, as we always say, check the policy wording carefully before buying and most importantly – have an amazing time!