Christmas Markets

[Traveller]

Christmas Markets are springing up all over the UK. There is nothing better to get into the christmas mood than the flicker of candlelight, the smell of evergreens, the aroma of warm wintery spices and the glow of market booths and stalls filled to bursting with tempting, exotic goods.

Bath - Historical Festivities
Bath's Christmas Market makes the most of the city's World Heritage Site, next to Bath Abbey and the Roman Baths. Lasting for 11 days, beautiful exquisite crafts and goods are sold from wooden Christmas chalets. Baths Christmas lights, the aroma of mulled wine and pine needles, all make for storybook atmosphere. All this, and there's a lively program of street entertainment too.

Birmingham - A German Extravaganza
Birmingham hosts the biggest and longest German Christmas Market outside of Germany. It spreads across most of the city's important squares and main street and continues for more than a month. Birmingham comes alive with hot tasty treats, cold german beer and spicy mulled wine, all mixed with the magical anticipation that the festive season brings, a wonderful experience for all the family.

Lincoln - Where it all began
Lincoln started the tradition of German Christmas Markets in the UK 25 years ago, giving it the distinction of being the first. Boasting 350 stalls offering festive goodies and holiday cheer, filling this beautiful cathedral city to bursting. A very good place to get in the holiday spirit.

Manchester - 5 to choose from
There are five different Christmas Markets in Manchester, from mid November to mid December. In keeping with the German origins of these markets, there's a beer tent, a wolhnachtspyrymide - a giant, 6 meter high, pyramid-shaped Nativity Scene, and an Alpine house with a multi-lingual, talking reindeer. So bring the kids for some festive fun!

Winchester Cathedral's Christmas market
Just 4 years old, Winchester Cathedral's Christmas Market, has caught on. There are over 100 exhibitors sharing the 80 chalet stalls and selling all kinds of festive goodies. An ice skating rink adds to the evening excitement. The atmosphere is pure magic.

York - A Yuletide treat
York has the largest Gothic Cathedral in Northern Europe and a treasure trove of Medieval architecture, so it's no wonder that the folks here get so carried away at Christmas. There are at least seven different markets to visit, plus an early music concert, carol concerts in York Minster and an angel festival with ice sculptures. Within this little city, the holiday spirit takes over from late November until early January.