Christmas is the most magical time of the year, when even if it’s cold outside, we feel the warmth from within. It’s that time of the year when we see all our relatives and gather around the fire with our loved ones, so it’s a precious event for everyone in the world. Since Christmas is celebrated each year, every city is working hard to create the best and most welcoming market location to impress people, and Europe sure knows how to make an impression. Almost every European city is at the top of the best Christmas markets, among which the UK is known for the special event in Birmingham when, last year, people could experience an authentic German Christmas performance.
We’re excited to see what this Christmas will look like for Londoners, so let’s see what we should expect for this year’s markets!
Leicester Square Christmas Market
Leicester is the biggest city in the East Midlands, rich in culture and entertainment events usually happening in Leicester square. Depending on the time of your visit, you can see street performers singing or doing magic tricks, arrive at a film premiere or attend a sing-along.
Usually, there is no entrance fee, and anyone can visit the market, but if there’s any theatrical performance, you may need to purchase tickets. Although the official market date was not published yet, the La Clique performance is expected to occur between the 9th of November and the 7th of January, almost every day, and the tickets start from £21.00.
Covent Garden Christmas Market
Moving on to the West End of London, we’ve got the Covent Garden district, a shopping and tourist site. It’s a place worth visiting for the rest of the year too, but when Christmas comes, it transforms into a place out of a fairy tale. The usual decorations, giant baubles and twinkling lights will be completed by an enormous Christmas tree, and a Lego-inspired carousel. The official starting date of the market is the 9th of November.
When arriving at the Covent Garden, you should experience late-night shopping evenings every Thursday, sparkling decorations and photo opportunities with a festive twist. You also shouldn’t miss the daily snow showers, a free experience soon to be announced.
Tate Modern Christmas Market
If you’re in the mood for a German-inspired Christmas, then you should go to the Tate Modern Christmas Market, which is right next to the UK’s most famous museum with the same name. You’ll have the opportunity to browse the stalls and walk next to the river Thames.
This Christmas Market has German-inspired snacks and mullet wine, but you’ll also see a lot of crafts and gifts in the setting of wooden chalets and beautiful lights. The location is also close to St Paul’s Cathedral, so you have many things to visit around. The starting date is to be announced, but it usually begins in November and until mid-January.
Winter Wonderland Christmas Market
Located in Hyde Park, the Winder Wonderland event is the best Christmas market London of all. It has the UK’s largest ice-skating site, a Ferris Wheel and a lot of delicious food and merchandise. The entrance fee depends on what time you visit the location. For example, during peak hours, you may need to pay a £7.50 ticket, but in standard hours the fee is £5.
Winter Wonderland will start from the 18th of November until the 2nd of January 2023 and is open from 10 AM to 10 PM, Monday to Sunday. Since it is one of the most beautiful markets, you should expect it to be crowded, so it would be best to visit it during the daytime and on weekdays to celebrate Christmas feeling better.
Greenwich Christmas Market
The royal heritage of Greenwich is holding a Christmas Market event each year. On Wednesdays, you can experience the “Late Christmas Market Nights”, where more than 100 vendor stalls will be installed for you to purchase the best food and holiday gifts. Although Greenwich is pretty far from London, it’s totally worth visiting, so no matter the place you come from, you can count on NS International to safely take you to London, from where you’ll end up in Greenwich.
If you’re lucky, you can even participate in a lantern parade and the Father Christmas Grotto event, but Greenwich has many more festive performances. The date is yet to be confirmed, but you should expect the market to start mid-November.
The Old Spitalfields Christmas Market
East London’s number one market, Spitalfields, is the best place to visit and enjoy the food and shops. Whatever time of the day or year you wish to go there, there’s always a cultural event, so there’s no wonder the Christmas Market is a great deal.
The event will take place from the 18th of December until the 24th, so make sure you visit the market since it lasts so little compared to others. Expect something big to happen because, in the past years, many musicians were performing, choirs and plays, so keep an eye on their socials to know when such events will take place.
Borough Christmas Market
Near the London Bridge and river Thames, there is another beautiful market called Borough, which is known for its excellent food options. Besides that, the location is full of history and culture, so if you wish to, you can have a tour of the place to know more about Shakespeare, Dickens and the area’s dark side.
Other exciting things you can experience at the Borough Market are cookery demonstrations, interviews and masterclasses (which you can even find online on their website). So, if you want a unique culinary experience on Christmas, Borough is the perfect place.
Final thoughts
What do you think about this year’s Christmas events? We believe it’ll be a special year with plenty of impressive events where you’ll feel the Christmas spirit more than ever, so take your loved ones along the London bridge and visit any market.
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