Top UK Christmas markets and events 2026
Capture the festive feeling
Last updated: 14th October 2026
With so many festive events to choose from this winter, planning your visit can be tricky. Luckily, here at Forest Holidays, our locations put you within easy reach of some of the country's most popular festive destinations.
We've rounded up our favourite Christmas events and activities, including key Christmas market dates, opening times and prices, to help you plan your visit.
Read on to find your next festive day out and make some wonderful Christmas memories…
The Eden Project biomes
Kicking off our Christmas event guide is Cornwall Christmas Fair at the Eden Project, which is bigger than ever this year. You can go ice skating, shop for special Christmas gifts and tuck into delicious treats. In between, you can enjoy some time in the beautiful Biomes and witness the sparkling surroundings.
Afterwards, it’s just a short drive back to your own cosy hot tub lodge at Deerpark - where we’ve got the lights down low so you can see the night skies.
When: 18th & 19th Nov 2026
Opening hours: 5pm - 9pm on 18th Nov, 10am - 4pm on 19th Nov
Price: From £22, book your ticket
2. Christmas at Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire
Blenheim Palace magical Christmas markets
A grand Christmas at Blenheim Palace kicks off with two experiences in one unique setting, with dogs welcome on certain dates this year! From 13th of November, the Illuminated Christmas Lights Trail creates a magical journey, and the palace rooms are decorated in the story of Cinderella theme.
The Christmas Market in the Grand Court is open to browse a selection of gifts, mulled wine and festive cheer. Stay at Blackwood Forest and, if you want even more festive cheer, visit the famous Christmas Market at Winchester too.
When: Events from13th Nov 2026 - 3rd Jan 2027
Opening hours: 10am-8pm daily
Price: Adults start from £25, under 3s start from £1 - book here
Sudeley Castle, Gloucestershire
An illuminated trail in the beautiful grounds of Sudeley Castle, Gloucestershire welcomes Alice's Amazing Adventures in Wonderland this Christmas time.
Follow the White Rabbit and enjoy strolling around the grounds, meeting all the characters and admiring the sparkling lights before warming up on mulled wine and hot chocolate. Kick-start the festive season and book a weekend break at Forest of Dean.
When: 20th Nov - 30th Dec 2026
Opening hours: Slots available from 4:45pm - 7:15pm
Price: From £20, book tickets
4. St Edmundsbury Cathedral Christmas Market, Suffolk
Twinkling lights at Bury St. Edmunds Christmas fayre
Book a pre-christmas break at Thorpe Forest and you can catch the St Edmundsbury Cathedral Christmas Market. Set in the town’s beautiful Georgian streets, cathedral grounds and Abbey Gardens, it boasts over 50 stalls, Christmas cookery demonstrations and a fun fair. And if all gets a bit too festive, you can disappear into one of Bury St. Edmunds' many welcoming hostelries.
When: 26th - 28th Nov 2026
Opening hours: 10am-4:30pm
Price: £2 entry
Ffestiniog Railway Santa train, Snowdonia
Santa on a steam train - what’s not to like? Stay this winter at our Snowdonia location, Beddgelert, and delight the children with a trip on the Santa Train.
The spectacular journey starts at Porthmadog and runs through the beautiful Aberglaslyn Pass to Beddgelert, where you are greeted by carol singers. Santa and his elves are handing out presents to all the good children, and back at Porthmadog, there’s a mince pie and a glass of sherry for the grown-ups too.
When: 12th - 13th, 19th - 20th, 22nd - 23rd Dec 2026
Opening hours: 9am-5pm
Price: Adults and children start from £27.75
Rufford Abbey, Nottinghamshire
The clever people at Rufford Abbey have thought of everyone in the family this year. They are hosting a whole range of Christmas events which will keep both adults and children happy, with delicious food and drink (including a signature mulled wine) and the opportunity to buy some special gifts.
Watch Santa make his grand entrance at Rufford Abbey, then soak up the Christmas magic with vintage rides, live entertainment and delicious festive treats. Stay at nearby Sherwood Forest in one of our cosy pet-friendly lodges – the dog will love the underfloor heating.
When: 21st Nov - 23rd Dec 2026
Opening hours: Times vary
Price: Free general admission, ticketed events starting from £14 per child
Festive afternoon tea at Castle Howard, North Yorkshire
Castle Howard dons its Christmas finery from mid-November when the stately home is transformed into an enchanting world of Charles Dickens' novels. Step into a Christmas wonderland, where a spectacular Victorian experience brings Dickens’ classic stories to life with projections, soundscapes and plenty of theatrical surprises.
Castle Howard is around a 40 minute drive from Cropton and Keldy, where you can light your own log fire in a Golden Oak couples or family lodge and relax after the excitement of the day.
When: 12th Nov 2026 - 3rd Jan 2027
Opening hours: Varies by event
Price: Adults start from £15 (1s and under go free)
8. Santa Express, North York Moors Railway
Santa warming up on Santa Express
Santa is putting in some double shifts on our railways this year if our next Christmas event is anything to go by. If you can’t get to Beddgelert to see him, he’s going to be handing out gifts in November and December on the North York Moors Santa Express. Trains leave from Pickering, just a short drive from Cropton and Keldy.
When: Every weekend from 28th Nov - 20th Dec, plus 22nd - 24th Dec 2026
Opening hours: Times vary
Price: From £29.50, book tickets
Edinburgh Christmas markets and big wheel
We associate Edinburgh with Hogmanay, but it does Christmas rather well too. Edinburgh is just over an hour's drive from Glentress Forest and it’s well worth it for a day trip full of adventures. Explore one of the top UK Christmas Markets, where you can thrill the kids with the Santa Land fairground rides, experience the twinkling lights, and get your skates at the ice rink on George Street.
When: 14th Nov 2026 - 3rd Jan 2027
Opening hours: 10am-10pm
Price: FREE
10. Glasgow Christmas Markets, Scotland
Glasgow Christmas markets
Glasgow is hosting not one, but two major Christmas markets this year, and a host of smaller markets too. Gluhwein and German beer are being served in George Square, where over 50 stalls are spread out in the shadow of the stunning 5-metre Christmas tree. Over at St. Enoch Square, the Christmas Village is serving up a hog roast.
Stay at Ardgartan Argyll, so that you can escape the city before the evening crowds descend, and relax in a lochside hot tub beneath the starlit Scottish skies.
When: 6th Nov 2026 - 3rd Jan 2027
Opening hours: Times vary between markets
Price: FREE
Whether you're planning a romantic escape or a festive family gathering, Forest Holidays offers the perfect setting to enjoy one of these UK Christmas markets or special events. Keep the festive magic going and explore our Christmas breaks to find your perfect winter escape!