As the days grow shorter and the air turns crisp, we can enjoy once more one of our most enchanting traditions: the Christmas market.

Across the UK, historic city centres transform into winter wonderlands — where wooden chalets brim with crafts, mulled wine flows and the scent of cinnamon and roasting chestnuts fills the air.

From Manchester to Edinburgh, Bath to Birmingham, each destination offers its own festive flavour.

The Manchester Christmas Market in Piccadilly Gardens runs until December the 22nd. You can enjoy bratwurst and hog roasts, hot chocolate and mulled wine, while browsing handmade gifts and seasonal treats.  This year's is bigger and better than ever with over 200 stalls across ten sites, including a reopened section of Albert Square.

Meanwhile, the Edinburgh Christmas Market in Princes Street Gardens continues until  January 4th, transforming the beautiful city centre with festive fun for all the family, including traditional Christmas Markets, funfair rides, spectacular live outdoor events and delicious food and drink,

There’s no doubt that one of the UK’s largest is Birmingham's Frankfurt Christmas Market, running until Christmas Eve. You can’t miss it near New Street Station in Victoria Square and New Street. Modelled on German-style festive markets, it's the largest such market outside Germany or Austria. The first historical record of the original Christmas market in Frankfurt dates back to 1393.

In York, the award-winning Christmas market runs to December the 21st, with a distinctly local flair in historical surroundings with local crafts and plenty of festive cheer. Alpine chalets line Parliament Street and St Sampson’s Square, and the market will showcase a magical array of local crafts, artisan products, and delicious seasonal treats. Over 80% of the traders come from Yorkshire.

Another charming getaway is the Bath Christmas Market (November 27th to December 14th) with beautiful Georgian architecture as its backdrop - and celebrating its 25th anniversary. Wander through the heart of Bath’s historic city centre, transformed into a winter wonderland with twinkling chalets, unique gifts, and gourmet food and drink to tantalise the tastebuds.

On the south coast, the Bournemouth Christmas Market (ends December 31st) complements its markets with a Christmas Tree Wonderland and an ice rink. Discover the wonder of the City's largest-ever Christmas Market, soak up the festive glow of the revamped Christmas Tree Wonderland, glide across the stunning open-air Ice Rink, and unwind with a winter warmer at the cosy Alpine Lodge Bar.

In Winchester, enjoy one of the best Christmas Markets in Europe (until December 22nd), and don’t forget to step inside the cathedral to explore over 1,000 years of history and attend Advent and Christmas services sung by an internationally acclaimed choir.

In Nottingham, the market stalls in the City's Old Market Square are complemented by a brand new ice rink trail, the huge observation wheel and the famous ice bar!

What makes these markets so appealing? For one, the combination of shopping and atmosphere: visitors can browse for unique handmade crafts and gifts, while also enjoying seasonal street-food and warm drinks like mulled wine and hot cocoa.

From the bustling city lights of Birmingham and London to the historic charm of York and Bath, there’s something for everyone — whether you’re shopping for that special gift, sipping mulled wine beneath twinkling lights, or simply soaking up the spirit of the season.