insideKENT Magazine Issue 68 - November 2017 | Page 48

ARTS+ENTERTAINMENT
Christmas Markets cont.
CHRISTMAS MARKETS IN THE UK
Edinburgh
Edinburgh Christmas market is really three
markets rolled into one and there’s enough
going on for every single family member
(whether they are into Christmas or not) to be
entertained. Ice skating, an impressive ‘Santa
Land’ grotto, Scottish wares, street food, face
painting, Christmas crafts, pop-up bars and
cafes, and of course the market itself where
you can buy locally produced gifts as well as
exotic produce from around the world.
Bath
Bath is a rather magical place anyway, but add
Christmas to the mix and you’ll find yourself
in a very pretty and festively themed
wonderland of interesting and beautiful things.
It’s a Christmas shopper’s paradise with
everything you could need (or want) lining
the streets. There are over 200 wooden chalet-
style stalls involved in making this market one
of the loveliest and liveliest in the country, so
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even the most hard-to-buy-for people will be
ticked off your list here. Go for the day and all
your shopping can be done at once in very
special surroundings.
Leeds
Journey to Leeds for the annual Christmas
market and soak up the yuletide atmosphere.
The scents and sights of Christmas are all
around, so your only problem will be choosing
what to buy your loved ones. There is a lot to
choose from – this is a traditional German
kindlemarkt, so you know it’ll be the very
essence of Christmas captured in one place.
Southbank
London’s Southbank Wintertime Market plays
host to all sorts of things to buy as well as loads
of entertainment, most of which is free. So,
after you have meandered along the
Southbank, gazing at the stalls, eating your
festive treats and sipping warming drinks, you
can finish the day off by enjoying some fun
family entertainment.
Winchester
For those who want to experience the most
traditional of Christmases, Winchester is your
destination. Over 350,000 visitors come to this
particular market each year with the beautiful
Winchester Cathedral at its heart. There are
stalls within the cathedral and in the grounds
around, and each of the stallholders (over 100
of them) are chosen individually by the
cathedral’s own Christmas market team. This
ensures that only the very best products and
services are to be found here. As well as the
amazing setting and great stalls, there is a
much-loved ice rink too. Regularly called one
of the best rinks in the entire country, it
shouldn’t be missed when you’re in the area.