Christmas markets · South West England
Christmas Markets in South West England 2026
11 Christmas markets in South West England, in 11 towns and cities: 11 of them have 2026 dates announced, and the multi-week markets open between 6 November and 26 November. Best known: the markets of Bath, Bristol and Exeter.
11 markets · checked October 2026
11
Christmas markets in South West England
11
towns where we list markets
11
towns with a full guide
11 / 11
markets with 2026 dates announced
The South West has some of England's best-known cathedral and spa-city markets. Bath has its Christmas Market in the city centre, Bristol a city-centre market, Exeter a cathedral Christmas market, and Salisbury runs several markets in the city centre. Bournemouth and Plymouth have seaside-city markets; Gloucester has the Quays markets, Cheltenham and Cirencester town-centre markets in the Cotswolds; and in Devon and Cornwall Totnes and Truro add smaller-town markets.
The best-known and prettiest Christmas markets in South West England
Picked by search interest, visitor reviews and our own verdict, the strongest market in each town. 2026 dates only where the organiser has confirmed them; otherwise last season's dates, marked as such.
Bath
Bath Christmas Market
Christmas market
2026: 26 Nov – 13 Dec 2026
One of England's best — but only 18 days long.
✨ Date night🎉 With friendsBristol
Bristol Christmas Market
Christmas market
2026: 6 Nov – 23 Dec 2026
A shopping-trip market rather than a destination — combine with St Nicholas Market in the old city.
🎉 With friendsExeter
Exeter Cathedral Christmas Market
Christmas market
2026: 13 Nov – 13 Dec 2026
Nice if you're in Devon; time it for a weekday.
✨ Date night🎉 With friendsBournemouth
Bournemouth Christmas Market
Christmas market
2026: 12 Nov – 31 Dec 2026
A nice evening for families at the seaside — go after dark and pick your food carefully.
🧒 With kidsPlymouth
Plymouth Christmas Market
German Christmas market
2026: 26 Nov – 20 Dec 2026
A foodie city market — worth a stop on a Devon weekend.
🎉 With friends🧒 With kidsSalisbury
Salisbury Christmas Markets
Christmas market
2026: Sundays 29 Nov, 6, 13 & 20 Dec 2026 (Market Place, 10am–4pm)
Small but pleasant — pick a Sunday and add the cathedral.
✨ Date night🎉 With friendsCheltenham
Cheltenham Christmas Market
Christmas market
2026: 10–23 Dec 2026
A pleasant pre-Christmas browse — the Cotswold towns nearby add the charm.
✨ Date night🎉 With friendsTruro
Truro Christmas Market
Christmas market
2026: 21 Nov – 24 Dec 2026
Cornwall's main Christmas market — the best bet in the far South West.
🎉 With friends🧒 With kids
🧒 With kids
- Bournemouth Christmas Market · Bournemouth
- Plymouth Christmas Market · Plymouth
- Truro Christmas Market · Truro
✨ Date night
- Exeter Cathedral Christmas Market · Exeter
- Bath Christmas Market · Bath
- Cheltenham Christmas Market · Cheltenham
- Cirencester Christmas Market · Cirencester
- Gloucester Quays Christmas Markets · Gloucester
- Salisbury Christmas Markets · Salisbury
🎉 With friends
- Exeter Cathedral Christmas Market · Exeter
- Bath Christmas Market · Bath
- Bristol Christmas Market · Bristol
- Cheltenham Christmas Market · Cheltenham
- Cirencester Christmas Market · Cirencester
- Gloucester Quays Christmas Markets · Gloucester
Christmas markets in South West England by town
All 11 Christmas markets in South West England: dates at a glance
Sorted by town, checked in October 2026. Each market links to its guide with opening times, how to get there and our verdict.
- BathBath Christmas Market2026: 26 Nov – 13 Dec 2026Free entry.
- BournemouthBournemouth Christmas Market2026: 12 Nov – 31 Dec 2026Free entry; workshop ticketed; food expensive.
- BristolBristol Christmas Market2026: 6 Nov – 23 Dec 2026Free entry.
- CheltenhamCheltenham Christmas Market2026: 10–23 Dec 2026Free entry.
- CirencesterCirencester Christmas Market2026: 5–6 Dec 2026Free entry.
- ExeterExeter Cathedral Christmas Market2026: 13 Nov – 13 Dec 2026Free entry.
- GloucesterGloucester Quays Christmas Markets2026: weekends 7 Nov – 20 Dec 2026Free entry.
- PlymouthPlymouth Christmas Market2026: 26 Nov – 20 Dec 2026Free entry.
- SalisburySalisbury Christmas Markets2026: Sundays 29 Nov, 6, 13 & 20 Dec 2026 (Market Place, 10am–4pm)Free entry.
- TotnesTotnes Christmas Markets & Late Night Shopping2026: Tue 8, 15 & 22 Dec 2026, 3pm–9pmFree.
- TruroTruro Christmas Market2026: 21 Nov – 24 Dec 2026Free entry.
Tips for your trip in South West England
- Bath, Bristol, Exeter, Salisbury, Cheltenham, Bournemouth and Plymouth all have railway stations; Bath's and Exeter's markets are a short walk from them.
- Bath is very busy on December weekends and the roads into the city are slow: arrive by train or use park and ride.
- Totnes holds its market on selected late-night shopping evenings: check the dates before you plan a trip.
How we check the dates
Dates, prices and travel details come from the organisers and councils; ratings are from Google, as a guide only. Where the 2026 date is missing we show last season's, marked as such. Last checked in October 2026: opening times can change, so check the organiser's website before you travel.
Questions about Christmas markets in South West England
- When do the Christmas markets in South West England open in 2026?
- For 11 of the 11 markets in South West England, 2026 dates are already announced. The multi-week markets open between 6 November and 26 November, half of them by 13 November, and most close around 23 December. For example: Bath Christmas Market: 26 Nov – 13 Dec 2026; Bristol Christmas Market: 6 Nov – 23 Dec 2026; Exeter Cathedral Christmas Market: 13 Nov – 13 Dec 2026. Smaller markets often run only for a few days or weekends, so check the dates on each town's guide, and check the organiser's website before you travel as opening hours can change.
- What is the best Christmas market in South West England?
- It depends what you like. Going by search interest, visitor reviews and our own verdict, the standouts in South West England are: Bath Christmas Market – Over 180 wooden chalets around Bath Abbey and the Roman Baths; Bristol Christmas Market – Wooden chalets in Broadmead shopping area; Exeter Cathedral Christmas Market (Google 4.3 ★, 772 reviews) – In the Cathedral Green. For a quieter visit pick a smaller town; the «with kids, for two, with friends» tags on each market say who it suits.
- How many Christmas markets are there in South West England?
- Our list currently has 11 Christmas markets and festive events in 11 towns and cities in South West England, 11 of them with a full city guide. We list markets announced by the council, the organiser or the tourist board, not one-day school or church stalls, so the real number is higher.
- Do you have to pay to enter the Christmas markets in South West England?
- Mostly no: the markets in South West England are free to walk around, and each guide says whether rides, ice rinks, grottos, parking or park and ride cost extra.
- How do I get to the Christmas markets in South West England?
- Bath Spa, Bristol Temple Meads, Exeter St Davids, Salisbury, Cheltenham Spa, Gloucester, Bournemouth and Plymouth are all on the rail network, and Totnes and Truro are on the line to Cornwall. Cirencester has no station (the nearest is Kemble, with a bus). Bath and Exeter run park and ride in the Christmas weeks; the guides link to the organisers' travel pages.
- Which Christmas markets in South West England are best for children?
- According to our guides: Plymouth Christmas Market (50+ traders in chalets); Truro Christmas Market (alpine-style cabins on Lemon Quay); Bournemouth Christmas Market (alpine chalets in the Lower Gardens). Some rides and grottos are paid; the guide for each market says which.
- Which Christmas markets in South West England are the most romantic?
- For an evening for two our guides point to Exeter Cathedral Christmas Market, Bath Christmas Market, Gloucester Quays Christmas Markets and Cheltenham Christmas Market. Go around dusk or on a weekday, when it is less crowded.