If you enjoy visiting Christmas markets, then you’re sure to enjoy Winchester Christmas Market. Set in a unique location next to Winchester Cathedral, this festive market is one of the best in the UK. It’s full name is Winchester Cathedral Christmas Market.
Often referred to as England’s Christmas capital, Winchester is a very picturesque city in Hampshire, England. We regularly enjoy days out here, when driving down to see family in nearby Dorset. Read on for the best insider tips on when to visit, where to eat and how to snap up some wonderful gifts at Winchester Christmas Market this year.
1. Winchester Cathedral Christmas Market Dates
Winchester Cathedral Christmas Market is held every year and has become one of the most popular Christmas markets in Great Britain. These are the confirmed dates for Winchester Christmas Market 2024:
Friday 22 November to Sunday 22 December
2. About Winchester Christmas Market
This popular British Christmas Market was founded in 2006 and has grown from 40 stalls to around 118 today. Awarded one of the top 8 Christmas Markets in Europe by The New York Post, it has over 450,000 visitors each year.
Winchester Cathedral’s Christmas Market takes inspiration from traditional German Christmas markets. The traders come from all over the UK and are hand picked for the quality of their products.
This year, the Winchester Christmas Tree will be lit with energy from solar panels.
3. Where is Winchester Christmas Market?
The market is situated in the Inner Close of Winchester Cathedral. Bear in mind that when you arrive at Cathedral Close, the Christmas market isn’t immediately visible.
There are a few stalls in front of the cathedral itself, and if you don’t know Winchester town centre very well you might think that this is the extent of the festive market. A sign indicates to visitors that they should go right but with the crowds it’s easy to miss Winchester Cathedral’s Christmas Market.
However, if you follow those crowds through Curle’s Passage to the right of the Cathedral, you will find the Inner Close and the majority of the wooden chalets. Named after Bishop Curle who commissioned the passage in 1632, this archway gave pedestrians a route to the Inner Close.
Before that, they had to walk through the cathedral to get there. The passageway is quite narrow and at peak times it can get congested so arm yourself with patience and plenty of time.
Winchester Christmas Market address: Winchester Cathedral, Inner Close, Winchester, Hampshire SO23 9LS
4. Winchester Christmas Market Cost
There is no entry fee for Winchester Christmas Market and you can exit the market and reenter with no difficulty. There is also no timed entry, so queuing may be necessary at busy times.
5. Food and Drink at Winchester Christmas Market
You have plenty of choice for where to eat at Winchester Christmas market. Many of the stalls serve festive foods and mulled wine.
Winchester Christmas Market Food Court is a selection of food stalls rather than a food court, with options including German bratwurst sausages, British fish and chips, French raclette cheese, mulled wine and other delicacies.
This is the most atmospheric way of eating at Winchester Christmas Market. Benches are available however there are no covered areas so if it’s raining, then it’s best to head to The Refectory.
Also known as Winchester Cathedral Cafe, it is located before you go through Curle’s Passage. This self service cafe has plenty of space indoors and in the courtyard terrace garden. It is open from 10 am to 4.30 pm. The cafe has disabled access and toilet facilities.
If it’s really busy, you might prefer to eat at one of the cafes or restaurants nearby. Here are a few of our favourites located near to Winchester Christmas Markets:
- The Dispensary Kitchen – a casual all day eatery located on The Square.
- The Ivy Winchester Brasserie – in the middle of the High Street, it is beautifully decorated for the festive season.
- The Winchester Orangery – possibly the most Instagrammable cafe in Winchester!
6. Shopping at Winchester Christmas Market
As the retailers are each selected by the Winchester Cathedral team, they are all high quality exhibitors. You won’t find any tacky gifts here!
The stalls vary each year and in fact some of them are only exhibiting for half of the event. New stalls set up on 7 December.
On the date of our visit at the beginning of Winchester Christmas Market, there were some great exhibitors including Pollyfields, who make handcrafted wreaths and table decorations. Their products smell amazing and they were recently awarded best stand at the separate Country Homes & Interiors Magazine Fair.
We also like the range of clothing stands, and we snapped up a couple of reversible shawls – one as a a gift and one for ourselves! The Polish crockery stand is another good one for presents.
7. Makers’ Market
Another nice feature of the fair is the Makers’ Market, formerly known as the British Crafts Village. This section of the market features unique gifts by talented craftspeople. It’s easy to find, as there’s a big red sign in front of the cloisters where the Maker’s Chalet studios are located.
Among the small independent retailers there are glass makers and textile artists, together with stalls selling handmade Christmas tree decorations, wooden animal sculptures and jewellery.
8. Winchester Nativity Scene
There is usually a nativity scene at the rear of the Maker’s Market, reminding all of the message of Christmas. Designed by local schoolchildren, it is a popular photo spot.
When we visited this year on the Winchester Christmas Market opening day, there wasn’t a nativity scene set up but it’s possible that it will be added at a later date. However, there is now a Nativity Scene with photo cutouts where you can pose for photos. It’s located quite close to the food stall section of the market.
9. Winchester Christmas Market Opening Times
Winchester Christmas Market is open from 10.00am – 6.00pm Sunday – Thurday and 10.00am – 8.00pm Friday – Saturday.
We recommend that you visit Winchester Christmas Market during the week if at all possible. It gets very busy at weekends, so if you have to come then, try to visit in the morning.
10. Are Dogs Allowed at Winchester Christmas Market?
Whilst you are allowed to bring dogs to the Christmas Market, they must be kept on a leash or carried. It’s strongly recommended not to bring dogs at the weekend as it’s usually so busy.
11. Group Bookings for Winchester Christmas Market
Coach parties are asked to book in advance. Winchester Cathedral provides a meet and greet service for groups and will assist in booking tours of the Cathedral.
Winchester Tourist Information Centre can also assist with itineraries or suggesting places to stay. Contact Winchester Cathedral Visitor Team on +44 1962 857 225 or by email visits@winchester-cathedral.org.uk and Winchester Tourist Information Centre on 01962 840 500.
12. Parking For Winchester Christmas Market
It’s advisable to come by public transport or to use a Park and Ride bus. There are car parks in the centre of Winchester but they tend to be very busy when the market is open.
13. Where Are The Toilets at Winchester Christmas Market?
There are portable toilets located behind the Maker’s Market, close to the Inner Close. In addition, if you’re a client of the Cathedral Refectory, there are public conveniences located there.
You can also find toilets with disabled access and baby changing facilities in the Cathedral Visitors’ Centre, for which there is a charge.
14. Is Winchester Christmas Market Accessible for Wheelchairs?
The main sections of Winchester Fair in the Inner and Outer Close are accessible for wheelchair users. However, the British Craft Village is located within the historic cloisters up a flight of stairs.
15. Winchester Christmas Market Events
There are lots of other interesting events in Winchester at Christmastime. This year, a Community Stage will highlight jazz groups, local choirs, city buskers and community bands.
No wonder the town is known as England’s Christmas capital! The following list of Winchester Christmas events is not exhaustive:
- Winchester Philharmonic Choir Concert – 21 November at 7.30 pm
- Opening Ceremony of the Christmas Market – 22 November at 5.50 pm
- Lantern Parade – 28 November from 5.30 pm
- Christmas Services – 30 November – 25 December at various times
- Christmas Concert – A Festival of Choirs – 14 December at 7 pm
- Winchester Cathedral Choir Services – 20 and 21 December at 6.30 pm
- Chamber Choir Concert: Advent and Christmas – 21 December at 12 noon
- Midnight Mass – 24 December at 11 pm
- Christmas Day Services – 25 December from 8 am
16. Winchester Christmas Market Hotels
We recommend staying in Winchester for at least one night to get the most out of your visit. Here are the best centrally located apartments and hotels near Winchester Christmas Market.
- Hotel du Vin – just 6 minutes walk from Winchester Cathedral, with a lovely outdoor terrace.
- The Old Vine – this mid range option has an award-winning oak beamed bar and a restaurant.
- The Winchester Hotel and Spa – has an award winning restaurant and a great spa.
- Wykeham Arms – stunning bedrooms in a historic pub with log fires.
If you’re coming by car, Lainston House is a great choice. This magnificent Georgian country house is set in 63 acres of parkland and is a 30 minute drive to Winchester centre.
17. How to Get to Winchester Christmas Market
It’s easy to get to Winchester – here are some of the best options:
By car – take the M3 or A34 and consider using a Park and Ride car park as it gets very busy in the centre of Winchester.
By train – from London Waterloo to Winchester via South Western Rail.
Private Tour to Winchester – see Jane Austen’s House Museum And Historic Winchester on a Private Tour From London.
Small Group Tour to Winchester – take a Small-Group Day Trip to Stonehenge, Glastonbury, and Winchester from London.
Other Things to Do in Winchester
Winchester is the county town of Hampshire and a real foodie and shopping hub. At Christmastime, Winchester High Street has a large illuminated tree and the shops are beautifully decorated.
The first king of England, Egbert, was crowned in Winchester. The city was the capital of England until 1066 when it was transferred to Westminster.
Visitors can’t help but be impressed by the wealth of historical attractions here, including:
- Literary Walking Tour – discover the links between famous authors such as Jane Austen and John Keats with Winchester.
- The Great Hall – founded in 1067, it houses the Round Table of King Arthur, which actually dates from the 13th century.
- The Hospital of St Cross – the oldest almshouse still in use in the UK, it dates from 1132.
- Traditional Pubs Walking Tour – visit the best pubs in Winchester and learn about their history during this 2.5 hour small group guided tour.
- Winchester Cathedral – this medieval castle is the resting place of Jane Austen, Saxon kings and also contains the 12th century Winchester Bible.
- Winchester College – this boarding school is thought to be the oldest continually running school in the UK.
- Winchester Military Museums – including The Gurkha Museum in Peninsula Barracks.
- Wolvesey Castle – the ruins of the Old Bishop’s Palace are located next to Winchester Cathedral.
Final Thoughts on Winchester Christmas Market
We hope that you’ve found this guide to the Christmas markets in Winchester helpful. It really is a wonderful time of year to visit the city and Winchester Christmas Market is without doubt one of the best UK festive markets.
So is Winchester Christmas Market worth it? We definitely think so! It’s a great place to find charming gifts and decors. With its festive atmosphere, the market definitely gets you into the holiday spirit.
For more ideas of places to visit in the UK, be sure to check out our other articles.
Read all our UK travel guides here
You might also enjoy:
- Christmas at Waddesdon Manor
- Luxury Weekend Break in Bath
- Best Places to Visit in Cornwall
- Best Bournemouth Attractions
- Best Things to Do in Windsor
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