Bristol Christmas Markets

All you need to know about the Bristol Christmas Markets 2019

21 November 2019

The hugely popular Bath Christmas Markets return on 28th November with a fabulous selection of handmade and locally produced gifts, crafts and of course, food and drink. But for those who just can’t get enough of mulled wine, twinkly lights and festive shopping, there’s also the Bristol Christmas Markets to get excited about. 

Here’s the lowdown on this year’s Christmas market in Bristol, with all the info you need to plan your visit. 

Bristol Christmas Market – dates, times and when to visit

The markets are already open! They run from 8th November all the way up to 23rd December, perfect for picking up last-minute gifts. You can shop from 10am to 7pm every day, but food and drink stalls will be open up to 10pm each evening.  So, you can round up some friends and enjoy an evening or two together underneath the glittering Christmas tree with some warming festive drinks.

The best time to go to the Bristol Christmas Markets if you aren’t a fan of crowds is during the week, with mornings being quite quiet compared to the busy weekend. 

The markets are on Broadmead, in the heart of Bristol’s Shopping Quarter and within walking distance of Bristol Temple Meads train station. 

Stalls, entertainment and more

The Bristol Christmas Markets boast over 50 chalet-style stalls selling unique and handmade gifts and crafts from across Europe and the world. 

This is unlike the Bath Christmas Markets, which have a strong focus on local businesses and makers. But if you want a taste of the best of Bristol, you’ll also find a special Local Christmas Market featuring independent traders running from 29th November to 23rd December in Broadmead.  

There’s also plenty of food and drink to choose from, including German bratwurst, crepes, burgers and much more. You’ll love the cosy Jäger Barn Bar, serving mulled cider and boozy hot chocolates to the backdrop of fantastic live music.  

Bring the kids throughout December to meet Santa at the markets, and you can even try your hand at Bavarian Curling. If this isn’t your thing, you can sip a traditional German beer or mulled wine from the warmth of the Bavarian Curling Station bar instead. 

How to get to Bristol from Bath

You don’t need to choose between the Bath and Bristol Christmas Markets – you can do both! The two cities are just a 13-minute train ride from each other, so you can hit both in one day (if you have the stamina) or make a festive weekend of it. 

You can also drive between Bristol and Bath in under an hour, with parking available at NCP and other city centre car parks, but the train is much faster.

Staying in Bath? Stay at Ralph Allen Cottage or Prior Park Cottages and you’ll be within a 10-minute walk from Bath Spa train station, as well as the Bath Christmas Markets in the city centre. Both have parking included, just in case you do want to drive between the cities.