We may be biased, but Bath really is an extraordinary city to visit in the winter time. Bath positively fling itself into the Christmas spirit every year with lights, festive events and one of the most famous Christmas markets in the country.

Now, summer may only just be over, but it’s never too early to start planning your Christmas adventures in Bath. The annual market held in the streets surrounding the majestic Bath Abbey is a highlight for many festive enthusiasts, and this year it will run from Thursday 24^th November to Sunday 11^th December.

The market is open from 10am every day during this period, closing at 7pm from Monday to Wednesday, 8.30pm from Thursday to Saturday and 6pm on Sunday. It boasts over 170 charming wooden chalet-style stalls, and the vast majority of traders are from Bath and the surrounding areas.

Food and drink

As well as championing the very best produce and handmade gifts from the Bath region, the Bath Christmas markets are also the perfect place to enjoy some delicious festive food. Lunchtimes and the after-work period are the perfect time to indulge with friends and family on everything from street food made from fantastic local ingredients to seasonal treats such as mulled wine.

Shopping and Christmas gifts

The Christmas markets can be hugely busy at peak times, so Bath residents and those in the know will advise newcomers to visit in the morning or on a weekday evening if they want a relaxed stroll among the stalls. It’s the ideal place to get your Christmas shopping done, with a huge range of edible and covetable gifts and stocking fillers all in one place. You’ll find traditional wooden toys for the kids, handmade jewellery for mum, a cracking cheese selection for dad and loads more.

The markets also feature a full programme of live entertainment, from children’s entertainers and live musicians to traditional carol singers.

Other festive fun in Bath

Of course, the Christmas market isn’t the only festive event happening in Bath in the months leading up to the big day. Highlights of the winter calendar include Bath on Ice, a real ice rink in Victoria Park, this year’s pantomime, Aladdin, at the Theatre Royal (starting its run from 8^th December) and the annual lantern procession organised by the Holburne Museum at the end of November.

Stay nearby

If you’re going to snap up all the bargains and best bits at the Bath Christmas Markets 2016, you’ll need be on site nice and early. Lots of Bath Holiday Rentals properties are conveniently located in the city centre within easy walking distance of the markets, but Hot Bath and No.10 are the closest – you can practically smell the mulled wine from the window! The markets are always hugely popular and the best accommodation fills up fast, so make sure you don’t leave it too late. After all, you’ll need somewhere cosy to stash those purchases and rest those weary feet after a day at the markets!