Log In Register
Lost your password?
A password will be e-mailed to you.

From thoughtful gifts to mulled wine and Christmas trees, the average spending per person this Christmas season is expected to vary between just under £700 in the North East to about £973 in London.

One of the best ways to get you into the festive spirit is by heading to Christmas markets, which take place across the country. If you plan to visit a Christmas market or two this year in your used Audi or VW, which should be at the top of your road trip map?

cinch, the faff-free way to buy a car online, has revealed the UK’s best Christmas markets based on TikTok popularity, average hotel costs, predicted days of snowfall and market duration.

The top 10 Christmas markets in the UK:

  1. Manchester
  2. Edinburgh
  3. Liverpool
  4. Glasgow
  5. Aberdeen
  6. Birmingham
  7. Hyde Park (Winter Wonderland)
  8. Leicester
  9. Belfast
  10. Canterbury

The most festive Christmas markets in the country
If you’re looking for the ultimate Christmas market experience, cinch’s data suggests Manchester is the place to be.

Sam Sheehan, motoring editor at cinch, said: “According to our findings, Manchester is home to the best Christmas market in the UK.

“Receiving a whopping 13,300,000 views on TikTok, as well as offering festive food and fun for 42 days, it’s no surprise that Manchester’s Christmas market stands at the top of our merry list.

“Edinburgh and Liverpool sit in second and third place respectively, with the Scottish capital hosting one of the most-loved markets on social media. If you pop by the Christmas fair in Merseyside, you’ll be in with the best chance of a snowy market stroll, with Weather Atlas’s figures showing that Liverpool gets an average four days of snow each December.

“Glasgow and Aberdeen deserve a special mention, too, as they just fall short of a place on the podium. With three Scottish cities in the top five positions, there’s no doubt the Christmas spirit is cheery north of the border!”

Market duration
Christmas is one of the busiest seasons of the year. From work duties to personal commitments, getting out and about is often a luxury.

If you have a packed schedule and are worried about missing out on this year’s Christmas markets, don’t panic – there are plenty of venues across the country that sizzle sausages and serve hot chocolates for several weeks.

Southbank’s Christmas market in the heart of London, for example, has a duration of 72 days, having opened its doors on 28 October.

Markets in Leicester Square and Covent Garden are also good options for Christmas-lovers with tight diaries, lasting 61 and 56 days respectively. They both opened on 9 November, meaning you can hop from one another and enjoy a double ration of jolly shopping.

TikTok popularity
Around 22% of Brits use social media to find inspiration for things to do and buy.

If you’re a savvy social media user yourself and rely on these platforms to find appealing pastimes and locations, you’ll be interested to know that Manchester (13.3 million views) and Edinburgh (12.8 million views) have by far the most-viewed Christmas markets on TikTok.

Another TikTok favourite is Hyde Park’s Winter Wonderland in London, with videos featuring the #winterwonderlandhydepark hashtag amounting to a total of 4.9 million views.

Christmas markets in the capital cities of Northern Ireland and Wales are also popular on social media. Whether because of their decorated stalls, tasty treats or quirky gift ideas, Belfast and Cardiff Christmas market clips have received about 4.4 million and 2.9 million views respectively.

Average hotel cost
If you’re clocking up the miles driving to your favourite Christmas market, you might have to book accommodation to recoup your energy after a day of shopping and festive cheer.

Sheehan explained: “Travelling to a Christmas market miles away from home? It could be worth arranging an overnight hotel stay to make the most of your trip.

“If you plan to go on a shopping spree and save money on accommodation, Rochester is the most budget-friendly option in the UK, with an average cost of £81.25 per night in a hotel.

“To gather this data, we looked at the nightly rate for a one-night weekend stay (9- 10 December) in 3+ star hotels located within five miles of the Christmas market.”

Other cost-effective locations for accommodation are Leicester and Dundee, where you can expect to pay £85.35 and £88.11 per night on average. By staying in more affordable hotels, you can treat yourself to extra presents and festive goodies.

Chance of snow
There’s no doubt that a white winter adds to the special Christmas vibe. Is there anything cheerier than walking around festive markets under a gentle snowfall?

If you firmly believe that the Christmas season is better with snow, you might want to visit the festive market in Liverpool. According to Weather Atlas, Liverpool has the highest chance of snow in the country, averaging four days of snowfall in December each year.

But if you’ve set your heart on a road trip to Scottish Christmas markets, you’re still more likely to experience snow there than in most places in the UK. Specifically, Aberdeen and Glasgow get about 2.5 days of snowfall every December, which makes them the second- and third-strongest contenders for a white festive season.

It’s also worth mentioning that should you prefer the cosier atmosphere of a small town, Skipton in North Yorkshire tends to get two whole days of snow each December.

So, if you want to combine quaint Christmas markets and snowy weather, these could be the options that tick all the right boxes.

Does your hometown make this list of special Christmas markets? If not, it may be time for a festive excursion. Hop in the driving seat, turn on the sat-nav and explore what festive fairs across the country offer.