There’s nothing that gets us feeling more festive than a trip to a Christmas market, with hot mulled wine to sip and gorgeous gifts to browse on chilly winter days.
While Gloucestershire has its fair share of Christmas markets, for those looking for a day out a little further afield, SoGlos has rounded up some fantastic festive markets to visit by train – with all of them easily accessible on the GWR network from Gloucestershire train stations, including Cheltenham, Gloucester, Ashchurch for Tewkesbury, Stroud, Cam and Dursley, Stonehouse, Moreton-in-Marsh and Kemble.
Hyde Park Winter Wonderland
Transforming London’s Hyde Park with a giant Christmas market, fairground rides, ice skating rink and loads more, Winter Wonderland is the ultimate Christmas day out in the capital - and it's back from Friday 18 November 2022 until Monday 2 January 2023.
Glide around the ice rink, see a show at Zippo’s Christmas circus or Cirque Beserk, take in the city skyline from the giant wheel, and browse for gifts and treats at the festive market stalls, before warming up with a mulled wine in Thor’s Tipi and the Arctic Lodge or indulging in a beer in the Bavarian Village!
Hyde Park is an 11-minute walk from London Paddington station.
Bristol Christmas market
Bristol’s Christmas market returns to Broadmead from Friday 4 November until Friday 23 December 2022.
Browse for Christmas gifts and seasonal crafts at over 40 unique stalls; tuck into churros, crêpes and traditional German bratwurst; grab a drink from the heated barn bar; and enjoy live music from local musicians. There are cosy igloo pods and ski gondolas available for private hire, too!
Broadmead is around 17-minutes’ walk from Bristol Temple Meads station.
Blenheim Palace Christmas market
The beautiful Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire plays host to a traditional Christmas market from Friday 18 November 2022, with wooden chalets offering festive food and drinks, along with a range of artisan and designer gifts.
There’s also a spectacular illuminated light trail, which sees Blenheim Palace’s beautiful grounds lit up with over a million lights and illuminated installations set to music, while inside, the palace state rooms are transformed into the Kingdom of the Snow Queen.
Blenheim Palace is around 17-minutes’ bus ride on the 233 towards Woodstock or 45-minutes’ walk from Hanborough train station.
Bath Christmas market
Bath’s Christmas market returns this festive season, running from Thursday 24 November until Sunday 11 December 2022 throughout the picturesque streets of the city.
Celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, local artisan makers and crafters will be selling their wares from adorable wooden chalets, while street food traders will have plenty of winter warmers on offer. There's also an ice rink and 'Glow Golf' at Victoria Park from Saturday 12 November 2022 until Tuesday 3 January 2023, for more festive fun.
Bath Christmas market is around 10-minutes' walk from Bath Spa station.
Cardiff Christmas market
With stalls lining St John Street, Working Street, Trinity Street and the Hayes, Cardiff Christmas market opens on Thursday 10 November and runs until Friday 23 December 2022 - while the nearby Bavarian-themed Festive Quarter is open until Christmas Eve.
Artisan makers will be offering everything from vintage teacup candles, handmade soaps and bath bombs, Welsh honey to bespoke pet portraits and everything in between – ideal for finding one-of-a-kind Christmas gifts. Cardiff’s beautiful Edwardian and Victorian shopping arcades are just a short walk away, too.
Cardiff Christmas market is a five-minute walk from Cardiff Central station.
Worcester Victorian Christmas Fayre
If you’re missing the Victorian Christmas market in Gloucester, hop on the train and head to Worcester Victorian Christmas Fayre from Thursday 1 to Sunday 4 December 2022.
As well as over 200 stalls selling local food and drink, Christmas treats and handmade goods, Victorian characters will bring Worcester’s historic streets to life – with stilt walkers and buskers providing live entertainment, too. The event is also celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2022.
Worcester Victorian Fayre takes place on New Street, Friar Street, Pump Street, High Street, the Cornmarket and Cathedral Square, all around five-minutes’ walk from Worcester Foregate Street.
Oxford Christmas market
The city of dreaming spires is filled with the sound of carol-singing choirs and the smell of mulled wine from Thursday 1 to Sunday 18 December 2022 as Oxford Christmas market takes over Broad Street.
With a huge Christmas tree, a traditional carousel and wooden chalets full of handmade crafts, sweet treats and Christmas gifts to browse, it makes for a fabulous festive day out in the historic city.
Broad Street is around 12-minutes’ walk from Oxford station.
Christmas at STEAM in Swindon
On Saturday 3 and Sunday 4 December 2022, over 50 Christmas market stalls will be dotted in amongst the locomotives and displays at Swindon's STEAM museum.
With an array of handcrafted items on sale, including plenty of Christmas treats, there'll also be live music throughout the weekend - and Santa will even be visiting STEAM for story time sessions taking place on both days, which include a festive story and a wrapped gift for each child for a small additional cost.
STEAM is around 16-minutes’ walk from Swindon station.
Newbury Victorian Christmas Fayre
Take a stroll back in time through the historic market town as Newbury Victorian Christmas Fayre takes place from Saturday 3 to Sunday 4 December 2022.
With traders dressed in traditional Victorian attire, wandering theatre performers, choir performances, a Victorian carousel and an appearance from Father Christmas himself, it promises to be a fantastic festive day out.
Newbury town centre is around eight-minutes’ walk from Newbury station.
