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The popular market is back for 2026

A hugely popular Christmas market has returned with over 200 stalls. Christmas is almost upon us, with towns and cities across the UK set to be transformed for the festive season.

For one UK city, Christmas has already begun as its markets open today (Friday, November 6). Manchester Christmas Markets is bringing festive shopping, food and drink to the streets of the city.

Wooden chalets line parts of Manchester, where visitors can shop for handmade gifts, artisan products, and international food and drink, as well as take part in family-friendly festive experiences.

Albert Square will be at the heart of the festivities, hosting the 50-metre-high Ferris wheel and a pop-up pub. Manchester’s Giant Santa will also make a comeback alongside a vintage Helter-Skelter.

This year marks the first for a new tree installation with a life-sized selfie sleigh. Over at Cathedral Gardens sits Skate MCR, an undercover ice-skating rink with additional stalls.

In a month’s time, the Manchester Christmas Parade will take place, with more details about the event to come on Sunday, December 6. Overall, the markets will be home to 210 stalls across 10 different city centre sites.

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Where is the Manchester Christmas Market?

The market is spread across the city centre as hundreds of stalls make up the festive atmosphere. This year, locations include Albert Square, Lincoln Square, King Street, St Ann’s Square, Exchange Street, New Cathedral Street, Exchange Square, Corn Exchange, Cathedral Gardens, and Market Street.

When does the market open?

Manchester Christmas Markets will open on Friday, November 6 and run until Tuesday, December 22. The festivities at Albert Square and Cathedral Gardens will remain open throughout the Christmas period until Sunday, January 3.

Meanwhile, Skate MCR ice rink will be open from Friday, November 6 to Sunday, January 3. The market is open seven days a week from 10am until 9pm.

How much is Manchester Christmas Market?

It is free to visit Manchester Christmas Market and you do not need a ticket to enter.

How to get to Manchester Christmas Market

Manchester Christmas Market is best accessed by public transport as Manchester city centre is served by trains, trams and buses. Manchester’s Victoria and Piccadilly Stations are an easy walk to the markets.

Trams and buses on the Bee Network run every 12 minutes, and are said to be the “easiest, cheapest and fastest” way to get to the markets.

Roads and car parks are said to be very busy, with the option of using Greater Manchester’s Park & Ride locations instead. There are multiple car parks within a walking distance of the markets, with Piccadilly Plaza and Chorlton Street being the closest.

THE festive wrapping paper is on sale, the family-size box of Quality Street is stacked in shops – Christmas is officially on its way.

If you’re a true fan of the season, you’ll obviously want to head to the UK’s biggest Christmas market.

And the largest is actually in Manchester which opens at the beginning of next month.

Returning on November 6, it will run for over six weeks – so there’s plenty of time to visit whether you’re a local or not.

It’s so enormous that there are 210 stalls across 10 locations spread about the city centre.

The stalls will sell everything from festive food and drink – think hot chocolate and mulled wine – to international street food, if you’re over the yorkshire pudding wraps.

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Handmade gifts and stocking fillers can be found there too, if you’re ready to start Christmas shopping.

Albert Square will be where most of the city’s festivities will be, including its 50-metre high Ferris wheel.

There will also be a pop-up ‘pub’ for the festive season as well as a giant Santa, a vintage Helter Skelter and a huge tree installation and life-sized selfie sleigh.

If you’re on the hunt for ice skating, you’ll find it at Cathedral Gardens along with some market stalls too.

Across the city will be live entertainment, and plenty of Christmas lights.

The Manchester Christmas Parade will be held again this year on December 6.

Kids will be able to spot Snow Queens, reindeers, Nutcrackers, toy soldiers and even Santa who will be travelling onboard the Elf Express.

Visitors will find the market spread across locations including; Albert Square, Lincoln Square, King Street, St Ann’s Square, Exchange Street, New Cathedral Street, Exchange Square, Corn Exchange, Cathedral Gardens, and Market Street.

A recent study by Christmas Tree World also recently crowned Manchester Christmas Market as the UK’s best.

Factors were based on the number of Google searches, social media posts and videos, hotel prices, history, number of stalls, entry cost and closeness to public transport.

With much cheaper hotel prices than the like of New York city, the Manchester Christmas Market was also voted second best in the world.

The market will come to a close on December 22.

However, the Albert Square and Cathedral Gardens will remain open throughout the Christmas period until January 3, 2027.