grotto

CHRISTMAS is just six weeks away, and with that, many festive events and experiences are opening.

But sometimes meeting Santa or heading to a light trail can set you back quite a bit of money – especially when you add on the inevitable hot chocolate your child screams for when they get cold.

With Christmas already stretching our pockets, finding something to do with the family that doesn’t require you to get out your debit card is hard.

So we’ve rounded up some of the free events across the UK you can head to this Christmas, from pop-up performances to lantern parades.

Santa’s Grottoes and Meet & Greets

In Leeds, at Kirkgate Market, families get the chance to meet Santa for free on December 6, 13, 20, 22 and 23 between 12pm and 3pm.

At the Cadbury House Christmas Fayre on December 3, families can meet Santa in his grotto between 5pm and 7pm.

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The Fayre will also have an array of stalls.

At Willow Brook Centre in Bradley Stoke, near Bristol, families can head to a Christmas Jamboree for free on November 28.

The event will have a Santa meet and greet, as well as a free bouncy castle, Rodeo Rudolf, obstacle course, slide and bungee run.

Visitors will also be able to meet the Grinch, and Glinda and Elphaba from Wicked.

For a slightly different Santa meet and greet, head to Hamleys toy store.

Over the Christmas period, visitors can share hugs and high fives every day at either 1pm or 2:30pm, with Santa Hamley Bear outside the Regent Street store in London.

Light trails

South Bank Winter Light Trail in London features numerous artworks by different artists that glow in the dark night.

The event takes place from November 6 to January 18, 2026.

In Liverpool, you could head to the Royal Albert Dock which features giant light-up figurines and a fairytale carousel.

Over in Sheffield, Light Up Sheffield features three of the city’s most iconic landmarks lit up – Sheffield Cathedral, Sheffield Central Library and Pounds Park.

The event will take place across 10 nights from December 5 to 14.

Light Up Wakefield will take place in Wakefield city centre from November 21 to 23.

On November 21, visitors can head to the Cathedral Precinct to enjoy live music and entertainment before the switch on event at 5:30pm.

Just after Christmas is Christmas Dubs in Clifton Village, near Bristol.

Taking place on December 26, visitors can see a number of Volkswagens light up Clifton Village, as they are decked out in lights.

In Torquay in Devon, visitors can head out on the Bay of Lights illuminated trail from November 28 to January 2, 2026.

Across the event, Torquay waterfront will become illuminated with a light trail stretching 1.5 miles.

In Devon, Lanterns, Lights and Luminations in Brixham will take place from November 21 to 22.

The popular event features a lantern parade, firework display, live music, street entertainment and a market.

Markets

A lot of markets across the UK are free to enter, but once inside you usually do spend money – whether that be on food and drink or attractions.

However, if you take some snacks with you and skip the attractions you can get into the festive spirit without spending a penny.

For example, you could head to one of Liverpool’s most loved buildings, the Bombed Out Church, for their weekend Makers Market.

From 10am to 4pm on various dates throughout November and December, you can wander around stalls selling fresh bakes and pretty creations.

In London, you could head to the Chelsea Winter Village where there is street food, artisan markets, firepits, traditional fairground rides, and an aprés ski bar.

The event is set within the grounds of the Royal Hospital Chelsea, so even if you don’t want to spend any money, it is a pretty market to see and take in the free choir performances.

Festive treasure hunts and other trails

In London, visitors can head off on the Snowman Trail, which is a free outdoor sculpture trail inspired by Raymond Brigg’s The Snowman.

Each sculpture has been decorated by artists and then place close to the city’s landmarks.

There will also be a Snoopy Trail around Fleet Street.

Light switch ons

Up and down the country there are thousands of Christmas light switch-ons taking place in November and December – and most of which are free to attend.

This includes the Christmas Light Switch On in Oldham, just outside Manchester.

Taking place on November 15, the event will feature the turning on of the Christmas lights, a visit from Santa, as well as Bluey and Bingo from the hit TV show and fireworks.

For a slightly different ‘switch on’ event, head to Tavistock in Devon on December 5, for a Victorian Christmas lights switch on, with people in Dickensian costumes and vintage entertainment.

In Richmond, the Christmas lights will be switched on, on November 27 and visitors can expect entertainment with the Wickedly Witches, Candy Cane Stilt Walkers and Giant Nutcracker.

Store events

Ikea stores across the country also offer a number of free events so it is worth checking out the events page for your local store.

For example, at Ikea Greenwich children can write a letter to Santa and post it in a special post box between November 10 and December 23.

At Ikea Southampton, families can even have breakfast with Santa if they are an Ikea family member – which is free to sign up to.

The same goes for Hamleys with events at the Regent Street store including Box of Christmas Mischief, a festive game show (November 6 to December 24) and Twinkle Jingle Town Parade where Hamleys elves dance their way through the store (November 6 to December 5).

If your kids love to read or you want them to explore more stories, Waterstones offers loads of events up and down the country, including regular free storytelling sessions.

Over the festive period, there are even more events such as Epsom Christmas Evening with local authors and illustrators and late night Christmas shopping nights, with free mince pies and mulled wine.

Other events

Inside Sheffield Cathedral, visitors can explore 40 Christmas trees decorated by different local charities.

A similar event will also take place at Selby Abbey – the Christmas Tree Festival, which will take place from November 28 to January 5, 2026, will feature 30 trees decorated by locals.

On November 21, when Wakefield’s Christmas lights are switched on, there will be a lantern parade through the city at 6pm.

At Windmill Hill City Farm, near Bristol – a free family farm attraction with a play area and animals – the cafe will be hosting free screenings of much-loved children’s films every weekday from 3:45pm.

In Devon, Candlelit Dartmouth is from November 28 to 30.

Visitors can see a procession of hundreds of handmade paper lanterns through the town as well as Father Christmas’ boat gliding across the River Dart.

For fans of Charles Dickens, the UK is home to some Victorian and Dickensian-themed events including a Victorian evening in Newton Abbot, Devon on December 3.

The high street will be transformed into a Dickensian Christmas Shopping scene with performers and a chance to meet Santa.

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For more ideas of things to do around the festive season, the UK’s biggest Christmas event is returning with 150 rides and attractions… and new FREE Santa’s grotto.

Plus, the prettiest Christmas markets in Britain – with hotel stays from £37.

THE world is full of amazing places to go for a dip, but one spot really is a ‘hidden’ gem – as you can swim underneath a castle.

The Château d’Urspelt, in the heart of the Éislek region of Luxembourg, is a luxurious hotel within a former castle.

But below it is the ultimate surprise – a pool designed in the shape of a sunken grotto.

Guests can step into the pools, with different rock-style formations across the walls and ceilings, as well as plants draping down.

And the indulgent experience doesn’t stop there as the spa also has six treatment rooms, a relaxation room, two hammams, two saunas, a whirlpool and a fitness room.

After enjoying the different spa areas, guests can put their feet up and relax with a cup of tea in the tea room.

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Access to the wellness area costs €60 (£52.36) per person, or it is free when you book a massage or treatment.

As for the castle-turned hotel, which opened back in 2008, the rooms are equally as decadent as the spa experience.

There are a variety of different room types to choose from, with 57 rooms and suites.

Continuing with the theme of grandeur, in the castle’s historic cellars – which were dug out by hand from the original basement – is the U Lounge Bar.

When workers were digging out the basement, they also discovered a well, which has since been exposed.

The bar serves a range of drinks including spirits, wines and cocktails.

Alternatively, guests can head to The Library for a cosy and inviting atmosphere.

In the morning, guests are invited to head behind the reception desk to reach a sprawling buffet breakfast, with homemade jams, freshly baked cakes and honey produced by bees on site.

The outdoor pool, which overlooks the entire estate, even has its own bar, serving up refreshing drinks and light snacks.

In the warmer weather, guests can enjoy the indoor-outdoor Patio or for a more refined experience, The Dining Room.

Otherwise the château is also home to an orchard, three running and walking routes and even electric scooters for hire.

Rooms at the hotel cost from around £147 per night and the hotel is located around an hour from Luxembourg Airport.

Travellers looking to explore the surrounding area won’t be short of options either, as the château is close to many charming towns.

For example, 30km away from the château is Vianden Castle, which was built between the 11th and 14th centuries.

In fact, it was named as one of the 20 most beautiful castles in the world, by CNN Travel.

And each year the castle hosts a medieval festival in August, with duelling knights and jugglers.

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There’s also a UK castle that costs less than a hotel stay in London with an indoor swimming pool, tropical gardens and a private beach.

Plus, you can stay at a fairytale English castle once home to famous king – with tower suites and the UK’s largest four-poster bed.

The crystal grotto is located inside the grounds of a park within the village, and it’s a real must-see if you’re visiting this summer

The UK boasts a wealth of stunning beauty spots, but one location that is definitely worth a visit this summer is Cobham in Surrey.

It was voted the second most desirable place to live in the UK by the Telegraph last year, thanks to its relaxing atmosphere, gorgeous scenery and wide range of pubs, shops and independent eateries.

This charming village is the perfect place to spend the day exploring, eating and drinking, especially if the weather is nice. Painshill Park is a particularly lovely spot, and it’s home to a famous crystal grotto that is the perfect place to take pictures.

Surrey Live writer Laura Nightingale finally paid it a visit after wanting to go for years, and she was not disappointed. With her husband and daughter in tow, they headed to the park by car and got ready to enjoy their family day out.

She said: “I was invited to the 18th Century landscaped garden to celebrate the start of the school summer holidays, and we headed straight to the grotto.

“We picked up a map from the ticket office and followed the accessible path around the lake, keeping the large open water to our right hand side.”

The grotto was a 15 minute walk away, and en route, they passed the Mr Hamilton’s tearoom, a play area and a beautiful vineyard slope.

To her daughter’s delight, they also spotted a gaggle of ducks, especially as they got closer to the island housing the magical grotto.

Laura continued: “We strolled over the Woolett Bridge (there is another entrance via the Chinese Bridge on the other side of the lake but that was closed when we visited), to reach the naturalistic cave with shimmering, bubbling water, rough rock and stalactites covered in sparkling crystals.

It was a breath-taking sight. We parked the buggy outside on a patch of grass, and ventured inside the incredible man-made feature. Fellow adults stood in awe of the enchanting sight, and there was an eerie silence inside as we were captivated by its charm.”

It’s a haven for Instagrammers, offering countless picturesque spots for capturing the perfect shot. On sunny days, beams of light shine the interior through strategically positioned openings in the ceiling.

This illumination causes the crystals to twinkle as it reflects off the coral pools and lake water, which Laura described as ‘simply sensational’.

After exploring the grotto, they retrieved the pram and crossed the bridge to complete the tour around the scenic lake.

They managed to spot the Turkish Tent and the grand Gothic Temple on the return journey to the gift shop. King George III, during his visit years ago, said the view from the building was his favourite.

Raving about the park, Laura concluded: “I thought Painshill Park was a great place to take the kids during the school summer holidays. Not only will the grotto amaze youngsters, the site is just so convenient and easy to get around.

“Parking is free, there are toilets, a café, coffee shop, plenty of places to roll out a picnic blanket (in the sunshine or under the trees), a play park and a clean, flat path to push a pram.”