Top 5 Christmas Markets in Scotland

Looking for the best Christmas Markets in and around Scotland? Look no further, here are the Top 5 Christmas Markets in the area.

Dundee

Dundee’s Ethical Christmas market is a one-of-a-kind event, as it offers you the chance to embrace the joys of Christmas while also being ethically conscious. Dundee holds the title of being a Fairtrade City (the first in Scotland), and the council is therefore committed to the promotion of Fair Trade. The market is a great opportunity to represent exactly that!

The sellers at this market showcase products from local and international sellers, such as those from Morocco, Zambia and Peru. This gives us locals a great opportunity to pick up a unique gift we won’t get on the high street!

Due to its ethical nature, all of the profits made by each seller goes towards projects in their own communities – i.e. if you buy something from the Zambian stall, you’re helping a local Zambian project. It’s a win-win for everyone.

Edinburgh

With a duration of almost two months - from late November until early January, Edinburgh’s Christmas market is the biggest in Scotland. The market offers a broad array of attractions - with the Mound Precinct playing host to the traditional European market. Here you’ll find traditional German market stalls and cuisine (think sausages and eggnog!). Over on George Street is the Scottish Market, containing everything that screams Scottish Christmas and Hogmanay – or maybe things that aren’t particularly traditional like mulled Irn Bru! Lastly, Princes Street Gardens is a must-visit street if you have little ones. This is the home of the Children’s Market. Purposefully designed to be a whimsical palace of joy for children (as well as less stressful and safer), it is the perfect place to watch your child fall in love with Christmas every single year.

But wait. The Christmas activities are not just limited to the market areas! Think about taking a Night Walk through Edinburgh’s past and present with an emphasis on Christmas spookiness. Or, what about visiting Winter Windows – an opportunity to get a taste for the finer things in life as well as support local, young Edinburgh artists!

Aberdeen

Taking place between November 18th and December 31st, Aberdeen Christmas market can be found throughout the city centre. The market has a little bit of everything for the whole family to enjoy! Aberdeen’s market is more like a funfair dressed up for Christmas, which sounds like an amazing idea for parents and children alike.

The market has an open-air ice rink set in the backdrop of the stunning Marischal College, allowing you to slowly glide along with your loved ones while admiring the beautiful scenery. Alongside the ice rink, there are other festive rides such as the Ice Fun House, Child’s Carousel, traditional Helter Skelter as well as the ever-popular rides Freak Out and Fast & Furious (I told you it was a fun fair dressed up as a Christmas market!). 

Glasgow

The Glasgow Christmas market runs across two primary city centre sites – St Enoch Square and George Square. Glasgow is a blistering, colourful and unique city to visit at the best of times - and during Christmas it is no exception. The markets emphasise Glasgow’s gastronomic identity and play host to a wonderful international collection of cuisines, rather than just containing the traditional bits and bobs.

Additionally, this year the Market will play host to two large traditional windmill chalets, but they’re not only decorations. So, if you’re lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time, you’ll see these beautiful chalets come to life. There is also a gorgeous traditional Victorian carousel and a classic Helter Skelter. It goes without saying that Glasgow market will be great fun for the whole family!

St Andrews

St Andrews plays host to numerous different Christmas markets including the Christmas Craft Fair, the Christmas food market and the Christmas for All market. Uniting all of them is the fact they all take place in the beautiful and regal St Andrews. The city hosts stunning architecture that seems to naturally complement festive traditions and cheer! 

Photo by Lāsma Artmane on Unsplash