Christmas Markets

[anti-pacer]

Have any of you visited any, and if so, which ones?

I have been to Edinburgh so far, and will be going to Leeds on Thursday evening.

Edinburgh is well worth the visit, with 2 separate markets. They have a sort of German market along Princes Street, which also contains many arts and craft stalls, and in St Andrew's Square, there's a Scottish Christmas market which is smaller but equally good.

The only problem with the Princes Street market was the layout of the first part. You have "two way pedestrian traffic", stalls on both sides (and a Big Wheel) and at one point it all just came to a standstill. I wouldn't advise a Saturday visit if you have young kids.

All in all though it was very good. Looking forward to Leeds next.

Previous good Christmas markets I have been to are York, Lincoln, and Birmingham.

 

[starrymarkb]

Exeter has a small one, visited last night for Currywurst und Weissbier/Mulled Cider

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Manchester has two main Christmas markets outside the Town Hall in Albert Square and in St Ann's Square, plus in a number of streets.

 

[harry42]

LINCOLN? But might've gone now

 

[yorksrob]

Leeds is very good. It's in Millennium square so you can mill around easily.

I recommend the smaller beer hut and the sausage stall outside it, and the Garlic Bread stall (it's in a grey plastic gazebo shaped like a giant garlic bulb).

 

[anti-pacer]

LINCOLN? But might've gone now

Yeah, it's only on for 3 days.

 

[WestCoast]

Birmingham's Frankfurt Market is excellent and covers a surprisingly large area. I've been to the offerings at Manchester and Leeds but IMO Brum is definitely the best out of those.

 

[D841 Roebuck]

I've been to the Manchester one.

Overpriced, tasteless tat with the odd decent bit of dead pig on offer.

 

[SS4]

I've been to the one in Birmingham and it's pretty decent when one actually has money to spend. Shame about the crowds though

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

I've been to the Manchester one. Overpriced, tasteless tat with the odd decent bit of dead pig on offer.

Mind you, there is a very good cheese stall on the section that is hard by the Town Hall and a quite reasonable hand-painted decorated glassware stall on the same elevation but on the other side of the Town Hall entrance (Transylvanian Glass ?). These were the only two stalls in Albert Square where we purchased any goods this year. There are a couple of interesting ones in the market in St Ann's Square.

 

[anti-pacer]

Birmingham's Frankfurt Market is excellent and covers a surprisingly large area. I've been to the offerings at Manchester and Leeds but IMO Brum is definitely the best out of those.

I'd go with that.

 

[Trog]

I have walked by the Birmingham German Christmas market. Can not stand the crowds, way too many people dawdling about with their mouths open not looking where they are going.

Also I just can not work out why they hold it in a cramped street in Birmingham, having gone to so much trouble to clear space in Coventry.

 

[Clip]

I have walked by the Birmingham German Christmas market. Can not stand the crowds, way too many people dawdling about with their mouths open not looking where they are going.

Also I just can not work out why they hold it in a cramped street in Birmingham, having gone to so much trouble to clear space in Coventry.

Probably wary of using too much space just in case Techniquest has a day out in Brum soon and complains of 'Bloody Frothmas' at the top of his voice whilst gurgling out of a 2ltr bottle of Dr Pepper, staggering to a station.

 

[MidnightFlyer]

I have walked by the Birmingham German Christmas market. Can not stand the crowds, way too many people dawdling about with their mouths open not looking where they are going.

Agreed. In my experience, the residents of Birmingham dawdle enough as it is, never mind when they have beer / scented candle / sweet stands to gawp at. There must surely be more convenient places to put it than on New St?

 

[Lrd]

Southampton has a German market in the city centre for most of December, I've heard that it's quite good but I tend to steer clear of town so I don't know how good it really is.

 

[Tracked]

Yeah, it's only on for 3 days.

it's this weekend, am going to it, went to York's last weekend.

Not sure if I'll get to Manchester & Leeds again though

 

[slater]

I think Reading is very good enough place for Christmas

 

[anti-pacer]

it's this weekend, am going to it, went to York's last weekend.

Not sure if I'll get to Manchester & Leeds again though

I keep thinking it's still November!

 

[theblackwatch]

I think Reading is very good enough place for Christmas

I have never heard of the Christmas Market there, and there doesn't seem to be much info online about it - the main website appears to be just this:
http://www.marketsquaregroup.co.uk/eventdetails.aspx?eventid=91&panel=1

Is it one that thousands flock to?

I'm going to a proper German Christmas Market at Schwarzenberg later this month (on a special train hauled by a 219 'U-Boot') - it will be interesting to see how the event compares with the UK interpretation of such events.

 

[trentside]

I've been to Lincoln's numerous times. Last year's was something of a disaster thanks to the council implementing an awful one way system, but even without this, the crowds can sometimes make it extremely difficult to enjoy it at times. There are certain places, such as the more traditional market in the Bishop's Palace, that are really great and fairly quiet but the stalls on the main route through can be impossible to get near, especially on the Saturday.

 

[306024]

It isn't cold enough over here yet to enjoy a Christmas market properly. You need to be freezing your ****'s off before having a warm with a gluhwein (or two).

 

[mikeolsen]

I've just returned for a 3 day trip to Brussels and Brugge making the London to Brussels on Eurostar and then taking the local train to Brugge - tried out Christmas markets in both cities - wasn't impressed by either of them. Maybe I had my expectations set too high, not sure... but it wasn't what I expected. The trains were ok though - much better than flying.
Back home now and looking to order takeaway online now

 

[gordonthemoron]

if you want an example of a truly crap German Christmas Market, I'd suggest Rotkreuzplatz and Arabella Park both in Munich, and Erding, although there are several thousand crap ones in germany

 

[slater]

Manchester has two main Christmas markets outside the Town Hall in Albert Square and in St Ann's Square, plus in a number of streets.

In my opinion Town Hall in Albert Square is the best market

 

[Bevan Price]

Manchester has two main Christmas markets outside the Town Hall in Albert Square and in St Ann's Square, plus in a number of streets.

Was in Manchester today, and it was very crowded. Did not bother with Albert Square - went there a year or two ago and it was almost impossible to move - too many closely-spaced stalls.

Liverpool also has a Christmas street market - not as big as Manchester, but a lot easier to move around. Neither had many goods on offer that interested me, apart from some types of takeaway food that are not easily found at other times.

 

[Tracked]

Did Lincoln yesterday, there seemed to be even less stalls in the Castle Square than last year (though I'm sure there's more each year after the exit from the Castle itself), and the one way systems still in. Had a pint of a Milestones beer and one by local brewers Cathedral Heights (after trying some seriously hot relish called Maneater) though ...

EMT 156 from Doncaster to Lincoln, saw 90019 on a special with Choc&Cream Mk1's on. Northern 153+142 on the way back via sheffield, reluctantly had to change to the 142 after Sheffield though

 

[SS4]

Agreed. In my experience, the residents of Birmingham dawdle enough as it is, never mind when they have beer / scented candle / sweet stands to gawp at. There must surely be more convenient places to put it than on New St?

Where though? I don't think there is anywhere long enough to fit the stalls in the city centre. I would like to see lanes installed - one in each direction and split in two with the outer being fast (ie no stopping allowed) and the one nearer the stalls being slow

http://i.imgur.com/r6dSa2j.png
(the "reversible reaction" arrows are where one can change direction)

Of course I reckon it'd work just as well as the Pallasades ramp!

 

[gordonthemoron]

managed Manchester last Saturday and Leeds last Sunday, Feuerzangenbowle (fire punch) was better in Leeds. Off to Brum next Sunday