Top 10 places to spend Christmas in the UK

Christmas, Days out, Destinations

Posted by Courtney Kelly on 23rd October 2024

A child at a Christmas market choosing a sweet treat

It’s the most wonderful time of the year; but just where are the best places to spend Christmas in the UK?

Whether you want to stay local, fancy a trip just down the road or are ready for an adventure across the country, there are plenty of locations up and down the UK which come alive at Christmas.

So, without further ado, here are our top ten ideas for where to spend Christmas in the UK. And if you're looking for somewhere cosy to stay after a day filled with festive fun, take a look at our Christmas cottages by clicking the button below.

Christmas cottage breaks


Aerial scene of Edinburgh Christmas market including funfair rides.

Edinburgh

Edinburgh is a gorgeous city to visit at any time of the year, but it’s truly magical during the Christmas season. You’ll find festive fun from mid-November right through to the beginning of January, with Edinburgh’s Winter Festival incorporating the world-famous Hogmanay celebrations. It’s truly one of the best places to welcome in the New Year, and for 2024, Scottish music icons Texas will be headlining the Concert in the Gardens on 31 December.

The schedule of events and activities on offer includes Christmas markets, ice skating and a Christmas tree maze. The markets offer an array of wonderful and unique Christmas gifts, from stocking fillers to presents for those people who are always tricky to buy for! If you have little ones, take them to visit Santa himself in St Andrew Square right up until Christmas Eve. See the city from a different perspective with a ride on the big wheel or StarFlyer. The latter stands 80 metres above East Princes Street Gardens Christmas Market and provides stunning views of the city skyline.

  • Must see: The Christmas Tree Maze is a fabulously festive sight
  • Must try: Take a ride on the Around the World StarFlyer
  • Stay nearby: Castle Skyline Apartment | sleeps 4

Browse our Edinburgh cottages


Bath Christmas fireworks and Whitby's Gothic abbey in the snow.

Whitby

You may be looking for places to go at Christmas on the Yorkshire coast. If so, we’ve got a couple of excellent options for you. First up is Whitby, which is often associated with Halloween thanks to its Gothic abbey and links with Bram Stoker’s Dracula. However, even the Count himself would be swept up in the Christmas celebrations and merriment in this coastal town.

Whitby’s Christmas Market takes place between 15 and 17 November in Marina Front Car Park, giving you plenty of time to buy a local gift for that special someone. Some of the stalls are set up in beach huts, giving a coastal nod to the festive proceedings. The weekend involves the Christmas lights switch-on and fireworks.

If you're in town on 7 December, you’ll be well placed to witness the Whitby Krampus Run, a costumed street parade that infuses local folklore with the legend of Krampus to raise money for local charities.

  • Must see: The Boxing Day dip in the ocean is well worth watching … or even joining
  • Must try: Christmas cake by Stokers of Whitby
  • Stay nearby: Whitsend, Whitby | sleeps 5

Browse our Whitby cottages


A Christmas tree stands proudly outside Bath Abbey at night.

Bath

Nothing invokes the spirit of Christmas more than a wander around Bath’s glorious Christmas Market - one of the UK's top Christmas markets. Set in the city centre, it features 230 chalets showcasing the work of creative minds ranging from jewellers to cheesemongers. With plenty of food and drink stalls to suit all appetites, it’s the perfect place to embrace the spirit of the season.

Bath on Ice is also a real highlight of Christmas in the beautiful city. Royal Victoria Park is adorned with 100 square metres of ice so whether you’re donning skates for the first time or are a whizz on the ice, there’s room for everyone. It’s a real winter wonderland, featuring glow golf, Christmas tunes and a welcoming alpine-themed bar for a mulled wine after a session on the rink.

Bath Abbey is hosting the captivating Light of Stars exhibition from late November to early January, while No. 1 Royal Crescent is offering an immersive tour entitled 12 Tales of a Georgian Christmas. These are fabulously festive ways to see two of Bath’s most iconic destinations.

Browse our Bath cottages


Close up of a Christmas tree and some Christmas Bakewell tart.

Bakewell

Come for the tart, stay for the … well, also the tart, but there’s so much more besides this famous pudding going on in Bakewell in the Peak District around Christmastime. The Christmas market held in mid-November in the town centre boasts over 100 stalls selling local goods that include crafts, plants, jewellery, soaps, clothing and books.

The food and drink on offer might harm your wallet as you’ll find a plethora of cheeses, chutneys and fudges to take home, as well as Yorkshire pudding wraps, crepes and waffles to eat as you stroll along. During the weekend, there’s a grotto for the children to visit and live music to keep their toes tapping.

On 8 December, the Bakewell Agricultural Business Centre will host the Bakewell Christmas Sparkle. This is a fantastic family-friendly event where the kids can handle small animals, get their faces painted and visit Santa in a tipi grotto. Fear not, the grown-ups are well catered for as well with over 50 stalls to peruse, a heated tipi bar, a street food court and live musical performances. Plus, All Saints Church hosts a Christmas Tree Festival throughout December.

Bakewell has also topped our festive list of the best Christmas towns in the UK due to it's wonderfully wintery offerings.

  • Must see: Christmas carols from Peak Performance Choir at the Bakewell Christmas Sparkle will certainly get you in the spirit of things
  • Must try: Everywhere will be selling festive Bakewell tarts … it’d be rude not to sample them
  • Stay nearby: Beech Cottage, Bakewell | sleeps 4 + 2 dogs

Browse our Bakewell cottages


Southwold beach huts with sand dunes in the foreground all covered in snow. The ocean is in the background.

Southwold

When thinking of the best places to spend Christmas in the UK, Southwold on the Suffolk's Heritage Coast might not immediately spring to mind. This seaside town is a quintessential summer mainstay that sees visitors in their throngs heading to the coast to enjoy the beach and the pier amongst other things. However, during winter and in the lead-up to Christmas, Southwold sees fewer tourists than in the warmer months, creating a sense of peace and quiet which, when coupled with serene coastal walks, is hard to beat.

That’s not to say that the Southwold festive scene is a sleepy affair – far from it. There’s a Christmas market for every weekend day during December along the Suffolk coast (including one in Southwold’s town square) so head out and buy your gifts before returning to the picturesque sight of Southwold’s iconic pier and lighthouse amid tumbling snow. Book your tickets at the Southwold Art Centre for Santa's Christmas Show, a festive Santamime for all the family where the kids can join in the fun and watch the elves, Rudolph and the big man himself get themselves into a comical Christmas muddle. Suffolk also features in our blog, where to find snow in the UK this Christmas

  • Must see: Southwold Pier in the winter evening sun is a sight to behold
  • Must try: How about joining in the annual Southwold Christmas Day swim at Gun Hill Beach?
  • Stay nearby: Christmas Cottage, Southwold | sleeps 4 + 1 dog

Browse our Southwold cottages


A lady reads a book in the warmth of a glowing fire by a Christmas tree. Hay Castle where much of the Hay Festival Winter Weekend takes place.

Hay-on-Wye

Representing Wales on our list of best places to go at Christmas, Hay-on-Wye attracts the literary crowds from far and wide thanks to its moniker as the town of books. You may be able to pick up an aged copy of a Christmas classic such as A Christmas Carol or The Nutcracker as you explore over 20 bookshops.

Books are not the only offering though; with a 700-year-old market providing gift ideas every Thursday, you’re bound to pick up something wonderful and merry for a loved one or friend.

At the end of November, the Hay Festival Winter Weekend takes place, a smaller version of the Hay Festival which occurs every spring. The historic market square comes alive during this four-day event, transforming the town into a winter wonderland. Much of the weekend’s festivities take place on the grounds of Hay Castle in a huge 350-seater marquee. Enjoy writing workshops, craft sessions, storytelling, comedy, music and family-friendly workshops.

Browse our Hay-on-Wye cottages


The beautiful village of Clovelly illuminated by Christmas lights.Image credit: RNLI

Clovelly

The gorgeous cliff-side village in North Devon is stunning all year round – but it’s Christmas when a medley of events truly showcases its unique spirit and location. Clovelly's cobbled streets provide a multi-coloured path, with Christmas lights – put up in aid of the local RNLI – illuminating your walk down the hill to the harbour.

There’s also an annual Boxing Day BBQ with live music, mulled wine and a treasure hunt, while the New Year’s Eve celebrations are also worth a visit.

Recently, the village was dubbed the UK’s most Instagrammable place as well as one of the most Christmassy places in the land. Go during the day for the incredible coastal views and stay late into the evening for the lights, the singing, the live brass band and some warming mulled wine. We'd say this is one of the best places to stay at Christmas for a truly magical getaway. 

  • Must see: The lobster pot Christmas tree is possibly one of the most unique Christmas trees you’re likely to find
  • Must try: Order a hog roast on the night of the Christmas lights switch-on as you await the fireworks display
  • Stay nearby: Tall Tree Cottage, Clovelly | sleeps 6

Browse our Clovelly cottages


An older man and woman smile at the camera holding hot drinks and a Christmas gift at a market.

Cheltenham

Parties, panto and a whole host of sparking events make Cheltenham a memorable place to spend Christmas. The countdown to the big day begins in the town centre on November 23: Cheltenham comes alive with performances from local bands, choirs and dance troupes, alongside a shopping trolley dance display team (yes, you read that correctly) called Granny Turismo. That’s not forgetting penguins and illuminated stilt-walking angels too! On the same day, the Brewery Quarter Christmas Party and the lights switch-on event take place at Pittville Pump Room.

Imperial Gardens host the ice rink right through the festive season; it’s indoors so there is no need to worry about getting caught in the rain – or snow! The rink welcomes skaters aged 3 and over and is accessible for all, with all sessions open to wheelchair users. More interested in shopping than skating? The array of Christmas markets in Cheltenham are a joy to visit.

If you’re a fan of horse racing, then the Christmas Meeting at Cheltenham Racecourse might take your fancy on Friday and Saturday December 13 and 14. The Christmas Extravaganza on the Saturday includes a Santa’s Grotto. Panto entertainment comes in the form of Aladdin, and Jack and the Beanstalk, at the Everyman Theatre and Cheltenham Playhouse, respectively. So much fun in Cheltenham this Christmas!

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The harbour illuminations of Mousehole.

Mousehole

If you’re still thinking about where to go for Christmas and you want to stay coastal, you need to consider this charming seaside location. One of the best places to see Christmas lights in the UK, the Cornish village of Mousehole comes alive with kaleidoscopic light midway through December. The switch-on event is quite the occasion too, with an open-air service leading revellers in a sing-song before the lights illuminate the harbour.

The Christmas light tradition began in 1963 when a local artist placed a string of lights along the quay at Christmas to make the village more welcoming and attractive. This ritual has grown year on year and now the spectacular showing of lights displays local foodie delicacies, sea serpents and sailboats to name just a few of the installations. The lights stay on from 5pm to 10pm and only get turned off on the 19th in memory of the Solomon Browne disaster.

When the big event is over, you can sit by the water and bathe in the glow of the twinkling lights, making this one of the best places to go at Christmas for a festive break by the sea. 

  • Must see: Mousehole Christmas Food and Craft Market at the Solomon Browne Memorial Hall on 11 December
  • Must try: A warming portion of Stargazy Pie, a local fish and pastry delicacy (just wait until you see it!)
  • Stay nearby: Seahorse Cottage, Mousehole | sleeps 4

Browse our Mousehole cottages


Father Christmas reading his list amongst festive decorations.

Lapland…

Yes, there is an attraction named Lapland UK, and it can be found in Ascot, Berkshire. It’s a 4-hour immersive experience of the Father Christmas story, recreating the North Pole for a month-long celebration of children’s beliefs.

In the attraction, kids can help elves in the Toy Factory, decorate gingerbread houses with Mother Christmas, meet Father Christmas and his reindeer, go ice skating and more. It takes place from mid-November up to and including Christmas Eve.

  • Must see: Father Christmas House – this enchanting wooden cabin amid snow-covered trees will fill your children’s hearts with Christmas magic
  • Must try: Popping your most secret wish into one of the Lapland wish jars (purchasable from the gift shop)
  • Stay nearby: Lynchets Cottage, Wantage | sleeps 10 + 1 dog

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Find more inspiration this Christmas

Feeling in the festive spirit? Check out more of our Christmas blogs then find the perfect place to stay for the big day by browsing our collection of Christmas cottages. 

Christmas breaks

Disclaimer: Whilst every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information at the time of writing, please ensure you check carefully before making any decisions based on the contents within this article.