Visit Bath and Visit Bath Christmas Market 2016

At last it’s time. On Thursday the 24th at 10a.m. Bath’s famous Christmas market will open, and over 170 of its traditional wooden chalets will around the Bath Abbey area in the centre of Bath and will be filled with such wonderful things as steaming mulled wine and homemade fudge and cakes and unique artisan crafts.

As the Bath Christmas Market is on it’s a wonderful time to visit Bath, but there are a few top tips that might help you to get the most out of your visit to the market.

Timing is everything and when you visit the market will make a big difference to the atmosphere and experience you have. Naturally if you visit during the day the market will be quieter, although on a Saturday or Sunday the market is going to be busy whatever time you go, so ideally if you can a visit on a weekday. The market will be open between 10am and 7pm from Monday-Wednesday, between 10am and 8:30pm on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, and from 10am to 6pm on Sunday. Having said that, visiting in the evening when the lights are illuminating the Abbey is incomparable for atmosphere. So if you have time to have a long daytime browse and then another visit in the evening then definitely do.   

Something else to consider is delaying your lunch/dinner until after you’ve been around the market. If you like free samples then the market is a great place to be so you don’t want to be too full before you go.  

Another good tip for Bath Christmas Market is to visit when a performance is scheduled. The Natural Theatre Company will be appearing on Thursday 24^th, Tuesday 29^th, Sunday 4^th and Friday 9^th, and on Thursday 1^st and Thursday 8^th there will be illuminated stilt walkers. As for music, choirs from the universities and local colleges, and other local choirs will be performing on various dates. For updates on exact times and locations a good tip is to follow @BathXmasMarket.   

If you’re a resident of Bath or the surrounding area (or know someone who is), then another good idea is to go shopping with your resident’s Discovery Card on hand. Many of the stalls are offering a 10% discount on items to anyone with a discovery card, and there are also many stalls which offer a free gift if you spend over a certain amount. The key is to remember to show your card whenever you buy, as most stallholders won’t ask if you have one. A full list of these can be found on the Bath Christmas Market homepage.

Other good things to bear in mind when touring the Bath Christmas Market are: 

-There’s free Wi-Fi available. 

-The Lodge (a pop-up snow lodge in Stall Street) is back and a great place to go for refreshments. 

-You might want to take tissues with you (in case the loos have run out). 

-Don’t forget to wrap up warm!