Bath Christmas market runs from 2h November to 13 December, decorated with all things Christmas from beautiful hanging lanterns to glittering Christmas lights. The market has over 170 chalets belonging to twelve different categories, including clothing, jewellery, homeware, ceramics, glassware, Christmas decorations and more. There are also a range of personalised and rare gifts available to suit every taste and every budget. Each of the wonderful things in the market have a distinctively British feel as most of the them are made in the local area and South West, making it stand out from other Christmas markets in the UK.
The Bath Christmas market also offers a huge range of scrumptious food, ideal for warming up on a chilly winter’s day. Either it’s the Bath Waffle Co’s mouth-watering chocolate waffles, delicious steak and chicken ciabatta from the Herd, Pieminister pies or great selection of nuts and mulled wine from Chou Chou Nuts over You, the options for food and drinks are endless. Another highlight of the market is the Christmas carols – there’ll be singers and musicians all playing music and singing away through the streets around the market. These wonderful sounds of carols and the tantalising aroma of warm food provides the perfect opportunity and atmosphere and will get even the most scrooge-like characters cheering for the festive holiday!
Bath also has plenty to offer outside of the Christmas market for the perfect festive day out. There is vast range of shops located all across Bath which including designer boutiques, independents and high street brands. For the fun lovers, there is an ice rink in Royal Victoria Park which has its own bar and cafe with live music. A new addition for 2015 is Glow in the Dark Mini Golf, which is right next door to the ice rink. Après Ski Bar at the Abbey Hotel is another fantastic location to visit, giving a cosy cabin ambience and serves a range of lovely Christmas drinks including spiced mulled wine. For those seeking an indulgent and relaxing swim, a spa session at the Thermae Bath Spa, which is the modern version of the ancient Roman hot springs and the only natural hot spring spa in the UK, is an ideal choice
The city also offers a wonderful choice of accommodations to stay, from five-star luxury to more personalised boutique hotels. A charming option is Harington’s Hotel, a fashionably elegant boutique hotel that stands out amongst Bath’s architectural wonders.
There are number of restaurants and bars all across Bath for with great options for food and drinks. One of these is The Circus Cafe and Restaurant located on the Georgian ellipse, which offers a modern British menu prepared by locally sourced products. Colonna and Small’s, run by the award-winning barista Maxwell Colonna Dashwood, and is an ideal choice for a warm cup of coffee.
It’s the best time of the year to explore one of the UK’s most magical Christmas markets and experience the wonderful things to do in Bath.
Peter O’Sullivan, a UK travel enthusiast.
