Manchester Christmas Markets make their big return to the city centre this month with the promise of bringing plenty of festive cheer. The array of food and drink and gift stalls will be spread across 10 different "zones" in the city this year.
Here, we bring you our guide to what you will find where this year at the Christmas Markets. And we have the Christmas trail map which will help you to navigate the different festive zones.
Big Santa will be making his own big return - and there will also be a festive light trail that proved popular last year. And the main festive "hub" will be the Winter Gardens village at Piccadilly Gardens.
Read more : Manchester Christmas Markets 2022 full list of traders at every location
Work is already well underway getting all the stalls up ready across the city, ahead of the official opening on Thursday, November 10. The markets will then run daily, right through until Thursday December 22.
Here's everything you need to know about the Christmas Markets taking place this year in Manchester.
Map of Manchester Christmas Markets 2022
As you can see from the 2022 map, the Christmas Markets this year will spread across the city - but are still all within easy walking distance from each other.
The map shows the full Christmas trail, from Cathedral Gardens at the far end of Deansgate, through to Exchange Square, Market Street up to Picadilly Gardens, then back down to St Ann's Square and King Street.
Tram stops are marked on the map at Victoria, Exchange Square, Piccadilly Gardens and St Peter's Square - where you'll find Big Santa. You can also find our full list of traders at all the different sites with our guide here.
Winter Gardens
Promised to be "bigger and better than ever this year", Piccadilly Gardens will once again be transformed into Winter Gardens and become the main hub of the markets for the festive season. Serving up pancakes, churros and an array of winter tipples it will be at the heart of Manchester's festive action.
Newcomers Parmageddon will join a mouth-watering line-up of food and drink that also includes vegan bratwursts, cookie dough, Amsterdam Frites, and two bars serving continental and foreign ales. There will also be dedicated weekly trial spots for new local traders as they step into winter trading and try out their wares on the Christmas market crowds.
Brand new for this year in Winter Gardens will be a giant Nordic-themed double tipi bar for over 18s. Fully heated and festooned with ambient lighting, wooden benches, fake furs and a fire pit, the new tipi promises to be a perfect meeting place for those seeking a cosy Christmas atmosphere full of festive cheer.
With entertainment throughout the week including live music and DJs, some amazing food vendors will make their temporary Christmas home next to the tipi including vegan foodies Panc and last year's smash hit, Korean hotdogs.
Old favourites the Pig and Barrel will be making a welcome return to the Winter Gardens offering up their delicious pork barms and cosy seating area with entertainment on most nights.
Winter Gardens will also be home this year to the iconic Manchester Windmill which comes in at a whopping four metres high.
Accessible changing facilities, which includes an adult weighted change bed, a shower, toilet, and an adult weighted track hoist will also be available in Winter Gardens as well as, priority seating for disabled visitors.
St Ann's Square and Exchange Street
St Ann’s Square - the original site for Manchester's Christmas markets - will return with its large undercover bar providing German beers and warm cherry Gluhwein to keep Christmas revellers warm and merry throughout the winter season.
St Ann's Square and Exchange Street will also be home to local traders, and Manchester foodie favourites such as Yard and Coop with their salt and pepper chicken fries, plus fresh authentic paella and tapas, as well as Manc and Proud serving up Mancunian themed everything, plus continental chocolates, English cheeses, and art emporiums.
Market Street
Market Street will once again be home to stalls selling a wide range of gifts from some amazing crafters and producers selling everything from tweed hats, spiced rum and Christmas decorations, to candles, jewellery, and gift sets of cheese truckles.
King Street
Home to some of the best food in Manchester, the Christmas deli stalls on King Street will take foodies on a world tour of some of the best loved dishes on the planet. From Italian cannelloni and arancini, Greek gyros and halloumi fries, to French garlic mushrooms and Salford Rum, there’s something for everyone’s tastes.
New for 2022, middle eastern restaurant Habas, part of the El Gato Negro group, will be bringing their menu and seating area to King Street.
New Cathedral Street
New Cathedral Street starts with high-end gift stalls and stretches down into foodie heaven. Stalls will be selling fine cast ornaments, old fashioned liquorice, handmade cocktails for home, and light up Christmas decorations.
There will be the return of popular food stalls offering everything from vegan 5 bean chilli, to New York Bagels - swallowed down perhaps by one of cosmopolitan Bar 3's famous Instagram-worthy smoking cocktails.
The Witchouse also returns to New Cathedral Street with its traditional steins and mouth-watering currywurst.
Exchange Square
Warm up at the instantly recognisable Mill Exchange bar, with their special Mancunian mulled wine made on-site and its legends of Manchester artwork adorning its walls.
2022 also sees the return of the famous Porky Pig's Yorkshire Pudding Wrap, alongside stalls selling hot curries, mini pancakes, fresh fudge, hand-carved olivewood decorations, German kebabs, and gourmet Italian pizza.
Set between the Manchester's historic Corn Exchange building and Shambles Square, visitors can expect to find unique fairtrade hats and jackets, character themed hats and belts, as well as handmade pies, cupcakes and soaps.
Cathedral Gardens
This is the spot for the much-loved undercover ice rink Skate MCR which is already open with entertainment each Thursday to Sunday all the way through to New Year’s Eve.
Next to the ice rink, hot food, warm drinks, pancakes and tipples will be on offer from nearby market stalls to help warm up cold hands and feet after a skate on the ice.
Where is Big Santa?
The large light up Santa Claus, sat atop a huge Christmas present will once against return to St Peter's Square, outside Central Library. Santa's lights will be turned on a little later than the main festive lights, after Remembrance Sunday has taken place.
So you can expect to see him in his fully-lit glory from Tuesday November 15. The rest of the Christmas Lights will be turned on to coincide with the return of the Christmas Markets from November 10.
What are the dates and times for Manchester Christmas Markets 2022?
Manchester Christmas Markets will open officially to the public on Thursday, November 10 . The main market zones, like Exchange Square, St Ann's Square, King Street and Market Street, will run daily from that point until Thursday, December 22 .
Cathedral Gardens will already be open with food and drink stalls from October 21 to tie in with the launch of the huge festive ice rink ready for the Halloween half term. The food stalls will then stay open through to December 31.
The ice rink itself is taking bookings from October 21 through to January 3.
Stalls will open daily from November 10 at 10am - and all food and drink stalls close by 9pm. Retail stalls close by 8pm.
Read next:
- Christmas family-friendly events you can start booking now
- Festive karaoke huts will return to Manchester for 2022 at Bar Hutte
- Light trails taking place across Greater Manchester for Christmas 2022
- Eight of the best beauty advent calendars available for 2022
- Manchester's first new city centre park in a century has opened
