Warming your hands up around a warm mug of gluhwein, tucking into some tasty bavarian sausages or simply having a wander around artisan stalls - there’s nothing quite like a traditional Christmas market to put you in the festive mood. Whether you visit with friends or family, it’s guaranteed to bring you some Christmas cheer.
If you’ve already exhausted Manchester’s Christmas market - or fancy going somewhere different this year - then head over the border to Yorkshire where you’ll find a market in a location steeped in history. Contained with the city’s mediaeval walls, the St Nicholas Fair in York is a market with a magical atmosphere, and it's only 90 minutes away from Greater Manchester.
This year the fair is marking its 30th anniversary with 70 alpine chalets taking over Parliament Street and St Sampson’s Square. The star-feature of this year’s markets is a two-storey traditional Swiss chalet which overlooks the stalls.
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Called the Winter Hütte, this spectacular chalet has a roof terrace for the ultimate alpine experience. Upstairs is a restaurant serving ‘Swiss with a Twist’ dishes, curated by Yorkshire’s Michelin-starred chef Andrew Pern - think après-ski classics such as fondue and tartiflette.
Downstairs is a fully-licensed bar area and a gourmet sausage stall which caters for both patrons and passers-by. With alpine-themed décor inside the Winter Hütte, you’ll have a hard time believing you’re still in Yorkshire when you step inside.
Leading away from the chalet are rows of stalls selling everything you can imagine, from personalised Christmas decorations to Yorkshire Pudding beer (naturally). If you’re stuck for gift ideas this year you’re bound to find something special here.
Markets aside, York is a beautiful city with winding cobblestone streets and timber-framed buildings, so you can easily while away a couple of hours exploring the city’s snickelways and browsing all of the shops. As you wander around look out for Nutcrackers hidden across the city centre -if you find all ten on the trail you can have the chance of winning a £500 York BID gift card.
Once darkness falls the city is illuminated with gorgeous lights and this year the displays promise to be better than ever. New areas of the city will be lit up this year, while the city’s iconic bar walls will be decorated with curtains of lights.
York is around a 90 minute drive away from Greater Manchester, or you can catch a train which takes an hour and twenty minutes. The markets are open daily from 10am to 7pm.
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