Today I want to bring you my guide to the Birmingham Christmas Markets in England. These are some of the biggest and best British Christmas markets, and they’re worth a special trip.
Birmingham Christmas Markets
One of my favorite things about traveling in Europe in winter is the Christmas markets. From Cologne to Copenhagen, Salzburg to Strasbourg, seemingly every city is bursting with seasonal sausages and Santa Clauses.
But over the years I’ve learned that you don’t have to leave England to find some of the biggest Christmas markets in Europe. Namely, those in Birmingham.
I read about the Birmingham Christmas markets when I moved to London, and had always been curious about them.
Birmingham’s Frankfurt Christmas market claims to be the largest of its kind in Britain, offering everything from food and gifts to music and ice skating. It makes this city one of the best places to visit at Christmas in the UK.
How to Get to the Birmingham Christmas Markets
Given Birmingham’s proximity to London—it’s two hours by train—I barely needed an excuse to go.
This year I found advance train tickets for £12 return, and couldn’t pass up the opportunity to head north for a little Christmas day trip from London.
The Christmas Markets
Now I’m here and I’ve lucked out with a gorgeous sunny day. As soon as I step out of the station, I’m met with the sights of Christmas lights and chalets lining the pedestrianized New Street.
I start here, taking in the sights of Christmas ornaments, candles, and crafts as I make my way up to Victoria Square.
The square is full of Christmas, from sizzling sausages in giant pans to carols filling the sunny air with the sounds of the season.
I stop for a bratwurst, savoring the spicy mustard as I take in the giant Santa in front of the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery, a stunning neoclassical building that glows in the winter sun.
The Birmingham Christmas markets spill into nearby Chamberlain Square, where there are all kinds of crafts for sale, and down to Centenary Square, where there’s a huge Ferris wheel and an ice skating rink.
But even more impressive is the Library of Birmingham, an eye-catching work of contemporary architecture with a world of books inside and great viewing platforms outside.
I can’t resist a visit to peer down at the rows of chalets and festive trees in the Birmingham Christmas markets below.
Back in Victoria Square, I walk down New Street again and take in the gingerbread hearts, honey wine, and vintage ornaments before coming to the end of the line near Moor Street Station.
Best Birmingham Christmas Markets
I hop on a train back to London, watching the sky fade to purple as the train travels south from the city to the UK capital. It’s been a great Christmas day trip from London.
In fact, the Birmingham Christmas markets were so worth the trip that I may not need to travel to the continent again to enjoy Europe’s Christmas markets.
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14 Comments on Lady’s Guide to the Birmingham Christmas Markets
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Lovely Photos x
Leonie ♥
Thanks Leonie!
When I wouldn’t know better, I would’ve thought you were in Karlsruhe, Germany, where I spent this weekend ;). All these Christmas markets look the same in that they all sell the same objects and are decorated in exact the same way.
I also visited some Christmas markets in the villages that surround Karlsruhe, right in the heart of the Black Forest, and I must say that these smaller, cozier markets appeal to me more than the crowded, big ones.
Christmas markets in England are definitely on my must-visit list, and especially those in the small villages in the Cotswolds. I have this Charles-Dickens-picturesque idea of Christmas markets there in my mind, and I really wish to see if it can live up to my expectations! 🙂
Nice! Yeah, there are more and more Christmas markets in the UK every year, and they’re worth a visit.
Wow! It really does look every bit as good as the markets I’ve seen in Europe! It’s so funny about how wrongly we can perceive things – I’ve always thought Birmingham is too far for a day trip but you’ve totally just proven it’s not! Maybe I’ll pencil this in for a Christmas day out next year 🙂
Yeah, I never realized how close it was until I started looking into spending a day there. It was a really easy day trip from London!
Holiday markets really are a joy to check out. I’m a New Yorker myself and spend an unhealthy amount of time browsing the various holiday markets every year but most of our markets are smaller in scale due to space constraints. Luckily I’m heading over to London in a week for the holiday season so I’m looking forward to checking out the markets in the UK. I’ll certainly remember to visit Birmingham’s but are there any other holiday markets/events you would recommend in or around London?
That’s great that you’re coming to London. I wrote a blog post the other week with all kinds of Christmas events in London, so make sure to take a look at that. It has everything you need in terms of information about markets and other events.
Ooh, I love the heart-shaped ornament with the map of the British Isles!
Yeah, that was my favorite one, too!
You really must try the Lincoln Christmas Market, too. I am going there this year, having been at the very first many years ago when Ilived there. It has grown to be one of the biggest, like Birmingham’s, but in an historic city.
Thanks for the recommendation! I love Lincoln, so I can imagine the Christmas market must be great!
I love visiting Birmingham during Christmas time, the city has so to much offer from Christmas markets to wonderful events for the family.
Definitely!