New Bond Street chalets
New Bond Street joins the chalet route in 2026. Add it to your circuit towards Milsom Street.
New Bond Street chalets — newsroom.bathnes.gov.uk
England / Somerset
Bath Christmas Market 2026
South West makers, Abbey lights and a city worth staying for.
26 November–13 December 2026 Free entry
At a glance
See the 2026 dates
- Dates
- 26 November–13 December 2026
- Opening hours
- Monday–Wednesday 10am–7pm; Thursday–Saturday 10am–8pm; Sunday 10am–6pm
- Entry
- Free, open-air market.
- Arrival
- Bath Spa; bus station on Dorchester Street
- Quieter shopping
- Tuesday and Wednesday, 10am–noon
- Setting
- Bath city centre: Abbey Quarter, Bath Street, Union Street and surrounding streets
Parking: See parking and park-and-ride
Our verdict
Go if…
- You want independent gifts with a strong South West connection.
- You like shopping streets framed by the Abbey and Bath stone.
Skip if…
- You need a flat, cobble-free route.
- You want every trader there throughout the run: some take shorter lets.
Best day to go
Tuesday or Wednesday, 10am–noon, during the quieter shopping period.
Our top tip
Visit in daylight for the makers, then return to the Abbey Quarter at dusk for the lights.
The market
Bath gives you a city worth looking up at, as well as stalls worth stopping for. The Abbey Quarter anchors the route, with pale stone façades behind the wooden chalets. In 2026 the circuit runs from Abbeygate Street towards Milsom Street. New Bond Street joins it for the first time. Start with the Abbey end, then work outwards rather than treating each street as a separate destination. It is a market spread through the city, not a single fenced square.
The scale is substantial: 245 traders, with 80 per cent from the South West. That is the strongest reason to come. Look for the Bath-made jewellery and Somerset food before falling back on familiar gifts. Short chalet lets give smaller businesses a place in the line-up, but also mean that not every trader stays for the full run. Bath Sausage Company, Robyn Coetzee and Kay & Ellie finish on 2 December. Hullabaloos Drinks starts on 3 December. A shortlist is more useful than a plan to see every stall.
The first market opened in 2001 with 40 stalls on Kingston Parade. This year brings a new programme of live music and street performances, plus an indoor space with a bar on Stall Street. Use that indoor stop to break up the outdoor circuit. Our preferred visit starts on a Tuesday or Wednesday at 10am: the organiser reserves 10am–noon on those days for quieter shopping without large-scale entertainment. Return to the Abbey Quarter at dusk if you want the lights as well as the daylight shopping. Pick a meeting point before splitting up; retracing a busy chalet route is a poor way to find each other.
Visit Bath — 2026 market and route · Council — 2026 additions · Council — market history
A warm stop on Stall Street
The new indoor space on Stall Street includes a bar. Use it for a break from the outdoor stalls.
A warm stop on Stall Street — newsroom.bathnes.gov.uk
Live music and street performances
The new live-music and street-performance programme gives the route another dimension. Timings come from the day’s programme.
Live music and street performances — newsroom.bathnes.gov.uk
A quieter morning browse
Tuesday and Wednesday, 10am–noon, are quiet shopping periods without large-scale entertainment.
A quieter morning browse — bathchristmasmarket.co.ukEat and drink
From the 2026 line-up; photos show the food type, with individual trading dates below.
The Box
Mulled wine and cider
Mulled wine, mulled cider and hot chocolate from the festive bar on Orange Grove.
26 November–13 December
Bath Sausage Company
A hot sausage stop
Pork, venison and vegan sausages from the local Green Park Brasserie team.
26 November–2 December only
Godminster
Somerset cheese
Bruton-made organic cheddar for a festive cheeseboard or a gift to take home.
26 November–13 December
Hettie Hen
Scotch eggs
Handmade Scotch eggs and pickled eggs from a Somerset business: a savoury change from sweet treats.
26 November–13 December
CHOC ON CHOC
Chocolate gifts
Locally made chocolate in playful shapes, for a stocking filler or a treat of your own.
26 November–13 December
Meg's Cottage Fudge
Butter-tablet fudge
Traditional butter-tablet fudge made in Bradford-on-Avon, in a choice of flavours.
26 November–13 December
The Pudding Wagon
Brownies and bakes
Brownies, blondies, rocky road and cookie bars for a rich chocolate stop or a gift box.
26 November–13 December
Hullabaloos Drinks
Fruity soft drinks
Handmade, still fruit drinks from Somerset, available from the second week of trading.
3–13 December onlyMakers to look for
Limelight Bath
Locally handmade plant-wax candles, wax melts and diffusers.
Kingston Parade · 26 November–13 DecemberDesign Vaults Jewellery
Bath-made recycled-silver jewellery inspired by constellations and the night sky.
Kingston Parade · 26 November–13 DecemberRobyn Coetzee Glass Designs
Colourful glass birds, jewellery and decorative gifts, handmade in Bristol.
Bath Street · 26 November–2 December onlyKay & Ellie
Real flowers grown and pressed near Bath, set into resin jewellery for a bright, personal gift.
Bath Street · 26 November–2 December onlyKate Marshall Ceramics
Wheel-thrown stoneware and raku pieces from Bear Flat, Bath, including pots and lamp bases.
Bath Street · 26 November–13 DecemberWild Wool
Natural-wool throws, hand-knitted accessories and wool-covered hot-water bottles for a useful winter gift.
Bath Street · 26 November–13 December
Where we’d stay
See all places to stay in Bath
For the shortest return to the stalls, stay around the Abbey Quarter. Bath Spa and SouthGate suit rail arrivals. Lower Bristol Road and Oldfield Park broaden the search; First Bus services 5 and 1 connect those areas with the centre.
Local bus timetables ↗
Our pick
Abbey Hotel Bath
North Parade puts you four minutes from the Abbey. Our pick for keeping the stalls close, with the hotel’s tea bar available for an indoor break.
4-minute walk to the Abbey ↗ · Hotel information ↗
Check prices ↗Family rooms · Property information · checked 24 October 2026
Pets allowed · Property information · checked 24 October 2026
Also good
Hampton by Hilton Bath City
Six minutes from the Abbey, with breakfast included and connecting-room options. A practical Avon Street base for arriving by train.
6-minute walk to the Abbey ↗ · Hotel information ↗
Check prices ↗
Best value
The Z Hotel Bath
Opposite the Theatre Royal and four minutes from the Abbey. Our best-value style of stay; ask for a room with a window.
4-minute walk to the Abbey ↗ · Hotel information ↗
Check prices ↗
Also good
Holiday Inn Express Bath
Breakfast is included, and there is limited paid parking. The Lower Bristol Road location is an eighteen-minute walk from the Abbey.
18-minute walk to the Abbey ↗ · Hotel information ↗
Check prices ↗
Splurge
The Gainsborough Bath Spa
A Beau Street address, a thermal-water spa and a five-minute walk to the Abbey. Our splurge choice; spa access depends on the room booked.
5-minute walk to the Abbey ↗ · Hotel information ↗
Check prices ↗We may earn a commission if you book, at no extra cost to you. How affiliate links work. Our walking estimates are mapped routes, not step-free access audits. “Best value” is an editorial category, not a quoted room rate.
Map
Find the market streets, arrival points, parking and places to stay. The map loads as you approach this section; mouse-wheel scrolling stays with the page.
Map waiting to load. The places list below works without it.
MMarket streetsTRail & coachPParking & park and rideHPlaces to stayWCAccessible toilets
Choose Explore the map to pan and pinch to zoom; choose Finish exploring or press Escape to return to page scrolling. Pins show places, not the precise position of individual stalls.
All map places, as a list
- Bath Abbey / Abbey Quarter — Market-area landmark; use the organiser’s current layout for individual chalet positions.
- Bath Street market area — One of the organiser’s named market streets.
- Union Street market area — One of the organiser’s named market streets.
- Bath Spa station — Main rail arrival; plan your return train before an evening visit.
- Royal Avenue coach drop-off area — Coach drop-off and pickup zone on Royal Avenue; this pin represents the street area, not a particular bay.
- SouthGate car park — City-centre car park; check the operator for availability and charges.
- Charlotte Street car park — City-centre parking north-west of the market; check current restrictions.
- Bath Sports and Leisure Centre — Changing Places — Changing Places facility inside the leisure centre. Confirm entrance and opening hours with the operator.
- Odd Down Park & Ride — Park and ride site; check Travelwest/First Bus for current fare and final return bus.
- Lansdown Park & Ride — Park and ride site; check Travelwest/First Bus for current fare and final return bus.
- Newbridge Park & Ride — Park and ride site; check Travelwest/First Bus for current fare and final return bus.
- Abbey Hotel Bath — A boutique North Parade base close to the Abbey end of the stalls, with its own tea bar for an indoor pause.
- Hampton by Hilton Bath City — An Avon Street base with breakfast included and connecting-room options; useful for a straightforward rail-led city break.
- Holiday Inn Express Bath — A Lower Bristol Road option to compare with central rooms, with breakfast included and limited paid parking. Compare your dates rather than assuming it is the cheapest.
- The Gainsborough Bath Spa — A Beau Street stay with a thermal-water spa, close to the Abbey Quarter. Check which spa access is included in your room booking.
- The Z Hotel Bath — A Saw Close base opposite the Theatre Royal. Compare room types carefully: some are sold without a window.
- Terrace Walk — accessible event toilet area — The organiser locates accessible event toilets on this street. This pin marks the street area, not the exact temporary unit or entrance; ask event staff on arrival.
- Bilbury Lane — accessible event toilet area — The organiser locates accessible event toilets on this street. This pin marks the street area, not the exact temporary unit or entrance; ask event staff on arrival.
- Royal Avenue — accessible event toilet area — Accessible event toilet provision at the coach drop-off area. This pin represents Royal Avenue, not an exact temporary unit; ask coach/event staff for the route.
- SouthGate — Changing Places area — Shopping-centre area pin. The Changing Places care room is behind The Vaults and needs a RADAR key; ask centre staff for the exact entrance and opening hours.
Coordinates: OpenStreetMap contributors. Organiser toilet and access information. Temporary toilet locations use the named street/site as a navigation point; ask staff for the exact unit.
A perfect day
- Morning · 10am
Arrive with the day ahead of you
Come into Bath Spa and walk to the central stalls. Tuesday and Wednesday, 10am–noon, are the organiser’s quieter shopping windows; on other days, an early start still gives you time to find your favourites.
- Lunchtime
A savoury bite, then a brownie
Browse Hettie Hen’s Scotch eggs, then look for brownies or a hot drink. Keep your hands free for shopping and ask stallholders about ingredients and allergens.
- Afternoon
Meet a few makers
Shortlist the makers you want to meet. Robyn Coetzee and Kay & Ellie trade only to 2 December; match your shortlist to the date.
- As dusk falls
Come back for the glow
Return to the Abbey Quarter for the lights, then try the new indoor stop on Stall Street. Give yourself room to pause rather than stopping in the middle of a busy route.
- Evening
Dinner, or an extra festive stop
Book a seated meal so you can warm up properly. Check the Abbey or city programme for a performance that fits; market closing varies by day, with Thursday–Saturday browsing until 8pm.
Check the details ↗ - Before the journey home
Plan the journey home
GWR’s normal timetable to 12 December lists a 23:05 direct London train on weekdays and 22:45 on Saturdays. Amended services apply on 5–6 December and 13 December, so check your actual date and aim for an earlier useful train.
Check the details ↗
On Instagram
Posts from the market’s organisers and makers. Tap any tile to load all 4 Instagram posts on this page. Instagram may receive your IP address and set cookies; read the privacy note. Until then, nothing loads from Instagram.
Bath Christmas Market
Open this post on Instagram ↗@bathchristmasmarket
A look at the market’s lights, chalets and evening atmosphere.
Visit Bath
Open this post on Instagram ↗@visitbathuk
A festive market preview from Visit Bath.
Limelight Bath
Open this post on Instagram ↗@limelightbath
Previous-season candle display: inspiration for this year’s gift shopping.
Bath Christmas Market
Open this post on Instagram ↗@bathchristmasmarket
A maker spotlight featuring Design Vaults Jewellery.
Instagram is off until you choose to load it.
Practical information
Getting there and back
Bath Spa is the rail arrival point, with the bus station alongside on Dorchester Street. Coaches set down on Royal Avenue. The walk towards Milsom Street is downhill; the return is uphill.
For park and ride, compare Odd Down, Newbridge and Lansdown. SouthGate and Charlotte Street are the city-centre parking options shown on our map. Look up the fare and last return bus before committing to an evening visit.
GWR’s normal timetable runs to 12 December: the last direct London train listed is 23:05 on weekdays and 22:45 on Saturdays. Amended services apply on 5–6 December and 13 December. Use the journey planner for your travel date and aim for an earlier train.
GWR trains · · Park and ride · · Council parking information
Parking and park-and-ride
Use Newbridge, Lansdown or Odd Down Park & Ride for the market; Manvers Street and Charlotte Street are central alternatives.
Park-and-ride
- Bath’s three sites are Newbridge, Lansdown and Odd Down. First operates services 21, 31 and 41 respectively. Parking for bus passengers is free; pay for the bus journey. Official park-and-ride source · checked 24 October 2026.
- TravelWest currently lists services until 11.30pm Monday–Saturday and 6pm on Sundays and public holidays. These are general running hours, not a Christmas-only extension. Official park-and-ride source · checked 24 October 2026.
City-centre car parks
- Manvers Street: council car park off Manvers Street; cashless MiPermit or machine payment. Official city-centre car parks source · checked 24 October 2026.
- Charlotte Street: council long-stay option west of Queen Square, open 24 hours. Official city-centre car parks source · checked 24 October 2026.
- Bath Sports and Leisure Centre is a named council car park; its listing states that Blue Badge parking is free. Official city-centre car parks source · checked 24 October 2026.
Pre-booking
- The Manvers Street listing describes MiPermit and machine payment. A reservable visitor bay is not established in the information checked in the council sources checked. Official pre-booking source · checked 24 October 2026.
Blue Badge parking
- Blue Badge holders can use on-street pay-and-display and resident-permit bays without a time limit under the council’s rules. Event closures still affect where vehicles may enter. Official blue badge parking source · checked 24 October 2026.
- Manvers Street charges Blue Badge holders. Official blue badge parking source · checked 24 October 2026.
- Bath Sports and Leisure Centre’s listing states its Blue Badge parking is free. Official blue badge parking source · checked 24 October 2026.
Christmas services and changes
- The official 2026 tourism listing announces extra Park & Ride services during the market. Use current operator timetables for the chosen date. Official christmas services and changes source · checked 24 October 2026.
On the day
Wear waterproof layers and shoes with grip. Wet paving and the cobbles around Abbey Green call for sensible footwear. Carry a small bag, a charged phone and your return tickets.
With a buggy, plan a route that lets you step out of queues. Event toilets are listed at Terrace Walk, Bilbury Lane and Royal Avenue. Ask traders about payment methods and allergens before ordering. Pet-dog rules and any facility essential to your group need a direct answer from the organiser.
Before and after
For an overnight stay, arrive the evening before and use the first visit for the lights. Save the next morning for shopping. The Abbey Quarter repays time away from the chalet queues.
Use the official city programme to add a performance or seasonal visit. On departure day, ask your accommodation about luggage storage before returning to the stalls.
Accessibility
Cobbles and slopes are part of Bath’s historic centre. Tuesday and Wednesday, 10am–noon, are the quieter shopping windows. The map shows named event-toilet areas and Changing Places sites; temporary pins locate the street or site rather than the exact unit.
Frequently asked questions
Questions before you go
What are the opening hours?
Monday–Wednesday 10am–7pm; Thursday–Saturday 10am–8pm; Sunday 10am–6pm
How can I arrive by train?
Bath Spa is a short walk from the market; the bus station is beside it on Dorchester Street.
Can I bring my dog?
Check the organiser’s current pet-dog rules before travelling. Assistance-dog arrangements are separate; use the accessibility guide for the published information.
What access information should I check?
Bath’s historic setting includes cobbles and slopes, so plan the approach as well as the distance. Tuesday and Wednesday 10am–noon are quieter shopping periods. The map marks the named event-toilet areas and Changing Places sites; temporary toilet pins show the street area, so ask staff for the exact unit. Read the Bath accessibility guide →
Official links
How it compares: see our top 15 UK Christmas markets.
More market trips in this region
Good to know
Which? highlights South West makers, varied handmade gifts and the setting beside Bath Abbey and other city attractions.
Council warns the city becomes busy, especially at weekends; this is an organiser travel warning rather than a visitor-review finding.
Free, open-air city-centre market; accessibility and journey pages are linked.
organiser event information · checked 24 October 2026
2025 guide highlights South West stallholders and wide gift and local food range.
reputable consumer publication · checked 24 October 2026
Expect busy weekends and use public transport or Park & Ride.
council travel advice, 24 November 2025 · checked 24 October 2026