Hey kittens, if you’re a local reader (or maybe even not – Manchester’s Christmas Markets have become quite a tourist attraction) then you will have heard all about the German Markets taking over town right now. Manchester Christmas Markets have become known nationally for having the largest collection of Christmas stalls outside of London and every year they attract hundreds of thousands of visitors – and I can understand why!
This year, Manchester’s Christmas Markets have spread even further across the city than ever before, with stalls not only in Albert Square and St Ann’s Square, but also taking over Albert Square, Brazennose Street, Exchange Street, New Cathedral Street, The Corn Exchange and Corporation Street. Basically, there’s a festive arrangement of wooden stalls and fairy lights almost everywhere around the town centre and despite being pretty busy, it’s a lovely sight to see at Christmas time! With the opening dates for the 2014 German Markets running from Friday 14 November – Sunday 21 December 2014 and open ’til 8pm most days, there’s plenty of time to see them for yourself!
There are over 300 stalls across the town in total – that’s a lot of mulled wine and hotdogs! My favourite of all the areas of Christmas Markets is Albert’s Square. This is the pedestrian square outside Manchester Town Hall and it is quite literally packed full of market stalls. Not only are there tons of small wooden huts (prettier than they sound!) selling gifts and momentos, but there’s also a number of larger structures for eating and drinking – even a double decker alpine bar! My favourite of the large bars features a singing Moose. Yep, seriously; you have to see it to believe it!
If you aren’t into souvenirs or you have enough Christmas decorations (which is what the majority of the stalls sell) then the Christmas Markets are still worth a visit to browse the various handmade curiosities and put you into the Christmas spirit. If you are visiting at a weekend or evening, then be prepared for crowds; it gets hella busy, but that’s testament to how popular Manchester has become at Christmas time! I personally like to stop for a Bailey’s Hot Chocolate (only acceptable at Christmas) and Nutella Crepe – the finest Germany has to offer!
This year, the markets are also taking residence inside Manchester Town Hall. For the past couple of years, some of Affleck’s Palace’s most popular shops have been setting up inside to creative a quirky festive presence in one of Manchester’s most beautiful and famous buildings. Affleck’s Palace is one of Manchester’s finest alternative offerings, located in the hipster retreat of the Northern Quarter, so to see it’s offerings inside the town hall is quite a sight! Again, it’s an amazing opportunity to look around the ground floor of one of Manchester’s most historic buildings for free – well worth a visit.
If you want to see a little bit more of what Manchester has to offer in terms of it’s Christmas markets, be sure to check out my vlog below for a video tour of the best sights in our festive corner of the world – especially if you aren’t able to visit this year and need your festive fix. Enjoy, and Merry Christmas!
Full time I'm an ambitious Head of Marketing and Communications in the luxury industry. Part time, I'm an enthusiastic British Fashion, Beauty and Lifestyle blogger and YouTuber from Manchester, UK. This blog has been my outlet for the past 7+ years, and as a longstanding, Award-winning blogger I take the most enjoyment from creating content I truly love and believe in. All authentic. Always.
I love it! I was there few as I work nearby! Mulled wine was yummy !
Stop by sometime…
http://www.yayinteriors.co.uk
Anna xx