Being a Christmas baby means that visiting a Christmas market is a no-brainer when December rolls around! Here’s all about our festive weekend in Winchester to visit Winchester Cathedral Christmas market.

For my birthday this year, my boyfriend and I booked a weekend away in Winchester. We saw a deal on Wowcher that included an overnight stay at a hotel overlooking Winchester Cathedral, with late check-out and breakfast included.

We spent two days in Winchester – Sunday and Monday – and had the best time. I’d never been to Winchester before so it was lovely exploring somewhere new. We had such a lovely festive weekend too and it really got me in the mood for Christmas.

Here’s what we got up to.

Festive Winchester

We headed to Winchester on the 10th of December, staying in the Mercure Winchester Wessex Hotel. Check-in wasn’t until 3pm, so it was just starting to get dark by the time checked in and headed back out to visit the Christmas market.

Upon arrival, we noticed it was jam-packed for a Sunday evening (as predicted), and slightly overwhelming with so many crowds. The market welcomes over 350,000 each year! As planned, we used this time to explore. Mainly we wanted to just get a feel of the market and just enjoy the twinkling lights at night.

After a quick look around, we went in search of dinner. We went around the corner to Winchester high street. This long street – with old-worldly characteristic buildings on each side – and a giant tall Christmas tree – is was just as pretty as the market. We enjoyed strolling and exploring, trying to decide what we wanted for food and stopping in pubs along the way.

In the end, we decided on Thai from Giggling Squid. Once fed, we continued to explore by visiting some haunted pubs! The Eclipse Inn was perfect for a pre-dinner drink. This tiny and cosy pub was so snug and warm inside and made me feel so festive. I love that feeling you get at Christmas when you stumble into a cosy pub from the cold, taking off your oversized scarves and jackets and indulging in a tipple to warm you up! I certainly felt that way in the Eclipse Inn.

We also stopped briefly in The Royal Oak, which was much larger than it looked from the outside but was just as cosy. We enjoyed a drink inside one of their smaller rooms. Accessed by an old wooden door and creaky steps heading down into the room, this little nook was decorated in such a way that we felt like we were on an old ship of sorts!

The following morning we decided to check out some of the sites in Winchester before the market opened. We visited The Great Hall and Round Table Museum, where there’s a replica of King Arthur’s Round Table on display.

Each year, the hall has decorations for Christmas, so I loved seeing these. We spent about an hour here, learning about the history of the medieval castle and the legend of King Arthur. It was really interesting and though the table is only a replica, it still dates back to medieval times. Queen Eleanor’s Garden was fun to visit too, which grows 13th-century herbs and plants.

Winchester Cathedral Christmas Market

We then headed back into the centre of Winchester and hit the market. Because it was early on a Monday morning, it was a lot quieter and more manageable. We were able to explore at our own pace and browse the varied gifts for sale.

There was a real variety of stalls – from luxurious and beautiful Christmas tree ornaments and baubles to gourmet chocolate, cheese and meat. Each trader is hand-picked, meaning all gifts are really high quality every year. I didn’t see any tat anywhere!

I did, of course, only end up buying treats for myself and none for anyone else…which is quite typical for me!

There were all different areas of the market to shop. There was a smaller Makers Market which included authentic and hand-made gifts from independent artists too. So there really was something for everyone.

It was so lovely sipping mulled wine and listening to Christmas music playing out of the speakers, with the stunning market situated around the cathedral. It really was beautiful and I felt so Christmassy!

The food court was great too, with lots of options to suit everyone. We chose cheese toasties which unfortunately were not that great, but I had my eye on the Mac Shack and Bratwurst Chalet, which we will definitely try next time. I really loved the variety of seasonal drinks on offer too! As well as the food court, we spotted traditional stands around the market serving mulled wine, nuts, toasted marshmallows and more festive food.

Unfortunately, they didn’t have an ice skating rink this year, but there was still plenty to see and do. The market was one of the biggest I’d been to and we spent a good few hours browsing the different stalls and enjoying the festivities.

We briefly popped into the cathedral itself too, which was absolutely stunning inside. I wish we’d had time to explore the cathedral properly, particularly as they run festive events also.

After our fill of the market, we took a slow stroll along the high street to pop into some charity shops and independent places before we headed back home.

It truly was a lovely festive and magical weekend away. Winchester Cathedral Christmas market was absolutely stunning and I can see why it’s voted as one of the best! But aside from the market, Winchester was just a really lovely place overall. I loved all the characteristic buildings and historic pubs and that there was so much to see and do. I really liked that everywhere was decorated for the season too, which meant it was a lovely place to just wander and enjoy the sights.

If you’re looking for an affordable festive weekend away, definitely consider Winchester.

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