Visitors are being given a warm welcome to the Bath Christmas Market - a unique festive shopping experience set among the city’s iconic monuments - which officially opened today.

The magical Bath Christmas Market has more than 200 traders and 36 community groups offering delightful gifts, crafts and delicious food and drink.

Residents were treated to a special preview evening yesterday of the eclectic and high-quality products on offer from stallholders including metal garden art, planet-conscious accessories for dogs, goat’s milk skincare and handmade educational toys.

Food and drink options are broader than ever, suiting a wide range of dietary requirements and including specific gluten free and vegan catering outlets, as well as traditional Christmas fare of mulled wine and mince pies.

The market runs for 18 days from November 23rd to December 10th and in 2022 attracted an estimated 426,000 visitors, boosting the local economy by an estimated £50 million.

Councillor Paul Roper, cabinet member for Economic and Cultural Sustainable Development, said: “Bath Christmas Market is simply not to be missed! Embrace the festive atmosphere and enjoy browsing hundreds of stalls selling local and regional products, handmade crafts, unique gifts and a wide range of the best food and drink you’ll find locally. There’s nothing like the charm of Bath Christmas Market to get you into the holiday spirit. So much hard work goes into the market and we work closely with our stallholders and local shops to make sure it’s an event you’ll remember.”

Pattern and Pearl, a luxury homeware and accessories company with products designed and made in Bath, are among the stallholders at the market this year. Owner Katie Hanney said: “I’m Bath born and bred and have loved coming to the Christmas Market every year so it is really special to be here with my business. Residents’ night went well and I’m really looking forward to the next few weeks.”

Residents and visitors to the market are advised to plan their journeys in advance. Royal Avenue will be closed to public traffic during the event. Variable message signs will be in place for the duration of the market to let motorists know how full car parks are on approach. Live occupancy levels are available at most car parks and can be checked online here. Parking at the Park and Ride sites is free if taking the service into or out of the city.

Useful links to help people plan their journeys are: