The best Christmas market day trips from Newcastle in 2024

The festive period is a time for friends, family, gifts, and memorable days out.

Newcastle’s Christmas market opens on Saturday, November 16th and will remain open until the final Sunday before Christmas, but there are plenty of other opportunities for a day out further afield to enjoy the build up to December 25.

Durham Christmas market

Rather than a traditional Christmas Market, Durham is once again hosting a Christmas Festival in 2024. This will run over the weekend from Friday, December 6 until Sunday, December 8.

Part of the festival includes a market with organisers claiming over 200 independent traders. Stall will be spilt across the Craft and Producers’ Marquee on Palace Green, Durham Market Hall as well as the Festive Outdoor Market in Durham Market Place.

Travel to Durham is cheap, quick and easy thanks to train routes between central station and the city.

York Christmas Market

One of the most popular Christmas markets in the North of England, York Christmas market is a mainstay of families’ festive traditions.

Back again this year, the market will return to Parliament Street and St Sampson’s Square in the city centre and kicks off a couple of days before Newcastle’s on Thursday, November 14.

Much like Tyneside’s, it will close for the year on Sunday, December 22 - the final weekend before Christmas Day.

A total of 75 festive chalets will be home to local crafts as well as food and drink options.

Trains between York and Newcastle run frequently thanks to LNER, with the market operating a short walk away from the Yorkshire station.

Edinburgh Christmas Market

Another hugely popular destination returning this Christmas is Edinburgh’s Christmas market, which is being run alongside a series of other events in the Scottish capital.

The Christmas market itself will feature around 70 stalls with local and international sellers on the famous East Princes Street, which will also house Scotland’s largest ferris wheel.

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Elsewhere, West Princes Street will host a family funfair while an ice rink will be introduced in Castle Street.

In addition to the regular market, there will also be 100 hand picked independent artists selling everything from paintings to jewellery and homewares from Friday, December 6 until Sunday, December 8.

The main Christmas market will open on Friday, November 15 and will run until Saturday, January 4 2025. The ice rink will b open from Friday, November 22.