Canterbury Christmas Market returns for 2026, filling the historic walled city with festive huts across three areas - Whitefriars and The Marlowe Arcade, St George's Street and a newly extended section in the Cathedral Precincts, all just a few minutes' walk apart. One of the largest Christmas markets in the South East, with over 120 huts and 172 stallholders, it's packed with handcrafted ornaments, unusual gifts, decorations and toys, plus plenty of festive food and drink, from mulled wine to hot chocolate. Live music and seasonal performances run throughout the season, starting with the city's Christmas Lights Switch-On on 13th November.

Attractions & Activities
Plenty of attractions and activities run alongside the Canterbury Christmas Market, with Santa's Grotto and Breakfast with Santa, Santa Paws and the VR Rides & Experiences - click on the links for more details.

Price
Free entry - no tickets needed.
Bookable activities: Santa's Grotto with Talking Letterbox from £13, Breakfast with Santa from £15, Santa Paws from £5 and VR experiences from £5.

Opening Times
12th November to 24th December 2026
Monday to Friday: 10am to 6pm
Saturday: 9am to 7pm
Sunday: 10am to 5pm
24th December: 10am to 4pm.

Travel Details
Train
Canterbury East and Canterbury West stations - 5 to 10 minutes.
Bus
Canterbury bus station is a few minutes' walk from the market.
Parking
Park and Ride
New Dover Road: Canterbury CT1 3EL
Sturry Road: Canterbury CT1 1AD
Wincheap: Ten Perch Road, Canterbury CT1 3TQ
There are also several car parks within the city walls - see the council's parking finder. Use CT1 2TF for satnav.

Additional Information
Roads and car parks get extremely busy in the festive season, so allow extra time, or use the Park and Ride or public transport.

Good To Know
Santa's Grotto opens on 28th November on St George's Street, with selected dates through to Christmas Eve.

🔗 More Like This
Love a bit of festive magic? Explore our Christmas Markets in Kent guide, or our Seasonal category for more Christmas event listings, or visit our Christmas in Kent page for links to all our festive guides.

Picture Credit: © Christmas Markets in Kent/Rockhopper Events Ltd.

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