Christmas markets · Edinburgh
Edinburgh Christmas Market 2026: dates, opening times and tips
Edinburgh's Christmas runs from 14 November 2026 to 3 January 2027. The Christmas Market in East Princes Street Gardens is open daily 10am–10pm (except Christmas Day, with shorter hours on Christmas Eve, Boxing Day, Hogmanay and 1 and 4 January), has around 70 stalls and is free to enter; the Big Wheel and Star Flyer are ticketed.
1 market · checked October 2026
- Edinburgh Christmas Market2026: 14 Nov – 3 Jan 2027Free entry; you pay for rides.
📷 Mike McBey · CC BY 2.0
📷 Peter Moore · CC BY-SA 2.0 · 📷 M J Richardson · CC BY-SA 2.0
Christmas market · Edinburgh
Edinburgh Christmas Market
🧒 With kids🎉 With friends✨ Date nightWhat's there
- East Princes Street Gardens below the castle
- Big Wheel and rides
- Lights and glowing displays
- Free entry
What visitors sayGoogle 3.8 ★ · 663 reviews
A lovely evening out with spectacular lights, good food and plenty of rides — and free to walk in. Some found it smaller and less magical than its fame suggests; food is expensive and parking near the centre before 6 pm is scarce and costly.
A must on a winter trip to Edinburgh — go after dark, on foot or by tram.
- 2026
- 14 Nov – 3 Jan 2027
- Cost
- Free entry; you pay for rides.
Getting there and parking
- Next to Edinburgh Waverley station; tram to Princes Street.
Worth knowing
- Open daily 10am–10pm except Christmas Day, with shorter hours on Christmas Eve, Boxing Day, Hogmanay and 1 and 4 January.
- Around 70 stalls in the gardens; the Big Wheel and Star Flyer are separately ticketed.
Questions
When does the Edinburgh Christmas market 2026 open and close?
2026 dates: 14 Nov – 3 Jan 2027.
What are the Edinburgh Christmas market opening hours?
Open daily 10am–10pm except Christmas Day, with shorter hours on Christmas Eve, Boxing Day, Hogmanay and 1 and 4 January. Hours can change, so check the organiser's site before you go.
Is the Edinburgh Christmas market free to enter?
Free entry; you pay for rides.
How do I get to the Edinburgh Christmas market?
Next to Edinburgh Waverley station; tram to Princes Street.
Do you need a ticket for the Edinburgh Christmas market?
No. Entry to the market in the gardens is free and needs no ticket; only the rides, including the Big Wheel and the Star Flyer, are ticketed separately. You pay for food, drink and gifts at the stalls.
Is the Edinburgh Christmas market open on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and Hogmanay?
The market runs 14 November 2026 – 3 January 2027 and is open daily 10am–10pm except Christmas Day, when it is closed. Christmas Eve, Boxing Day, Hogmanay and 1 and 4 January have shorter hours, so check the organiser's page for the exact times before you go.