Edinburgh's Christmas
Our verdict · The big-experience family pick - a European-style market plus a big wheel, thrill rides and a covered rink under the castle skyline, if you accept paying per attraction.
Book it if
You have kids or teens who want fairground rides and skating and you are happy to pay per attraction for the spectacle.
Skip it if
You are budget-conscious or want a traditional artisan craft market - the free market element is small and the real draw is paid rides and the rink.
Plan your visit
Edinburgh's Christmas
Free entry; rides from ~£9, skating ~£15 adult / ~£12 child
Indicative price at the time of review.
Edinburgh is the choice when children and teens want rides and spectacle. In East Princes Street Gardens a traditional European market of around 70 stalls sits alongside a Big Wheel, Starflyer and Helter Skelter, with a covered ice rink on George Street from 20 November 2026 giving weatherproof skating with skyline views - all set against the castle-and-Georgian backdrop. It runs a generous seven weeks or so, from 14 November 2026 to 3 January 2027, open daily except Christmas Day. The important caveat is cost: the market is free to enter but the rides and rink are individually ticketed, and in 2025 adult skating was around £15 and child £12 for 60 minutes with headline rides about £9 - figures that change yearly, so treat them as indicative and re-check on the official site. That paid-per-attraction model makes it the most expensive day out of our five, and the market portion itself is smaller and more commercial than Bath's or Winchester's.
The good & the bad
Pros
- Far more rides and spectacle for kids and teens than Winchester, including a Big Wheel, Starflyer and Helter Skelter
- Covered George Street ice rink from 20 Nov 2026 for weatherproof skating with skyline views
- Long ~7-week run against a spectacular castle-and-Georgian setting
Cons
- Rides and rink are individually ticketed, making it the most expensive day out of our five
- The market element is compact and more commercial, and often criticised as pricey
How it compares
| Pick | WATTB Score | Price | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.Manchester Christmas Markets | 92/100 | Free entry (indicative) | overall |
| 2.Bath Christmas Market | 87/100 | Free entry (indicative) | couples |
| 3.Birmingham's Frankfurt Christmas Market | 86/100 | Free entry (indicative) | German food and drink |
| 4.Edinburgh's ChristmasThis pick | 84/100 | Free entry; rides from ~£9, skating ~£15 adult / ~£12 child (indicative) | families who want rides |
| 5.Winchester Cathedral Christmas Market | 81/100 | Free entry, no pre-booking required (per the official 2026 listing) | quality craft |
Good to know
- Address
- East Princes Street Gardens, Edinburgh
- Nearest station
- Edinburgh Waverley
- Price
- Free entry; rides from ~£9, skating ~£15 adult / ~£12 child (indicative)
- 2026 dates
- 14 Nov 2026 - 3 Jan 2027, daily except Christmas Day, mostly 10am-10pm
- Entry
- Market free; rides and rink individually ticketed
- Indicative prices
- Skating ~£15 adult / ~£12 child (60 mins); headline rides ~£9 (2025 figures, change yearly)
- On site
- ~70 stalls plus Big Wheel, Starflyer, Helter Skelter, covered ice rink
- Getting there
- Edinburgh Waverley, beside the gardens
Researched by WATTB
- Published
- 19 September 2026
- Updated
- 19 September 2026
- Last verified
- 19 September 2026
- Sources
- 10 sources
We research and rank options from public data, official information and published reviews. How we research →
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