Cardiff Christmas Market

At a glance

2026 dates

12 November–23 December 2026

Opening hours

Monday–Saturday 10am–6pm; Thursdays in December until 7pm; Sundays 10am–5pm.

Entry

Free market entry; purchases and separate attractions cost extra.

Rail / nearest useful station

Cardiff Central

Best time to go

Daylight first, then return for the lights (our planning suggestion)

Setting

St John Street, Working Street, Trinity Street and Hills Street

Parking: See parking and park-and-ride

Dogs: Compare the published pet policies

Our verdict

How we choose and check our guides

The market

Cardiff makes Christmas shopping feel like a day out. Wooden stalls sit among the pedestrian streets around St John’s Church, with the city’s Victorian and Edwardian arcades ready to tempt you away for a second circuit. Begin with an unhurried look along Working Street, then follow the market through St John Street, Trinity Street and Hills Street. The pleasure is in the detail: a piece of glass catching the light, a hand-thrown pot or a small artwork that suddenly brings the right person to mind.

This is a CraftFolk event with around three decades behind it, built around original work by artists and craftspeople. Handmade silver jewellery, wood turning, fused glass, ceramics and textiles give the stalls a different character from a conventional high-street shopping trip. The trading periods change through the season, while taster stalls on Trinity Street give newer businesses a chance to join in. That makes a return visit worthwhile, although a favourite maker may not be there throughout the run.

Give yourself time to eat as well as browse. Welsh visitor information points to local cheese, honey, gin and chocolate, and the organiser confirms hot mulled wine for a warming pause outdoors. There is no entrance charge, so you can slip away to an arcade café or take a longer break, then come back when the lights begin to show. Cardiff Castle and Bute Park offer nearby changes of pace; check their own opening and ticket arrangements. For the prettiest finish, leave a little of your gift shopping until dusk, but remember that this market closes earlier than an evening fairground.

More about the market ↗ · More about the market ↗ · More about the market ↗ · More about the market ↗ · More about the market ↗

Find something handmade

Original glass, ceramics, jewellery and textiles are the reason to slow down at the stalls.

Find something handmade — cardiffchristmasmarket.com

Try the taster stalls

Head to Trinity Street for the organiser’s opportunity for newer makers; the selection rotates.

Try the taster stalls — cardiffchristmasmarket.com

Slip into the arcades

Pair the outdoor stalls with the city centre’s Victorian and Edwardian shopping arcades.

Slip into the arcades — cardiffchristmasmarket.com

Warm up between shops

Pause over hot mulled wine or choose something from the food producers before browsing again.

Warm up between shops — cardiffchristmasmarket.com

Eat and drink

Nearby labels mark permanent food stops.

Official food category

Local cheese

Pick something for the Christmas table; ask the producer about storage for the journey home.

Official food categoryOrganiser food guide ↗

Welsh honey

Official food category

Welsh honey

A small jar makes an easy gift. Let the producer guide you through the varieties available.

Official food categoryOrganiser food guide ↗

Gin

Official drink category

Gin

Browse bottles for a gift, checking tasting and age rules with the stallholder.

Official food categoryOrganiser food guide ↗

Official food category

Chocolate

Save room in your shopping bag for a sweet present, and ask about allergens before choosing.

Official food categoryOrganiser food guide ↗

Official drink category

Hot mulled wine

Take a warming pause between the gift stalls; check the current menu and price.

Official food categoryOrganiser food guide ↗

Nearby: freshly griddled Welshcakes

Fabulous Welshcakes, Castle Arcade

Nearby: freshly griddled Welshcakes

A separate permanent shop in Castle Arcade serves warm Welshcakes.

Nearby food stopFood stop information ↗

Where we’d stay

Market streets and Queen Street

Choose this central patch for an easy return between gift shopping and dinner.

Cardiff Central and St Mary Street

Useful with luggage and rail arrivals; check nightlife and match-day arrangements before booking.

Westgate Street and the castle side

A convenient base for combining the market with the castle and Bute Park.

Splurge

The Parkgate Hotel

Westgate Street’s former Post Office makes a characterful base. Check the spa’s separate booking and access terms before planning a soak.

6-minute mapped walk to Working Street market · Hotel information

Check prices

Our pick

Hotel Indigo Cardiff

Set in Dominions Arcade by Queen Street, this is a useful base for a market-and-arcades break. Its top-floor restaurant and terrace offer a city view.

4-minute mapped walk to Working Street market · Hotel information

Check prices

Also good

Leonardo Hotel Cardiff

Stay in a Victorian building just off Queen Street, with a restaurant and bar for an easy evening after shopping.

6-minute mapped walk to Working Street market · Hotel information

Check prices

Best value

Clayton Hotel Cardiff

A practical St Mary Street base close to Cardiff Central, with family room types and a restaurant. Compare your dates rather than assuming the lowest rate.

8-minute mapped walk to Working Street market · Hotel information

Check prices

Family rooms · Property information · checked 24 October 2026

Also good

Four Points Flex by Sheraton Cardiff

Compact rooms next to Cardiff Central make arrivals straightforward. This is the former Sleeperz hotel; the licensed exterior photograph shows the older name.

8-minute mapped walk to Working Street market · Hotel information

Check prices

See all stays in Cardiff ↗

We may earn a commission if you book through our links, at no extra cost to you. Affiliate disclosure.

Book early for weekends. The walking times are measured routes to Working Street market; give yourself a little longer for a relaxed stroll through the market.

Map

Find the market streets, arrival points, parking and places to stay. The map loads as you approach this section; mouse-wheel scrolling stays with the page.

Choose Explore the map to pan and pinch to zoom; choose Finish exploring or press Escape to return to page scrolling. Pins show places, not the precise position of individual stalls.

Open in Google Maps ↗

Coordinates: OpenStreetMap contributors. Organiser toilet and access information. Temporary toilet locations use the named street/site as a navigation point; ask staff for the exact unit.

A perfect day

1. Morning

   Start on Working Street

   Begin with the outdoor stalls around St John’s Church. A first daylight circuit makes it easier to spot the gifts you want to return for.

2. Late morning

   Follow the handmade details

   Browse St John Street, Trinity Street and Hills Street, giving the taster stalls time rather than trying to finish every row at once.

3. Lunch

   A warming pause

   Look over the food producers and drinks before choosing. If you fancy a Welshcake, Fabulous Welshcakes in Castle Arcade is a separate nearby shop.

4. Afternoon

   Take the arcade route

   Slip into the city’s shopping arcades for a change of pace, then return to the market with a shorter list of favourite finds.

5. Before closing

   One more look under the lights

   Choose your final gifts before the published closing time. Sunday and December-Thursday hours differ, so use the glance box and leave a comfortable margin for Cardiff Central.

On Instagram

Practical information

Official links

• Official market website
• Official visitor information