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Christmas Market
Chapelfield Gardens, Norwich

Norwich / Christmas 2026

Christkindl Market Norwich

Garden chalets and bandstand music give Norwich its setting.

11–20 December 2026 · Weekdays 10am–3pm free; £2 per adult Monday–Friday 3pm–9pm and weekends 10am–9pm. Children free at all times.

By The Off to the… team · Updated 24 October 2026

See the 2026 dates

Archive 2025. Photo: JThomas / CC BY-SA 2.0

Our verdict

Go if…

You want a market in Chapelfield Gardens.

Skip if…

You want free adult entry at every time of the week.

Best day to go

Choose a weekday before 3pm if free entry is your priority.

Our top tip

After 3pm on weekdays and at weekends, adult admission changes.

How we choose and check our guides

At a glance

2026 dates
11–20 December 2026
Opening hours
Daily 10am–9pm
Entry
Weekdays 10am–3pm free; £2 per adult Monday–Friday 3pm–9pm and weekends 10am–9pm. Children free at all times.
Rail / nearest useful station
Norwich
Best time to go
Daylight first, then return for the lights (our planning suggestion)
Setting
Chapelfield Gardens

Parking: See parking and park-and-ride

The market

Head into Chapelfield Gardens with a few hours to spare and Norwich’s new Christkindl Market becomes an easy centrepiece for a winter day out. Wooden chalets give the gardens an alpine-village feel, with handmade gifts, warming drinks and food to browse as you wander. Take a first circuit before buying lunch: it gives everyone time to spot something they will enjoy and makes the gift shopping feel pleasantly unhurried.

Fine City Events describes this as the first market of its kind at this scale in Norfolk. Its emphasis is on local and regional traders rather than a claim that every chalet has travelled from Germany. Expect the atmosphere of a German-inspired Christmas market with a Norfolk and East Anglian connection. The published categories include jewellery, arts, decorations and homewares, so it is a promising place to look for smaller presents with personality. Look for Bamboo Stone’s homewares, Bettie Browns Boutique’s skincare and The Baby Man Store’s children’s clothing.

The bandstand has entertainment planned across the ten days. Families can also look at the weekday activity sessions and traditional games, checking the organiser’s programme for exact arrangements. If a gentler beginning appeals, weekday mornings before 3pm are the organiser’s suggested quieter window and have free admission. Later weekday visits and weekends carry the published adult entry charge; children enter free.

Keep the rest of your day flexible. Norwich’s central shops and places for an indoor break make useful companions to the outdoor market, especially if the weather turns. Come back to the gardens when you are warm again, choose a hot chocolate or mulled wine and enjoy another slow lap. Before leaving, check your own journey home rather than relying on an assumed last train: the market’s 9pm finish need not be your deadline.

More about the market ↗

Eat and drink

Organiser-confirmed category

Hot chocolate

The organiser confirms hot chocolate in its drinks offer: a warming companion for a slow circuit.

Official food categoryOrganiser food guide ↗
Food type: Three cups of mulled wine with citrus fruit
Food photograph. Photo: Loyna / CC BY-SA 2.5
Organiser-confirmed category

Mulled wine

A festive option named by the organiser. Check individual menus and alcohol arrangements on arrival.

Official food categoryOrganiser food guide ↗
Tikka Tonic

Tikka Tonic

New Delhi-inspired naan egg rolls and naan pizza in the food court, 16–20 December 2026.

16–20 December 2026

Food details

2026 line-up2026 market listing ↗
Organiser-confirmed category

Sweet treats

The organiser promises sweet treats, with its trader categories including sweets and confectionery.

Official food categoryOrganiser food guide ↗
A Couple of Cowgals Catering

A Couple of Cowgals Catering

Vegetarian and vegan street food, 11–15 December 2026. Ask the team about the day’s dishes and individual dietary needs.

11–15 December 20262026 line-up2026 market listing ↗
Benissimo

Benissimo

Stone-baked pizza throughout the market, 11–20 December 2026.

11–20 December 20262026 line-up2026 market listing ↗

Makers to look for

  • Bamboo Stone16–20 December 2026

    Plastic-free homewares. Find them in the Small Makers Hut, 16–20 December 2026.

    2026 line-up2026 market listing ↗
    Website ↗
  • Bettie Browns Boutique11–15 December 2026

    Handmade bath and skincare products. Find them in the Small Makers Hut, 11–15 December 2026.

    2026 line-up2026 market listing ↗
    Website ↗
  • The Baby Man Store11–15 December 2026

    Handmade children’s clothes from Norfolk. Find them in the Small Makers Hut, 11–15 December 2026.

    2026 line-up2026 market listing ↗
    Website ↗

Where we’d stay

Theatre Street and Chapelfield

The nearest area to build a market visit around the gardens.

St Giles and the centre

Combine the chalets with central Norwich shopping and an indoor meal.

Tombland and Newmarket Road

Choose either the cathedral side or the southern approach, allowing for the walk.

See all stays in Norwich ↗

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 Chapelfield Gardens; 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.

Map waiting to load. The places list below works without it.

Market streetsRail & coachParking & park and ridePlaces to stayAccessible toilets

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 ↗

All map places, as a list
  • Chapelfield Gardens — Main market destination; the route may span neighbouring streets.
  • Norwich bus station — Check your dated arrival and return services.
  • The Assembly House — A Theatre Street stay beside the Chapelfield side of Norwich, with an easy return for a warm break.
  • The Maids Head Hotel — Stay in Tombland by the cathedral, then enjoy the walk across the centre to the gardens.
  • St Giles House — An independently run boutique hotel on St Giles Street, with individually styled rooms.
  • George Hotel Norwich — A Newmarket Road area base with a bistro and on-site parking; allow time for the walk into the centre.
  • Best Western Annesley House Hotel — A Georgian Newmarket Road hotel with a lounge and garden, south of the gardens and central shopping.
  • The Forum Car Park — Listed by the organiser as a nearby city-centre parking option. Check opening times and charges.
  • The Forum accessible and Changing Places toilets — Ground-floor visitor toilets at The Forum. Borrow a RADAR key or collect a Changing Places access card from Customer Services; check building opening hours.

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. 10am

    Take the gentle weekday start

    On weekdays, begin with a free morning circuit of the chalets in Chapelfield Gardens. Weekend adult entry carries the published £2 charge.

  2. Late morning

    Look for something handmade

    Browse the gift chalets and Small Makers Hut. Different makers have different trading dates, so check the dates on the cards before choosing your day.

  3. Lunch

    Choose a food-court favourite

    Benissimo brings stone-baked pizza throughout 11–20 December. Tikka Tonic trades 16–20 December; A Couple of Cowgals Catering is there 11–15 December.

  4. Afternoon

    Warm up inside

    Take a break in central Norwich or stop at The Forum, then come back ready for another relaxed circuit.

  5. Towards evening

    Catch the gardens in festive light

    Enjoy another lap and the bandstand programme. Weekday adult entry after 3pm and weekend entry cost £2; children enter free. Keep time for your journey home rather than staying until the 9pm close by default.

On Instagram

A little festive inspiration from organisers, makers and visitors. Tap any tile to load all 4 Instagram posts on this page. Instagram may receive your IP address and set cookies; read the privacy note. Until then, nothing loads from Instagram.

@finecityevents

Plastic-free homewares from Bamboo Stone in the Small Makers Hut, 16–20 December.

Open this post on Instagram ↗

@finecityevents

Handmade bath and skincare from Bettie Browns Boutique in the Small Makers Hut, 11–15 December.

Open this post on Instagram ↗

@finecityevents

Norfolk-made children’s clothing from The Baby Man Store in the Small Makers Hut, 11–15 December.

Open this post on Instagram ↗

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Practical information

Getting there and back

Norwich Bus Station is a useful arrival point for Chapelfield Gardens. From the railway station, allow time to cross the centre rather than treating the market as a station-side stop. The organiser lists Chantry Place, Castle Quarter, The Forum and St Andrews car parks, and suggests Park & Ride as an alternative. Confirm opening hours and your last bus back with the operator for the date you choose.

Parking and park-and-ride

Norwich Bus Station is a useful arrival point for Chapelfield Gardens. From the railway station, allow time to cross the centre rather than treating the market as a station-side stop. The organiser lists Chantry Place, Castle Quarter, The Forum and St Andrews car parks, and suggests Park & Ride as an alternative. Confirm opening hours and your last bus back with the operator for the date you choose.

Source: Norwich parking and visitor information. Source record checked 23 October 2026.

On the day

Begin in the gardens, take a first browsing circuit and choose lunch around the traders working on your date. An indoor pause in central Norwich makes a comfortable bridge between the daytime chalets and a later look at the lights.

Before and after

Check the official programme, weather forecast and your dated journey before leaving. Bring a warm waterproof layer and ask individual traders about ingredients before buying food.

Accessibility

Ask the market organiser about your individual requirements and the garden paths before travelling. The nearby Forum has step-free access, lifts and ground-floor accessible visitor toilets. Its Changing Places toilet uses an access card collected from Customer Services; RADAR keys can be borrowed for the other accessible toilets. Check The Forum’s building opening hours and leave time for the walk between venues.

Frequently asked questions

Questions before you go

When is Norwich Christmas market in 2026?

11–20 December 2026

Official market information →

What are the opening hours?

Daily 10am–9pm

Check the organiser’s hours →

Do I need an entry ticket?

Weekdays 10am–3pm free; £2 per adult Monday–Friday 3pm–9pm and weekends 10am–9pm. Children free at all times.

Official entry information →

How can I arrive by train?

Norwich

Check the full guide and sources

Can I bring my dog?

Check the organiser’s current pet-dog rules before travelling. Assistance-dog arrangements are separate; use the accessibility guide for the published information.

Check the full guide and sources →

What access information should I check?

Ask the market organiser about your individual requirements and the garden paths before travelling. The nearby Forum has step-free access, lifts and ground-floor accessible visitor toilets. Its Changing Places toilet uses an access card collected from Customer Services; RADAR keys can be borrowed for the other accessible toilets. Check The Forum’s building opening hours and leave time for the walk between venues.

Check the full guide and sources

Official links

Keep exploring

More market trips

Back to the full market calendar

How it compares: see our top 15 UK Christmas markets.