Skate above the square
The elevated Sky Skate route adds a very Nottingham twist to an afternoon among the stalls. Book a session separately.
Skate above the square — nottinghamwinterwonderland.co.uk
Nottingham / Christmas 2026
Nottingham Winter Wonderland
Old Market Square adds skating to the market circuit.
12 November–31 December 2026. For shopping after Christmas Eve, check the stall opening times with the organiser before setting off. · Free entry. Ice Bar standard adult £19.50; premium £22.50; child £11, with the advertised drinks included. Check the live booking for your date and ticket.
See the 2026 dates
Our verdict
Go if…
You want shopping and a separately booked winter activity in one central setting.
Skip if…
You want an outing without activity tickets or booking decisions.
Best day to go
Shop first, then use a booked activity slot as the evening’s anchor.
Our top tip
Separate the stall visit from the skating booking and its arrival instructions.
At a glance
- 2026 dates
- 12 November–31 December 2026. For shopping after Christmas Eve, check the stall opening times with the organiser before setting off.
- Opening hours
- Market stalls in November: Sunday–Thursday 10am–6pm, Friday–Saturday 10am–8pm. December until 24th: Sunday–Thursday 10am–8.30pm, Friday–Saturday 10am–9pm. Attractions/bars have separate schedules; Christmas Day closed.
- Entry
- Free entry. Ice Bar standard adult £19.50; premium £22.50; child £11, with the advertised drinks included. Check the live booking for your date and ticket.
- Rail / nearest useful station
- Nottingham station; approximately 12 minutes on foot. Old Market Square tram stop is beside the event.
- Best time to go
- Weekday daylight visit (our planning suggestion)
- Setting
- Old Market Square
Parking: See parking and park-and-ride
The market
Old Market Square becomes the centre of a much bigger winter outing in Nottingham. Start with the independent stalls, where the organiser lists artisan cheeses, chutneys, mead, jewellery and home accessories, then look up: skating, a wheel and alpine-style bars are woven into the same city-centre setting. It is a good place to combine gift shopping with one properly planned treat rather than trying to do every attraction at once.
By dusk, make time for another look around the square before settling down for food. The elevated Sky Skate route is a distinctive part of the scene, with a ground-level rink and a children’s rink offering different skating options. Altitude is an all-glass rooftop chalet with views over the event; Sur La Piste offers ski-booth seating. If a sit-down stop is important to your day, arrange that separately from browsing the market, as walk-in seats are not guaranteed.
The operator’s history dates Nottingham Winter Wonderland to 2009. Its later development has added a stronger alpine and skating identity: Mellors records the introduction of a French-style ski lodge in 2019 and the Sky Skate route in 2022. That combination of shopping, food and activities is what sets this visit apart. Keep the market itself as your easy meeting point, choose an attraction time that suits your group, and leave a comfortable gap for lunch. The current food page includes Loaded fries, smash burgers and sharer platters alongside the stalls’ take-home treats. Choose your food and activity stops before committing to a long queue. A clear meeting point in the square helps everyone return to the shopping without rushing a separate booking.
About the market ↗ · About the market ↗ · About the market ↗ · Market history ↗
Browse independent stalls
Look for cheeses, chutneys, mead, jewellery and home accessories between your food stops.
Browse independent stalls — nottinghamwinterwonderland.co.ukMake time for the lights
Save a second browse for after dark, then settle into a bar or book the wheel for a different view.
Make time for the lights — nottinghamwinterwonderland.co.ukEat and drink
Independent market stalls
Artisan cheese
Compare the artisan cheeses advertised by the organiser, with something to take home for a festive cheese board.
2026 line-up2026 market listing ↗Independent market stalls
Homemade chutneys
Choose a jar to go with your cheese; the organiser confirms homemade chutneys among the stalls.
2026 line-up2026 market listing ↗Independent market stalls
Mead
A warming gift to browse among the independent traders. Check the stall for the current selection and tasting arrangements.
2026 line-up2026 market listing ↗Get Loaded
Loaded fries
Pause for a portion of Loaded fries before your next circuit of the square.
2026 line-up2026 market listing ↗
Get Loaded
Smash burgers
Make the Get Loaded burger stop your main meal between shopping and skating.
2026 line-up2026 market listing ↗Get Loaded
Sharer platters
Choose a sharer platter when you would rather settle down together than eat on the move.
2026 line-up2026 market listing ↗Where we’d stay
Nottingham centre
Choose a central room for an evening browse and an easy return after dinner.
Around the railway station
Useful with luggage or an early departure; compare the actual route and cancellation policy.
Our pick
Park Plaza Nottingham
A Maid Marian Way base for the square and a relaxed dinner back at the hotel.
5-minute mapped walk to Old Market Square Nottingham · Hotel information
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Also good
Crowne Plaza Nottingham
Wollaton Street is convenient for the Theatre Royal side of the centre as well as the market.
8-minute mapped walk to Old Market Square Nottingham · Hotel information
Check prices
Best value
ibis Nottingham Centre
Fletcher Gate puts you beside the Lace Market, with a central base for shopping and an evening meal.
5-minute mapped walk to Old Market Square Nottingham · Hotel information
Check prices
Splurge
Lace Market Hotel
A Georgian-townhouse stay on High Pavement, with the Cock & Hoop pub for a warm pause.
9-minute mapped walk to Old Market Square Nottingham · Hotel information
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Also good
Hilton Nottingham
A Milton Street base for exploring the city centre before wandering down to Old Market Square.
8-minute mapped walk to Old Market Square Nottingham · Hotel information
Check pricesWe 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 Old Market Square Nottingham; 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.
MMarket streetsTRail & coachPParking & park and rideHPlaces to stayWCAccessible 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.
All map places, as a list
- Old Market Square Nottingham — Market-area navigation point; check the organiser map for individual stalls.
- Nottingham railway station — Arrival or interchange point; check your operator for the exact route.
- Royal Concert Hall Nottingham — Arrival or interchange point; check your operator for the exact route.
- Lace Market Car Park Nottingham — Check current opening hours, charges and final bus before visiting.
- Broad Marsh Car Park Nottingham — Check current opening hours, charges and final bus before visiting.
- Phoenix Park Park and Ride Nottingham — Check current opening hours, charges and final bus before visiting.
- Park Plaza Nottingham — A Maid Marian Way base for the square and a relaxed dinner back at the hotel.
- Crowne Plaza Nottingham — Wollaton Street is convenient for the Theatre Royal side of the centre as well as the market.
- Trinity Square Car Park Nottingham — Check official hours and arrangements before travel.
- Forest Park and Ride Nottingham — Check official hours and arrangements before travel.
- ibis Nottingham Centre — Fletcher Gate puts you beside the Lace Market, with a central base for shopping and an evening meal.
- Lace Market Hotel — A Georgian-townhouse stay on High Pavement, with the Cock & Hoop pub for a warm pause.
- Hilton Nottingham — A Milton Street base for exploring the city centre before wandering down to Old Market Square.
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
- Late morning
Arrive with time to settle in
Drop your bags if staying, check the return journey and make your first relaxed circuit of the stalls.
- Lunchtime
Choose a warm lunch
Look through the food stalls before deciding, then leave space for a sweet treat later.
- Afternoon
Meet the makers
Return to the gifts that caught your eye and take an indoor break before the lights come on.
- After dusk
One more glowing circuit
Enjoy the lights before making your way to the station for your chosen departure.
Check the details ↗ - 23:50 example
The final listed train to Derby
For Friday 20 November 2026, EMR’s published Nottingham–Derby table lists its final departure at 23:50, arriving at Derby at 00:18 on Saturday. The table is valid 17 May–12 December 2026. Check your dated journey for engineering changes, leave time for the station walk and choose an earlier fallback; later market dates need the new timetable.
Check the details ↗
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.
Nottingham Winter Wonderland
Open this post on Instagram ↗@winterwonderlandnottingham
A sweet food moment from the organiser’s public gallery.
Nottingham Winter Wonderland
Open this post on Instagram ↗@winterwonderlandnottingham
Winter lights, the wheel and a festive evening in the square.
Nottingham Winter Wonderland
Open this post on Instagram ↗@winterwonderlandnottingham
A warm bar setting in the organiser’s Christmas-party post.
Nottingham Winter Wonderland
Open this post on Instagram ↗@winterwonderlandnottingham
Official seasonal attraction announcement; check current booking details.
Instagram is off until you choose to load it.
Practical information
Getting there and back
Arrive by train and start with the walk into Old Market Square: the council’s transport guide puts it at about 12 minutes from Nottingham Station. The Old Market Square tram stop is beside the event. For a park-and-ride approach, look at Forest and check the current NET service, fares and final tram for your date.
Driving in? Compare Lace Market, Trinity Square, Broad Marsh and Victoria Centre car parks, using their current charges. Coach groups should arrange their drop-off near Royal Concert Hall with the operator; the market FAQ suggests Forest park-and-ride for onward tram travel. Leave a little extra time for luggage, crowds and your last connection home.
Parking and park-and-ride
Arrive by train and start with the walk into Old Market Square: the council’s transport guide puts it at about 12 minutes from Nottingham Station. The Old Market Square tram stop is beside the event. For a park-and-ride approach, look at Forest and check the current NET service, fares and final tram for your date.
Driving in? Compare Lace Market, Trinity Square, Broad Marsh and Victoria Centre car parks, using their current charges. Coach groups should arrange their drop-off near Royal Concert Hall with the operator; the market FAQ suggests Forest park-and-ride for onward tram travel. Leave a little extra time for luggage, crowds and your last connection home.
Source: Nottingham parking and visitor information. Source record checked 23 October 2026.
On the day
Bars and attractions are cashless; individual market traders choose their payment methods. Assistance dogs are welcome, though the Ice Bar is not advised. Pets can enter outdoor areas, but the organiser recommends leaving them at home because of crowds. Children must be at least four to skate and five for the Ice Bar.
Before and after
Treat the square as the centre of a short break, not the whole itinerary. On arrival evening, browse briefly and decide where you want to eat; save your paid attraction for a time when everyone is rested. Check the city's official theatre and events listings for a performance on the evening before or after. On departure day, leave enough time to collect luggage and get to your platform; an apparently short walk can take longer with shopping bags and crowds.
Accessibility
Most routes use decking or flat surfaces. Wheelchairs can use the rink and Sky Skate with assistance. A lift serves the upper bars; the accessible toilet is downstairs in Sur La Piste. The Ice Bar has a small-stone floor and is a poor choice for wheelchair access. The wheel requires a transfer and a step into the gondola.
Frequently asked questions
Questions before you go
When is Nottingham Christmas market in 2026?
12 November–31 December 2026. For shopping after Christmas Eve, check the stall opening times with the organiser before setting off.
What are the opening hours?
Market stalls in November: Sunday–Thursday 10am–6pm, Friday–Saturday 10am–8pm. December until 24th: Sunday–Thursday 10am–8.30pm, Friday–Saturday 10am–9pm. Attractions/bars have separate schedules; Christmas Day closed.
Do I need an entry ticket?
Free entry. Ice Bar standard adult £19.50; premium £22.50; child £11, with the advertised drinks included. Check the live booking for your date and ticket.
How can I arrive by train?
Nottingham station; approximately 12 minutes on foot. Old Market Square tram stop is beside the event.
Can I bring my dog?
Pets can enter outdoor areas, but the organiser recommends leaving them at home because of crowds.
What access information should I check?
Most routes use decking or flat surfaces. Wheelchairs can use the rink and Sky Skate with assistance. A lift serves the upper bars; the accessible toilet is downstairs in Sur La Piste. The Ice Bar has a small-stone floor and is a poor choice for wheelchair access. The wheel requires a transfer and a step into the gondola.
Official links
More market trips
3 Dec–5 Dec
Lincoln
A new, ticketed cathedral market in the uphill quarter, with gifts and seasonal treats inside a remarkable historic setting.
2026 season · see dates
15 Nov–15 Nov
Lichfield
An annual Christmas fayre organised by Lichfield Chamber of Trade and Commerce, with outdoor streets and indoor gift stalls.
2026 season · see dates
5 Nov–24 Dec
Birmingham
German-market flavours, a city-square stage and a classic festive circuit.
2026 season · see dates
How it compares: see our top 15 UK Christmas markets.