Aberdeen Christmas Village

Aberdeen’s Christmas Village runs along Broad Street, Upperkirkgate and into Marischal Square, in the old heart of the Granite City. The backdrop is Marischal College, whose spired granite frontage is among the largest granite buildings anywhere — and on a clear frosty evening, with the village lit up in front of it, it is a genuinely striking setting.

A long season, with three closed days

For 2026 the village opens on 12 November and runs right through to 3 January 2027, which makes it one of the longest-running markets in Scotland and one of the few still open after Christmas. It is open daily with three exceptions: it closes on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day. If you are planning a visit over the holidays, those are the three days to avoid.

Aberdeen Inspired, which organises the village, publishes the detailed programme and opening times closer to the season. We will add the hours here once they are out.

What to expect

A village of festive stalls and food and drink traders spread along the old streets rather than squeezed into a single square, alongside the city’s wider Christmas programme. Aberdeen also runs a separate curated makers’ market, which is worth seeking out if you want Scottish craft rather than the standard market repertoire.

Dress for the north-east

Aberdeen in December is cold, windy and dark by mid-afternoon — sunset is well before four o’clock. That is part of the appeal once the lights are on, but dress for standing still in a sea wind. See our guide to what to wear to a Christmas market.

Getting there

Aberdeen station is about ten minutes’ walk from Broad Street, via Union Street, the city’s main thoroughfare. The whole village is in the pedestrian-friendly centre, so there is no need for a car.

Make a day of it

Footdee, the tiny fishing village of cottages at the harbour mouth, is a twenty-minute walk and completely unlike anywhere else in the city. The Aberdeen Art Gallery and the Maritime Museum are both close to the centre and free to enter, which is useful when the weather turns.