Dates last checked 26 September 2026 · source · Always confirm with the organiser before travelling.

Edinburgh puts its market in East Princes Street Gardens, in the valley below the castle rock, which means the whole thing is arranged on a slope with the Old Town skyline and the castle floodlit above it. For sheer drama of setting, nothing else in Britain comes close.

What it actually is

It is worth being clear that this is a funfair as much as a market. Around 70 stalls occupy the East Gardens, but they share the space with a big wheel, the Star Flyer, a helter-skelter and assorted rides, and the West Gardens carry a children’s market and more family attractions. The stalls themselves are the standard European market mix — Bratwurst, churros, mulled wine, gifts — rather than a Scottish makers’ showcase.

If you want Scottish craft specifically, the market is not really the place; the shops of the Old Town and the various independent craft fairs around the city serve that better.

The rides are the cost

Entry to the market is free, but the rides are individually charged and the prices add up very quickly with children. The big wheel in particular is popular precisely because of the view. Budget for it rather than being surprised.

Getting there

Waverley station is immediately below the gardens; you come out of the station and you are effectively there. Edinburgh in December is also well served by trains from Glasgow, Newcastle and London.

When to go

This is among the busiest Christmas attractions in the UK, and the gardens have limited entry points, so queuing to get in is normal at peak times. Weekday afternoons in mid-November are calm; December weekends are not. After dark is when the setting earns its reputation.

Worth knowing

Edinburgh’s runs later than almost any UK market — into early January — which makes it one of the few options between Christmas and Hogmanay. The city’s Hogmanay celebrations overlap with the closing days and accommodation prices reflect that. Opening arrangements over Christmas Eve and Christmas Day are published by the organiser nearer the time — check before planning around them.