Top Festive Christmas Markets in Ireland!
Here is just a sample of some of the amazing Christmas markets Ireland has to offer! We are featuring some of the larger cities that host markets but there are mini versions on offer in smaller towns across the country! So there will be something to suit everybody to kick off the festive season!! Enjoy!
Galway Continental Christmas Market
Galway have been hosting this long running Christmas Market since 2009. It has increased in both size and popularity since then. The markets usually run for about a month in the run up to Christmas. This year they begin on Friday the 17th of November and finish Friday 22nd of December. There is a huge variety on display here from crafts to festive gifts, food, treats and the popular German Bierkeller serving traditional German beer. Plenty to do too with various live entertainment planned over the month including, storytelling, carol singing, Santa’s grotto amusement rides and much more!!
Glow Cork
If you happen to be down in Cork before Christmas, you must visit Bishop Lacey Park! Entertainment and an enjoyable atmosphere to be enjoyed here. Attractions include a festive installation, craft stalls, toys to play with and food markets. Not to mention Santa’s Workshop where kids can let their imagination run free watching Santa’s elves getting ready for Christmas! More details on Cork’s Christmas market and the opening times are listed below:
Friday 1st to Sunday 3rd December
Friday 8th to Sunday 10th December
Friday 15th to Sunday 17th December
Wednesday 20th to Friday 22nd December
Winterval Waterford
Christmas comes to Waterford this year on November 17th and transforms the city into a magical winter wonderland until December 23rd. Winterval has a huge variety of entertainment to choose from including the Winterval Express Train, horse drawn sleigh rides, Santa’s Kingdom, a carousel, an ice rink and the Winterval illuminates light show plus a giant post box so you can send those all-important letters to Santa! The usual crafts and food markets accompany all of this and so much more! Have a look below to find out more!
Belfast Continental Christmas Market
Belfast’s massive Christmas market has been successfully running for the last 13 years. It is a continental Christmas market and offers a taster of various festivities from countries around the world including Germany, Spain and France. Visitors can experience a mix of culture in Belfast’s City Hall as it is transformed into a bustling continental village. There are delicious foods to be tried, with everything from Spanish paella to exotic and rare meats, cheese, olives, Belgian chocolate, Italian nougat and the list goes on! As if that wasn’t enough to tempt you there will be freshly made crepes and patisseries too! Alongside this you can visit Santa and browse through the many stalls selling unique art and crafts. Find out more below:
Coca Cola Christmas Truck
Ok, so this is not a Christmas market but it’s the Coca Cola truck!! Every Christmas this classic add heralds the beginning of the Christmas season for most people! This year it is in 10 locations in Ireland where you can get a photo with the iconic truck and they have music and games too!
Here are the details of where the truck will be:
- Mahon Point, Cork: 30 November
- Parkway Shopping Centre, Limerick: 1 December
- Galway Shopping Centre, Galway: 2 December
- Liffey Valley Shopping Centre, Dublin: 3 December
- The Odyssey Arena, Belfast: 6 December
- Foyleside Shopping Centre, Derry: 7 December
- The Marshes, Dundalk: 8 December
- M1 Retail Park, Drogheda: 15 December
- Smithfield, Dublin: 16 December
- The Parade, Kilkenny: 17 December