If there’s one thing all of my family, friends and colleagues know about me, it’s that I love Christmas. The atmosphere, the fairy lights and baubles, the gift wrapping, and of course – the Christmas Markets. And whilst London has some Christmas attractions and small markets, they’re typically underwhelming, at least for me. So, I decided to check out some of the Christmas Markets just outside of London. Let me take you on a journey to three towns in Kent: Canterbury, Folkestone and Rochester. Their Christmas Markets were fantastic!
Christmas Markets in Canterbury
Let’s start with Canterbury. I had previously been to this famous city, for plain sightseeing purposes – you can read about it here. So this time, I passed on the Cathedral and museums and focused on the festivities and gift shopping.
Canterbury Christmas Market is split into three areas, all around the high street and Cathedral neighbourhood. Right off the bat, I was happy to see plenty of gift shopping opportunities. In London, Christmas Markets are filled with street food, but they lack in the artisan gifts department. Canterbury is much better on that front! From handmade Christmas decorations to soaps, jams, scarves and fudge – there was plenty to choose from.
There are also many independent gift shops in Canterbury, on top of the usual high street brands, which makes it a great destination for festive shopping. I will certainly be back next year!
What’s great is that one part of the Canterbury Christmas Market is located in the Cathedral Precincts – this area normally requires purchasing a Cathedral sightseeing ticket to enter, but during the Christmas Market, you can visit it for free!
I had a German sausage with sauerkraut for branch and then a hot toddy with whisky to warm up. Yum!
In 2024, Canterbury Christmas Market is open every day from November 15th to December 24th. You can find more practical information on the Market’s official website: https://canterburychristmasmarket.co.uk/travel-local-information/.
Christmas Market in Folkestone
From Canterbury, I went to Folkestone (yes I did go to two different Christmas markets on one day). Folkestone remains one of my favourite towns for a day trip from London. I’ve been to Folkestone on a sightseeing trip, and I also did a few hikes from Folkestone to Dover. This time, I visited the Folkestone Christmas Market for the very first time.
But first, I headed to the Creative Quarter to pop into some independent shops. Just like Canterbury, Folkestone is great for gift shopping, not only at Christmas. There are many shops selling handmade items, and you can find something for anyone there. And if you get tired and need a pick-me-up, you’ll be glad to hear that there are also many charming cafes in that area.
Then, I went to the Christmas Market, located in Folkestone Harbour. I loved the reindeers, made of fairy lights, running along the former train station. They all had name plates, inspired by the classic tale, and of course the one with a red nose was named Rudolph.
Folkestone Harbour has an outdoor cinema surrounded by numerous food and drink options. I’m not exactly sure if those are open all year round, but they certainly aren’t just a Christmas thing – I know there were films and live football broadcast there in the summer, when I last visited Folkestone. But this time, the cinema was focused on Christmas classics, and the bars served mulled wine and other festive specialties.
Right behind the cinema zone, there was a market with lots of vendors selling their unique, craft goods. Great place if you’re looking to buy Christmas presents! I ended up getting some coffee beans for my parents, from a Folkestone-based roastery. Naturally, the Christmas Market saw a large Christmas tree as its centrepiece.
In 2024, Folkestone Christmas Market runs from November 15th to December 24th, every Friday, Saturday and Sunday. You can find more information on the official website: https://folkestoneharbourarm.co.uk/events/festive-marketplace-2024/.
Overall, I had a great time in Folkestone, but was a tiny bit disappointed. The outdoor cinema with the bars and the independent craft fair were also taking place in the summer, just without the Christmas decorations. I was hoping to see that area completely transformed for the festive season, but it felt very similar to what I had seen before. If you’re a frequent visitor in Folkestone, don’t expect much from the Christmas Market. But if you’ve never been to Folkestone before, I’m sure you’ll enjoy it and find plenty of gift shopping opportunities!
Christmas Market in Rochester
There’s another Christmas Market in Kent that I need to mention – in Rochester. I planned to go to Rochester Christmas Market again this year, but unfortunately had to move some of my plans due to the storm that brought floods and strong winds to the UK last weekend, and can no longer visit Rochester this year. However, I had been to the Rochester Christmas Market before, in 2022, and I thoroughly enjoyed that visit. You can read about it here! After all, what’s not to like in a Christmas Market just outside of castle ruins, next to a beautiful Cathedral that’s free to visit, unlike most cathedrals in the UK? The Rochester Christmas Market offers a variety of food and drink options, gift shopping opportunities and a small fun fair for the little ones. There’s also a classic high street nearby, with some interesting gift shops too!
I’m gutted that I’m not able to go to Rochester Christmas Market this year, but I’ll make sure to go next year. In 2024, Rochester Christmas Market takes place on three consecutive weekends, starting on Friday, November 29th. You can find more details about the opening times on its official website: https://www.visitmedway.org/events/rochester-christmas-market-2024-96680/.
Final thoughts
If you live in London and are well used to its Christmas Markets, which look exactly the same every year – consider going on a day trip to Canterbury, Folkestone or Rochester! Located just a short train journey away, all three of these Kent locations that I visited offered a good experience, and were great for Christmas gift shopping too. It was refreshing to change the scenery for a day and switch London sights for something a little different. I indulged in some mulled wine and hot toddies, bought some presents for my family, and simply enjoyed walking around the festive streets. I’d definitely recommend it for a festive Saturday day out in December!
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