Belfast Christmas Market at City Hall: A Weekend Guide

Belfast's Christmas market has one of the best settings in the UK: the grounds of City Hall, the domed Edwardian building at the centre of the city. It also has an unusually international character. Billed as a Continental market, it brings in traders from dozens of countries, so you are as likely to find Dutch pancakes or Spanish churros as anything Irish.

At a glance

When: 14 November to 22 December 2026. Where: the grounds of Belfast City Hall. Cost: free, no booking. Best for: international food, and a weekend that takes in Titanic Belfast.

When it runs in 2026

The market runs from Saturday 14 November to Tuesday 22 December 2026. Entry is free and there is no need to book.

Opening hours

It typically opens 10am to 8pm Monday to Wednesday, 10am to 10pm Thursday to Saturday, and has shorter hours on Sundays, opening at midday. The late Thursday to Saturday evenings are the busiest.

What to expect

Around a hundred stalls ring the City Hall lawns, with a heavy emphasis on food and drink. It is compact enough to see in an hour or two, which is why it works best as part of a wider weekend in the city rather than the whole point of it. City Hall itself, right behind the stalls, offers free guided tours of its interior.

Building a weekend around it

Titanic Belfast

The city's headline attraction sits on the old shipyard slipways where Titanic was built, about half an hour's walk or a short bus ride from City Hall. It is indoors, which makes it ideal for a December afternoon.

St George's Market

The Victorian covered market a few minutes from City Hall runs food, craft and produce markets at weekends, and the food stalls are a better lunch than most of the Christmas chalets.

The Cathedral Quarter

Belfast's older streets around St Anne's Cathedral hold many of its best pubs and restaurants, and it is the place to go once the market closes.

Further afield

If you have an extra day, the Antrim coast and the Giant's Causeway are a little over an hour away by car. Winter light is short, so set off early.

Getting there

From Great Britain, Belfast is reached by short flights from most UK airports, or by ferry from Cairnryan in south-west Scotland and from Liverpool (Birkenhead), which lets you bring the car for a day on the coast. From the ferry terminal or George Best City Airport, the city centre is a short taxi or bus ride.

Where to eat

Belfast's restaurant scene has grown considerably, and the Cathedral Quarter and the streets south towards Queen's University have most of the best options. Browse restaurants in Belfast and things to do.

Our Belfast staycation guide covers areas to stay, and you can browse hotels in Belfast. For more on the region, see staycations in Northern Ireland.