4
It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!
I often find Christmas markets a very overwhelming experience, but knowing the Southbank Centre’s Winter Market was much smaller and easier to navigate than those I have previously visited, I decided to give it a try this year. We went on a day that was particularly quiet, I’m sure on Fridays and weekends it might get considerably busier. So it’s worth bearing in mind which day you’d be visiting if you are also looking for a slower, quieter experience like me!
The market is spread out along the banks of the Thames making it seem much quieter as there aren’t the same sort of crowds you might get at some larger Christmas markets. It’s also easy to miss some parts of it as it’s so spread out. I actually really liked this aspect as each area felt like its own smaller market and it means I can revisit it next year and see different parts of it!
Some of the stalls operate different hours, so depending on the day and time that you go, you may not see all the stalls open. But there was still a great selection of stalls despite some being closed when we visited.
The decorations are all really festive but in a simple way. I didn’t see any erratic flashing lights, but there were lots of beautiful garlands and each hut had been decorated with twinkly lights. There were lots of options for seating either as part of the market or from the usual benches that are located on that area of the Southbank.
I definitely recommend it as a slightly more relaxed festive market experience.
I often find Christmas markets a very overwhelming experience, but knowing the Southbank Centre’s Winter Market was much smaller and easier to navigate than those I have previously visited, I decided to give it a try this year. We went on a day that was particularly quiet, I’m sure on Fridays and weekends it might get considerably busier. So it’s worth bearing in mind which day you’d be visiting if you are also looking for a slower, quieter experience like me!
The market is spread out along the banks of the Thames making it seem much quieter as there aren’t the same sort of crowds you might get at some larger Christmas markets. It’s also easy to miss some parts of it as it’s so spread out. I actually really liked this aspect as each area felt like its own smaller market and it means I can revisit it next year and see different parts of it!
Some of the stalls operate different hours, so depending on the day and time that you go, you may not see all the stalls open. But there was still a great selection of stalls despite some being closed when we visited.
The decorations are all really festive but in a simple way. I didn’t see any erratic flashing lights, but there were lots of beautiful garlands and each hut had been decorated with twinkly lights. There were lots of options for seating either as part of the market or from the usual benches that are located on that area of the Southbank.
I definitely recommend it as a slightly more relaxed festive market experience.
