Exeter's Christmas Market: dates, stalls and what's on

Exeter's Christmas market is back on Cathedral Green this year, and it's worth a bit of planning before you head down. The market runs from Friday 13 November to Sunday 13 December, with the Christmas lights switching on the same day the stalls open. It's billed as Devon's biggest Christmas market, and the numbers back it up: over 100 festive chalets, global street food, themed bars and handcrafted gifts that lean heavily on West Country produce and local craft. The whole thing takes its cue from historic German Christmas markets but keeps a distinctly South West feel, and in 2026 it's growing, with stalls now spilling into the cathedral's Cloister Garden as well.

Opening times shift depending on the day, so it's worth checking before you travel. Monday to Wednesday it runs 10:00 to 19:00, Thursday to Saturday it stays open late until 21:00, and Sundays are shorter at 11:00 to 17:00. It opens at 10:00 on Friday 13 November and closes at 17:00 on Sunday 13 December. Admission is free, so you only pay for what you buy, and it's dog-friendly, with dogs on a lead in the outdoor areas and assistance dogs only inside the cathedral. There are five entry points, four of them step-free, with ramps on the West Front for wheelchairs and prams and accessible toilets on site, plus more at the Guildhall and Catherine Street.

If you're going to be in the centre, the market is only one part of a wider festive line-up. Exeter Winter Wonderland returns to Northernhay Gardens from Friday 20 November to Sunday 3 January, closed on Christmas Day, with a covered real ice rink, a free light trail, a funfair and a Santa's grotto open on select dates from 28 November to 24 December. Over in Princesshay, Christmashay Village runs from 14 November to 23 December with a rotating line-up of 28 local traders across 17 cabins, late-night shopping on Thursdays, Santa Sundays and a Mistletoe Bar serving festive street food and drinks. The Christmas lights themselves start on 14 November, with starry cascades along the High Street and star-themed projections on the historic buildings, while the Christmas Tree Festival lines Bedford Street from the same day with trees decorated by local charities.

And because the market sits right on the doorstep of Exeter Cathedral, it's easy to make a day of it. The cathedral is one of England's finest Gothic buildings and an active place of worship, with a history that goes back to 1050 when Bishop Leofric was enthroned as Exeter's first bishop. Construction on the present building began around 1114, and it's packed with things worth seeing: the longest unbroken Gothic vaulted ceiling of its kind in the world, the Exeter Book, the oldest book of English literature; an organ with more than 4,000 pipes; a 15th-century astronomical clock that's a working model of the solar system; and even a wooden door with what's claimed to be the world's first cat flap. Entry is £7.50 for adults, £5 for seniors and students, and free for children, with a Welcome Card giving free entry to residents in EX1 to EX4 postcodes. The cathedral shop and Chapter House Café are both open Monday to Saturday, so you can grab a coffee or a souvenir before or after you've worked your way through the market.