Sail Away to a Christmas Market

Christmas markets are the perfect way for shoppers to sample flavours of countries far and wide and tick some Christmas presents off the shopping list at the same time. With Christmas markets popping up all over Europe and the UK, you have a great choice of locations with some even closer to home than you might have expected.

Northern Ireland’s capital city Belfast is one of the destinations that hosts a continental Christmas market boasting exotic wares, delicious delicacies and an array of traditional handmade goods. There is plenty to feast your eyes and taste buds on from fine Belgian beers to Dutch cheeses and French charcuterie and cakes.

When you’ve had your fill you can browse Parisian knick knacks, French perfumes and Provincial crystal amongst many other types of knitwear, crafts and authentic goods from across the globe.

One bonus of picking up some Christmas presents at a continental market is centred around the uniqueness and originality of the items for sale. Quite often you are spoilt for choice if looking for something unusual and different to what’s offered on the high street.

Shopping at a Christmas market offers a different experience altogether — no bustling and hot shopping centres to contend with but a more relaxed and enjoyable environment for you to enjoy whilst sipping a Gluwein.

Belfast’s Christmas market is held in the grounds of Belfast City Hall, a magnificent Edwardian building located in the city centre which lies in around one and a half acres of gardens that are open to the public all year round. The hall itself was completed in 1906 so is a place of historical interest in its own right and the gardens contain a number of interesting statues and monuments that you can take a peek at if you need a quick break from shopping.

In recent years at Belfast’s Christmas market, the grounds of the City Hall were simply divided into a number of different villages including French, Dutch, German, Spanish and of course featuring local produce from surrounding areas in Northern Ireland.

Each village usually has a number of stalls selling traditional gifts, toys, crafts and food whilst themed entertainment really adds an air of authenticity to the whole adventure.

The continental markets offers a great opportunity to get wrapped up in your winter gear and get into the Christmas spirit by picking up gifts with a difference by either taking a day trip or weekend getaway to Belfast. If you wanted to make a week of it, or even longer, there are plenty of other attractions for you to visit in Belfast and further afield.

Travelling from other parts of the UK is nice and easy as Belfast has two nearby airports and is also a popular ferry port with routes available from several locations including Scotland, which is only a few hours away. So, why not jump onto a ferry to Belfast and do some shopping under the Christmas lights?
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Victoria Cochrane writes for a digital marketing agency. This article has been commissioned by a client of said agency. This article is not designed to promote, but should be considered professional content.