The Salisbury Christmas Market, now called Christmas on the Square, opens in Guildhall Square on Friday 20 November 2026 and runs until 31 December. It’s a compact setup of wooden huts, street food, a Snow Globe Bar and Santa’s Grotto, a few minutes’ walk from the cathedral, and on four Sundays in December extra Festive Markets fill the Market Place next door. Below are the 2026 dates and hours, what’s on, what to eat, how to get there and where to leave your bags.
Salisbury Christmas Market 2026: Key Facts
| Christmas on the Square | Friday 20 November – Thursday 31 December 2026 |
| Hours | Daily 11:00–22:00; individual huts may close earlier |
| Huts and Santa’s Grotto | Until 24 December |
| Closed | 25 and 26 December |
| Sunday Festive Markets | 29 November, 6, 13 and 20 December, 10:00–16:00, Market Place |
| Location | Guildhall Square, Salisbury city centre |
| Entry | Free; Santa’s Grotto £6 plus a booking fee |
All dates and hours come from the Salisbury City Council events page, which is the place to check for any changes and to book the grotto.
What’s On in Salisbury at Christmas
- Christmas Begins, the launch day, on Friday 20 November from 1pm to 8:30pm in the Market Place, with live music, festive stalls and food. It’s free.
- Christmas on the Square in Guildhall Square, with wooden huts selling gifts, street food and the Snow Globe Bar.
- Santa’s Grotto beside the huts, from 20 November to 24 December. Book online.
- Sunday Festive Markets in the Market Place, with local traders selling handmade gifts and food.
- The Salisbury Christmas Trail through the city centre, from 20 November 2026 to 4 January 2027. Pick up a free leaflet at the Salisbury Information Centre.
Food and Drink
Christmas on the Square has street food stalls and the Snow Globe Bar for mulled wine and other warm drinks. The Sunday markets add local producers, so those are the days to buy Wiltshire cheese, baking and other edible gifts. For a sit-down meal, the pubs and cafés around the Market Place and the Cathedral Close are a short walk away.
Getting to the Salisbury Christmas Market
| From | How |
|---|---|
| Salisbury station | Walk east along Fisherton Street into the centre, about 10 to 15 minutes |
| By train | Direct trains from London Waterloo, Southampton, Exeter, Bristol and Cardiff |
| By car | Use one of Salisbury’s Park & Ride sites; central car parks fill up on December weekends |
| Salisbury Cathedral | About five to 10 minutes’ walk south of Guildhall Square through the Close gates |
Tips for Visiting
- Plan a Sunday visit in December if you want the most stalls. That’s when the Festive Markets add to the huts in Guildhall Square.
- Book Santa’s Grotto early if you have children. Weekend slots go first.
- Add Salisbury Cathedral to your day. Its Christmas services and concerts are popular, so check its website for tickets.
- Don’t come on 25 or 26 December. The site is closed on both days.
Luggage Storage in Salisbury
Salisbury is a common stop on the way to Stonehenge or the south coast, so plenty of people visit the Salisbury Christmas Market with a suitcase in tow. Radical Storage has luggage storage near Salisbury station and in the city centre, so you can leave your bags and walk the markets and the cathedral with free hands.
You book online in a minute, with free cancellation. Every bag is protected up to €10,000, and travellers rate the service 4.8/5. Radical Storage has more than 16.5K locations in over 2.3K cities, so it’s there for the rest of your trip too.
Salisbury Christmas Market FAQ
Christmas on the Square runs in Guildhall Square from Friday 20 November to 31 December 2026. The huts and Santa’s Grotto close on 24 December, and the site is shut on 25 and 26 December.
The city council lists 11am to 10pm daily for Christmas on the Square. The Sunday Festive Markets in the Market Place run from 10am to 4pm.
On 29 November and 6, 13 and 20 December 2026, from 10am to 4pm in the Market Place.
Yes, entry is free. Santa’s Grotto costs £6 plus a booking fee.
No ice rink is listed for Christmas on the Square in 2026.
Radical Storage has luggage storage near Salisbury station and in the city centre. Book online, drop your bags and collect them later. Each bag is protected up to €10,000.