The lights are twinkling in the trees, the baubles are up, and the Bristol Christmas Markets are in full swing. Christmas in Bristol is truly here!

During the holiday season, I love feeling festive in Bristol, exploring all that my hometown has to offer. Here are some top Bristol Christmas events worth experiencing this holiday season.

The Bristol Christmas Market in the Broadmead shopping area is a must-visit. At the center, there’s the Jäger Barn, where shoppers enjoy drinks in bubble igloos and ski gondolas, surrounded by Christmas baubles and wooden figures of giants, elves, and reindeer. New this year is a 15-meter high big wheel offering stunning views over the market. The wooden chalets selling food and gifts stretch up towards the Cabot Circus shopping center, with stalls selling local crafts at the Broadmead end. The market stalls are open from November 3 to December 23, 10am-7pm, and the food stalls from 10am-10pm.

St Nick’s Market is another great spot to find unique gifts from Bristol’s indie traders. The indoor market is open Monday to Saturday, 9:30am-5pm, with additional Sunday openings from November 14 until Christmas Eve. The outdoor markets along Corn Street also take on a festive flavor in the run-up to Christmas. The Christmas outdoor markets on Corn Street run every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday until December 10, then daily until Christmas Eve. Regular street food markets run on Tuesdays and Fridays from 11am-2:30pm, and the Farmer’s Market runs each Wednesday from 9:30am-2:30pm.

Millennium Square near the harborside transforms into a vintage winter wonderland with carousels and family-friendly fairground rides. The food stalls offer everything from German Bratwurst and Cheesy Krakauer to Vegan street eats and hot Belgian waffles. While the kids enjoy the rides, adults can relax at the ski-themed Après Bar with mulled wine, cider, blankets, and live music on Thursdays and DJs on weekends.

Finzel’s Reach Market is the place to try local street food, with markets on Wednesdays and Fridays offering a huge range of street food over the lunchtime period (11am-2pm). Look out for the 15 ft Elf on the Shelf playing hide and seek on buildings in this neighborhood throughout December. Clues about where to find Elf on the Shelf will be posted on the @RedcliffeandTempleBID social channels.

The Bearpit Festive Market at the bottom of Stokes Croft features 50 stalls, including local producers and makers, with live music. For shoppers working through their Christmas lists, the central Bristol shopping centers of Cabot Circus and Broadmead have most of your needs covered.

Clifton Village offers a charming atmosphere with elegant Georgian townhouses and stylish boutiques, perfect for shopping for party outfits or sparkly heels. The Christmas lights are up, and the 50 ft Christmas tree towers impressively over the Mall Gardens. Clifton is full of bars, cafes, and restaurants, making it a great choice to meet friends for brunch or a festive drink. Among my favorite places to get into the Christmas spirit are The Ivy with their festive set menu, Forest and the Flowers running wreath-making sessions, East Village Vegan Cafe for brunch while you shop, and The Dirty Bird for festive cocktails. The Clifton Observatory is hosting wreath-making workshops, brunch with Santa, and carol singing on the rooftop terrace.

For a more artistic experience, explore the area around the aptly named Christmas Steps, where the Christmas lights have been turned on, and you can get a flavor of medieval Bristol. The Christmas Steps Arts Quarter is full of small independent businesses, and it’s worth continuing up the steps to Perry Road for the art galleries and other creative businesses there. Capture those Dickensian vibes with a photo looking down from the top of the steps, then treat yourself to a gooey cake from Ahh Toots at the bottom.

Park Street offers a mix of upscale high street brands and independents. My favorites are Bristol Guild for arty gifts and Diana Porter for unique, handmade contemporary jewelry. For original gifts that are unique and often made in Bristol, visit one of the many craft markets around the city in the run-up to Christmas.

Bristol Beacon Made in Bristol Gift Fair runs on Saturdays and Sundays, November 25-26 and December 9-10. The Bristol Pop-up Shop in The Galleries is open daily until December 24, featuring gifts from 100 of Bristol’s finest designers and makers. St Nicholas Market is open daily, offering the largest collection of independent retailers in the city. Wiper & True Christmas Markets showcase local makers and food producers, with events at The Tap Room in Old Market on December 17 and The Barrel Store in St Werburghs on December 7. The Prior Shop Sustainable Design Fair features locally made products and artworks on December 9-10. The Estate of the Arts Winter Fair in Bedminster runs on December 9-10, with hot food and live music. The Future Leap Festive Market is a sustainable pop-up Christmas market on December 2-3 and 9-10. The Better Christmas Market at St Mary Redcliffe runs from December 7-10, featuring arts and crafts, carols, workshops, food, and mulled wine.

Enjoy seasonal flavors like gingerbread and gelato cakes at Swoon on College Green, or indulge in a warming hot chocolate at Mrs. Potts on Park Street. Pieminister, with several branches around the city, serves award-winning pies with festive flavors available from mid-November. For a post-shopping drink, head to Dirty Martini on Corn Street for half-price martinis and Christmas cocktails.

No West Country household would be without cider at Christmas. The Bristol Cider Shop offers a cider advent calendar, cider tasting kit, and other gifts for cider lovers. The 6 O’clock Gin pop-up shop in Quaker Friars sells locally produced gin and related gifts.

The Evolution Drone Light Show is a spectacular event with 500 drones lighting up the Bristol sky on December 19-20. Lumosphere at the Leigh Court Estate is an outdoor illumination walk with interactive art installations from December 10-17. Other Christmas light trails within an hour’s drive of central Bristol include Avon Valley Adventure and Wildlife Park, Old Down Estate Illumination Trail, Westonbirt Arboretum, Longleat Festival of Light, and Sudeley Castle Spectacle of Light.

The SS Great Britain offers Victorian Christmas weekends on December 2-3 and 9-10, with festive activities and characters. Winterland at Propyard returns with an 80s-themed ski lodge, roller disco, and retro games. The aquarium in Millennium Square features the Undersea Grotto from December 16 to January 1, with festive activities for children. M-Shed and We the Curious offer family-friendly activities and exhibits during the Christmas season.

Bristol’s theaters offer a range of Christmas shows, including Arabian Nights at Bristol Old Vic, Oliver Twist at Tobacco Factory Theatre, and Rapunzel at The Redgrave Theatre. St George’s Brandon Hill hosts community choir concerts, and Bristol Beacon offers Christmas-themed performances.

For animal lovers, Noah’s Ark Zoo Farm and Bristol Zoo Project offer festive activities and opportunities to see a variety of animals. St Werburgh’s City Farm and Windmill Hill City Farm are also open during the Christmas holidays.

Bristol Cathedral and Christ Church Clifton hold carol services and other Christmas religious services. John Wesley’s New Rooms offer Christmas activities, including lunchtime carols and craft sessions. Most churches in Bristol will have Christmas carol services, so check what’s on at your local church.

Support Bristol’s independent businesses with the Love Bristol Gift Card, which can be spent at over 160 venues around the city. Yuup offers unique local experiences, perfect for gifting. Zara’s chocolates, made in South Bristol, are a must-visit for high-quality, handmade chocolates.

Treat yourself or a loved one to a spa day at The Lido in Clifton Village, or enjoy a balloon flight over Bristol with Bristol Balloons or Bailey Balloons. Bristol Blue Glass offers beautiful ornaments and baubles for your Christmas tree.

Consider making charity donations to support the homeless in Bristol. Local charities include Caring in Bristol, St Mungo’s Bristol, and The Salvation Army.

For a cheeky weekend in Bristol, there are plenty of hotel options. Brooks Guest House, Rodney Hotel, and Beech House offer stylish and affordable accommodation. The Bristol, Clayton Hotel, and Mercure Bristol Grand Hotel are great for groups. For a touch of luxury, consider Artist Residence, Harbour Hotel and Spa, or The Avon Gorge Hotel.

There’s still time to book a weekend in Bristol to get into the Christmas spirit, enjoy great food, and shop for unique gifts. For more information on visiting Bristol, check out the official tourism website of Visit Bristol.