Hannah Lowe
After the disaster of the Christmas market last year, shutting down the day after it opened, I’m sure a lot of you are interested in what it has to offer this year and if it’s worth the visit. Whether you fancy a simple wander round the market, a drink of mulled wine or buying Christmas presents, the Nottingham Christmas Market located in Old Market Square has lots for you to do. Hannah Lowe gives us the rundown of the best things to do whilst you’re there.
Although I’d agree that a lot of things to do in Nottingham have student friendly prices, it’s difficult to say the same about the Christmas market. It probably comes as no shock that if you want to eat or drink whilst there, you need to be prepared to spend at least £6 on a Nutella crêpe or £5.50 on a small cup of mulled wine.
However, I’m sure many of you, like me, are eager to experience the German style market and will use Apple Pay as a way of staying blissfully ignorant to the prices for the evening, and only check the next day.
I listened to a live guitarist playing Christmas songs as people sung along and admired the huge Christmas tree
If you are willing to dosh out the cash, I’d recommend visiting the churro stand, where you can get your moneys worth with a big cup of churros ladened in cinnamon and sugar and a choice of Nutella or caramel dip.
Whilst I ate the churros it gave me time to really take in the Christmas atmosphere, as I listened to a live guitarist playing Christmas songs as people sung along and admired the huge Christmas tree.
If you’d like to try something different, I’d also suggest visiting the stand selling chocolate kisses, which are foamy marshmallows coated in chocolate on a waffle base that come in an array of different flavours such as ‘lemon lime’ and ‘after eight’.
Running through the centre of the market are two bustling apres-ski themes bars selling beers and mulled wine. They were packed when I visited, so be sure to either arrive earlier or be prepared to queue for some time!
There is also a huge Ferris wheel where you can see over the rooftops of Nottingham City centre
For those who want to avoid big crowds, I’d recommend visiting during the day or a weekday, as it was packed on Saturday night, and I assume it will continue to get even busier during the festive period.
For those who’d rather spend their time on an activity, there is also a huge Ferris wheel where you can see over the rooftops of Nottingham City centre.
From here you can also see the beautiful abundance of Christmas lights strung between the alleyways surrounding the market, which you can also admire when walking to the market. I’d recommend bringing some cash with you, as the wheel is cash-only and is £6 per person for 5 minutes worth of ride.
There is also a carousel and Helter-Skelter within the market if you’re feeling really adventurous!
The Christmas market is also great for buying Christmas presents for family and friends, ranging from scarf stalls to cheese stalls selling unique flavours such as prosecco and cranberry.
I would highly recommend all students to visit the Christmas market as I believe it offers the best festive experience in the city
I also visited the Wiltshire Chilli Farm Stall which has an array of chilli jams and sauces at reasonable prices, they offers flavours such as ‘Peach Ghost’, sold by super friendly staff.
Although be warned, if you want to have a mooch around the gift stalls don’t leave it until too late in the evening, as some were beginning to close at around 8:30 pm.
Despite the high prices, I would highly recommend all students to visit the Christmas market as I believe it offers the best festive experience in the city and has something for everyone. The market is open until the 31st December, so go and visit soon!
Hannah Lowe
Featured image courtesy of the writer, Hannah Lowe. Permission for use granted to Impact. No changes were made to this image.
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