Manchester Christmas Markets: Worth The Hype?

The annual Christmas markets are back in Manchester, and having been for the past few years I decided to go along and see what was happening. It seems to be getting bigger each year, will more stalls appearing outside of the main market area at Albert Square. Now that the markets are in their 15th year, I suppose the idea is fairly tried and tested in the grand scheme of things. However with advertisements on TV pushing the markets to other towns and cities in the region, I wanted to make my mind up about whether they actually warrant the hype.

I'm the first to admit that Christmas doesn't excite me quite like it does for a five year old child; I think it is because the season seems to start earlier each year, and the years go pretty fast! I do love real Christmas trees with tasteful decorations, and the meal on the day itself is tough to beat in terms of tastiness and merriness. However I wanted to be impartial to all of this and take the markets as they are, and this is what I thought...

Me with tasteful decorations in Spinningfields

Popularity - *****

The markets are BUSY, especially on evenings with late night shopping or at weekends. If you are not a fan of crowds you are really best exploring them at lunchtime or sticking to the markets that aren't in Albert Square. Have a look in Spinningfields, St. Ann's Square, and behind the back of Selfridges.

It is easy to see where all of the popular food places are as you won't have space to swing a cat (although I'm not sure why this phrase exists).

Pricing - ****

You will need to have plenty of cash to splash if you are heading to the markets, because there is no doubt that you will want to buy something. Whether you are enticed by chocolate coated marshmallows or smoky bratwurst, there will be something to tickle your tastebuds into spending your money. The price of crepes started upwards of £3 and meat items are usually about £4 or more.

Ordering a lemon and sugar crepe in the markets

However the system that works quite well is one operated by the pop-up bars. You will be given your beer or gluhwein in a mug or glass that you can reuse when you get another. The deposit for my mug of mulled wine was £2 but I decided to bring it home as a little memento as I have always returned them in years previously.

Gluhwein in reusable mugs - £2 deposit

Tastes and choices - ***

Of course it was important for me as a blogger to taste the things the market had to offer, and I felt that overall it was a mixed bag. During my visit I had a spicy bratwurst sausage, a mug of mulled wine, and a crepe. Out of research purposes I was tempted to taste more, but I'll save that for another visit.

The gluhwein was the clear winner of all three as it had just the right level of spiciness and warmth. I felt that the spicy sausage could have been more flavoursome, but it was sufficient enough for street eats. The crepe was well cooked and finished off with lemon and sugar, however the price did outweigh the quality. I'd love to know what you've tried and what you would recommend, so please leave me a comment.

Is there a ladylike way of eating a sausage?!

Spicy bratwurst with ketchup and mustard

Me enjoying my gluhwein - highly recommended

Presentation - *****

I wanted to take the time to point out that the markets were looking immaculate, and a lot of effort is put in to keep them looking this way. The stalls are all decked out with lights and decorations, which certainly adds to the magic of attending the Christmas markets. Here are a few examples of what I'm referring to:

Quieter part of the market, north of Albert Square

One of the many bars selling German beer and gluhwein

Zippy, I mean Santa - in Albert Square

One of the shops selling chocolates and sweets

Entertainment - ****

As an evening out, the markets will keep you amused for a couple of hours at least. You can prolong your visit by trying out the ice rink in Spinningfields if you are prepared to dodge all of the first-timers / kids. Looking at the quality of the ice, I would suggest that a more regular zamboni job is in order (it is a thing, proved by Wikipedia) as the skating quality isn't amazing for the price (£8 per adult or £7 with a Spinningfields card). An ice rink should be slicker than this to keep skaters on the move.

However if skating isn't your thing, at least you have plenty of pop-up bars to test out before the end of the night!

Ice skating in Spinningfields

Just one of the many bars available

Conclusion - ****

The markets are certainly worth a visit if you are in the area; even if you could probably get a tastier meal in a restaurant. It is more about the experience, which is why I have awarded it four stars out of five in total. There is something wonderful about standing outdoors on a cold evening with a warm drink, as long as it isn't raining of course.

My main tip would be to get cash out before you get too close to the markets as the ATMs are very popular there; it's an easy way to save yourself from the added stress when you are in a crowd of people.