What’s On This December

Here we are, it’s December in Winchester! The festive season is finally here and Winchester is buzzing with the excitement of the season. Take a walk around town and you will see the beautiful Winchester Christmas Lights, which really set the scene for the whole city.

The main event in town this month is of course the Winchester Cathedral Christmas Market. Don’t miss the bustling atmosphere, beautiful location and wonderful stalls, and some days have performances taking place, including The Salvation Army, Welsh male voice choirs and more, so it’s worth checking HERE to really make the most of your visit. At The Winchester Hotel & Spa we honoured to be the official Accommodation Partner of the 2023 Winchester Cathedral Christmas Market, and we do hope that you can visit this wonderful Winchester institution. Open daily, Sunday – Thursday 10.00am – 6.00pm and Friday – Saturday 10.00am – 8.00pm. The market is on until Thursday December 21st. Don’t miss the Cathedral itself, it really is spectacular, with over 1000 years of history. You can discover their calendar of services, musical events and more, plus more about the Christmas Market HERE.

Looking for a great way to explore historic Winchester? Then how about a Mulled Wine Walking Tour? Guests meet at the ancient Westgate, the medieval entrance to Winchester. The tour takes in the Great Hall of Winchester Castle, with tales of King Arthur, before exploring the High Street with its twinkling Christmas lights and tree, all the while hearing stories of Winchester and holiday traditions. The walk concludes at spectacular Winchester Cathedral and the world-renowned Winchester Christmas Market. The tour includes a mulled wine, or other hot drink if you prefer, and offers an enchanting way to discover Winchester at its Christmas best. Tours run until December 21st and you can discover more HERE.

For something completely different, we recommend Steam Illuminations at the Watercress Line. This is an incredible light show on, and inside, a steam train! Made up of thousands of coloured LED lights, creating a kaleidoscope of different colours and flashing patterns, the historical steam train takes on a magical appearance both inside and out. Accompanied by interactive sound-to-light fun, there are two distinct musical journeys to choose from, but we can’t resist Christmas Chart Crackers. Trains depart from either Alresford or Alton and complete a round trip, back to the starting station, with the journey lasting roughly 1 hour 45 minutes.  The spectacle runs until December 23rd, and you can discover more info HERE.

We hope that you are able to enjoy a very special Christmas in Winchester, and that you will join us here at The Winchester Hotel & Spa, celebrating the season with us. You can find our Christmas plans HERE, and we look forward to seeing you soon.