Christmas Markets in Exeter and Devon 2026: Cathedral Market Dates, Hours and More

When is the Exeter Christmas market in 2026?

The Exeter Cathedral Christmas Market opens at 10am on Friday 13 November 2026 and closes at 5pm on Sunday 13 December 2026. That is a month of trading, every day, on Cathedral Green in the heart of the city. The dates come straight from the organiser's own site, exetercathedralchristmasmarket.co.uk, which is where to check for any late changes.

Daily opening hours for 2026:

• Monday to Wednesday: 10am to 7pm
• Thursday to Saturday: 10am to 9pm
• Sunday: 11am to 5pm

The cathedral itself keeps separate hours while the market is on, and the organiser's visitor information confirms an entry-by-donation offer for anyone who wants to step inside out of the cold. If you want the background on the building before you go, our Exeter Cathedral visitor's guide covers the history and what to look out for.

Where is Exeter Cathedral Christmas Market?

The market fills Cathedral Green, the open lawns wrapped around the west front of Exeter Cathedral, with what the organiser describes as over a hundred festive chalets along lit paths between the cathedral and the Close. It is a two-minute walk from the High Street and Princesshay, so it slots easily into a day of Christmas shopping. The organiser publishes a site map as a PDF on its website, which is handy if you are meeting a group and need somewhere specific to say "see you there". When we checked in September 2026 the map on the site was filed under a 2025 upload, so it may show last year's layout until the 2026 version is published.

How do you get to Exeter Christmas market by train?

The train is the easiest way in. According to the organiser, both Exeter Central and Exeter St Davids are within walking distance of Cathedral Green, with direct services from London, Bristol, Plymouth and across the South West.

• Exeter Central is the closer of the two, a short walk down Queen Street and across the High Street.
• Exeter St Davids is the main-line station. The walk into the centre is uphill, so allow a bit longer, or change onto a local train to Central.

A train also solves the question of who is driving, which matters more than usual when the market sells mulled wine and hot cider.

Is there park-and-ride for the Christmas market?

Yes. The organiser asks drivers to use Exeter's park-and-ride rather than bringing cars into the city centre, and links to Devon County Council's park-and-ride page for routes and timetables. One thing to note: the organiser states that Matford park-and-ride does not run on Sundays or bank holiday Mondays, so plan around that if you are coming on a Sunday.

If you do drive in, the organiser recommends the Princesshay 2, Princesshay 3 and Guildhall car parks, with Exeter City Council's central car parks list as the reference for locations. Coaches use the Bus and Coach Station on Paris Street.

Is the market accessible?

The organiser says there are five entry points, all but one step-free, with ramps on the West Front steps for wheelchairs and buggies, and wide paths through the market. The area around the cathedral does include slopes and cobbled streets, and not every chalet is wheelchair accessible, though traders will help where they can. Accessible toilets are on site, with more at the Guildhall and on Catherine Street.

When is the best time to visit Exeter Christmas market?

The best time for atmosphere is a Thursday, Friday or Saturday evening, when the market stays open until 9pm and the fairy lights do the heavy lifting after dark. The best time for space to browse is a weekday morning, straight after the 10am opening.

A few practical pointers (general advice, not a crowd count):

• Earlier in the run is worth considering if you dislike crowds, since the weeks before Christmas are traditionally the busiest time for shopping in any city centre.
• Thursday after work gives you the late 9pm opening and darkness from late afternoon without having to go on a weekend.
• Sundays are shorter, 11am to 5pm, and the final day closes at 5pm too. Remember the Matford park-and-ride point above.
• Wrap up. It is an open-air market on a lawn, and a December evening beside a cathedral is colder than it looks from the High Street.

What food and drink is at the Christmas market?

The organiser describes the food offer as global street food and themed bars, with mulled wine very much part of the experience. Its 30 October 2026 announcement now confirms more than 100 festive traders and a new tipi bar. Individual traders and menus can change, so use the current organiser line-up for specifics. What we can say is that the market is built for grazing: you can eat your way round rather than sitting down to a meal, which is exactly why it works so well as a meeting place.

If you would rather have a proper dinner afterwards, the city centre is right there. Our guide to the best restaurants in Exeter is a good place to start booking, and December tables go fast.

Is Exeter Christmas market dog friendly?

Yes, within limits. The organiser states that dogs on leads are allowed in the open-air areas of the market, but only assistance dogs are allowed inside the cathedral. On a busy Saturday evening the paths get crowded, so a quieter weekday daytime visit is kinder to most dogs. For dog-friendly places to warm up afterwards, see our dog-friendly Exeter pubs, cafés and walks guide.

Which other Christmas markets are near Exeter in 2026?

We have only listed markets where a 2026 date is confirmed on the organiser's or venue's own listing. Plenty of Devon towns hold Christmas markets and lights switch-ons every year, but where the organiser had not published a 2026 date when we checked in September, we have left them out rather than guess.

Exeter Quayside Farmers' Market: Saturday 21 November and Saturday 19 December 2026

The monthly farmers' market on the Quay, run by the charity Food Exeter, is on the third Saturday of each month from 9am to 1pm on Piazza Terracina. The two dates that fall in the Christmas season are 21 November and 19 December 2026. The December market is the one to aim for if you want Devon producers for the Christmas table, and it sits nicely alongside a morning walk by the river. Our food markets and street food guide has more on the Quayside market year-round.

Totnes Christmas Markets: Tuesdays 8, 15 and 22 December 2026

Totnes Town Council has confirmed Christmas markets on three Tuesday evenings in December 2026, from 3pm to 9pm, run by Miss Ivy Events on the council's behalf. Expect street food and craft stalls, and the Totnes Carnival Lantern Parade on the opening night. Totnes is a direct train ride down the line from Exeter St Davids, which makes it an easy evening out without anyone needing to drive.

Christmas at Powderham Castle: 29 November to 30 December 2026

Not a market as such, but worth knowing about. Christmas at Powderham is ticketed and on sale:

• By night: 29 November to 30 December, normally 4.15pm to 8.30pm, with last entry at 7.30pm. On Christmas Eve it closes at 7.30pm, with last entry at 6.30pm. It is closed on Christmas Day and Boxing Day. Admission is £11 for adults aged 17+, £8.80 for children aged 3-16, and free for under-3s with a ticket.
• By day: currently listed for 5, 6, 12, 13 and 18-24 December, 10am to 4pm with last entry at 3pm. Both daytime and evening tickets use a 30-minute arrival window. The grotto, Castle Experience and parking are extra; prices and availability were observed on 2 November 2026 and may change, so check the official day schedule and FAQs before booking. Food vendors are on site and paid for separately.

Markets still to confirm

At our September 2026 check, Love Topsham had not yet published a date for its 2026 Christmas lights and festive market, and National Trust Christmas events at nearby properties such as Killerton could not be confirmed for 2026. Keep an eye on their own websites and our what's on in Exeter guide through the autumn.

How do you make an evening of it with friends?

The Christmas market works best as the start of a night, not the whole of it. An hour of wandering with a mulled wine is about right before hands get cold and conversation starts wanting a table.

A simple plan that works for most groups:

1. Meet at the market around 5pm on a Thursday or Friday, when it is dark, lit and open until 9pm.
2. Graze rather than dine. Share a few things from the food stalls so nobody is full before the next stop.
3. Head to a pub by 7pm. The Old Firehouse on New North Road is a ten-minute walk away, a pub spread over three floors, known for its cask ales, farm ciders and big square pizzas built for sharing. The Fat Pig on John Street, a backstreet freehouse that brews some of its own beer, is closer still to the Cathedral and welcomes dogs. Its own site lists it as closed on Mondays and Tuesdays and on Sunday evenings, so check its hours first. Our best pubs in Exeter guide has plenty more if those are full.

For the rest of the season (panto, carols, ice skating and festive dining), our complete guide to Christmas in Exeter picks up where this one leaves off, and our guide to Exeter's markets covers the city's regular markets for the rest of the year.

December is the easiest month of the year to get people out of the house. "Fancy the Christmas market on Thursday?" is an invitation almost nobody turns down. Send it.

Exeter Christmas market FAQs