Is the Winchester Christmas Market worth visiting? Let's find out

Today Heather and I travel to Winchester, England and their famous Christmas market. But is it worth all the horrible southwestern rail travel? Let's find out!
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If you're new to my channel and videos, hi! I'm Evan Edinger, and I make travel vlogs of all the exciting places I visit. I started travel vlogging about 8 years ago because I wanted to see more of the world and be able to watch back some of my adventures. I also make weekly comedy videos every Sunday on my main channel usually revolving around funny differences between British vs American things! Anyway, thanks for stopping by!
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[@psd103]

It’s totally cool if Heather doesn’t want to talk to us all of the time, but I want her to know that she seems really lovely from what we’ve seen of her.

[@georgesi2006]

I'm pretty camer-shy myself, I totally get what it feels like to be put on the spot like that 🙈 Saying that, Heather is doing really well, she's always a highlight in your vlogs!

[@HoojipIsHere]

As a York resident, I can honestly say you do not want to visit our Christmas market. Rest of the year it's a lovely place

[@keith13fox]

Enjoyed your Vlog 😊, gave us an idea of what to expect, just need to mention that it's the home of King Alfred, not the fictitious Arthur. Alfred kicked the Vikings arse and, with his son and grandson, laid the foundations for England

[@gigteevee6118]

Heather’s awesome, you two are such a great couple ❤ Happy Holidays!

[@piddlydiddly]

Transport is crazy prices in this country. I remember finding a job that the commute would cost 50% of what I'd make every day.

[@tpkyterooluebeck9224]

That cost is absolutely pathetic! If the government really wants you all to cut down on what causes global warming, then they really need to get the Mass transportation costs down. Not everyone is going to get a job mucking about in the fields or can find a job in their neck of the woods. Where I live, can take Rail for the cost of 1 hours pay, if I get a minimum wage job at the Federal level. OTOH, taking a train between Boston, Massachusetts to New York, a 3 hour car trip, as $66 per trip, for 10 trips. Cheaper than in the UK.

[@lilly6766]

You guys are so cute ❤❤

[@SongsOfDragons]

Hampshire local here! I live in Eastleigh, sandwiched in between Winch and Soton, and I went to university in Winchester as did my husband! OMG YOU WENT TO CHOCOCO it is my favourite place. Yes as I'm sure without having to go look at the rest of the comments, all the locals will tell you that Winchester's Christmas Market is terrifyingly crowded - spare a thought for those of us dependant on the Park & Ride buses around December. They used to have an ice rink in the middle every time but now it's the food court which imo saves a lot of space.

[@ianvincent4911]

My wife and me went either the following Monday or Tuesday. Living in rural Dorset....we drove to the Park and Ride. Been before and it was nice - small but not too busy with a good selection of stalls with quality goods and food/drinks. This time it was about the same level of busy (not as bad as when you went) but the quality of stalls had dropped off a cliff. Most were selling naff that had been made in China and trying to fob it off as craft made items. We were pretty disappointed and probably won't be back.....still Southampton Xmas market was far worse lol.

[@DrDaveW]

You can pick up a return from Kings Cross to York for about £50 if you book a month or so in advance. Add a "Two Together" railcard and get 1/3 off that. Perhaps Christmas next year!

[@robertwilloughby8050]

As you well know, sometimes shooting against the light - contrajour lighting - can be a very good trick to do with a camera.

[@emilyrobinson6115]

I would suggest bath Christmas market

[@EvanEdingerTravel]

Been there uh… 2013??? With dodie. OLD SCHOOL

[@taif1ghter]

We were there that day too! Busy but the sun was shining so it was a good day out 🥰

[@trikraig]

It's crazy how unaffordable the trains are currently. If I want to visit my hometown its over £100 return, or I can drive there and back fuel costing like £40 :/

[@EvanEdingerTravel]

Yupppp

[@beauthestdane]

Loved York, definitely worth the visit.

[@xStarzx100]

I went to the University of Winchester 2009-2012. I graduated in the cathedral in November 2012, it was very cold to say the least. Winchester's a lovely city, expensive place to live though, so I now live in London! ;-) I have been back since, but this is very nostalgic!

[@ChristianJull]

Yep. South West Trains. Exactly the same getting from Waterloo to Salisbury. A landslide caused problems on the line last winter. I *booked* a direct train to Salisbury in advance in April and it was cancelled...and they knew it would be cancelled before I booked it. So, slow train to Basingstoke, change, slow train to Salisbury = extra hour on journey. Faster getting from Helsinki to Gatwick than from Gatwick to Salisbury.

[@edward9460]

I love it in Winchester go there a lot especially the Christmas market hope you enjoyed it

[@Rosieq1197]

Started watching your videos when you had short hair now found myself on this one and I’m :O but you look great! It suits you. Thank you for letting me live vicariously through you on your ventures and England

[@stacker63]

hey evan if you like roman stuff (and extremely old stuff) go to colchester! it was the first town in the UK! they have all of the original roman foundations in the basement of colchester castle

[@lilly6766]

So colchester is... coolchester? 🎉❤

[@MattNav]

Another wonderful video as always Evan! Winchester looks nice though (as a Northerner who's definitely not got any bias at all 😉😅), I think you'll enjoy York as much if not more. But if you go, definitely be sure to visit the National Railway Museum which is such a treat to visit. Also near to York is the delightful town of Harrogate with its famous Betty's Tea House as well as Knaresborough. Both easily accessible by train plus Harrogate has nonstop trains from London on LNER

[@Sophie_Cleverly]

Winchester looks nice and the market does too! I'd be interested to hear how people from there feel about it. I'm from Bath and despite it being hugely popular, famously most people who live there hate the Christmas market because it takes up the whole center of town and makes everything even more packed than it usually is (plus the "sheds" are seen as expensive and not selling anything you'd really want). The Winchester one looked like it had a more spacious location from what you showed.

[@CulturePhilter]

London. Christmas Market was always quite good when I was at uni there. But that was like 17 years ago.

[@millieowen]

been watching you for many years so it's strange and wonderful to see you in the place i've lived my entire life!! though i am sorry you had to deal with the utter horror that is SWR

[@justanotherpiccplayer3511]

BRO whilst I'm going the heck off, winch cathedral is super super lovely but they charge so much money for it with the "you can use this ticket all year" thing, but like fellas if you did one offs like £4 a person to get in they'd make so much more money. Last time I went in for free coz I was singing. I would advise just going to a choral evensong and you get in for free and excellent music 👌

[@emlynbarnden1229]

I was hoping to get to Winchester this year, I haven't been in a couple of years

[@delboy7039]

Evan, if you book ahead, trains can be quite cheap... Its called Planning ahead. I know its not perfect, but....

[@tpkyterooluebeck9224]

Okay, ridiculous pricing! From London to York, is nearly the same distance as Boston to New York. I can go from Boston, Massachusetts to New York, New York, for $66 per day, on a 10 day pass. They can do better! I'm used to Brits being more camera shy, so Heather not wanting to talk, doesn't bother me at all. I just file it under the Weather Rule, even though technically, that is not correct. I love you two as a couple! May you both have a long, prosperous, and blessed life together!

[@LiqdPT]

As an American, I couldn't imagine getting flight and accommodation ANYWHERE for $200 USD.

[@evan]

I got flights to Tampere for £40 and stayed with a friend so that was a cheap trip. Flights to most of Europe can be snagged for under £60 if you’re patient

[@LiqdPT]

@@evan right, but that's not a thing in the US. I MIGHT be able to find a $99 flight to somewhere on sale. But then there's fees on top. Plus accommodation (which $100 a night + taxes is a cheap place)

[@iamcorinward]

How can you mess up biscoff?

[@SongsOfDragons]

We don't go to Reeve's for their cakes. We go for their cheese straws.

[@CraigGrannell]

I thought everyone hated Southern more than Southwestern. The latter is the line I’m on. Usually, it’s reliably just below average so you must have caught it on a bad day. (As opposed to a standard mediocre day.)

[@evan]

Let’s be real… they’re both shit haha

[@maximesng]

Hello Evan I really like you content , carry on If you have to choose between this 2 cities do you prefer live in Amsterdam or Berlin ? with your personal opinion (opportunities of job, quality of life, nightlife, nature, cost of living...)

[@annabear3553]

Those chocolate kisses looked really lovely!

[@Pixiedust8399]

£9.99 for Baklava?!

[@QALibrary]

I have friends that live in Winchester but Birmingham was/is meant to be the biggest in Europe

[@justanotherpiccplayer3511]

Oke so in the last few years Winchester have desperately tried to make their market A Thing, it was always nice to walk around (and never buy anything from because heck no I am not spending £5 on a really small hot choc) and I come home after 2 years masters and my mum says you have to queue to get in ?? _you have to queue?!?_ Insane it's so not worth queuing

[@rbdogwood]

I was born there, but I doubt I'd be able to afford a visit by train.

[@kirstyr4469]

I recommend visiting any Christmas market on a weekday, rather than a weekend, if you can. 10am on a Monday morning there are just enough people to stop it feeling like a ghost town but absolutely no queues.

[@SailorSteph]

Don't get me wrong Winchester is a nice place to visit, but I don't think their Christmas Market is that great. The best Christmas Market, I've been to was in Birmingham City Centre.

[@WizardExMachina]

wincester is a city not a town

[@SongsOfDragons]

One of Henry's first six cities!