The Manchester Christmas Markets have landed for another year, with wooden huts popping up all over the city centre – including an expansive offering at Piccadilly Gardens.
For the third year, the main hub of the Christmas Markets has had to shift away from its traditional home outside the Town Hall on Albert Square.
Instead, the festivities are centred around Piccadilly Gardens once again, which has undergone a big makeover for the occasion to become the Winter Gardens.
Last year, large wooden platforms were built across the central square, hosting a range of food and drink traders.
The temporary structure was never actually taken down from last year (will we ever see the fountains again?) but has been extended and improved for 2022’s Christmas Markets.
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Winter Gardens now splits into several zones, so it can simultaneously be a Nordic-style rustic tipi, a traditional German market, a Japanese apres-ski hub and a scrapyard-style street food hub.
For the first time, huge tipis have been erected, giving the much-maligned Piccadilly Gardens an air of Scandi festivities.
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You’ll find roaring fires, hot tipples and evening entertainment.
The iconic wooden windmill bar is in place here too, decorated as always with giant wooden dolls.
Then the two wooden platforms have been turned into sheltered food and drink hubs, lined with street food stalls and bars.
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The apres-ski area at Winter Gardens, the Christmas Markets hub at Piccadilly Gardens. Credit: The Manc Group
One half is Dock 53, where rusted shipping containers have been stacked up as a huge bar and a live music stage dominates one side.
Cosy seating areas have been built out of wooden pallets, decorated with pine branches and giant baubles.
One corner has been turned into a modern apres-ski inspired area, complete with coloured lights, piste maps, and even actual skis piled up by the door.
When it comes to the food and drink, Piccadilly Gardens is the main hub this year, and has welcomed in some Christmas Markets firsts.
Local favourites Parmageddon and Oi Dumplings have both taken up pitches for the first time, while hit trader Panc Foods is back for a second year with its plant-based bratwursts and burgers.
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There’s also a huge Manchester Winter Ale House selling cask ales from local breweries like JW Lees, alongside hot drinks like boozy Vimto (made with gin or rum).
Featured image: The Manc Group
Christmas
You can now have a private tour of Manchester Christmas Markets
Thomas Melia
Every year, Manchester Christmas Markets hosts its almost two-month long residency on the frosty streets of our lively city, but now you can enjoy the cute huts with an unbeatable luxury experience.
Travel agency, Viator, who are directly connected to TripAdvisor, have launched a one on one guided tour of Manchester and its stunning Manchester Christmas Marketsin all their glory.
This private tour of the festivities occurring in the city will last two hours and for the whole duration of your time, a city host will be on hand to offer undivided attention, catering to your every need.
A makeshift itinerary is already awaiting guests and can be tailored according to the individual taking the tour, everything is catered to your preferences.
Anyone who books onto the tour also receives a complimentary hot chocolate and that’s sweetened the deal for me, I’m sold.
How can you go wrong with these incredible options at Manchester Christmas Markets?You can recreate your very own gigantic cheese pull and your local host can snap a piccie.Scrumptious selection of food available as you venture through Manchester Christmas Markets in style.
There’s also the chance to keep your hands toasty with a free cup of mulled wine or a soft-drink for those who aren’t interested in the warm alcoholic beverage.
Manchester Christmas Markets are a phenomenal day or night-out regardless so this latest personalised opportunity will take your festive fantasies to a whole new level.
This private tour provides a one-of-a-kind exclusive treatment making your stroll down Manchester Cathedral, Exchange Square and Manchester Town Hall that little bit more special.
These tours are a great chance to immerse yourself in one of Manchester’s many selling points as you can choose to focus your time around art and culture, fashion, architecture or our personal favourite – food.
This exclusive tour package which highlights the best of Manchester Christmas Markets is definitely a present in itself with tickets costing a hefty sum of £100.
If you want to visit Manchester Christmas Markets while also living the high life with a private tour, ‘Christmas In Manchester: Private Experience With A City Host’ is running all the way until the huts shut shop on 22 December and tickets can be found here.
Peek inside the space-themed festive tipi bar that’s appeared in Manchester city centre
Daisy Jackson
A gigantic new festive tipi has appeared in Manchester city centre, and this one’s out of this world.
Nova Star is an intergalactic, space-age tipi, filled with twinkling stars and shimmering galaxies.
The space-themed pop-up bar has appeared in Sadler’s Yard, right outside New Century.
Inside, you’ll be able to get your mitts on festive food specials from beloved Christmas Markets favourites Parmogeddon.
Their menu includes raclette-covered roast potatoes, with additional toppings like hot honey, brie, stuffing crumbs and gravy.
There’ll also be pigs in blanket hot dogs topped with cranberry and chilli ketchup and stuffing crumb, with an indulgent pot of gravy for dunking, plus profitteroles with a homemade brandy cream filling.
Nova Star’s bar will have a menu of shimmering cocktails and ice-cold beers too, with a full menu of Cosmos, including a Nebula Cosmo (which tastes a lot like a pina colada but is blue), a Cosmic Amore (close to a classic Cosmopolitan), and the Milkyway (a sweet and creamy concoction with hazelnut and vanilla).
Loaded raclette roasties at Nova Star, Manchester. Credit: The Manc GroupA pigs in blanket hot dog. Credit: The Manc GroupProfiteroles from Parmogeddon. Credit: The Manc Group
Nova Star will be serving up their very own signature ‘Nova Staro’ pints, created in collaboration with Czech Pilsner specialists Staropramen in their first ever rebrand.
It’s a far cry from your typical Bavarian Christmas experience, swapping out holly and ivy for stars and shimmers.
Visitors will also be able to enjoy a line-up of festive entertainment.
Abby Moore, managing director at New Century, said: “Nova Star is all about celebrating Christmas at its most magical – and for us that means with all the dazzle of the space age.
“It’s a chance to escape the traditional and enjoy a spectacular atmosphere, stellar cocktails and incredible food.
“We can’t wait to welcome the people of Manchester to our space-age Christmas destination.”
Nova Star opens at Sadler’s Yard on Friday 22 November.
Daisy Jackson -
10th November 2022 
