Nothing is more enchanting at this time of year than walking through a Christmas market – but are they worth visiting or simply overhyped tourist attractions? 

The Edinburgh Christmas Market has been named the “most beautiful” in Europe, and it is no wonder why once you see its colourful Ferris wheel, dazzling lights, and the many stalls selling mouthwatering fried food. 

However, this Scottish festive event has also gotten some negative pushback, with certain visitors saying it is far too crowded, a constant criticism this particular market has faced over the years. 

As a local of Edinburgh who has been going to this market every year my whole life, I decided to swing by the Christmas Market to see if the 2024 affair is truly a winter wonder or if you are better off giving it a miss. 

I went on Friday (December 6), and my first impression was that the crowd control was excellent. While it was certainly busy, the Edinburgh Christmas Market felt easier to navigate than it did last year.

The Christmas Market has been divided into three levels (a bottom level, middle level, and top level), and other parts of Princes Street Gardens have been closed off.

I entered the market at the very bottom where it was beautifully decorated with fairy lights wrapped around nearby trees, a few stalls to browse and a big eating area to relax.

This area was easy to get through and a lot of fun. I was able to spend lots of time looking at each stall since there were far fewer people than I expected. 

I was also impressed by the large eating area as many times over the years, I have been put off grabbing something to eat at the Christmas market simply due to there being nowhere proper to sit. 

The bottom level of the market was definitely much calmer than I was used to, but as I made my way to the middle layer, there were many more people, but it was still not overwhelming.

The middle levels had no stalls and simply had more beautiful Christmas light displays to admire as you walked by. It also had a few bigger attractions that had obviously been designed for tourists to take photos of. 

There was the classic yellow Edinburgh sign that is displayed every year at the market and there was also a massive disco ball that I could not get near as there was a queue of people lining up to take a photo. 

However, there was plenty of space, so people lining up for photos were not crowding the area, and it was still relatively peaceful to walk through. 

I found both the bottom and middle parts of the Christmas market really enjoyable, but as I climbed higher up Princes Street Gardens to the top level, there were definitely far more people, and I can understand why some people would find it overwhelming. 

The top level of the Christmas market is the main affair, with many stalls lined up displaying all sorts of knickknacks and every type of fun fair food you can think of. 

There were classic burgers, pizzas, loaded fries, and three separate stalls selling Bratwursts, which were obviously the star food of the market, as each stall had a fair-sized queue. 

I also spotted a stall selling traditional Scottish dishes such as haggis and stovies, which I would not personally try eating outside as they are more sit-down meals. However, they also had a stall selling roast dinners wrapped up in Yorkshire pudding, so it must be appealing to some people. 

If you plan to visit this market, then fair warning that the food prices are high. I was prepared for this, but it is still a shock to see items you would expect to be cheap, like hot dogs, selling for £8. 

I ended up getting the loaded fries, which cost £12, and also an apple crumble pudding overflowing with custard, which cost £8. 

Both were delicious, the portions massive, and as a yearly treat, it was a fun experience, but this market is definitely not one to visit if you are budgeting. 

I also would not recommend trying to do your Christmas shopping at the market. While many of the items, such as knitted hats, illustrated prints, and wreaths, were beautiful, I think you could get something just as nice for, much less somewhere else. 

It also has the famous Ferris wheel, or if you are brave enough, you can take to the skies in the Skyflyer, which spins you around and is probably the most thrilling way to take in Edinburgh’s beautiful skyline. 

The gothic Scott Monument, which stands in Princes Street Gardens, also looked wonderfully dramatic. It was lit up for the festive season and was a rich purple colour as I walked past. 

As I exited the Edinburgh Christmas Market, I really enjoyed the experience, but my wallet did feel a little lighter. Overall, while the prices are still steep, I did not feel it was too busy for a Friday evening.

For anyone weary of crowds, I highly recommend walking down to start at the bottom of Princes Street Gardens. There are plenty of stalls and things to eat without too many people.