Even the scroogiest Grinches amongst us can’t resist the festive charm of fairy light-strewn, roasted chestnut-scented Christmas markets. These winter wonderlands in our desert city are as close to the real deal as it can get, complete with quaint little wooden chalets selling minced pies, cosy handcrafted pressies and warm mulled wine. Not to mention Santa’s grottos, and ornamented Christmas trees so tall they could compete with Dubai’s famed skyscrapers. Here are 10 Christmas Markets in Dubai to check out this festive season.
1. Winter Garden, Habtoor Palace
You’ll leave with a jelly belly to match Santa’s after visiting this foodie paradise of a winter market that sets up shop opposite the Habtoor Palace Hotel on SZR. Street food stalls dot every inch of this cozy little venue covered by a canopy of fairy lights. But what earns it a top spot on this list is the fact that your pets are welcome here. Yep, throw some reindeer antlers on Fido (or Kitty) and bring ‘em here for one of the many festive pet parades.
An 18-metre-tall Christmas tree creates the perfect backdrop for Christmas Card-worthy snaps. Santa visits on weekends at 8pm, play areas for kids and live singers and bands belting out retro 80s and 90s hits, Latin music and jazz hits to ensure that this wintry hotspot ticks all the boxes for a must-visit holiday venue. This year’s new addition is a Souk packed with retail stalls selling oud, fine jewellery, clothing and gift items.
📅: Until January 31
⏰: From 4pm-12am on weekdays and 4pm-2am on weekends
🎟️: AED 25 entry fee. Book visits here.
2. Winter Wonderland, Ski Dubai
None of that fake white stuff at Ski Dubai. This indoor ski park’s wintry slopes are the ho, ho, hottest place this Christmas season. A Winter Wonderland has been set to give you fast-track access to Santa in a setting where the temperatures and fresh snow flurries come closest to that of the North Pole.
Take pictures against a forest of ornamented Christmas trees in Santa’s Village, visit the Elf cottage, roll around on the floor making snow angels and enjoy snowball fights in between entertaining performances by elves and the Hamleys bear. All passes include mugs of steaming hot cocoa topped with marshmallows, fleece gloves, photo-ops and rental ski clothing to keep you toasty.
📅: December 1 -25
🎟️: Packages from AED 160 onwards, book here
2. Madinat Jumeirah Christmas Market
Santa sleighing it on an Abra. Bungee jumping. Bratwurst hotdogs longer than a 10-year-old’s Christmas wishlist. Free entry. *Mic Drop*. WHY wouldn’t you want to visit one of the most popular Christmas markets that is also Dubai’s oldest? If you need some more coaxing, check out our detailed guide describing all the merry little details of this holiday haven nestled in the middle of Souk Madinat’s Fort Island. Beanbags, picnic tables and benches are strewn across the venue so you can soak in the cheery vibes at leisure.
📅: December 6- December 31
⏰: From 3pm until late Monday – Thursday and from 12pm till late from Friday to Sunday
🎟️: Free entry
3. Winter City at Expo City
‘Tis the season to be gobsmacked at one of Dubai’s most enchanting Christmas markets in Al Wasl Plaza. The stonking 52-fee-tall Christmas tree at Expo City’s Winter City is back for its third innings and will wow Dubai residents with daily tree lighting ceremony. Shake hands with Santa and Mrs. Claus at free meet-and-greets, shop for stocking fillers at the whimsical chalet-style North Pole market and gaze in wonder as Al Wasl Dome turns into a snow globe with snowfall and Christmas projections.
While life-size gingerbread house, carol concerts by school choirs, winter-themed workshops, and dancing elves add to the magic, AR and VR arcade zones and remote control racing bring some techy wonderment into the mix. Both naughty and nice kids can write letters to Santa and drop them off at the gigantic post box.
📅: December 6-31
⏰: 2pm to 10pm daily
🎟️: AED 40 buy here
4. Dubai Festival City
This waterfront outdoor promenade knows how to throw a cracker of a celebration and they’ve turned into tinsel-town for Christmas. A candyland-themed Christmas market has been set up in the area featuring retail shops where you can purchase artisanal and organic items as presents. You can treat yourself to festive treats at the many pop-up food stalls here followed by live entertainment featuring singers and carollers, meet Santa and his merry elves in his log cabin and dabble in gingerbread house-making and hot chocolate workshops.
📅: December 8- January 5
🎟️: Free entry, more info here
5. Winter District, Dubai Amphitheatre 
Photo: Winter DistrictDeparting from its home at the Jumeirah Emirates Towers, this winter market is relocating to the spacious Dubai Amphitheatre for 2024. This bigger and better version of the Winter District is scoring points across other criteria too turning it into the ultimate Christmas Market. A silent disco and build-your-own-chocolate bar workshops?! It’s enough to get anyone as excited about Christmas as Buddy the Elf.
Instead of pouring maple syrup on your pasta, you can hit up one of the scrummy food kiosks for festive food. A soaring Christmas tree, a Santa’s Grotto for meet and greets, live music, kids’ stage shows and a daily DJ make this Christmas market a rollicking experience. Moreover, a host of snow activities, including a steady drizzle of fluffy snowfall in the snow play area and an ice rink, make this a brrrrilliant day out.
📍: Dubai Amphitheatre, Media City
📅: December 14 – 22
⏰: From 2pm to 2am
🎟️: AED 25 per person, More info here “]get tickets here [/trackLink]
6. JLT Winter Festival, JLT Park
JLT Park is the goose that lays golden eggs when it comes to fun, fabulous and FREE outdoor events in town. After gifting us with another round of cinema under the stars movie nights, this outdoor burst of green space at Gate 1 of the waterfront neighbourhood has a Winter Festival running. Lights go up on a gigantic Christmas tree at 5:30pm on December 14. Besides, this winter fest also features meet and greets with Santa, a festive market, arts and crafts for kids, parades featuring winter and Christmas characters.
📅: December 14-22
⏰: 4pm-9pm
🎟️: Free, more info here
7. Winter Parade, Al Seef
A towering 39-metre Christmas tree that can be seen across the creek from Deira is the centrepiece of this heritage destination’s winter festivities. Free for all, plenty is happening here this festive season with Santa’s meet and greets, roaming parades and Harlequin circus comedic shows. Christmas Markets vibes kick at the food stalls dotting the promenade selling seasonal treats like roasted chestnuts, corn on the cob and more.
📅: December 6- December 31
⏰: 6pm-10pm
🎟️: Free, details here
8. Global Village
This international market gets in on the Christmas spirit during the festive season with a snowy theme. Santa and his multicultural elves will ensure the nights are anything but silent with festive performances throughout Global Village. The area around Restaurant Plaza will transform into a snowy field with plenty of snow-based activities for kids. All of Global Village’s 30 pavilions will have gifting options to rival Santa’s big red bag. Moreover, they’ll deck their stalls with sweets and treats native to each country.
9. Winter Fest, Al Barari
Al Barari’s lush manicured gardens are a favourite Dubai fixture all year long. The Winter Fest transforms the outdoor playground in this residential community into a frosty forest that makes for equally enchanting Instagram fodder. Entry tickets include a bundle of free activities like ice skating, reindeer treasure hunt, a cute little reading corner, free mini massages and a train ride chugging along the faux-snowy landscape like the Polar Express.
The snow fight zone, face painting, tubing and workshops come at an additional cost at this two-week-only event. Christmas markets entertainment staples of Santa meet and greets are joined by figure skaters, DJs and bands. Home-grown vendors will be serving burgers, tacos, pizzas, pastries, hot chocolate and more. More info here
📅: December 14-15 and December 21-22
⏰: 12pm-10pm
🎟️: AED 49 per adult and AED 90 per child aged 2-16 years
10. Festive Market, ICD Brookfield Place
ICD Brookfield Place is home to some of Dubai’s best F&B outlets and creative local brands. They’re all showcasing their Christmas wares at the lifestyle destinations’ second Festive Market in the Summer Garden. Munch on festive sandwiches and treats from Lulu and the Beanstalk and The Guild while you’re browsing through scented candles, pottery and floral arrangements and wreaths from homegrown brands like Oum Ceramics, Florette and Dataangoi. More info here
📍: Summer Garden, Level 1, ICD Brookfield Place
📅: December 10-12
🎟️: Free entry