# Rochester Christmas Market 2026 > Rochester Christmas Market runs 27 November to 13 December 2026 in Rochester. Open Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays only. Opening times, where it is and entry cost, checked against the official tourism board on 11 October 2026. Source: https://bestchristmasmarkets.co.uk/markets/rochester/ Rochester, [Kent](https://bestchristmasmarkets.co.uk/areas/kent/) Runs Friday 27 November to Sunday 13 December 2026 | Dates | Friday 27 November to Sunday 13 December 2026 (9 open days) | | --- | --- | | Days Closed | Open Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays only | | Opening Times | Friday: **noon to 9pm** Saturday: **10am to 9pm** Sunday: **10am to 6pm** | | Where | Rochester Castle Gardens, below the Norman keep ME1 1SW [Open in Maps](https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1&query=51.3897,0.5016) | | Entry | Free to enter | | Organiser | Medway Council. [Official page](https://www.visitmedway.org/events/rochester-christmas-market/) | ## Checked Against the Source These dates and times come from the official tourism board's own page, not from another guide. - [Visit Medway (Medway Council)](https://www.visitmedway.org/events/rochester-christmas-market/), checked 11 October 2026 - [Medway Council](https://www.medway.gov.uk/info/200725/christmas_in_rochester), checked 11 October 2026 Organisers sometimes change hours or close early in bad weather. On the day, check the [official page](https://www.visitmedway.org/events/rochester-christmas-market/). Spotted something out of date? [Tell us](https://bestchristmasmarkets.co.uk/contact/). ## Rochester Christmas Market: Quick Answers ### When does Rochester Christmas Market start in 2026? It opens on Friday 27 November 2026. ### When does Rochester Christmas Market end? The last day is Sunday 13 December 2026. ### What time does Rochester Christmas Market open and close? Friday noon to 9pm; Saturday 10am to 9pm; Sunday 10am to 6pm. ### Is Rochester Christmas Market open every day? No. Open Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays only. ### Is Rochester Christmas Market free to enter? Yes. ### Where is Rochester Christmas Market? Rochester Castle Gardens, below the Norman keep, Rochester ME1 1SW. ## About Rochester Christmas Market Market of more than 120 stalls in Rochester Castle Gardens with a Bavarian food village, funfair and bandstand entertainment. Open Friday to Sunday over three weekends; free entry. [Add the Dates to Your Calendar](https://bestchristmasmarkets.co.uk/markets/rochester/dates.ics) ## Where Is Rochester Christmas Market? Rochester Castle Gardens, below the Norman keep, Rochester ME1 1SW. The other dots are nearby markets. ![Visitors in winter coats walk past white market tents and stalls in falling snow, with the stone keep of Rochester Castle behind.](https://bestchristmasmarkets.co.uk/assets/photos/rochester-christmas-market-castle-960.webp) *Stalls in the castle gardens during Rochester Christmas Market, in snow, December 2017. Photo: [Chris Whippet](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Christmas_Market,_Castle_Gardens,_Rochester_-_geograph.org.uk_-_5624941.jpg), CC BY-SA 2.0.* ## Getting There and Parking ### By Train Rochester station is the one to use, and Visit Medway, the council's tourism arm, says it is a five-minute walk from Rochester Castle Gardens. The station is managed by Southeastern and National Rail lists step-free access to all platforms. The council encourages visitors to come by public transport because parking in the centre of Rochester is limited. Note that the station car park is small, with 110 spaces and no accessible bays listed. Source: [Visit Medway (Medway Council)](https://www.visitmedway.org/events/rochester-christmas-market/), checked 11 October 2026; [National Rail](https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/stations/rochester/), checked 11 October 2026. ### Parking Medway Council runs the car parks around the castle and they are small, so expect them to fill early on market days. Charges apply 7am to 1am every day and Blue Badge holders park free, though at the number plate recognition car parks (Corporation Street, Blue Boar Lane and the multi-storey) the badge must be registered before you drive in. The multi-storey on Cory's Road is the largest and the only long-stay one listed here. Visit Medway says extra travel and parking arrangements for the 2026 market will be published later, and that park and ride details for big events come out nearer the time. Prices were read in October 2026. | Car Park | Postcode | Spaces | Price | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Boley Hill (Rochester Castle) | ME1 1SN | 22 | £2.90 for 1 hour, £5.00 for 5 hours (October 2026) | | Cathedral, Northgate | ME1 1LX | 72 | £2.90 for 1 hour, £5.00 for 5 hours (October 2026) | | Corporation Street | ME1 1NH | 108 | £2.90 for 1 hour, £5.00 for 5 hours (October 2026) | | Blue Boar Lane | ME1 1PD | 131 | £2.90 for 1 hour, £5.00 for 5 hours (October 2026) | | Rochester multi-storey, Cory's Road | ME1 1PZ | 280 | £2.90 for 1 hour, £8.30 over 5 hours (October 2026) | Source: [Medway Council](https://www.medway.gov.uk/directory_record/141/boley_hill), [page 2](https://www.medway.gov.uk/directory_record/139/cathedral_rochester), [page 3](https://www.medway.gov.uk/directory_record/142/corporation_street_car_park), [page 4](https://www.medway.gov.uk/directory_record/94/blue_boar_lane), [page 5](https://www.medway.gov.uk/directory_record/150/rochester_riverside_mscp), checked 11 October 2026; [Visit Medway (Medway Council)](https://www.visitmedway.org/plan-your-visit/car-parking/), [page 2](https://www.visitmedway.org/events/rochester-christmas-market/), checked 11 October 2026. ### Accessibility The council runs "quiet shopping time" sessions for people who want a gentler visit: no music, fairground sounds or bangs, reduced capacity and daylight hours. The dates listed are Friday 27 November, 12pm to 3pm; Sunday 29 November, 10am to 11.30am; Fridays 4 and 11 December, 12pm to 3pm; and Sunday 13 December, 10am to 11.30am. The page heading still says 2025, but the days of the week match the 2026 market, so treat them as provisional until the council updates it. Blue Badge spaces are available in all the council's pay and display car parks. Source: [Visit Medway (Medway Council)](https://www.visitmedway.org/events/rochester-christmas-market/), [page 2](https://www.visitmedway.org/plan-your-visit/car-parking/), checked 11 October 2026. ### What Else Is On The Dickensian Christmas Festival takes over Rochester on Saturday 5 and Sunday 6 December 2026, the market's middle weekend. It is free, with costumed parades, carol singers, bell ringers and street theatre based on Dickens characters. The council puts attendance at about 70,000 over the two days, on top of the market crowd, so that weekend is the fullest of the three. Source: [Medway Council](https://www.medway.gov.uk/info/200725/christmas_in_rochester), checked 11 October 2026. ### Where to Stay Rochester's centre is one long High Street running from the bridge past the castle and cathedral, and all of it is within ten minutes' walk of the Castle Gardens. Strood, across the bridge, is about fifteen minutes on foot. Chatham is the next town along and is one stop away by train rather than a comfortable walk. **Staying the night?** See hotels and rooms near the stalls on a map, priced for Saturday 28 November. Map by Stay22. [affiliate](https://bestchristmasmarkets.co.uk/affiliate-disclosure/) **Making a weekend of it?** A cottage within reach of the market gives you an early start before the day trippers arrive. [Holiday cottages from Sykes](https://www.sykescottages.co.uk/) ## Questions People Ask **What days is Rochester Christmas Market open in 2026?** Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays only, over three weekends: 27 to 29 November, 4 to 6 December and 11 to 13 December 2026. Fridays 12pm to 9pm, Saturdays 10am to 9pm, Sundays 10am to 6pm. **Is Rochester Christmas Market free to enter?** Yes. Medway Council describes it as a free to enter public market. **Can I take my dog to Rochester Christmas Market?** Yes, on a lead. Visit Medway adds that the market can get busy and may not suit every pet. **How far is Rochester station from the Christmas market?** Visit Medway says the station is a five-minute walk from Rochester Castle Gardens. **When is the Dickensian Christmas Festival?** Saturday 5 and Sunday 6 December 2026, the middle weekend of the market. ## Have You Been to Rochester Christmas Market? Tell other visitors whether it was worth the trip. One vote per market, no account needed. ## Other Christmas Markets Nearby [Rochester Dickensian Christmas Festival Rochester, Kent 5 to 6 Dec 2026 Under a mile away](https://bestchristmasmarkets.co.uk/markets/rochester-dickensian/) [Gravesend Christmas Market Gravesend, Kent 12 to 13 Dec 2026 7 miles away](https://bestchristmasmarkets.co.uk/markets/gravesend/) [Kent Festive Gift and Food Show Detling, Kent 20 to 22 Nov 2026 7 miles away](https://bestchristmasmarkets.co.uk/markets/kent-festive-show/) [Leeds Castle Christmas Market Maidstone, Kent 2026 dates not yet announced 11 miles away](https://bestchristmasmarkets.co.uk/markets/leeds-castle/) [Billericay Christmas Market Billericay, Essex 6 Dec 2026 17 miles away](https://bestchristmasmarkets.co.uk/markets/billericay/) More in [South East](https://bestchristmasmarkets.co.uk/regions/south-east/), or see [every market's 2026 dates](https://bestchristmasmarkets.co.uk/dates/).