This is our second year coming, and I forsee this being a regular event each and every year. The Christmas Market in Edinburgh out shines anything Glasgow puts on, which is a shame, but totally amazing at the same time. You can barely step out of the train station without seeing all the lights and people hustling about eating and drinking and buying loads of Christmasy stuff! I absolutely love it! This year, they have a really cool Rekorderlig hut set up at the top of the Market area before you even head in to the stalls. The great thing is that they have a spiced plum cider on offer that isn't even listed on their website! Try it, it's great! This is great as it makes grabbing a warm boozy bevvy that much easier. They also have drinks stands down in the kids play area which I think it a bit odd, but hey ho! This place is massive and it's very easy to lose people in here if it's quite crowded. I basically hold on to my guys hands and we manage to make it through without too much of a fuss. This is a must see- spend the day in Edinburgh and check out the Christmas markets- you won't be sorry that you did! read more

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Big wheel, ice rink, plethora of stalls selling all things Christmas & liquid Christmas cheer. What's not to love about the Winter Wonderland. Yes, it's mobbed but surely that's the point. There is a fair bit of repetition amongst the stalls but it's laid out better this year compared to last. I like the fact that the ice-rink is st the top & I much prefer the new style big wheel (pods to shelter in rather than being open to the elements). A great way to while away a few hours with friends on a wintry afternoon. read more

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Despite the chilly weather the warm atmosphere at Winter Wonderland really eased the chill. Starting off at Prince Street gardens theres plenty to see from the giant ferris wheel, to the scary biscuits high flyer to the ice rink; not to mention the food and craft stalls and market. For kids (or indeed big kids), theres Santa's land with rides and a Christmas tree maze. The market is packed full of all the continental delights you can imagine. Wooden ornaments and lights, candles, coffee beans, waffles, crepes, chocolate fountains, mulled wine and hot chocolate... the smell is amazing. Yes, admittedly the place is mobbed and some of the goods are quite expensive, but hey its Christmas and we're in Edinburgh. In St Andrews Square the new for 2015 circular ice rink was fun to watch and there's some quality Scottish market stalls which I think is important at a Christmas market. A crunchie hot chocolate from Mimis Bakehouse with some shortbread was tasty and suitably Christmassy whilst we soaked up the atmosphere. By far the best Christmas markets in Scotland, with wares which could rival many a European city, and somewhere I'll continue to visit each year. read more

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HIGHLIGHTS: - 20% off for EH postcode locals. - 'The Wallace' burger from the Bavarian stand facing onto Princes Street. Gorgeous piece of meat. - Scotch & Soda circus show; not as accomplished as NoFit State but highly entertaining all the same. - Ice skating for the first time in about 6 years! - The Big Wheel. LOWLIGHTS: - That slight niggly feeling that the prices went up a bit this year, taking the edge off the EH postcode dicsount. - Sky flyer is now on Princes Street, meaning the view of Fife is somewhat diminished this year. - The sign inside the Big Wheel cabin that read: 'Smile, your on camera', which really made me question the state the world is in right now! First time I've really got involved in the Christmas Festivities this year but overall it's been wonderful and put me right in the mood for Santa! read more

Maybe it's because I'm getting older but I loved the Winter Wonderland this year. With the addition of the Speigal tent it was a great addition to Edinburgh's Christmas celebrations. Here's to Christmas '09! Ess read more

The winter wonderland opened this weekend - woo hoo! Visiting the WWL is the start of christmas. We always wait until we get a nice cold crisp evening and get our hats and coats and gloves on to really enjoy the experience. there is a lovely Christmas market, ice rink, big wheel and a lovely food market. We always start here and get a big mug of mulled wine and a plate of something warm and filling. Then we have a wander round all the attractions. Defo great way to start christmas :-) read more

So much to see and do in Edinburgh Princes St Gardens this past festive season. I had a ball. Fun factor no.1 REINDEER The real live Reindeer (would make my reindeer-obsessed auntie bawl her eyes oot!). I have never been in the presence of a real Reindeer before and I was extremely excited to see these lovely little furry antlered beautiful beasts. I've always had an idea in my head they weren't or shouldn't be real (being attached to such a mystical figure an 'all) - and yet every time I am reminded they are Im filled the ole forgotten feeling of being young and believing it ALL......a lovely wee bit of magic. They looked quite unphased and relaxed to be plonked in the centre of Edinburgh too which made them all the more pleasing to see. Fun Factor no.2 ICE SKATING As it has been years I thought I would spend most of the time on my rear but no it was all kosha. The stewards were very satefy conscious yet un-obstructive and the background dated techno tunes made for a bit of a cheesetastic time. The outdoor rink looked lovely lit-up at night from the road above too. Fun Factor No.3 SANTA EXPRESS Although this trip of a lifetime is clearly meant for kids, myself and the boyf hopped into the front seat no less. It was awesome and a lovely a wee trip around the gardens, picking up and dropping, off, tooting and waving. The christmas tunes were pumping and those kids were loving it - Santa was too, I've never seen such a happy Santa! Oh bless... Fun Factor no.4 MARKET I don't need to say much about this other than the clobber on offer was lovely and a tad on the pricey side. The food was tasty and the hot drinks (alco and non) filled a need to get a wee bit cosy on the cold windy days! Fun Factor No. 5 AMUSEMENTS Although a bit disappointed to have not experienced the big wheel - which Im sure would have been awesome, we did go on the huge fairground swings. What a mixed bag of delight and sheer terror. You feel like yer wee flippers are gonna get ripped from the ankles right in front of your eyes when you see how close they get to stationary objects on the ground and in the sky. AMAZING!!!! All in all a brilliant time (and I haven't even covered everything!), I wasn't feeling to christmassy before I went but it sorted me right out!! Go in 2008, you won't regret it! read more

Walking along Princes Street yesterday I saw signs that its nearly time for the annual Winter Wonderland in Edinburgh. This is a wonderful festival to bring some light to a city that can be incredibly dark and cold in winter. Every year the Winter Wonderland commences with a firework display which always attracts huge crowds to Princes Street gardens. The festival always has a Big Wheel, Chair-o-Planes and Helter Skelter, along with smaller rides for smaller children and an ice rink for the hardier, and fitter, amongst us! The Big Wheel offers some amazing views over the city centre and is something you should try both in daylight and at night, when you can enjoy the wonderful Christmas lights. There is also a German Market, selling some wonderful confectionary, ornaments and gifts for Christmas along with, of course, some mulled wine. You pay per ride for the attractions at the Winter Wonderland and it can get very busy at peak periods, but its something I visit with my daughter every year. To get touched with some magic in winter, you cannot miss it! read more

Aw its nearly Christmas again and what better way to spend a evening than hot chocco and ice skating? And all in the city centre. Wrap up warm and let the fun begin read more

Aw christmas is upon us and what can be more christmassy than making a fool of your self on the ice rink in front of hundreds of other people and paying for the pleasure! lol! warm up your aging bones with some hot coco and absorb the atmosphere bring on Christmas! read more

Winter wonderland is back... and bigger and better than ever before! In addition to the German and Scottish stalls there are also stands selling Dutch pancakes, Spanish churros, olives from Provence and French crepes. It is now more of a European market. This year there are two ice skating rinks and there is also a scary looking spinny chair ride which I really want to try-apologies for my inability to explain this one! I am pretty sure the children's market is new too, and comes complete with a mini train and a Christmas tree maze. It really is exciting walking around the pretty stalls and trying out new food/drinking mulled wine. So why not 5 stars? A lot of the food is seriously overpriced. £5 for some churros? I paid it, but I regretted it when I realised what I was getting and what I could have got for the same price... It is also seriously hectic and on days when I just want to go shopping I miss the liberty of passage between Princes street gardens and the National gallery of Scotland. read more

I love Edinburgh at Christmas and this is one of the reasons why. It's always freezing outside but no one cares here as they're filled up on hot chocolate or mulled wine from the German Market and are making the most of the rides. Has to be enjoyed at some point if you're up here! read more

2007 marks the tenth anniversary of this hugely popular winter festival. Hosted in the east-side of Edinburgh's Princes Street Gardens, it offers a beautiful outdoor ice-skating rink, a host of stalls offering everything from hand-crafted Christmas decorations to hot mince pies and German mulled wine, and various rides guaranteed to thrill children and parents alike. This year will mark the debut of an under-7's skating arena, where double-edged skates can be hired, making skating much easier. One of the main attractions, of course, is the big wheel. This revolves fairly quickly so the queues are never arduous. It is well worth the wait, as the canopies lift you towards the summit of the adjacent Scott Monument. There can be a few breathtaking moments near the top as stationary canopies shoogle in the breeze while further passengers are loaded hundreds of feet below. But once the wheel begins rotating you are in for unparalleled views of the wonderland below, and the city's festive lights in general. Ahead of you the galleries at the foot of the Mound and the Castle beyond are floodlit and resplendent. Take your kids to the mini rollercoaster on the lower slopes of the gardens. Older kids and adults will appreciate the 'whirligig' roundabout which sends you on dizzying revolutions, with the optical allusion that you are about to crash into the traffic and Scott Monument columns The wonderland is having a spectacular opening gala on Thursday 22 November 2007, starting at 5pm. This will include amazing ice dancing from some of the country's finest talents. read more

fun,fun,fun! get in the Christmas spirit and head for Prices Street Gardens in December to experience winter wonderland. Shows,German market,food stalls, reindeer,santa iceskating +++ read more

The Winter Wonderland is a fabulous winter attraction here in Edinburgh and is not to be missed, even if you're just people-watching, which is something I love to do! Fairy lights strung out across the trees of Princes Street Gardens, they turn the east end of the gardens into an open-air ice rink and the atmosphere, especially at night, is incredible. There is a Fairground ride set up, and Santa and his reindeer usually grace the opposite end of the gardens. The annual German Market is irresistible for Christmas shopping for me, I love it because there are always such lovely unsual gifts to be had here and stall holders all seem to be lovely people! read more

Personly my favourite year round event. I love to go here but it is very expensive. My favourite attractions are the helter-skelter and the ice rink. There are also things like duck-shooting, prize winning games and all other sorts of shops and stalls. Great for a day out with children or with some friends! read more

Winter Wonderland at Christmas is great. It makes the place feel so festive with all the lights, german markets, ice rink, and the shows. Its a cheery place to be, and everybody is always in the festive spirit. This starts at the end of November and continues for a month. read more

This is a nice winter wonderland right in the heart of the city centre. There is a German Christmas market, ice skating rink, and fun fair rides. The big spectacular is a massive ferris wheel. There is a big opening event which has Santa coming down in the ferris whee, much to the delight of the children, and there are dancers and singers performing on the ice rink. The stalls are little wooden huts which sell traditional German Christmas things, and it is all wonderful. Wooden toys, glass candle holders, Christmas decorations and home knitted hats. You can even buy German steak sandwiches and mulled wine. It is all lovely and really Christmassy, the only problem it is so busy that it is hard to maneuver around in there to even get a look at all the stalls. It is also quite expensive and I can never seem to afford much when I go there. It is definitely worth a look, but I wouldn't go out of my way to go here if I wasn't staying in Edinburgh already, it gets so busy that its hard to get a look at everything! read more

Good fun for young and old alike. The fair is a bit pricey ( the ice-rink is extortionate!) but hey, it's only once a year. If you go along at night-time make sure you wrap up well ... especially if you fancy a trip on the Big Wheel. Highly recommend the mulled wine to warm you up. read more

Ah, the Christmas winter wonderland :-) I just love coming here during the festive season and having a ponder around the stalls, while sampling some mulled wine..bliss :-) read more

At winter wonderland this year and I was very disappointed with it. We let our girls go on the carousel and they were on it for less than 2 minutes. Well not worth the money you pay!! And as for santa, when our children walked in he was trying to straighten up his beard and all he said was pretty much hello and goodbye. The ice rink was only big enough to swing a very small cat in, nothing like it was last year when there was room to actually skate!!! Compared to other years this is bye far the worst they have done for the winter wonderland. Hopefully they can do better next year. read more

I like this time of year.When the Christmas Markets are here and the big wheel and skating rink.Everyone is always so very happy.This year it is even bigger read more

it really is amazing.very busy but all the lights and so much going on is amazing.it can get a bit pricey but its all worth it.very child friendly too and lovely little and big things in the german market. read more

I love love love the Winter Wonderland! It's so festive and pretty with the lights on. There's an outdoor ice rink and this year they're having a kiddies ice rink too and a huge snow slide for sledging down. You can warm up with mulled wine and browse the stalls selling crafts, jewellery, knitwear, cheese, mince pies - all sorts! The German Market is nearby on the Mound and sells lots of yummy treats. There's also the ferris wheel next to the Scott Monument which is quite scary, you feel even more high up when you look down into Princes Street Gardens! The Winter Wonderland just lights up the centre of town and is wonderful couldnt be more Christmassy! read more

Winter wonderland is the wonderland which comes every year to Edinburgh city centre in Princes Street Garden. When you see this appearing you know that Christmas is coming. The wonderland consists of a German Christmas market which has lots of little wooden sheds selling traditional German gifts, jewellery, Christmas decorations and mulled wine. There is a big outdoor ice skating rink which is always really popular. There are also various fun fair rides with the main attraction being a big ferris wheel. I have never been brave enough to go on the Ferris Wheel although I am sure it would give great views across Edinburgh. read more

Edinburgh is the perfect christmas city! Every decemeber the princes st gardens gets a holiday makeover. It's such a wonderful place to shop (German Market) or do some activities (ice skate). read more

it'l soon be apon us again, this is an amazingly tasteful event. there is lots for all ages, genders to do. whether it be dashing around the ice rink which can be pricey at peak times but well worth it or sipping coco listening to some fantastic stories about christmas. if none of this is your kind of thing perhaps the german market with its many trinkets will catch your eye, or if ur a little more adventurous then the big wheel is the place for you. This event is all its cracked upto be bringing a true sense of christmas to edinburgh. my family and i have a fantastic time when we do go, doing our best to try everything (well i avoid the wheel coz am a scardey pants). can be expensive depending where you buy things and what you want to buy, my advice look around before spending. This will bring a smile to anyones face read more

a wonderful night in the centre of edinburgh. Remember two things though, your winter woolies and your wallet, it is expensive but worth every penny. read more