Christmas at Raby Castle with Festive Market

Join us as we step back in time to experience a traditional family Christmas at magnificent  Raby Castle.  This truly magical day out will start with your first glimpse of the castle on the approach, particularly beautiful as its towers appear and disappear amongst the trees of the surrounding parkland with ornamental lakes and herds of deer.  Take a festive journey through the ground-floor rooms  beautifully dressed for the festive season, with evergreens, gifts and of course, sumptuous Christmas trees telling the story of Christmas Day at the castle, from the daybreak thrill of opening a Christmas stocking to an evening of elegant dining and Christmas games.  The Christmas Market will also be in full swig during our visit giving you the opportunity to stock up on festive treats and  gifts.  (Price includes admission to Raby Castle).

Christmas 2026 Raby Castle - additional info from the castles website

Raby Castle is opening it’s doors for Christmas for the second time in five decades to showcase the castle decorated for Christmas, designed by custodian and creative director, Lady Barnard.

This will be a chance for visitors to experience how the Vane family enjoyed Christmas at the Castle and see the rooms beautifully decorated as they would have been in the past, the family’s traditional gifts, flowers and sumptuous Christmas trees.

Your journey will take you through eleven carefully selected rooms on the ground floor, telling the story of Christmas Day at the castle, from the early morning thrill of opening a Christmas stocking to an evening of elegant dining and Christmas games, featuring an impressive table setting ready for a spectacular festive meal.

NEW for 2026

For the first time, visitors can head ‘downstairs’ to see how the household staff marked Christmas with celebrations of their own as we add the castle’s spectacular medieval kitchen and servants hall to this magical experience.

This special seasonal installation will include never-before-seen items from the collections at Raby Castle, from exquisite table decorations to toys and games that were gifts in decades past.

A bespoke introductory film, based on the format of the much-loved poem ‘’Twas the Night Before Christmas’, will also feature in the House Keeper’s Sitting Room to set the scene and tell the story of that period, before visitors embark on their journey through the rooms.

This special seasonal installation, available daily from Saturday 14th November to Sunday 3rd January, will also include never-before-seen items from the collections at Raby Castle.

This is a self-led tour with wonderful volunteers in each one of the ten rooms. Be sure to take a moment to stop and chat with the volunteers as they have some extra special stories to tell you about Raby Castle at Christmas.