Christmas in Europe
As we learned filming our PBS European Christmas special, that’s a jolly time to travel. Please share your feedback and tips for travelers heading to Europe for the holidays.
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Christmas and New Years in Switzerland and France
Our family of four flew into Geneva direct from Newark, enjoyed the Marche de Noelle on the eastern shore of Lake Geneva, skied in Megeve, French Alps (an easy 1.5 miles from Geneva) for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day 2007. Then we took the train to Paris for a 24 hour stay there. The last leg of our journey began with the TGV ride from Paris to Nice and then a stay in Provence which included trips to Monaco, Grasse (perfume), Gourdon, and Cannes. It was the most memorable trip of our lives and we would not hesitate to recommend this itinerary to others.
Jenny C.
Richmond, VA USA 10/14/2009
Christmas in Zurich
We loved the few days and nights we spent in Zurich from Christmas Eve to Boxing Day in 2004.
The singing tree was fun to see. They have different choruses at different times so you can hear a variety of styles of Christmas music. The crystal tree in the Bahnhofstrasse was truly impressive. There was more beautiful, sparkling Swarovski crystal than I thought possible to hang on one evergreen. There was a cute Christmas market inside and ice skating outside of the train station as well.
On Christmas Eve and again on Christmas morning the bells of all the churches rang out together in celebration. It was great to sit by the open window and listen to the joyous sounds. We really enjoyed the all too brief stay we had in Zurich and recommend a Christmas visit.
Seattle, WA USA 10/08/2009
Christmas in Paris
I love spending Christmas in Paris, when the city is all lit up. We've found that the best way to enjoy this time of year is to rent our own apartment where we can cook and spend time with friends and family. We've had great success with www.haveninparis.com in the past, and would certainly use their apartments again in the future.
Peter J.
New York, NY USA 09/03/2009
Christmas in England
This year we are making our 4th December trip to England. It is wonderful time to be there and I would highly recommend it.
Many castles and historic homes are now open in December and they are truly magical all decorated for Christmas. Our favorites are Chatsworth, Blenheim Palace, Leeds Castle, Hayden Hall, and Castle Howard. They offer special dinners and teas as well as candle lit tours of the beautifully decorated rooms.
The sun goes down early in December in England and the Christmas lights come on in all the little villages; the Cotswolds are beautiful all lit up and York was one of our favorite places. Last December there was even snow to make everything more beautiful.
London lit up for the holidays is wonderful and we can never be in there without taking tea at The Ritz; decorated for Christmas with the beautiful piano music in the background is one of my favorite memories.
We used to take our annual trip to England in the fall but after experiencing the magic of England at Christmas time, its hard to plan our trip at any other time. We are there from the 2nd of December until the 15th, arriving home in plenty of time to celebrate the holidays with many wonderful memories.
Jerre <email>
Jackson, MN USA 08/05/2009
Christmas in Strasbourg
My wife and I have spent 2 Christmas holidays in Alsace, once in Colmar and 07 in Strasbourg. Colmar has a great small town and local feeling with excellent food and people. Strasbourg seems to go all out for the season with some of the most beautifully decorated streets anywhere! We found most all of the Christmas Markets similar including Germany where there seems to be a bit more emphsis on the food. Strasbourg and Collmar are wonderful citys and either makes a good base for exploring the region!
Ed Duncan
McLean , Virgin USA 03/31/2009
Christmas in Malta
I've done Christmas in Malta four times now and love it more each time. The weather is generally warm, sunny days and cool nights, though 2007 was quite rainy. There are plenty of restaurants and cafes open all day, though do be aware that the buses (no trains on Malta) shut down for a few hours mid-day on Christmas so drivers can have Christmas lunch with their families...same with the ferry to Valletta. Though on the Euro, it's easier to find more reasonably priced hotels here than in other parts of Europe.
Carole S <email>
Chicago, IL USA 02/28/2009
Christmas Markets...France/Germany
Of all the Christmas markets we have been to, we enjoyed our trip this year (2008) the most. This year we did the Alsace area of France...starting in Colmar, worked our way up to Strasbourg and then into Germany not wanting to miss Rothenburg ob der Tauber. France was out of this word with each little town having somethin different to offer. Strasburg was the most elegan/gorgeous of them all. Germany was outstanding...and we even got snow. In Rothenburg we stayed with Karin Weiss...a wonderful, friendly, hard working German lady wo runs a great, reasonably priced B7B. She helped make the trip extra special and we will definitely stay with her again...can't beat her breakfasts, location and parking! And on top of this she is very reasonably priced!
Sandy Szczuka
Frontenac, MO USA 02/14/2009
Maastricht, the Netherlands
Maastrich, The Netherlands
This is a magical city in the hilly province of Limburg, in the Netherlands' far south. Tucked between Germany and Belgium, Maastricht is the oldest city in the country. It is a beautiful city, with the oldest area, the Jekerquartier, edged by a Roman wall. The wonderful, hearty cuisine is unique to the province with many fruit and vinegar-based stews and wonderful pastries and cheese. The Mestreech Dutch dialect is spoken. There is a strong French and Belgian influence. We were there in mid November, when on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month, a Carnival celebration is held in the main square, the Vrithof. Folks partied and sang all day long and marched through the narrow cobbled streets at night. Sinter Klaas aka Sint Nikolaas arrived a few days later via a boat on the River Maas/Meuse. Accompanied by many Swarze Piets (Black Peters), he docked and was greeted by the city's mayor. Sinter Klaas then mounted a white horse and with his Piets, wandered through the city, tossing candy and performing slapstick, much to the local children's delight. Sint Nikolaas is the patron saint of boats. He was from Turkey, moved to Spain, and there he was aided by his many Moorish helpers, the Swarze Piets. They became the model for our Santa's elves.
The Christmas markets were setting up and the ice rink as well. There is something very special about ice skating in Holland in the winter, as it brought to mind one childhood tale, Hans Brinker and His Silver Skates. After a cold day on skates, a Trappist ale and some hot frites never tasted so good!
Trish
USA 02/03/2009
Christkindle Markets
FYI we visited 3 Markets Nuremberg Dresden and Leipzig. Nuremberg was clearly our least favorite . But the Toy and DB Train museum were wonderful also in Nuremberg.
John Brangwin <email>
USA 01/11/2009
Steyr, Austria, a must-see, magical place
We spent 16 days over Christmas in Austria, Poland, Slovenia, and Germany. This was our first trip back to Europe in 24 years! Incredible sights, sounds, Christmas markets, and amazing festivities in every town; we had so much fun! The most incredibly beautiful city of all: Steyr, Austria! We booked a B and B there only because of Steyr's proximity to Mathausen, the Nazi camp. We arrived in the evening and were shocked to find the old town more beautiful than any city we have ever seen! Steyr is situated at the junction of two crystal clear rivers, it has a huge castle that overlooks the town, and there are beautiful cathedrals, spires, and bridges in all directions. We were surprised to see NO tourists anywhere in sight! The town is SO gorgeous, we hope to return and spend several days here.
Kevin and Laurie <email>
Seattle, WA USA 01/11/2009
Christmas and New Year's in Paris
We just returned from the Christmas in Paris tour. Three standouts are worth shouting about. First, if you have a chance to have Rolinka as your guide be sure to take advantage of the opportunity. She is absolutely incredible! She will be at the reunion this month and is worth meeting. Rick, give her a raise. :-) Second, Hotel Castex was a wonderful place to call "home" for a few days. Terrific staff, well cared for building, and croissants for breakfast to die for! Finally, the French were wonderful contrary to some popular prejudices. When we tried to be polite using our limited and mangled french, everyone we ran into was courteous and helpful. Even a somewhat reserved receptionist at Hotel Castex warmed up by the end of our time there. The only disappointment: no fireworks from Eiffel Tower for New Year's.
Conclusion: Go to Paris. Take the tour. Try to get Rolinka as your guide. Put this on your bucket list. Warning: You will be in danger of being ruined by the croissants. O la la!!!
Ron and Nan Friesen
USA 01/03/2009