Travel Tips for Christmas, New Year's and Easter
Spending Christmas, New Year's, or Easter in Europe is a great way to become a temporary local - joining the church services, concerts, feasts, and gift shopping. What local traditions and special events have you enjoyed? Have you found that museums and other sights, restaurants, and stores are often closed at this time? Where are the best places to celebrate these holidays?
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Christmas town
bruge is a beautiful place for chirstmas, i was there for the build up to it but did not actaully get to stay for the big day, it has to be the most christmasy city in the world!
angie
athlone, ire 05/14/2009
Christmas Markets Everywhere!
Christmas markets aren't just in Germany any more! This year I had the good fortune to stumble into wonderful markets in Prague, Vienna, and Brussels, and I know they have hit Budapest as well. Whatever city you are visiting this holiday season, be sure to search the internet for possible holiday markets before leaving home.
Betsy Potash
Sofia, Bulgaria 05/12/2009
Prague and Krakow all magical at Christmastime!
In 2007 I lived in Krakow and had the opportunity to visit its Christmas market from the time they set up shop at the end of November. The scene was picturesque, quaint and charming, with little wooden huts filled with souvenirs, treats and more - all lit up in the middle of the large medieval Rynek (square). School choirs performed under the town hall and a giant tree was erected and decorated. Many of the side streets were also lit and draped in garland - Ul. Florianska was particularly stunning. In my mom's words, it was "like Disneyland, but real." We bought Polish Christmas carol albums, gingerbread, roasted nuts, and marzipan chocolates and ate fresh grilled kielbasa and mushrooms. Krakow truly feels like a large village at Christmas. Don't forget to go to Galeria Krakowska (the mall near the train station) and the Krakow History Museum where the Szopki - Krakow's nativity scenes- are on display.
Before flying home to the US, we took the train to Prague. The scene there was as if the Krakow Christmas market had been covered in magical pixie dust - it was everything the Krakow market was, plus more. We felt that we had died and gone to heaven as we at warm cinnamon bread and drank hot mulled wine and mead while listening to the stage performers under the stars. Some reviewers have complained that the Prague market is too touristy, but in our opinion, it was just really fun and festive. (And actually, in Krakow, much of the "handicraft" items were made in China)
If you are looking for souvenirs, skip the markets and look in the shops. In Krakow, go into the arcades in the Sukiennice and in the shops on Szewska. In Prague, just wander and see what you find. Use the markets for their ambience, photo ops, and fresh food.
Only 8 hours from each other, both are easily do-able and give you a taste for cosmopolitan and rural Central Europe at the holidays. Plus, with the cold temps, there are hardly any tourists compared to the summer peak.
Melissa <email>
Phoenix, AZ USA 03/30/2009