Vienna (Austria)
The Austrian capital is an absolutely magical destination at Christmas time. The whole city is decorated and it takes no imagination to imagine yourself transported to Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker ballet. Leaving the legendary Vienna Opera House, head for the Rathaus, the city hall with its gigantic Christmas tree and colourful Christmas market. Of course, it is impossible to leave the city without tasting a Viennese chocolate at Demel, an institution.
Rome (Italy)
In Rome, the nativity celebrations kick off on 8 December with the Immaculate Conception. The city lives intensely to the rhythm of Christmas and the main roads of the city are richly decorated according to a theme that changes every year. The city's many churches are home to original nativity scenes, but the most extraordinary is undoubtedly the one in St Peter's Basilica. After a slice of panettone, the lucky (and patient!) ones will go to St Peter's Square on 25 December for Pope Francis' Urbi et Orbi blessing.
London (England)
From the beginning of December, the English capital is decked out in its finest finery. The streets are lit up and the shops compete with each other to create window displays that are each more extraordinary than the last. After a visit to Harrods and a stop to admire the giant Christmas tree in Trafalgar Square, sit down in a tea room to enjoy a scone or a cinnamon cake. And prepare to return to France with Wham's Last Christmas in your head...
Strasbourg (France)
Strasbourg is not called the Christmas capital for nothing! Fancy a traditional Christmas where the smell of mulled wine and gingerbread mingle? Then the Alsatian city is for you. Its incredible Christmas market, the Christkindelsmärik, is the oldest in France and Strasbourg transforms itself every year to welcome visitors from all over the world. Wrap up warm and stroll the illuminated streets of the city. After a stop to admire the large fir tree on Place Kléber, take a few minutes in front of the majestic façade of the historic Christian patisserie. To end the day on a high note, we recommend a trip on a fly boat to the sound of Christmas tales.
Krakow (Poland)
Krakow is a charming city with a rich cultural heritage. Proud of its past, like many Eastern European cities, it has a very special aura at Christmas time. Romantic and elegant, Warsaw lives Christmas to the rhythm of the Catholic tradition and there are many nativity scenes throughout the city. There is even a weekly Polish nativity scene competition in the Old Town market square, where a large Christmas market is also held. Remember to bundle up and take good shoes, as the temperature frequently drops below zero.
Rovaniemi (Lapland)
Rovaniemi is none other than Father Christmas' home town. Get ready for an extraordinary journey to the land of the Northern Lights where you can even sleep in an ice hotel! Rovaniemi is an ideal destination for a family Christmas trip, with reindeer and dog sled rides, a visit to Santa's village, and a taste of makkara, a traditional snack made from grilled sausages.
Bruges (Belgium)
Anyone who has seen Bruges dreams of returning there! With its canals, small gardens and gentle way of life, the Belgian city has everything to please. During the festive season, it is like being transported back in time and Bruges takes on the appearance of a Christmas village. Between the various Christmas markets, the ice rink on the Markt square and the inimitable ice sculpture festival, the weekend promises to be a busy one!
Copenhagen (Denmark)
Christmas in Copenhagen is a magical experience. It gets dark early, from 4.30 pm onwards, but as soon as the sun goes down, the city shines with all its brilliance. It's quite simple, almost every building in the city is lit up. We advise you to alternate between historical visits and strolls in the streets, as it quickly becomes very cold, and especially wet. Copenhagen appeals to both adults with a passion for museums and children who marvel at the famous vintage amusement park in Tivoli, which is specially decorated for Christmas.
Venice (Italy)
Venice is beautiful in all seasons but at Christmas time the Italian city is magical. St Mark's Square glows with lights and the facades of the hotels overlooking the Grand Canal are richly decorated. A notable advantage of visiting Venice at this time of year is that there are fewer tourists than in the summer or during Carnival. And if you're lucky, you might even see the most beautiful city in the world under the snow. Absolutely unforgettable!
Madrid (Spain)
To celebrate Christmas, the people of Madrid put on a show and the city is filled with magic. This is an opportunity to rediscover the Spanish capital in a different way, which for several weeks will be living to the rhythm of Christmas with its Christmas markets, its decorations and also its Navilus, the Christmas bus which offers a tour of the city. Young and old alike also look forward to one of the city's greatest traditions, the Cortylandia: automatons, decorations and illuminations take over the façade of the El Corte Inglés shopping centre with small shows every 15 minutes.
Read also:
⋙ Christmas: our destinations for festivities in the sun
⋙ Our destinations for Christmas holidays in France
⋙ Deconfinement: in which countries will we be able to travel from 15 December?
THEMES ASSOCIATED WITH THE ARTICLE
Tourism
holidays
party
Europe
Vienna
France
Strasbourg
Lapland
Madrid
Krakow
Venice
Rome
London