Where to Go in Europe on Christmas Vacations

Holiday ski vacations are popular in Europe. (Photo: pili-011 image by Paco Ayala from Fotolia.com )

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A trip to Europe is always magical, but it is especially so during the holidays, when the Old World streets and shops twinkle with lights and festive window displays. Stroll through the elegant shops and Christmas markets set against the baroque backdrop of Vienna, listen to traditional carols by street performers in Dublin s teeming Grafton Street, or explore Scandinavian holiday traditions in sophisticated Oslo, one of the only cities in Europe where a ski resort is accessible by public transportation.

Planning Your Holiday

Since winter is the low season for travel to Europe, you can pick up bargain airfares and vacation packages from major international airlines and tour operators. Often some activities, meals and local transportation are included in holiday packages, which begin around Thanksgiving and run through New Year s. If you choose a city as your destination, you ll have several Christmas and cultural activities to choose from, and you won t need a rental car. Book early to get the best rates, as holiday travel offers usually begin in August or September.

Vienna: European Christmas Markets

Outdoor Christmas markets play a special role in Europe s holiday season, offering holiday ornaments, food and gifts, as well as a festive community event for locals and visitors. Vienna has four large markets: The market at the ornate summer palace of Habsburgs, Schloss Sch nbrunn, has the most finely crafted ornaments in the city, while the one at Belvedere Palace features a museum of stunning artwork indoors and an old-fashioned carousel at the outdoor market, especially whimsical in this grand setting. The Spittleberg market is held on two narrow parallel streets lined with 18th- and 19th-century houses, and features handcrafted items in a decidedly more modern vein. By far the largest of the Christmas markets, the Christkindlmarkt at Vienna s City Hall, the Rathaus, is a wonderland for children. The park surrounding the Rathaus is transformed into a Disney-esque Christmas world with snow-blowing gargoyles and giant lights in the shape of snowmen, stars and traditional red Viennese hearts filling the huge old oak trees, so definitely visit after dark.

Dublin: An Entertaining Christmas

Dublin s lively nightlife, shopping and culture, combined with the friendliness of its residents, give new meaning to the phrase Christmas cheer. The lighted garlands crisscrossing over Grafton Street sway in the wintry breeze, while a group of young school boys dressed in Santa costumes sing We Wish You a Merry Christmas. Throngs of shoppers jockey for position to look at holiday window displays and side streets are mini art festivals with stalls full of paintings, watercolors, pottery, jewelry and other handmade items. Stop by the famous Bewley s Oriental Cafe in search of scones and other treats for afternoon tea, or take a pub-hopping tour in trendy Temple Bar, the city s nightlife hot spot.

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