Hello!

I'm thinking about heading to Europe for a few weeks this December, I am 26 year old man who loves to travel and eat, as well see cultural sites. I'm off work with a broken hand and want to travel Europe in my time off.

I am looking for ideas, places, travel ideas, tips and tricks. I Saw some tickets to Madrid for 400 and a I am thinking about going there and exploring the food and culture, and i figure if i'm there maybe i could travel by train to France or possible Germany or Brussels.


Asking for travel tips and ideas.

Possibly travel to Amsterdam and then to Germany?

The best advice I can give you is to limit the number of destinations. It takes 4 nights in a place just to give you three full days to see/do/experience. And you will be traveling at a time of the year with the fewest daylight hours, which will impact on your sightseeing. Fly into the first city and out of the last city (called an open jaw or multi-city flight). Each time you change locations you will lose at least half a day, so fewer destinations saves you time as well as money and enables you to learn a bit about each place rather than feeling lost all the time.

The places you have mentioned in your post are: Madrid, France, Germany, Brussels and Amsterdam. In two or three weeks that is just too many destinations if you have an interest in any of these places. While trains are very efficient as they tend to go from city center to city center, there are also inexpensive flights, which are good for longer distances, though some of the budget airlines use airports that are farther from the cities.

Not that you have listed three large cities and two whole countries. Spend some time with guidebooks to get a better idea of what interests you most. If you choose places that are closer together you will save travel time. So, of the places you have listed, Spain is the outlier.

Enjoy your planning as learning a bit about these places will contribute significantly to your enjoyment.

Don't know where you live, but in Europe, especially north of the Alps, it will be getting dark quite early. It is also likely to be cold and damp. If you fly into Madrid it is also likely to be cold, because it is on a high plateau. I would head further south, rather than north. Unless I had family there I wouldn't go to Germany or Brussels or northern France in December, although I might go to Nice.

Personally, I would take the night train to Lisbon, maybe fly from there to Barcelona and then take the train back to Madrid. Do at least an overnight in Toledo.

For lots of useful info on train travel, see seat61.com.

I don't agree with the advise above of not going to Germany and France. These two countries will be very beautiful during December, or Xmas time. Especially Paris, Strasbourg, Reims, and medieval Xmas markets in Germany. The weather will not be warm but if you come from the US (just if) that wouldn't be a problem for you. As for Madrid, winter is not the best time but the internationally renown museum Museo del Prado is always there.

You may start at Madrid and travel your way up to Paris - passing by San Sebastian (the food capital of the world!), then Southern France - then fly home from Paris. Look for multi-destinations ticket which will fly you in a city and fly you out of another city, to avoid backtracking on your way. But then I doubt it will be as cheap as you said (the 400 you found might be a return ticket from Madrid...)

Give each destination at least 4 nights, and buy your ticket soon as the price will go up in December.

"The weather will not be warm but if you come from the US (just if) that wouldn't be a problem for you"

That depends entirely on WHERE in the US. Shorts in November are not unknown in the south. High temp last week in central NC was 77F.

The countryside will not be beautiful, although major cities can be. Not everyone cares for Christmas markets - big crowds, lots of Chinese-made "souvenirs".

^ Not everyone doesn't care for Xmas market either - we are not the OP so we can't tell. I'm just giving suggestions, I don't want to shut down options of any country until we know the OP better.

And the beautiful decoration during December is not only about Xmas market: there are plenty of lights and sights around. I'm referring too, for example, the "Christmas windows" thread of kerouac, which is worth seeing.

For the weather, most of Germany or France would not be freezing - I'm not recommending him to go to the Scandinavia. I come from a tropical country which is hotter than any part of the US, and I have no problem with France or Germany weather during December.

As for the major cities vs. the countryside, I doubt the OP can rent a car and roam the countryside with a broken hand. But again, Anton, it's up to you to choose, we're just giving suggestions.

I agree wit Ff disagreeing about not going north.
I also disagree that we should avoid recommending Xmas markets.
And I disagree that Xmas markets are full of Chinese stuff.
And I disagree that by implication chinese stuff means low quality or junk.

As for the pace OP is 26 so can travel more faster and sleep less and have a good time.

But I would look at a map and open some guides.

oP has been told we have trains - night ones )?) fast ones reliable ones as well as cheap planes.
Look at kayak.com for flights.

So yes I would go north south and enter and leave from 2 different cities.