hi... planning to travel to europe with wife and kids (15 and 10) for christmas and the new year... wanna spend 3 nights (christmas weekend) in one place and another 5 nights in the countryside , where we can all learn some skiing..
please advise ...
option in mind : spend 3 nights in munich (nice christmas market etc..) and then 5 in some ski place in austria...
however am open to all suggestions...

What are your exact travel dates? I hope you are aware that Christmas markets don't take place during the Christmas holidays but before. The market in Munich terminates at noon on Dec 24.

oh ! didnt know that... thanks...

we want to reach europe around 23rd or 24th dec for around 8-9 days...

The Christmas market in Salzburg is open till 3 pm on Dec 24, it's a two hour drive from Munich airport, or two hour train ride from the Munich main train station, or you can fly into the Salzburg airport if you want to experience the Christmas market.  The original purpose of the market is to shop for the christmas ornaments and gifts that's why you have to do it before Christmas eve.

Salzburg has nicer Christmas markets than Munich and you can also book a Christmas dinner in one of the traditional hotels in advance by email/phone like hotel Sacher or the Goldener Hirsch. They sell out if you try to get in on the same day.  It's worth the festive experience.  You can stay in Salzburg and hop on the train to a few ski resorts within an hour or so just south of Salzburg if you don't want to drive.
 
http://www.visit-salzburg.net/travel/skiing-austria.htm
One of the easiest to go by train is the Skiwelt Amade which is a conglomeration of 3 small ski resorts which interconnects 3 small villages ( Flachau, Wagram, St Johann-Alpenhof).  If you drive you'll end up in Flachau but if you take the train you'll get off at St Johann right in front of the ski resort.  You can rent everything there but must buy your own ski gloves, goggles and ski pants (buy them in your own country if cheaper).    http://www.sportwelt-amade.com/en-ski-amade.htm.  I remember that there were more beginner slopes and learn to ski stations in Flachau, but perhaps even in St Johann.

What's fun about skiing there is you'll be skiing through the villages and there's a large bowl in Flachau with 10 small bars and restaurants.  You can reach Flachau from St Johan by skiing through Wagram or by taxi or bus, all very closeby.  Plus when you're done you just hop on the one hour train to enjoy dinner and the evening in beautiful Salzburg.  I have a list of my favorite restaurants and bars if you want. 

I have spent New Years Eve in Munich and in Vienna, both are fun to celebrate plus they both have plenty to see and enjoy.

This website gives you the dates of all the german markets:
http://www.germany-christmas-market.org.uk/

We spent a wonderful Christmas Eve and Day in Salzburg years ago. Highlights were Midnight Mass with the bells tolling and fabulous Christmas dinner at The Goldener Hirsch Hotel. We stayed at the Weiss Taube. This is a good, reasonably priced hotel for a family. I would choose Salzburg over Munich for Christmas. Salzburg is just so beautiful. You can walk through the old town, along the river and up to the castle. There is also the horse and carriage rides.
We arrived on Christmas Eve and there was a light snow falling. It was magical.

If you do choose Salzburg be sure to be there one day when the shops are open. You didn't say if your children are boys or girls. There is a shop in the old town that sells replica swords (King Arthur, Robin Hood, etc.). They are very reasonable and ship them home for you. It is a magnet for boys of all ages. If you walk down the main street in the old town, it's right there. There are so many wonderful shops and it' such a great place to stroll.

There are a lot of Christmas markets in Munich, and the one associated with the Tollwood ethnic festival stays open through December 31. I'm not certain if any of the others are open after Christmas eve, but at least that one is.

> I'm not certain if any of the others are open after Christmas eve
As I said above, they are not.

The purpose of Christmas markets is selling decorations and gifts, which are needed by Christmas Eve. There is not much point in selling these afterwards. Few cities have sacrificed tradition for the sake of commerce and keep their markets open beyond the holidays. But the atmosphere just isn't the same any more. Apart from the food and drink stalls, I do not think the merchants sell much after Christmas - except in some tourist hotspots, maybe.

But many of the markets that stay open longer, even if it is for the sake of commerce, do have nice, locally handcrafted items.

Hi Paul - Where is the market associated with the Tollwood ethnic festival? I haven't heard of it. Thanks, CJ

>Where is the market associated with the Tollwood ethnic festival?
At the Theresienwiese, extremely boring, extreme left. Wouldn't want to be seen with those people.

http://www.tollwood.de/winterfestiva...t-gastronomie/

Bitte beachten Sie, dass der »Markt der Ideen« nur bis Do 23.12.2010 geöffnet ist!

Please note that the »Markt der Ideen« is only open until Thu, Dec 23rd.

Thanks you all for your inputs....

If you're still looking for a countryside place to stay for part of your trip, I can't imagine a more perfect jewel than the medieval walled village of Rothenburg ob der Tauber! It was lovely in June and based on the photos and things I've read, at it's very best at Christmas.