alane

we like to go away the week before christmas. this year we are thinking london or paris. we love walking around the city. getting a feel for it. we will have 5 days.

the weather appears to be similar.

we loved barcelona last year as every street had lights hanging from one side to the other. we enjoyed learning about the different christmas customs.

paris seems more magical...no? what about london?

jeajohnson

Hi Alane,
We stayed in London pre-Christmas and Paris for Christmas. It was very quiet but we will ever remember Christmas eve as we had 10 course dinner in Paris for Christmas eve. It is not anything like a US Christmas but if you are prepared for this, you will have a magical Christmas. Either London or Paris would be great this time of year. You just need to be prepared to not be with family and that can be somewhat missing at Christmas. I
Jeanene

janisj

If you'll be there on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day (the 26th) - then I'd choose Paris because London completely shuts down (essentially no public transport of any kind on the 25th)

But if you mean the week before Chartstmas and will be returning home by the 25th - Then I'd choose London. The Pantos, Christmas concerts, lights - the holidays are great in London -- just not ON Christmas Day itself.

alane

the week before christmas ......... flying home the 23rd

janisj

Then I'd opt for London . . . (But Paris wouldn't be 'wrong' either )

jamikins

You really cant go wrong! We live in London and spent the week of new years in paris last year. Both are fabulous - tough choice!

lizziea06

I'd opt for Paris. It's just magic around Christmas. London is lovely too, of course, but there's just something about the lights and the mood in Paris that can't be beat (IMO).

BKP

If just want to walk around a city, absorb the Christmas magic and do some shopping I would say Paris.

If you want to do some of that but also go to some Christmas concerts and pantos I would say London.

I would choose London because I don't speak enough French to fully enjoy a show or concert!

The Royal Albert Hall already has their Christmas season announced. The Messiah, Carols by Candlelight, A White Christmas, Carol Singalongs, etc.

PalenQ

I've been to both several times around Christmas and Paris IME is far more Christmasy than London - Christmas markets and the fabulously popular department store windows at Au Printemps and Galeries Lafayette - ornate displays with moving storybook figures, etc.

London was so so disappointing to me at its lack of lights save on Regent Street it seemed.

denisea

check out this trip video...lots of Paris at Christmas in the second half of the video
I vote for Paris (an I am going over Christmas...can't wait

http://web.me.com/tomfielding1/Tom_%...ideo_2006.html

jill777

We were in London on Christmas, could only find a few restaurants with jacked up prices open, (I still can't believe I had fried chicken sandwich at the Hard Rock Cafe for $50 usd)metro and buses all shut down for 2 or 3 days, went to Westminster Abbey for the Christmas concert, nothing very special, had to walk there as everything was shut down. Saw the outside of the museums, not much Christmas lights up. Go to Paris, You tell just from the street decorations that Paris makes Christmas a bigger deal, where as London it's days off to be with the family

SharonG

I was in Paris at Christmas (and ON Christmas) a few years ago and it was magical. Plus, the sites weren't that crowded. They held the English language tour for me at Versailles cause I had to use the restroom! There were 8 of us on the tour.

izzie2

That IS a tough decision! I love them both so it would be just as hard for me to decide but I would pick Paris for Christmas. I think it would be more magical and also fun for some last minute Christmas shopping!

izzie2

Denisea- Thanks for sharing that video... really nice! Sure makes me want to book a December ticket right now!


Alane- Watch Denisea's Paris video if you haven't already, you will love the nice job they've done showing the Christmas decorations, be sure to let us know which one you pick!

alane

choose Paris..... airfares are so high this season...600 more dollars to go to london vs paris for 2 people

Fra_Diavolo

I was once trapped in London on Christmas, as a student . . . When I returned to stay for a few years, almost two decades later, I made it a point to be in Paris or Rome for the holidays. Since you are leaving on the 23rd, though, either will serve. London is kind of cheery then.

rhkkmk

england would be my choice and i would spend some time in the cotswolds where the towns are all very festive

alanRow

"metro and buses all shut down for 2 or 3 days"

Public transport only closes on Christmas Day - though by 8:00pm on Christmas Eve most transport will have stopped


"went to Westminster Abbey for the Christmas concert, nothing very special"

Most people would have gone to the Midnight Mass & 95% of them will be ordinary people with ordinary jobs, in any case the joy is the Words of the Bible, not glitz - the CoE doesn't go in for glitz.

walkinaround

>>>>>
Most people would have gone to the Midnight Mass & 95% of them will be ordinary people with ordinary jobs, in any case the joy is the Words of the Bible, not glitz - the CoE doesn't go in for glitz.
>>>>>

closed public transport, the 'joy of the words of the bible' and 'ordinary people with ordinary jobs' just doesn't cut it when considering a tourism destination for xmas. we britons really need to kick it up a notch. people want a little bit of glitz and glamour and there is nothing wrong with that (unless you are a fundamentalist). international tourism is very competitive. we need to give people what they want.