GAJayhawks

Several years ago we went to London. We flew there on Christmas Day and arrived Boxing Day. Then there was another bank holiday the day after. So many things were closed and we had to change things on the fly. It was kind of a bummer, but we still had a great time. Do other cities in Europe (Paris, Rome, Munich etc) have these holidays after Christmas when museums etc. wouldn't be open?

Thanks in advance.

denisea

I believe London is quite dead around Christmas compared to other cities in Europe. We have been in Paris over Christmas and had no issues. Christmas Eve is the quietest time. I know The Louvre was open the day after Christmas. I think even the Eiffel Tower is open on Christmas Day.

hetismij2

In Amsterdam some museums are even open on Christmas Day. Most are open on Boxing Day, as are most shops.

denisea

Just checked on the Paris Museum Pass site...most closed Christmas Day and NY Day but open otherwise. The ET is open Christmas Day and the Pompidou Centre, is as well. I am sure there are more...maybe the Arabic Institute is also.

cw

The Jacquemart Andre Museum is open Christmas Day. The cafe is a lovely place for a light lunch.

Also the Museum of the Arab World is also open.

bvlenci

In Italy, most museums are closed on Christmas Day and, although the 26th (St. Stephen's Day) is a national holiday and most shops will be closed, most museums will be open that day.

kerouac

December 26 is a totally normal working day in France.

neckervd

It depends on the museum. Google or give us the list of the museums you like to visit.

Cowboy1968

In Munich, museums should all be open on Dec. 26. Most will be closed on Dec 25, and close early on Dec. 24
Stores will be closed Dec 25+26 altogether.
Most Restaurants open, business as usual (or actually more business than usual). Some smaller eateries may close on Dec 25, but you will not actually feel an impact.
Transport runs on Dec 25+26 on regular Sunday schedules like on any public holiday.

GAJayhawks

neckervd- I don't have a list yet because we don't have a plan yet, but thank you. Just wanted to know, generally, if museums, attractions, restaurants etc. tend to be open the day after Christmas in different cities in Europe, since we kind of got burned in London. May have an opportunity to take a quick trip after Christmas.

Christina

I don't think that is a national holiday anywhere but England, and museums don't close except on some national holidays (or their usual weekly closing day) in France.

hetismij2

It is a national holiday in the Netherlands. As I said the museums in Amsterdam are open on Christmas Day too.

bvlenci

It's also a national holiday in Italy, as I said above, but almost all museums are open; at least all the state museums are, which is most of them. Some private museums may be closed, but you'd have to look them up one by one.

Major museums in Italy tend to be closed on Christmas Day and New Year's Day. Some may be closed also on May 1st and August 15th.

PalenQ

I recently spent a Christmas Day in Paris and there were zillions of folks out walking - more than on just about any day I've seen - like the traditional after coming back from Mass (in the old days at least) family meal the folks go out for a stroll.

Since France celebrates Christmas Eve as their family get together and meal (after the old folks come back from midnight Mass) - Christmas Day is just another Sunday it seems or even more.

Lots of small stores and cafes and even some lesser museums (the Natural History Museum) were open - on Christmas Day - like kerouac who is French and lives in Paris says Dec 26 is just another working day (vs Britain where even most trains don't run!)

Mainhattengirl

Official holiday 25 & 26 Dec. in Germany. Check museum websites for opening hours, as they may trade off, being open on the 25th and closed on the 26th, or open both days or closed both days. The 24th is when they are most likely to all be closed though.

nytraveler

As far as I'm aware Boxing Day is a uniquely British holiday and doesn;t affect other countries.