Garmisch holds ski jumping as part of the four jumps competition every New Years day. I watch it every year if I can. I would love to go one year, but can't see me getting the OH to go away for New Year :(
Last year they had to use artificial snow on the ramp, and everywhere around it was green

Hetismij, that must have been some sight, certainly shows that we can't rely on having a white Christmas but we would like to have a different one.

I love being in a city at Christmastime -- it's a time of year that takes the sharp edge off any city.

I was in Krakow last month, and to me it would be ideal place. The city itself is absolutely lovely, with a big town square surrounded by old and charming buildings. The city is very tourist-friendly without being touristy, and you are very, very likely to find a white Christmas. (In last November, there was snow on the ground.)

Now that certainly sounds interesting, thank you, I will check that out.

Just tossing more ideas around here, thinking out loud as it were.

Fly into Frankfurt then down to Budapest, take a Christmas market cruise up to Nuremberg then possibly make our way via rail back to Vienna and base ourselves there for 10 days.
Possible day trips to Cesky Krumlov, Ceske Budejovice, Batislava, Salzburg. We would love to see St Gilgen etc but would this be possible from Vienna?

We would have another 7-8 days to fill then so possibly Krakow but I did think of also seeing a couple of the towns on the Romantic Road in Germany but we do not want to get a car as it is the wrong side of the road for us and being winter we feel its not a good idea for us.

Any other suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

Forgot to mention that our Boxing day was a record 44.2C - we heard on the news it was the hottest place in the world yesterday!!!

Hi Maudie,

Wow! Now that's hot. I hope to visit Australia in the winter too someday. Sometimes I really do miss hot summers (but not 44C!)

Hi Schuler, all I can say is thank goodness for airconditioning.
I don't hang out on the Australia board, but if there is ever anything I can help you with sing out.