I'm beginning to wonder if I've stayed to long at the fair. We have loved traveling Europe, hitting all the bright spots, some more than once.

We are trying to decide on an early December trip. We love the Christmas markets and we have been back to Bavaria and the Tyrol over and over. I would appreciate your thoughts.

I'll list some of the places we have seen (not that we are averse to going back to our favorites). We've loved Munich, Rothenburg, Salzburg, Vienna, Amsterdam, Rome, Paris, London, Prague and others. Now what? what are your favorites that we should consider. Thanks in advance.

I should have mentioned, we are pretty mobile 70 somethings that enjoy the whole range of touristy stuff from museums to cathedrals to castles and picturesque scenery. We aren't big shopper but we enjoy the Christmas markets and local shops.

Hi AisleSeat,

How about Dresden and the markets of the Erzgebirge (Ore Mountains)? Dresden has been having holiday celebrations since the 15th Century, and the markets of the Erbgebirge are well known for their wooden arts.

Information:

http://www.christmasmarketsgermany.com/dresden.php

http://www.visit-erzgebirge.de/en/or...tmas-land.html

Have fun as you plan!

s

How about Edinburgh? The Christmas market is a commercial fake, but it's fun. And there is so much else to do....

Those are both great suggestions. I'll kick them around with my wife. Most of the Christmas markets are what you described as commercial fake. The fun to us is not the market itself but rather the people having a local festival.

York, get an appartment in the old medievel centre and go to the Cathedral at least once

Berlin is great at that time of year. Also I second Dresden. Also Leipzig and Erfurt were favorites of mine.

We're planning a December trip that kicks off in Baden-Baden, then swings up to Bremen and Luebeck and then over to Berlin, and down to Dresden before heading home to Basel. All are great places to visit and have good Christmas markets or shopping districts (or both). We've got a mix of an elegant resort town, one small city, two medium to large-ish cities and one large international city.

Thanks to all of you for the suggestions. Martha T, what is there to do and see in Berlin at that time of year?

To be clear, I've done none of this but maybe others will comment. How about Alsace? Seems so Christamasy.

Berlin has many Christmas markets. Potsdamer Platz is a good one as is the Gendarmenmarkt.
If you have never been to Berlin there are all the museums, Checkpoint Charlie and all the story boards along the sidewalk there.
You can go up in the TV tower and get a good look at the city. See the memorial to the murdered Jews and the small museum there.
Or take a tour to see the eastside gallery and parts of the wall still standing.
You could spend a week there and not see everything. If it snows the city is more magical.
For your wife if she likes shopping there is lots of that too.

Where is Eizgeberg?

How about Budapest? We too have traveled to Europe on numerous occasions but it was the first time for the Christmas markets - and we loved it. There's lots to see and do in Budapest but it wasn't overwhelming as some of the larger cities. I wrote a report on our visit last year; just click on my username to access it if you're interested.

I was in Copenhagen and Stockholm during the holiday season some years ago and really liked it. Very festive decorations, and lights. Fun shopping, and Tivoli is open for a big Christmas Market during that time.

Hi again,

Do you mean, Erbgebirge?

If so, they are south of Chemnitz, southwest of Dresden, almost at the Czech border.

s

Oh my. I really got that wrong! I meant to write,

Do you mean, Erzgebirge?

I think that was some autocorrect action that I didn't see.

Anyway, if you do mean the Erzgebirge (Ore) mountains, then you may want to post a separate topic to get more information. Ingo, a regular Fodors poster, has lived in Dresden all his life, and he's an expert on this area (obviously). So you may want to post a question about Dresden & Erzgebirge to get his attention.

Hope you find a good spot!

s