kodi

I'm daydreaming ahead here, and thinking about Christmas.
I'm on a tight budget ( too many other trips this year!! I'm so lucky!!). But I have enough airmiles to go to Europe.

I've spent the last 3 Christmas's on my own... NYC, South Beach Fl, and Santa Fe... so , now thinking perhaps Europe would be nice.

Where would you go?
I'm on my own, am not really a museum person.. enjoy walking the streets and seeing the decorations, and I don't want to be sitting in my room all day on Christmas.

Any ideas???

shormk2

Prague. The Christmas Markets are unbelievable- the city is truly beautiful at that time of year. Understand that just about anywhere in Europe will be pretty much closed-down on Christmas day, but if you enjoy walking the streets, etc you should be fine.

I've heard phenomenal things about PAris at Christmas- I had planned on doing that last year, but due to personal reasons, ended up spending Christmas state-side in NYC. I ran a similar thread when trying to figure out where to go last Christmas- and Paris was highly recommended by most fodorites.

shormk2

I think I did this right, but here is my thread for my research into where to spend Christmas:
http://fodors.com/forums/threadselec...p;tid=35065468

Underhill

Vienna is gorgeous at Christmas, with a huge Christmas market in front of the town hall. Lots and lots of decorations throughout the city, too.

BTilke

Vienna, Paris, Bruges (if you want a smaller city), Salzburg, and Dresden all seem like possibilities. Or a larger ski-resort town like Chamonix, where there will be plenty of other holiday visitors.

Lovejoy

The Christmas Markets in Germany are great.I visited three of them in 2006,and am planning on going back next year.
Half the fun is just wandering around with a glass of Glühwein,while enjoying the sights.

More info:
http://www.germany-christmas-market.org.uk/

BTilke

Baden-Baden is another nice place to be over the holidays, beautifully decorated and there is usually a Christmas concert somewhere in town. Plus you can easily day trip to Strasbourg, Freiburg, even Basel in Switzerland.
But it's unlikely you'll have snow.

Proenza_Preschooler

I went to Berlin this past Christmas and had a ball. There is enough to see and do to keep you occupied. The Christmas markets are fun and you can get drunk on Gluewein. (I call it glue wine because it tastes like glue )

Almost all cafes and restaurants are open on Christmas day.

Fabulous things to see:
Pergamon Museum (to see the great altar)
Reichstag Building and glass dome
Checkpoint Charlie
Brandenbuger Tor
Art Galleries and shops of Prenzlauer Berg
Pottsdamer Platz
Opera House
Food Halls at KeDeWe

The U-bahn and S-bahn are great for getting around Berlin.

Thin

tribi

This year I am going to Germany to visit the christmas markets at Ludwigsburg, Bad Wimpfen, Nurnberg and Munich.

quokka

Remember that the German Christmas markets don't take place during the Christmas holidays but terminate before.

bmw732002

German Christmas with a side trip to Garmisch for the Mountains!!

AHHHH....Nothing will give your spirit a lift like a snow covered Bavarian alpine scenery with a hot cup of Gluewine...and a Nurenburger Wurst!!

kodi

What great ideas!! Thank you all.
It all sounds fabulous.
I kind of thought the Christmas markets ended before Christmas. DOes anyone know how long before Christmas? If they went up to the 23 or so, I'd be there to enjoy them.
If they end on the 15th , I'd miss them.

I'll do some investigating. Thanks again for the great ideas.

BTilke

Most of them go until the 24th. However, if you are willing to consider Innsbruck, Austria (which will also have plenty of visitors over Christmas), their market stays open until the 28th.

http://www.christmasmarkets.com/enhanced.asp?ID=102

BTilke

A better link with 2008 info:
http://www.christkindlmarkt.cc/altstadt/english/

kodi

Thanks for the links, BTilke. It's been 14 years since I stood and stared at the Golden Roof. I can just imagine how the whole street looks at Christmas.

Proenza_Preschooler

>Remember that the German Christmas markets don't take place during the Christmas holidays but terminate before.<

This is ABSOULTELY NOT TRUE FOR BERLIN. The Christmas markets were going on AFTER Christmas. The Christmas market at Potsdamer Platz and the Christmas market at Gendarmarket were going on when I left on December 29.

Thin

quokka

You're right, there are some exceptions, like Braunschweig which also reopens on Dec 27 and 28.

Unfortunately. The atmosphere is gone after Christmas. I mean, the markets are about buying gifts and decorations, which are needed by Christmas Eve. Who wants these after the holidays? The markets reopen for Glühwein drinkers and tourists.
Omnia tempus habent.

Proenza_Preschooler

Um, but WE ARE TOURISTS. Everyone asking for advice on Fodor's is a tourist. Locals aren't coming here asking for advice.

I don't get your point.

PS
There were plenty of Berliners drinking gluewein. PLENTY!

Thingorjus

sherhatfield

Here's another vote for Germany! In 2007, my husband and I went to Nuremberg, Rothenburg, Munich & Salzburg. We had an amazing time and each town had a different atmosphere to it.

Nuremberg's market is huge, but I preferred the smaller markets of Rothenburg and Salzburg. I loved walking around Munich at night with a mug of gluhwein and a nutella crepe, just soaking in the Christmas spirit.

Enjoy your planning!

kodi

I was sort of daydreaming, but now you folks have me convinced I should go to Germany. And from the sounds of it, I wouldn't have to stay in one town the whole time. Doing a route as Surehatfield did sounds great.

Thank you all so much.