The ice skates scrape against the frozen rink in front of Vienna’s Rathaus as Christmas lights twinkle overhead and the smell of mulled wine drifts from wooden stalls decorated with pine branches. Christmas travel splits neatly into two categories: the Christmas you flee to a warm beach, and the Christmas you embrace fully in a snowy European market town. Neither is better. The choice depends entirely on what kind of Christmas you need this year.
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The Warm Escape: Sun, Sand, and December Swimsuits
If your ideal Christmas involves a beach rather than a fireplace, the Canary Islands are the obvious choice. Tenerife and Gran Canaria deliver temperatures of 18 to 22 degrees Celsius in December. The water is cool, about 19 degrees, but swimmable for the determined. Lanzarote is quieter and more dramatic, with its volcanic landscapes and whitewashed architecture. Fuerteventura has the best beaches, with kilometres of empty sand that feel like the Caribbean. Flights from the UK take about four hours. For warmer temperatures, Cape Verde is six hours from the UK and delivers 23 to 26 degrees Celsius. The beaches at Sal and Boa Vista are empty white sand, and the infrastructure is basic but adequate. Marrakech is a three-hour flight from London and offers a completely different kind of warmth. The souks, the tagines, the rooftop terraces, and the call to prayer echoing across the medina create a Christmas that is not Christmas at all, and that is exactly the point.
Nuremberg: The Classic Christmas Market
The Christkindlesmarkt in Nuremberg is the most famous Christmas market in Germany, and it sets the standard for everything that follows. The market fills the main square with wooden stalls selling handcrafted toys, ornaments, and gifts. The smell of Lebkuchen, the German gingerbread for which Nuremberg is famous, fills the air. The mulled wine, or Glühwein, is served in ceramic mugs that you can keep for a refundable deposit of three euros. The market runs from late November until December 23rd or 24th. The city itself is worth exploring, with its medieval castle, half-timbered houses, and the Documentation Centre at the Nazi party rally grounds, which provides a sobering contrast to the festive atmosphere of the market.
Strasbourg: The Capital of Christmas
Strasbourg claims to be the Capital of Christmas, and the title is hard to dispute. The market has been running since 1570, making it the oldest in France. The entire city centre is decorated, with the half-timbered houses of La Petite France, the canals, and the Gothic cathedral all lit up for the season. The main market is in front of the cathedral, with smaller markets scattered throughout the city. The Alsatian cuisine is at its best during Christmas: baeckeoffe, a slow-cooked meat and vegetable stew, and bredele, the small spiced Christmas biscuits that every Alsatian family bakes at home. Strasbourg is accessible by train from Paris in under two hours, making it an easy weekend trip from the UK via the Eurostar.
Vienna: Ice Rinks and Imperial Elegance
Vienna’s Christmas markets are among the most beautiful in Europe, set against the backdrop of imperial architecture. The main market in front of the Rathaus, the city hall, is the largest, with a giant Christmas tree and an ice rink that covers two football pitches. The rink is free if you bring your own skates. The smaller markets at Schönbrunn Palace and the Spittelberg quarter offer a more intimate experience. The Spittelberg market, set in a cobblestone alley of Biedermeier houses, is particularly charming. The Viennese take their Christmas traditions seriously, and the quality of the crafts and food at the markets reflects this. The Sachertorte at the Hotel Sacher, a chocolate cake with apricot jam, is the essential Viennese Christmas treat.
Planning and Practicalities
The key to a successful Christmas getaway is booking early. Flights for the week before Christmas should be booked by October at the latest. Prices rise sharply from mid-November. Christmas Day itself is the cheapest day to fly, but most European cities shut down completely from the evening of December 24th through December 26th. Plan your meals ahead. Book a restaurant for Christmas Eve dinner weeks in advance. The Christmas markets close on December 23rd or 24th, and they do not reopen until the following year. The ski resorts over Christmas are the most expensive two weeks of the year. The week between Christmas and New Year, known as Twixmas, is the sweet spot: flights are cheaper, accommodation drops, and the cities are still decorated with lights that stay up until January 6th.
What kind of Christmas traveller are you, the one who flees to the sun or the one who leans into the snow, and where did you find the perfect version of your Christmas?
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