CHRISTMAS MARKETS


From fairy lights in the snow of Helsinki to mulled wine and one-of-a-kind wooden toys in Warsaw, there’s a range of Christmas experiences on offer across Europe this winter season, Anna Maria Espsäter suggests


fi nd those perfect presents for your nearest and dearest. Recent years have seen the rise and


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rise of Christmas market breaks, not just abroad but on home turf as well, and this particular snowy love affair looks set to last longer than the tinsel. Increasing numbers of tour


operators are featuring Christmas markets’ options and those who already have long-running tours are broadening their range. The choice is ever-widening, with old favourites, such as German and Austrian markets, now in competition with countries in Scandinavia, Eastern Europe, the Baltic and towns in the UK itself. It’s not diffi cult to fathom the appeal. They have an exciting range of unique gift options, often sold at very reasonable prices, and they’re held in some of the most beautiful settings in Europe. For example,


Tallinn’s Christmas market


is held on the cobbled streets of the Old Town, Cologne’s is overshadowed by the magnifi cent cathedral, or Dom (there’s even a fl oating market on the Rhine),


t’ll soon be that time of year again – time to deck the halls, mull over the wine and, above all,


FACTFILE 23


Where To Book It DERTOUR - 020 7290 1111


www.dertour.co.uk/travel_agents The lead-in price in the Winter In the City – Christmas Markets & Festive Breaks 2011’ brochure is £220pp for a two-night Christmas markets break in Brussels, staying at the three-star Ibis Brussels and including return Eurostar.


Ramblers Worldwide Holidays 01707 331133 www.ramblersholidays.co.uk A six-day stay in Berlin, with walking tours of the Christmas markets and city sights, is from £749. This includes fl ights from Heathrow, accommodation, most meals and the services of a tour leader.


and Budapest’s inhabits a large central square close to the river.


Then there’s the added appeal of mixing shopping with sightseeing, the possibility of snow,


sampling local delicacies and mixing with locals. Christmas markets are distinctly romantic, but can also easily be enjoyed by the solo traveller. Perhaps suggest a river


cruising option, offered by trade-friendly operators such as The River Cruise Line that takes in more than one of the biggest and best Christmas markets in


France, Netherlands and Belgium? There’s certainly a lot going on across


Europe this winter. For those who want to enjoy Nordic snow, but still get the spirit of a German Christmas market, Tampere in Finland will have visiting vendors from several German cities. In Sweden, Gothenburg will be lit up


by a three-kilometre Lane of Light, to get people into the Christmas spirit. Its amusement park, Liseberg, has one of the prettiest and most popular markets to be found anywhere in Europe, with over 80 stalls and 700 Christmas


Previous page: Gothenburg's fairy lights; Above: Seasonal goodies in Bruges


Travelsphere - 0844 567 5204 www.travelshere.co.uk Three nights in a fairytale resort in Luxembourg in the pretty town of Vianden with a three-quarter day excursion to the country’s capital’s Christmas market (and an optional excursion to the Trier Christmas market) costs from £239.


DFDS 


0871 882 0885; www.dfds.co.uk A four-night break to Cologne, with two nights onboard and two nights in a four-star hotel, starts from £241pp, Newcastle departures on December 3, 8, 15 and 17 2011.


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