Christmas in Europe: 30 Best Places to Spend Christmas

Quick answer: The best places to spend Christmas in Europe are Strasbourg, Vienna and Nuremberg for classic Christmas markets, Rovaniemi in Finnish Lapland for snow and Santa, Kraków and Budapest for value, Dublin and Belfast for music and local traditions, and the Canary Islands, Madeira or Malta for winter sun. Most markets open the week before Advent (Sunday 29 November 2026) and close on 23 or 24 December.

I have lived in ten countries across Europe, and Christmas has been one of the best ways to get to know each of them. I spent ten years in London, wandering Regent Street and Trafalgar Square dressed for the holidays; three years in France, where Christmas is all about the Réveillon feast; four years in Northern Ireland; and I now live in Donegal on the west coast of Ireland. I have celebrated Christmas in Dublin and Belfast, visited Paris at Christmas, and lived through mild southern Spanish winters.

This guide covers the 30 places I think are the best for Christmas in Europe in 2026, grouped by region, with confirmed market dates where they have been announced. It also answers the questions people actually ask when planning: where is warm, where is less crowded, where is good with teenagers, and how to link several Christmas markets into one trip.

Christmas in Europe: Fast Facts

	Details
Advent 2026 begins	Sunday 29 November 2026
When markets open	Mostly 20 to 28 November; Vienna from 13 November
When markets close	German markets 23/24 December; Prague, Budapest, Tallinn run into January
Oldest documented market	Dresden Striezelmarkt, 1434
“Capital of Christmas”	Strasbourg, France (market since 1570)
Best Christmas Market in Europe 2025	Gdańsk, Poland (European Best Destinations vote)
Warmest at Christmas	Canary Islands, around 20 to 22°C
Most reliable snow	Finnish Lapland
Best value	Kraków, Budapest, Riga, Bratislava
Main celebration day	Christmas Eve in much of continental Europe; Christmas Day in the UK and Ireland

Where to Spend Christmas in Europe: Quick Picks

If you want…	Go to
Classic Christmas markets	Strasbourg, Vienna, Nuremberg, Salzburg, Prague
A white Christmas	Rovaniemi and Finnish Lapland, Tallinn, Salzburg
Winter sun	Canary Islands, Madeira, Malta, Málaga
Fewer crowds	Gdańsk, Riga, Bratislava, Galway, Venice
Best value	Kraków, Budapest, Riga, Bratislava
Families and teenagers	London, Copenhagen, Rovaniemi, Reykjavik, Budapest
Romance	Bruges, Colmar, Paris, Venice
Music and local traditions	Dublin, Belfast, Galway, Salzburg

The 30 Best Places to Spend Christmas in Europe

Germany and Austria

1. Vienna, Austria

Vienna does Christmas with imperial elegance. The main Christkindlmarkt fills Rathausplatz in front of the neo-Gothic City Hall, with skating paths through the park, and there are more beautiful markets at Schönbrunn Palace, the Belvedere and Spittelberg. Add a Christmas concert, a slice of Sachertorte and a walk through the lit-up old town and you have one of the most complete Christmas cities in Europe.

2026 dates: Rathausplatz: 13 November to 26 December 2026. Best for: Classic markets, music and grandeur.

2. Salzburg, Austria

Salzburg’s baroque old town and the Alps behind it make a stunning Christmas setting. The Christkindlmarkt in Cathedral Square and Residenzplatz is one of the most beautiful in Europe, and the market at Mirabell Palace is smaller and calmer. This is the birthplace of “Silent Night”: the carol was first performed in 1818 in nearby Oberndorf, where a memorial chapel still holds a service every Christmas Eve.

Best for: Alpine scenery and carols.

3. Nuremberg, Germany

Nuremberg’s Christkindlesmarkt, on the Hauptmarkt below the Church of Our Lady, is the German Christmas market most people picture: red-and-white striped stalls, Lebkuchen gingerbread, Nuremberg sausages and “prune people” figures made of dried fruit. The market has records going back to 1628, and it opens each year with the Christkind, a young woman dressed as a golden angel, reading the prologue from the church balcony.

2026 dates: 27 November to 24 December 2026. Best for: German tradition.

4. Dresden, Germany

Dresden’s Striezelmarkt is generally named the oldest documented Christmas market in Germany, with records dating back to 1434. It takes its name from Striezel, the old word for Stollen, the fruit-and-marzipan Christmas loaf Dresden is famous for. The rebuilt Frauenkirche and the baroque skyline make this one of the most atmospheric Christmas cities in Germany.

2026 dates: Opens 25 November 2026. Best for: History and Stollen.

5. Cologne, Germany

Cologne has several major Christmas markets, each with its own theme, including a harbour market on the Rhine and a medieval market. The most famous sits right beneath the twin spires of Cologne Cathedral, one of the largest and most visited in Germany. Warm up with Reibekuchen, crispy potato pancakes, and a small glass of the local Kölsch beer.

2026 dates: Cathedral market opens 23 November 2026. Best for: Variety of markets in one city.

France

6. Strasbourg, France

Strasbourg calls itself the Capitale de Noël, the Capital of Christmas, and it earns the title. Its Christkindelsmärik dates back to 1570, making it one of the oldest Christmas markets in Europe, and today stalls spread across the whole UNESCO-listed Grande Île, from Place Broglie to the cathedral square. The giant tree in Place Kléber, the half-timbered houses and the blend of French and German traditions make it unforgettable.

Alsatian treats to try include bredele Christmas biscuits, pain d’épices (spiced gingerbread) and vin chaud. Book accommodation early: the city fills up months in advance.

2026 dates: Around 27 November to late December 2026 (check official site). Best for: The complete Christmas experience.

7. Colmar, France

Colmar, half an hour from Strasbourg by train, looks like a Christmas card come to life. Its half-timbered houses and canals in the Petite Venise quarter are decorated and lit, and the town holds several small Christmas markets, each with its own character. It is far smaller than Strasbourg, so go on a weekday if you can, as weekends get very crowded.

Best for: Fairy-tale village atmosphere.

8. Paris, France

Paris at Christmas is elegant rather than traditional. Highlights include the Champs-Élysées lights, the department store windows at Galeries Lafayette and Printemps, the little Notre-Dame Christmas market beside Shakespeare and Company, and Christmas services at the restored Notre-Dame, which reopened in December 2024.

I visited Paris at Christmas, staying on the Left Bank, and I loved the markets and the Seine walkways at dusk. I was less charmed by the rubbish in the streets and some truly terrible tourist-trap food. My honest guide to things to do in Paris at Christmas covers the best and worst of it.

Read more: Things to Do in Paris at Christmas: An Honest Guide and French Christmas traditions

2026 dates: Notre-Dame market: 26 November to 27 December 2026. Best for: Romance, lights and shopping.

Central and Eastern Europe

9. Prague, Czech Republic

Prague’s Gothic spires create a magical backdrop for Christmas. The market in Old Town Square, below the Astronomical Clock and the Týn Church, is one of the most beautiful in Europe, with a towering tree, wooden huts selling Czech crafts, and trdelník and svařák (mulled wine). Wenceslas Square has a second big market. Unlike German markets, Prague’s keeps going until Epiphany.

2026 dates: Old Town Square usually runs to 6 January. Best for: Fairy-tale setting, open after Christmas.

10. Budapest, Hungary

Budapest has become one of Europe’s favourite Christmas cities. The Advent Feast at St Stephen’s Basilica, with its light show projected onto the church, has topped the European Best Destinations Christmas market vote, and the market in Vörösmarty Square is known for its food: lángos (fried dough), chimney cake (kürtőskalács) and stuffed cabbage. Budapest also has an ace up its sleeve: soaking in the steaming outdoor thermal baths on a frosty December day.

2026 dates: Vörösmarty Square usually runs to 1 January. Best for: Food, value and thermal baths.

11. Kraków, Poland

Kraków’s Christmas market fills the Main Market Square, one of the largest medieval squares in Europe, between St Mary’s Basilica and the Cloth Hall. It is also one of the best-value Christmas destinations on this list. Look out for the szopki, Kraków’s glittering nativity scenes built like miniature churches, which are displayed every December and are recognised by UNESCO as intangible cultural heritage.

Best for: Value and local traditions.

12. Gdańsk, Poland

Gdańsk on the Baltic coast won the European Best Destinations vote for Best Christmas Market in Europe 2025. The market fills Targ Węglowy (Coal Market Square) in the historic centre, with a big wheel, an amber pavilion and plenty of mulled wine and Polish food. It is less well known than the German markets, so it feels fresher and less crowded.

Best for: A lesser-known award-winner.

13. Bratislava, Slovakia

Bratislava’s Christmas markets, in the Main Square and Hviezdoslav Square beneath the castle, are a relaxed, affordable alternative to Vienna, just an hour away by train. Try lokše (potato pancakes) and hriatô, a warming Slovak drink made with honey, fried bacon and spirit, sold on the streets around Christmas.

Best for: Budget alternative to Vienna.

Nordic and Baltic Europe

14. Rovaniemi and Finnish Lapland, Finland

Rovaniemi, on the Arctic Circle in Finnish Lapland, is the official hometown of Santa Claus. At Santa Claus Village you can meet Santa any day of the year, cross the Arctic Circle line and post cards from Santa’s Main Post Office. Beyond that, Lapland is a genuine winter wonderland: reindeer and husky sleigh rides, snowmobile safaris, glass-roofed cabins and igloos, and a real chance of seeing the Northern Lights.

It is the most reliable place in Europe for snow at Christmas, but it is also expensive, very cold, and dark for most of the day in December. Book early and pack serious winter clothing.

Best for: Snow, Santa and families.

15. Copenhagen, Denmark

Copenhagen is the capital of hygge, and its Christmas is cosy rather than grand. Tivoli Gardens, the historic amusement park, becomes a winter wonderland of lights, rides and festive stalls, and there are markets at Nyhavn and Kongens Nytorv. Warm up with gløgg (Danish mulled wine) and æbleskiver, little round pancakes dusted with sugar.

Best for: Cosy Nordic Christmas and families.

16. Reykjavik, Iceland

Reykjavik’s Christmas mixes modern city life with Icelandic folklore. Instead of one Santa, Iceland has thirteen Yule Lads, mischievous troll brothers who arrive one by one in the thirteen nights before Christmas. The Icelandic tradition of Jólabókaflóð, the Christmas book flood, sees people give books on Christmas Eve and spend the night reading. Add geothermal lagoons and the chance of the Northern Lights.

Best for: Folklore and Northern Lights.

17. Tallinn, Estonia

Tallinn’s medieval Old Town is one of the best preserved in Europe and looks especially magical under snow. The Christmas market fills Town Hall Square around a big Christmas tree, and Tallinn claims one of the first public Christmas trees on record, in 1441. The market usually runs into January.

Best for: Medieval atmosphere and snow.

18. Riga, Latvia

Riga’s Old Town hosts a charming Christmas market in Dome Square, with Latvian crafts, food and music. The city claims the first decorated Christmas tree, in 1510, and a plaque in Town Hall Square marks the spot. Tallinn makes a rival claim, so you may have to visit both to decide.

Best for: Value and history.

The UK and Ireland

19. London, England

I lived in London for ten years and have spent many happy hours wandering Regent Street and Trafalgar Square dressed for the holidays. The Christmas lights on Regent, Oxford and Carnaby Streets are spectacular, and the Norwegian Christmas tree in Trafalgar Square, a gift from Oslo every year since 1947 to thank Britain for its help during the Second World War, has carol singers at its base most evenings.

For skating, Skate at Somerset House runs from 11 November 2026 to 10 January 2027, and Hyde Park Winter Wonderland’s rink from 19 November 2026 to 3 January 2027. Add a pantomime, afternoon tea, and the markets on the South Bank and at Leicester Square. One warning: almost all public transport in London stops on Christmas Day.

Best for: Lights, shows and skating.

20. Edinburgh, Scotland

Edinburgh’s Christmas fills East Princes Street Gardens with a market, rides and festive events, all overlooked by the castle on its rock. The city is at its most atmospheric in the dark December afternoons, and Christmas flows straight into Hogmanay, Edinburgh’s famous New Year celebration, so consider staying on.

Best for: Christmas plus Hogmanay.

21. York, England

I made many trips to York during my years living in Yorkshire, and the medieval Shambles is one of my favourite streets anywhere. At Christmas the city’s St Nicholas Fair fills Parliament Street and the surrounding lanes with stalls, the half-timbered Shambles is strung with lights, and York Minster holds carol services and concerts. It feels like Dickens’s England.

Read more: Things to do in York and the Shambles, York

Best for: Medieval streets and carols.

22. Dublin, Ireland

I have celebrated Christmas in Dublin, and it is a vibrant, music-filled city in December. Grafton Street is strung with lights reading “Nollaig Shona Duit” (Happy Christmas in Irish), buskers and choirs sing on every corner, and the pubs are warm and full. A Christmas service at St Patrick’s Cathedral or Christ Church is memorable, and on Christmas morning brave locals swim at the Forty Foot in Sandycove.

Irish traditions run through the season, from the Wren Boys on St Stephen’s Day (26 December) to Nollaig na mBan, Women’s Christmas, on 6 January, when women traditionally take a day off while the men do the housework. Plan around Christmas Day: Dublin Bus, the Luas and Irish Rail do not run on the 25th.

Best for: Irish music, pubs and traditions.

23. Belfast, Northern Ireland

I lived in Northern Ireland for four years and have celebrated Christmas in Belfast. The Christmas Market in the grounds of Belfast City Hall is the centre of it all, with around 100 chalets of international food and local crafts set against the floodlit dome. It is expected to run from 14 November to 22 December 2026, and the council is planning to expand the Christmas offering to Custom House Square this year.

Around the city, shopping streets and Victoria Square are lit up, and the Ulster Folk Museum and grand houses around Belfast hold Christmas events through December.

Read more: my Northern Ireland travel guide

2026 dates: Expected 14 November to 22 December 2026. Best for: A friendly city market.

24. Galway, Ireland

Galway’s Continental Christmas Market in Eyre Square is the biggest in the west of Ireland, with a big wheel, German bratwurst and Irish crafts. Galway is a lively, student-filled city with trad music in the pubs every night, and the Wild Atlantic Way is right on its doorstep for a winter coastal drive. The market usually runs from mid-November until just before Christmas.

Best for: Trad music and the west of Ireland.

Belgium and Switzerland

25. Bruges, Belgium

Bruges is like stepping into a medieval Christmas card, with cobbled streets, canals and Gothic towers. The Christmas market in the Markt, the main square, comes with an ice rink and stalls selling Belgian chocolate, waffles and jenever. Compact and lamplit, Bruges is one of the most romantic Christmas destinations in Europe and easy to reach by train from Brussels.

Best for: Romance.

26. Zurich, Switzerland

Zurich’s Christmas is polished and pretty. The famous “Lucy” light installation drapes Bahnhofstrasse, the city’s grand shopping street, and the Christkindlimarkt inside the main railway station is one of the largest indoor Christmas markets in Europe, centred on a tree hung with Swarovski crystals. The indoor setting makes it a good choice on a cold, wet day, but Switzerland is expensive, so budget accordingly.

Best for: An indoor market and chic lights.

Southern Europe: Christmas in the Sun

27. Málaga, Spain

Málaga has become famous for its Christmas lights on Calle Larios, where a canopy of lights is set to music in a nightly show that draws huge crowds. Spanish Christmas has its own rhythm: the family feast is on Christmas Eve (Nochebuena), the lottery draw on 22 December is a national event, and the biggest day for children is 6 January, when the Three Kings bring presents.

Having lived through winters on Spain’s southern coast, I can tell you the winter sun is real: you can often have lunch outdoors in December. Evenings are cool, though, and Spanish houses are not built for cold, so pack layers.

Best for: Lights, winter sun and Spanish traditions.

28. Valletta, Malta

Christmas in Malta is rooted in faith and tradition. Towns and villages display elaborate nativity scenes, called presepju, and churches are packed for midnight Mass. Valletta’s streets are strung with lights, and you can try qagħaq tal-għasel, rings of pastry filled with treacle and spice. With December daytime temperatures in the mid-teens, you can enjoy it all outdoors.

Best for: Mild weather and nativity scenes.

29. Venice, Italy

Venice in December is quieter and more atmospheric than in summer, with fewer tourists, mist on the canals and lights reflected in the water. Campo Santo Stefano holds a small Christmas market. Italian families traditionally celebrate Christmas Eve with the Feast of the Seven Fishes, and Venice, with its lagoon seafood, does it beautifully. Be prepared for acqua alta, seasonal high water, and pack waterproof boots.

Best for: Quiet romance.

30. The Canary Islands, Spain

If you want guaranteed warmth, the Canary Islands are the warmest place in Europe at Christmas, with daytime temperatures usually around 20 to 22°C. Gran Canaria and Tenerife both celebrate a traditional Spanish Christmas, and in Las Palmas a giant nativity scene is sculpted from sand on Las Canteras beach each December. Christmas lunch on a terrace overlooking the Atlantic is a very different kind of festive memory.

Best for: Guaranteed winter sun.

The Warmest Places in Europe at Christmas

Not everyone wants frost and mulled wine. If you would rather spend Christmas in the sun, these are the warmest options in Europe, with typical December daytime highs:

Destination	Typical December high	Why go
Canary Islands, Spain	Around 20 to 22°C	Warmest in Europe; beach Christmas, sand nativity in Las Palmas
Madeira, Portugal	Around 19 to 20°C	Funchal’s Christmas lights and famous New Year fireworks
Cyprus	Around 18 to 19°C	Mild coast, Orthodox and Western traditions side by side
Málaga and Costa del Sol, Spain	Around 17 to 18°C	Calle Larios light show, tapas outdoors
Malta	Around 16 to 17°C	Nativity scenes, midnight Mass, walkable Valletta
Seville, Spain	Around 16 to 17°C	Orange trees, belenes (nativity scenes), flamenco

Remember that “warm” in December means pleasant sunny days, not summer. Evenings can be chilly, and in southern Spain homes are built to stay cool, not warm. Having lived there through winter, I would pack a warm jumper as well as sunglasses.

Where to Find a White Christmas in Europe

Snow is never guaranteed in Europe’s cities, and climate change has made it rarer in places like Vienna and Prague. If snow matters, go north or go up: Finnish Lapland is the safest bet, followed by northern Sweden and Norway, Iceland, and Alpine towns in Austria and Switzerland. Tallinn and Kraków see snow in some years, but plan your trip around the markets, not the weather.

How to Avoid the Crowds at Christmas in Europe

• Go early in the season: late November and the first week of December are far quieter than the last two weekends before Christmas.
• Visit midweek and in daylight: markets are calmest on weekday afternoons; evenings and weekends are packed.
• Choose the alternative: Bratislava instead of Vienna, Gdańsk or Riga instead of Prague, Galway instead of Dublin, a small Alsace village instead of Strasbourg.
• Go after Christmas: Prague, Budapest, Tallinn and Copenhagen’s Tivoli carry on into the new year, and hotel prices usually drop after 27 December (except New Year’s Eve).
• Take the train: Christmas market cities are walkable from their main stations, and you avoid parking in crowded old towns.

Christmas in Europe with Teenagers

Teenagers get bored of browsing wooden chalets quickly, so pick a place with activities beyond the markets. London has ice rinks, Winter Wonderland rides and West End shows. Copenhagen has Tivoli Gardens. Rovaniemi has husky and snowmobile safaris. Reykjavik has geothermal lagoons and Northern Lights tours. And Budapest’s outdoor thermal baths, where you sit in steaming water while the air around you is freezing, are a highlight for all ages. Give them a budget and let them choose their own market food.

A Christmas Market Itinerary: Three Routes by Train

Many of Europe’s best Christmas markets are close together, and trains link them easily. These three routes each work well in four to six days:

Route	Stops	Travel time
Alsace and the Rhine	Strasbourg, Colmar, then on to Cologne	Strasbourg to Colmar about 30 minutes; Strasbourg to Cologne about 4 hours
The Danube capitals	Vienna, Bratislava, Budapest	Vienna to Bratislava about 1 hour; Vienna to Budapest under 3 hours
Bavaria and Bohemia	Munich, Nuremberg, Prague	Munich to Nuremberg about 1 hour; Nuremberg to Prague about 4 hours

Book December rail tickets six to eight weeks ahead, as weekend trains sell out. For more on train travel, see my guide to the best train journeys in Europe. A Danube or Rhine river cruise is the no-planning alternative, visiting several markets with one unpack.

Ireland in December

As someone who lives in Donegal, I am biased, but Ireland is a wonderful place to spend December. It will be cold, wet and dark by around 4pm, but that is exactly why the pubs, fires and music feel so good. Beyond Dublin, Belfast and Galway, Kilkenny’s medieval streets are lovely in winter (I have visited in every season), and its Yulefest brings markets and events. See my guides to visiting Kilkenny and the best festivals in Ireland.

Two practical warnings: public transport in the Republic largely stops on Christmas Day, and many rural restaurants and attractions close from 24 to 26 December, so book Christmas meals early.

Practical Tips for Christmas in Europe

• Christmas Eve is the big day: in Germany, Austria, France, Spain, Italy, Poland and the Nordic countries, the main celebration is on the evening of 24 December. Many shops and restaurants close early that day.
• Expect closures on 25 and 26 December: museums, shops and many restaurants close on Christmas Day, and 26 December is also a holiday in Germany, Austria, the UK and Ireland.
• Keep coins for the mug deposit: German and Austrian markets charge a refundable deposit (Pfand) on mulled wine mugs. Keep the mug as a souvenir or return it for your money.
• Book early: hotels in Strasbourg, Colmar, Nuremberg and Vienna fill up months ahead for December.
• Dress for standing still: you spend hours outdoors at markets without moving much. Warm waterproof boots and thermal layers matter more than style.

Accessible Christmas Travel in Europe

Christmas markets are often held on cobbled squares and get very crowded in the evenings, which can make them hard work for wheelchair users and anyone with limited mobility. Visit on weekday mornings or early afternoons when crowds are thin. Markets on large, flat squares, such as Vienna’s Rathausplatz and Belfast City Hall, are easier to get around than those in narrow medieval lanes like Colmar’s. Zurich’s indoor station market is a good option on icy days. In Lapland, deep snow makes most outdoor activities difficult, so check with tour operators about adapted sleds and accessible cabins before booking. See my Accessible Ireland guide and Accessible Europe hub for more.

Christmas in Europe: Frequently Asked Questions

Where is the best place to spend Christmas in Europe?

It depends on the Christmas you want. For classic Christmas markets, Strasbourg, Vienna and Nuremberg are the big three. For snow and Santa, head to Rovaniemi in Finnish Lapland. For value, Kraków and Budapest are hard to beat. For winter sun, choose the Canary Islands, Madeira or Malta. And for a friendly, music-filled Christmas with real local traditions, Dublin and Belfast are wonderful.

When do Christmas markets open in Europe in 2026?

Most European Christmas markets open in the week before Advent, which begins on Sunday 29 November 2026, and close on 23 or 24 December. Some open earlier: Vienna’s Rathausplatz market runs from 13 November to 26 December 2026. Munich opens on 20 November, Cologne’s cathedral market on 23 November, Dresden on 25 November and Nuremberg on 27 November. Always check the official market website before you book.

What is the oldest Christmas market in Europe?

Dresden’s Striezelmarkt is usually named the oldest documented Christmas market in Germany, with records going back to 1434. Strasbourg’s Christkindelsmärik dates from 1570 and is one of the oldest in France. Nuremberg’s Christkindlesmarkt is famous for tradition, with records from 1628, but it is not the oldest.

Which European city is called the Capital of Christmas?

Strasbourg in Alsace, France calls itself the Capitale de Noël, or Capital of Christmas. Its market dates back to 1570, and the whole historic centre, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is decorated for the season.

What are the warmest places in Europe at Christmas?

The Canary Islands are the warmest, with daytime temperatures usually around 20 to 22°C in December. Madeira, Cyprus, Malta and Spain’s southern coast around Málaga are also mild, typically in the mid to high teens. None of them will feel like a snowy Christmas, but you can eat outdoors and walk on the beach on Christmas Day.

Where can I get a white Christmas in Europe?

Finnish Lapland, including Rovaniemi, is the most reliable place in Europe for snow at Christmas. Northern Scandinavia, Iceland and Alpine towns in Austria and Switzerland are also good bets. Snow is never guaranteed in cities like Vienna, Prague or Kraków, although it does fall in some years.

Which Christmas markets stay open after Christmas?

German markets close on 23 or 24 December, but several others carry on into the new year. Prague’s Old Town Square market runs until 6 January, Budapest’s Vörösmarty Square market until 1 January, and Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen stays open over the holidays. Tallinn’s market also usually runs into January.

What is the cheapest place in Europe for Christmas?

Kraków, Budapest, Riga and Bratislava are among the best-value Christmas destinations in Europe. Food, mulled wine and hotels cost noticeably less than in Germany, Austria, Switzerland or Scandinavia, and the markets are just as atmospheric.

Is Ireland worth visiting in December?

Yes. December in Ireland is cold, wet and dark by around 4pm, but the towns are lit up, the pubs are full of music and there are Christmas markets in Belfast, Galway and elsewhere. Be aware that public transport in the Republic of Ireland largely stops on Christmas Day, so plan how you will get around on the 25th.

Where should I spend Christmas in Europe with teenagers?

Choose a place with more to do than shopping. London has ice rinks and Winter Wonderland, Copenhagen has Tivoli Gardens, Rovaniemi has husky and snowmobile safaris, Reykjavik has lagoons and the Northern Lights, and Budapest has outdoor thermal baths that are open all winter.

Europe during the Christmas season is a festive wonderland, and every country celebrates in its own way. Whether you choose a snowy Lapland lodge, a medieval market square or a sunny terrace in the Canaries, the best Christmas in Europe is the one that matches the kind of holiday you actually want.