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Traveling for the Christmas holiday. Time for a change
It is already the time to make plans for the Christmas holidays. If you want to innovate and want to get away from hectic family gatherings this year, I would like to propose you a few places you may enjoy.
Are you are interested in a big city?
Berlin
The German capital is a great selection for your Christmas vacation. You will be able to discover the many Christmas markets, shop for presents at the biggest department store in continental Europe, the KadeWe, and experience wonderful parties and firework at the Branderburg Gate.
You may even be lucky enough to have some snow for Christmas!
Christmas market in Berlin and London wheel
London
Going to England and to its capital over the holidays is also a good idea if you want to get to know the Bristish traditions.
Also, if you like shopping you will find anything you can think of. Sales start after Christmas. You could do some great shopping at Harrods and other stores. If you don’ t mind the crowd, it is for you.
The New Year celebration near Big Ben is nice, but whatever you do, try to stay away from the bridge to see the fireworks. Due to amount of people on it, it is much safer to view it from the river`s edge.
Munich
Vacationing in the Bavarian capital for Chrismas will be more peaceful. You can enjoy Marienplatz shopping, the Viktualienmarket, strolling along the Isar river and going to good museum such as the German Technincal Museum, Neue and Alte Pinakothek.
Paris
It is always fantasic in Paris, but at Christmas time it is even more magical with all the lights especially on the Champs-Elysées, Arc de Triomphe and other well known streets and squares.
The fireworks in Paris for New Year is well worth it!
Vienna
If you have not gone to Vienna before, the holidays are a good time to start. Take a stroll through the Austrian markets, to Schönbrunn castle and enjoy the lights on the old buildings, listen to the Christmas carols and go to a church.
If it is rather cold, go to the well known Leopold museum
and take a horse carriage through the city with a warm blanket.
Castle of Schönbrunn in Vienna in Austria by night
Zurich
The city is delightful over Christmas and has much to offer with its Circus, its musicals, plays and nice dinning. However for New Year it is quite spectacular with the annual shooting of the fireworks. It lasts 20 minutes and is never disappointing unless it is foggy or snowing!
Each little city over the lake has its own fireworks, but the Zurich fireworks launched on the lake is the best one. If you are positioned high enough, you can enjoy all of them at once.
Are you looking for warmer and more exotic places, then why not go to:
Grand Canary
The temperature is almost always the same so you will have at least 68 Fahrenheit (20 Celcius). The city of Maspalomas is a good pick and I recommend the Riu Grand Palace Maspalomas Oasis located just next to the sand dunes. You will feel like being in the Sahara desert. You will appreciate their palm tree garden and enjoy their breakfast in the oasis surrounded with peacocks.
Dunes of Maspalomas in the Grand canary
Do you prefer a peaceful place with guarantied snow?
Kaprun
It is a small Austrian village with a glacier nearby for skiing. You will have guarantied snow for Christmas and ski buses will pick you up at your hotel and bring you back.
We loved Kaprun as it offers good skiing possibilities for both down-hill and cross country skiing. You can get a pass to also ski at Zell am See.
Beautiful sunset in Kaprun, Austria
Val Thorens
As this village in the French Alps is situated at a 7545 feet (2300m) altitude, you will always have snow. This is a charming village with ski in and out of your hotel.
There are a lot of slopes so you won’t get bored and you will be able to enjoy wonderful views.
Clouds and moutain peaks in the French Alps, Val Thorens
Garmish-Partenkirchen
It is a Bavarian village with the Zugspitze. We did an excursion over Christmas to the village and took a bus, which brought us to a lake. From there you can see the Zugspitze at 9,717 feet (2,962 meters).
We walked around part of the lake. It was quite scenic as all the trees were covered with heavy snow.
We sat in a restaurant and had some tasty Bavarian traditional and seasonal food.
Zell am See
This Austrian village is located near Kaprun in the region of Salzburg. You can ski above the lake of Zeller. There are nice cafés called Kondorei to warm up.
Riding on a horse carriage in Zell am See
Whatever you choose to do for the holidays, spending some time with the family, discovering a new city, skiing somewhere or just relaxing under palm trees, I wish you a wonderful time!
