Four nights is better, and even then you’ll wish you had more. Ample time is crucial: do not book one of those 24-hour round-trips, your child will be so tired and cranky you’ll wonder why you bothered. The focus is firmly on wholesome festive fun and, refreshingly, souvenir stops are sparse.īut don’t go too early - travel from the second or third weekend in December for a guaranteed snowscape. Kids can decorate gingerbread cookies with Mother Claus, make decorations and visit Elf school to learn Finnish words such as “Hyvaa Joulua” (Happy Christmas), as well as having a private tête-à-tête with Santa himself. Here, Santa’s village is way out in the wilderness: a huddle of twinkly log cabins hidden among snow-laden pines. Levi is just 20 minutes from the airport, making transfers with weary tots super speedy. Finnish Laplandįor the real deal and endless other wintry activities, such as snowmobiling, skiing and reindeer rides, head north to the smaller resorts of Levi, Yllas or Saariselka. Winter in Saariselka, Finnish Lapland (Alamy) 9. After, make a prosecco pitstop at Seppo’s intimate wine bar, or cosy up with the crowds in the hidden Sternbräu beer garden. Explore its dimly lit arched passages and within a few paces, you might stumble upon Balkan Grill Walter, a kiosk selling Balkan beef sausages since 1950. Make your first wander an atmospheric browse along the narrow Getreidegasse, Salzburg’s glitzy shopping alley, where five-storey Renaissance houses provide a bulwark against winter weather. To warm up? Climb every mountain, of course. Walk around the Old Town streets, dive into vaulted beer cellars and shop for lederhosen. Dressed to the nines in baroque finery and surrounded by snowcapped peaks, Salzburg is the staunchly traditional, chocolate-box city of Mozart and The Sound of Music, and will cocoon you in comfort. Revel in the unabashed schmaltz - this is the fantasy festive break. Take a self-drive into the mountains and catch the northern lights glimmering in the dark sky and don’t forget other seasonal sojourns such as trekking near the Snaefellsjokull glacier.Ĭhristmas decorations in Salzburg (Alamy) 8. And, if things start to feel a bit chilly, there’s no better time to take a warm dip in the Blue Lagoon’s geothermal waters than when temperatures hit sub-zero. Expect a true winter wonderland made up of wild lava fields and craggy mountains topped with snow for added sparkle. Here, the festive season pulsates with lively Christmas markets, where wooden booths brimming with food, drink and gifts glitter as imposing Christmas trees stand guard. Iceland is the perfect holiday destination for travellers in search of Christmas spirit. If you click and buy a product, we may earn revenue.Ĭhristmas lights in the churchyard of Kotstrandarkirkja, near Selfoss in Iceland (Alamy) 1. These buttons and adverts are clearly signposted, and provide direct links through to external sites. We also feature properties and itineraries from a specially selected list of trusted operators. Our travel journalism is written and edited by independent experts to inform, inspire and advise our readers about the best choices for your holidays.
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