Posted on Tuesday, 12 December 2023

Nowhere does Christmas quite like Europe. Its history-steeped cities lend themselves to the festive season - where centuries-old cathedrals and fortresses provide the backdrop to galaxies of twinkly decorations, where the aroma of roasted chestnuts waft on the cool night air, and a warming glass of mulled wine or hot punch is never far away.

Luckily for us Brits, we're just a couple of hours away from most of these alluring Xmas destinations, making them convenient for a joy-filled weekend escape.

Here's our pick of the best Christmas weekend breaks Europe has to offer in 2023.

Finnish Lapland

If you're looking for reliable snow, log cabins lit up with Christmas decorations, and lots of festive activities and shops, then Rovaniemi - the 'Home of Santa Claus' - could be your ideal Xmas getaway.

Families with young teens are particularly rewarded in this part of Lapland, because it's one of the best places to witness the Northern Lights.

Alongside this incredible natural light show, there's reindeer sleigh rides, cross-country skiing, snowmobiling, and husky sledding.

Rovaniemi is also home to reindeer farms and museums, easily accessible from a city centre hotel.

Without doubt one of the best Christmas weekend breaks in Europe - especially if you love nature and the outdoors.

A number of operators offer Lapland packages, including weekend deals.

Edinburgh, Scotland

Dominated by the dramatically-lit Edinburgh Castle, the early dusks of winter lend themselves to Christmastime in the Scottish capital, with spectacular festive decorations, carol singing, and theatre shows.

The ancient thoroughfares of Grassmarket and the Royal Mile offer more atmospheric festive goings-on, while the most popular markets are located on George Street and the East Princes Street gardens. Delicious German-themed foods and mulled wine are always within reach.

While 'Auld Reekie' ranks among the best Christmas city breaks in the UK, it’s also a great shout for New Year. Hogmanay will doubtless be one of the most enjoyable ways to ring in 2024 - with people flocking from across the world to experience the friendly atmosphere.

Nuremberg, Germany

The world-famous Nuremberg Christkindlesmarkt (Christmas market) takes place in Hauptmarkt square, where you'll find all manner of Germanic-style souvenirs and hearty grub.

Nearby is the Sister Cities Market, so named because of the stalls themed on Nuremberg's sister cities (Antalya, Kharkiv, Glasgow, Krakow and Vienna).

Known as “the little city of wood and cloth”, Nuremberg is the perfect place to pick a hand-crafted gift for loved ones back home.

Aside from the charming half-timbered buildings and alleys, the city has many other attractions to enjoy, including Nuremberg Castle, with its impressive views; the Neue Museum; and the German National Museum.

Nuremberg ranks among the best Christmas city breaks in Germany - and that's saying something.

Few UK-based travel firms offer package tours of Nuremberg, but organising your own trip is straightforward. Both British Airways and Ryanair operate direct flights (1 hr 35 min), making it ideal for a quick weekend getaway this Christmas.

Bruges, Belgium

This medieval city is charming year-round, but it's positively captivating at Christmas.

Explore the cobbled alleys with their fairytale houses, enjoy the aroma of fresh waffles on the cool air, and witness the festive decorations reflected in the canals.

Running from late November 2023 to 7 January 2024, it’s home to one of the most atmospheric Christmas markets on the continent, further upping the festive ante.

Add cosy boutique hotels, horse-drawn carriages, and some of the finest chocolate shops in Europe, and it's easy to see why Bruges is viewed as such a romantic city this time of year. 

It's also a great choice if you're not a fan of air travel, since Eurostar trains run from London to Bruges (quick change in Brussels) - which takes 3 hrs 30 mins. 

Budapest, Hungary

Love Xmas markets? If so, you can’t do much better than the winner of the Best Christmas Market in Europe Award (of 2019, 2021 and 2023). Called The Advent Basilica, it takes place annually in front of the breathtaking St. Stephen's Basilica.

It's certainly a young Christmas market, having been running for just 13 years.

More than 100 local craft exhibitors sell their unique wares here, alongside stalls proffering mouthwatering Hungarian cuisine, plus an ice rink and lots of live music to put you in the festive mood.

And the city's glorious architecture looks especially fetching when dusted with snow (fingers crossed for this year!).

Budapest is also a smart choice if you're on a budget. Quite aside from the affordable hotels and restaurants (assuming you avoid the tourist traps), both Ryanair and Wizz Air operate direct, low-cost flights here - freeing up money for mulled wine and szaloncukor (marzipan-filled chocolate delights). 

Salzberg, Austria

While Vienna is an undeniably beautiful city, Salzburg is even more so - particularly at Christmas.

The Salzburg Christmas market has been running in its current form since 1974 - but its roots can be traced back to the 15th Century.

Expect all the trappings of a Germanic Christmas - from roasted chestnuts to freshly baked apples, mulled wine to hot punch.

What's more, being positioned in front of the white-marble Cathedral of Salzburg, you can expect plenty of atmospheric choir singing and nativity exhibits.

The market is also loomed over by the iconic Hohensalzburg fortress, making it one of the most dramatic Christmas market locations on the planet.

The city is home to 15 beautiful parks, including the vast palace park in Hellbrunn - which looks truly exquisite after snowfall. 

The only slight drawback is the cost - Salzberg is hardly cheap. However, it's kinder to your wallet than both Munich and Paris.

easyJet, Ryanair, British Airways, Jet2, and Lufthansa all operate direct flights to Saltzberg from London airports (around 2 hrs).

Prague, Czechia

As a weekend getaway destination, Prague might seem a cliched choice. However, the Czech capital is much more than boozy hen and stag parties - especially at Christmas when it becomes a very family-friendly destination.

The city hosts two spectacular Xmas markets, in the Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square - just five minutes' walk from each other. There are also smaller, cosier markets near the iconic Charles Bridge (Lesser Town), Havel’s Market (Old Town) and on Republic Square. Expect carol singing, hearty Czech food, and lots of stalls selling unique locally made crafts. 

And with an average of 12 days of snow each December, you have a good chance of enjoying this Gothic city with a dusting of the white stuff.

Unsurprisingly, a number of big airlines offer direct flights to Prague (2 hrs), including British Airways, easyJet, Wizzair, and Ryanair.

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