[NA] Help me plan a European Christmas vacation

CJones

CJones

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I may have the opportunity to take our family of four (including two boys age 11 & 9) to Europe over Christmas break this year. Looking at the roughly 3 weeks when the boys are out of school (12/17/22 ~ 1/8/23). We had hoped to do this trip early next summer and spend a whole five weeks but some things at work have changed and I need to get it done before 2/1/23.

Some things to consider:
  1. I don't mind touristy stuff for the "You have to see this at least once in your lifetime - it's totally worth it", but other than that I prefer to stay away from the stuff that everyone goes to see - we want to see EUROPE, not just the full-size version of all the postcards you see (I've heard that the Mona Lisa, while interesting, is like wading through Wal-Mart on Black Friday just to see a 8x11 portrait on a wall - that. sounds. horrible.).
  2. Personally, I would love to hit all the historical places - my wife toured Auschwitz when she was in Poland a month or so ago and it has really opened her up to seeing historical stuff first-hand more than before. HOWEVER, we do have two boys with us that will get bored of plaque reading if it is an all-day affair, so looking to sprinkle some history in, but this isn't a trip sponsored by a History class, either.
  3. I don't view this (good Lord willing, and the creeks don't rise) as our only trip to EU. I would love for this to be our jumping off spot for travel back to focused areas, so looking at this being a somewhat of a scouting trip for future trips.
  4. Obviously any "This place has an amazing experience for Christmas/New Year's" would want to at least be on our radar.

Thoughts/suggestion?

...standing by for all the Clark Griswold memes (I'm looking at you, EdFred)...
 
Czech republic, or Czechia as they are calling themselves now. Do 1 or 2 days in Prague see the touristy bits then go out into the country side I would recommend Český Krumlov. Then if you have a rental car Vienna and Bratislava are only a few hours away. All have great Christmas markets and tons of cool stuff to see. Here are some pictures from when we went around Christmas time a few years ago. https://www.flickr.com/photos/leetreasures/albums/72157678223586631/with/32711579151/
 
Second the Kristkindl Markt. If you’re still there for Epiphania, La Befana festival in Florence is a good time.
 
Munich is great. We just returned from our fourth visit in the last ten years, and we're going back next year. Lots to see and do, very easy to get around town. Easy rail access to places like Nuremberg, Regensburg, Salzburg, Ingolstadt (Audi factory and other attractions), the lake districts, and so on.

There is an amazing air museum at Schleißheim, just north of Munich and accessible by commuter train. In the city, Deutsches Museum also has an impressive exhibit of historic aircraft.
 
Man, there’s so much to see and do.

+1 for the Kristkindlmarkt, either in Nurnberg or Cologne. And Prague is great - worth staying downtown and walking around.

Berlin is interesting and the German History Museum is very worthwhile.

We did a similar trip in 2018, coming and going from Amsterdam, renting a car. Amsterdam is very interesting too. Not sure if you’re into museums but they’re a great way to get out of cold/wet weather, which you’ll deal with. The Resistance Museum in Amsterdam was an unexpected, interesting history lesson.

There’s a very good WWII Museum in Overloon, Netherlands, with lots of unusual stuff, like machine shops on wheels and other oddities many other museums don’t have.

Check out Rick Steve’s’ website. We downloaded a lot of his free walking tours and podcasts - very helpful.

Enjoy!
 
I am assuming the continent and not the UK…but I would start there and Chunnel on Eurostar to Paris or Brussels rent a car or train it and enjoy…or reverse that. Weather, will be an issue at that time and daylight at 9am and dark at 4:30…wonderfully Christmas markets along the way and popularity growing and seem bigger every year…New Years Eve fireworks on the south bank in London or the Arch de Triumph in Paris are really cool…Even though I am English by birth, American by choice and the grace of god, my heart and soul love Belgium and Germany…you can’t go wrong and sounds like the trip of a lifetime!
 
Add:

Definitely plan on it being cold, wet, and windy, then hope for the best. As the Norwegians told us, “There’s no such thing as bad weather - just bad clothes”.

Not sure of your travel style but we personally prefer to rent a car and have maximum flexibility. We usually book a hotel the first and last night (the last one near the airport) and wing it from there. We used to rely on Tourist Info offices for help with places to stay but AirBnB has proven to be a really good way to go over there. We typically would figure out where we want to be a day or so in advance and book something on line.

Even if you rent a car, look into the trains. We found a place in Ghent and took a train to/from Bruges, for example (after seeing Ghent).

Be ready for SMALL hotel rooms by US standards. Ibis is a decent brand and pretty common. Local hotels are our preferred ones - often very small (maybe 10 rooms or less). Usually we just find those while driving. They’re almost always very clean, often have a small bar/restaurant with them, and are great for getting a less touristy experience.

Again, lots of great tips in the Rick Steves resources, including specific places to stay (but he’s so popular that if it’s named in his books, it’s probably booked up). He’s a good source for local restaurants, etc too.
 
I may be biased, because I lived in Cologne (Köln) for several years, but Köln probably has the best Weihnachtsmarkts around. There's several scattered around the city, but the biggest being in the Heumarkt/Altermarkt area and also in and around the Dom (cathedral). Strausbourg, France is also pretty good.

Although Köln itself isn't a very touristy city, with not too much to see except the Kölner Dom (don't miss it), it's a great town with a cool vibe. The best thing is that it's a great jumping off point to see much of western Europe. Easy day trips from that area include Amsterdam, Brussels, Brugge, etc.
 
Not much European vacation experience. Brugge has a network of canals and boats to ride in. Also a lot of cathedrals. Great waffles, chocolates, and French fries (not what they're called there). We also visited Normandy and stayed at the Churchill Hotel. One of the clerks looked like Churchill's descendant! It's next door to the Bayeux Tapestry museum, and not far from a WWII museum Also somewhat close by is the Embarkation museum located where the Allies set up their floating docks. One of the docks still exists. We also toured Mt. St. Michaele which is a monastery on an island. And of course the American Cemetery. I discovered too late the Rick Steve's books don't have addresses.

We toured in the summer so no idea what they're like around Christmas. A long time ago I was in Europe in the winter off-season and there were very few tourists then.
 
I liked the Christmas Market in Vienna but Berlin was also good. Between the two, I would choose Berlin for the WWII and Cold War history for a first time visit. It’s also centrally located for further exploration of Central Europe. If the kids are able there’s a really nice bike tour by Fat Tire that covers East and West Berlin.

I’ll also second Sluggo63 comments on Cologne. The Dom is next to the Roman Museum with lots of artifacts. Makes an easy time covering some real history.

Enjoy
 
Eric S said:
Czech republic, or Czechia as they are calling themselves now. Do 1 or 2 days in Prague see the touristy bits then go out into the country side I would recommend Český Krumlov. Then if you have a rental car Vienna and Bratislava are only a few hours away. All have great Christmas markets and tons of cool stuff to see. Here are some pictures from when we went around Christmas time a few years ago. https://www.flickr.com/photos/leetreasures/albums/72157678223586631/with/32711579151/
Click to expand...
Prague - There’s a pub on the ground floor of the original City Hall…heard an incredible jazz combo one evening. The building itslef is incredible. Stop by any pub anywhere in Prague in the evenings for great music by local musicians.

River boat ride on the Charles River in the evening. Main esplanade to the new City Hall is great for people watching.

Trains go everywhere in Europe.
 
Pick a spot, Germany works. Yes, not exactly the Alps in August- September, but go when you can. In Munich you can do the Christmas market, downtown area, then hit Dachau for 1/2 a day on way out. You could drive to the edge of the Alps, Mittenwald and the castles not far away. The ‘salt mines’ get great reviews up toward the ‘eagle’s nest’.

It may be a ways the other direction, but the walled city of Rotherburg has a fair bit to offer.
 
I have done the holidays in Europe many times. Some of the best ones. My favorite is Edinburgh, but it is one of my favorite cities overall.

Vienna - Lovely city. A BUNCH of Christmas Markets. A big NYE with live concert in the center.

Edinburg - Great city. Great Museums. A nice Christmas Market. Go to You Tube and look up the Edinburgh Candlelight procession. Open to the public, you put a "candle" for the group and a wrist band for each person. NYE is a BIG deal in Scotland. A nice aviation museum, but I think you will need a car to get there.

Berlin - Nice city, several Christmas Markets, good museums, a BIG concert (like 3 MILLION people big) for NYE. Checkpoint Charlie.

London - Great city. Theater. Museums. BIG fireworks for NYE. Very good RAF aviation museum accessible by public transport.
 
I was born in Italy, so somehow biased. Nevertheless, you may want to spend few days skiing on the Alps, the kids will be happy. You have a choice of Italy, France, Switzerland, Austria or Slovenia for that, so it should be easy to fit that in any itinerary.
 
Agree with Sluggo above. Been flying to Cologne for years and the Christmas Markets there are great. Always thought if I had to work a Christmas I’d shoot for a Cologne Christmas layover and do a Christmas service at the Cathedral.
 
Darwin60 said:
+1 on the Italian Ski vacation. Cortina last Christmas and then the high speed rail to Naples for New Year's Fire Works extravaganza.
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I didn't dare to suggest Naples for New Year's fireworks, but I agree that they are something unique and crazy, worth a visit for sure. And a pizza in Naples has to be tried at least once in a lifetime:)
 
I know... I can't get off the Cologne thing. I'm like a one-trick pony.

NYE is pretty big there as well. The Germans call it Silvester. There are only three days where it's legal to purchase fireworks in Germany. That's from December 28-30. There are only a few hours that private citizens are allowed to ignite fireworks in Germany. That's the few hours before and after midnight on Silvester. When I was in Cologne, people would go nuts buying fireworks in the days before NYE, and then gather on the banks of the Rhein and light them off. It's pretty amazing.
 
Sifossifoco said:
I didn't dare to suggest Naples for New Year's fireworks, but I agree that they are something unique and crazy, worth a visit for sure
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Naples and the surrounding area (Pompeii, Ischia, etc) are interesting but the crime there really needs to be kept in mind, especially with kids. Just know before you go…
 
Sluggo63 said:
I know... I can't get off the Cologne thing. I'm like a one-trick pony.
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I’m probably the same way: to me, one of the best “first trips to Europe in the Christmas season” is what we did a few years back: in and out of Amsterdam, drive to Cologne and check out their Christmas markets as well as the rest of the city, spend a day or two in Aachen and see a market there, go to Ghent and Brugge, see the WWI stuff at Ypres, and spend 3 or 4 days in Amsterdam after turning the car in. Add on some sites in Netherlands (I mentioned Overloon) and elsewhere in Belgium before turning in the car and two weeks goes by quickly.

We were stationed in Europe for 7 years in the ‘80’s and ‘90’s and had done much of that and a whole lot more. There’s a TON to see there.

Former East Germany is a lot like what West Germany was like back then and is also worth seeing, especially Leipzig, Dresden, Wittenberg and the erzgebirge (where many of the nutcrackers, etc. come from). Far fewer restored churches (the Soviets didn’t really prioritize rebuilding them after WWII) but prices were notably lower c/w the west when we visited in 2016.
 
What temperature do you want to have? Me? Costa del Sol. Take a ferry to Morocco for a couple of days. See Gibraltar. Play golf. I haven’t been but wifey has. She says i’d love it. I love Barcelona. Not a huge fan of Madrid. Love Lisbon. Love Tuscany. Been all over the north but cold and damp aren’t my idea of vacation. If it was? Paris. I love Paris.
 
Wow. These suggestions are absolutely amazing! I just sat and read them all off to my wife. I put what *I* had in mind into a spreadsheet yesterday so I could figure out travel days in each spot and I had pretty much mentally prepared enough travel for about two months. ha! Reading stuff here has me definitely focusing more on a 'post up in one spot and venture from there' and just accept that we're not going to be able to see everything this time around.

I'm really happy to hear so much positive feedback about Cologne. We have a friend in Cologne that we were planning to meet up with as we were passing through, but it sounds like it might become more of a central HQ for our trip.

I had also starting thinking about pushing back on my job to have them let me do this trip at the beginning of the summer like we had originally planned, but after reading comments here, we're starting to warm up to the idea of being 'forced' to do a holiday trip over there - lots of unique experiences that you wouldn't otherwise have unless you were willing to desert U.S. family during that time - at least with this, we can tell Nana and Papa that we *have* to do it at this time of year.

Thanks again for all the suggestions and comments. Keep sharing as things come to mind! We're taking everything into consideration!!
 
judypilot said:
Salzburg, Austria. I spent a magical Christmas there many years ago. One of my fondest memories. Even if you aren't Catholic, go to the midnight mass in the magnificent cathedral.
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My wife and I were just talking about that. Someone earlier mentioned a Christmas mass. My wife really geeks out on choirs, so we were talking about how cool it would be to be in one of the old Catholic cathedrals for a Christmas mass even NOT being Catholic.
 
Ok, so Cologne is going to be your base camp - get a Deutch Bahn pass (rail pass) - you can rent cars for the day at the train stations.

Few recommendations

Stuttgart - MBZ and Porsche Museums and factory tours - if you're a WWII buff, Romel's grave site and home are to the east in Ulm - his son was the mayor of Stuttgart for several years. Also, the gateway to the Black Forrest.

Munich - head south to Garmisch Parttenkirchen, weather permitting; you may be able to get up to Zugspitze and Altasptize, and Neuschwanstein Castle is not too far from there - a true Bravian Winterland. And Dachau is near Munich, took my 9 year old there and it really opened his eyes to a few things. If you head over to Salzburg, you're not far from Berchtesgaden, where they filmed the Sound of Music and, not to sound dark, Kehlsteinhaus - Hitler's Eagles Nest is there too. I have only been the in late summer and early fall, so you may want to check to see if it is open.

Prague - if your kids are into Legos, there is a massive factory to the west and a downtown museum.

Amsterdam - about a 3-hour train ride from Cologne, as is Paris, and from Paris, you're 2.5 hours away from Bayeaux, where you can get a tour of Normandy - guides are recommended.

As others have said, dress for cold and wet weather.

Have fun
 
Used to live in Germany. Be prepared for cold wet weather. Winter isn’t very snowy in most parts but grey, drizzly and that can get on one’s nerves fast. If I go to Europe anytime after September or before May it would have to be Côte d’Azur, or coastal Spain (Mediterranean).
 
Btw, if you fly to Frankfurt there is a joint where you can rent an N- registered airplane. That might be a cool way to explore Europe instead of using a rental car.
 
BTW, I came home from Vienna with 13 different Christmas Market mugs/glasses.

In Germany and Austria, when you get a hot drink, it comes in a mug or glass that is distinct to that market. You also pay a deposit. You can return the mug/glass for your deposit back or keep it as a souvenir. We kept ours. :D
 
CJones said:
I may have the opportunity to take our family of four (including two boys age 11 & 9) to Europe over Christmas break this year. Looking at the roughly 3 weeks when the boys are out of school (12/17/22 ~ 1/8/23). We had hoped to do this trip early next summer and spend a whole five weeks but some things at work have changed and I need to get it done before 2/1/23.

Some things to consider:
  1. I don't mind touristy stuff for the "You have to see this at least once in your lifetime - it's totally worth it", but other than that I prefer to stay away from the stuff that everyone goes to see - we want to see EUROPE, not just the full-size version of all the postcards you see (I've heard that the Mona Lisa, while interesting, is like wading through Wal-Mart on Black Friday just to see a 8x11 portrait on a wall - that. sounds. horrible.).
  2. Personally, I would love to hit all the historical places - my wife toured Auschwitz when she was in Poland a month or so ago and it has really opened her up to seeing historical stuff first-hand more than before. HOWEVER, we do have two boys with us that will get bored of plaque reading if it is an all-day affair, so looking to sprinkle some history in, but this isn't a trip sponsored by a History class, either.
  3. I don't view this (good Lord willing, and the creeks don't rise) as our only trip to EU. I would love for this to be our jumping off spot for travel back to focused areas, so looking at this being a somewhat of a scouting trip for future trips.
  4. Obviously any "This place has an amazing experience for Christmas/New Year's" would want to at least be on our radar.

Thoughts/suggestion?

...standing by for all the Clark Griswold memes (I'm looking at you, EdFred)...
Click to expand...

If the family snow skis you'll want to hit the alps and there's some very interesting history to be seen in that region as well.

https://www.uncommon-travel-germany.com/eagles-nest-germany.html

When I was in Europe in my younger years I made it a habit to visit the historic Churches. No, I'm not Catholic but appreciate the magnificent architecture and history (the reformation) which all started in Germany. I have visited and attended churches that were built over a thousand years ago in Germany and Austria.

Also if you go to Germany plan to hit Berlin for a few days as Berlin of course is Right at the center of WWII and how the world was reshaped by it.
 
Pinecone said:
BTW, I came home from Vienna with 13 different Christmas Market mugs/glasses.

In Germany and Austria, when you get a hot drink, it comes in a mug or glass that is distinct to that market. You also pay a deposit. You can return the mug/glass for your deposit back or keep it as a souvenir. We kept ours. :D
Click to expand...
Got a few of those myself:D

Cheers
 
Pinecone said:
BTW, I came home from Vienna with 13 different Christmas Market mugs/glasses.

In Germany and Austria, when you get a hot drink, it comes in a mug or glass that is distinct to that market. You also pay a deposit. You can return the mug/glass for your deposit back or keep it as a souvenir. We kept ours. :D
Click to expand...
I collected them year round and then sent them home to friends and family as gifts. The older I get the more I regret sending some of them because they were really unique.
 
Chrisgoesflying said:
Btw, if you fly to Frankfurt there is a joint where you can rent an N- registered airplane. That might be a cool way to explore Europe instead of using a rental car.
Click to expand...
Did you quickly forget your weather comment? It would be IFR the whole time.
 
Lots of people like Heidelberg. It has a good Christmas market and a nearby air museum with a Concorde. Lots of people like the Rothenburg (ob der Tauber) market too.

I love Prague. Highly recommend. I like The Netherlands too but spent our time in The Hague. Amsterdam isn't my jam. Belgium is great as well, especially if you love chocolate.
 
NealRomeoGolf said:
Did you quickly forget your weather comment? It would be IFR the whole time.
Click to expand...

Most of the time, it would be IFR, at least in Germany, Northern France and other middle European places. As far as I know, the planes they rent out are IFR capable and if OP decides to visit southern Europe by plane, it would be mostly VFR once he gets closer to the Mediterranean Sea.
 
Chrisgoesflying said:
Most of the time, it would be IFR, at least in Germany, Northern France and other middle European places. As far as I know, the planes they rent out are IFR capable and if OP decides to visit southern Europe by plane, it would be mostly VFR once he gets closer to the Mediterranean Sea.
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I lived there for 3 years recently. Nothing but gray in Frankfurt from November to April.
 
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