Christmas Markets - recommendations

[littlegreenfairy]

We need a holiday and thought that a trip to the continent to indulge in a little Advent might be the way to go.

Does anyone have any recommendations of the best ones and where would make a good city break. The budget is virtually no existent and we have only a couple of days free to go away.

We were thinking Salzburg as we very much enjoyed Austria at Christmas but open to ideas. Oh there MUST be snow. I love snow.

Thanks

[Kudos]

can't help with the snow, but I must admit Belfast is excellent (seriously!).

I've been to a few in Europe previously and was a bit disappointed.

If interested, let me know and I can give you some pointers

[littlegreenfairy]

I hadn't even considered going left across the Irish Sea!

Oh I might be able to do without snow in that case. Do tell me all!!

[Lord Pikey]

this place is bearable for a visit if that's your sort of thing

http://www.tollwood.de/english/winterfestival-2010...

[mathewb]

A second thumbs up for Belfast, which always comes as a surprise to the uninitiated. Really was a cracking Christmas market albeit not the largest

[Kudos]

littlegreenfairy said:

I hadn't even considered going left across the Irish Sea!

Oh I might be able to do without snow in that case. Do tell me all!!

pretty much all the stalls are european e.g. they come across from europe for the 4 weeks - mid nov to mid dec.

Plenty of places for contintental beer, food and nic naks.

Everyone (sort of) speaks english, handy flight across and plenty of hotels to check out

[staceyb]

Lincoln, seriously there are loads of stalls, lots of food and drink and lots of European stalls.

Its on the Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday of the first weekend in December IYSWIM

[BertB]

staceyb said:

Lincoln, seriously there are loads of stalls, lots of food and drink and lots of European stalls.

Its on the Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday of the first weekend in December IYSWIM

Maybe we just had a bad experience but we went there last year, it was unbearably busy. Standing shoulder to shoulder with other people whilst being shepherded from stall to stall. I guess we just went at the busiest time, was difficult to enjoy the market. Did have some nice (huge) cake though.

[staceyb]

BertB said:

staceyb said:

Lincoln, seriously there are loads of stalls, lots of food and drink and lots of European stalls.

Its on the Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday of the first weekend in December IYSWIM

Maybe we just had a bad experience but we went there last year, it was unbearably busy. Standing shoulder to shoulder with other people whilst being shepherded from stall to stall. I guess we just went at the busiest time, was difficult to enjoy the market. Did have some nice (huge) cake though.

Friday night, Saturday and Sunday are always manic, Thursday night is great though.

[R TOY]

I rent a field out for a load of caravans who come from all over the country for the Lincoln market, i generally hear v good feed back from visitors and they keep coming back,
Had a stall one year but icecream is our thing and not to much interest on a cold Dec night !
I beleive Lincolns is one of, if not the largest Christmas market in Europe and up around the Cathederal and castle area is v pituresque,
Accomodation may be a problem this late tho ?

Edited by R TOY on Sunday 31st October 22:16

[littlegreenfairy]

If it's Lincoln then a travel lodge somewhere close would do nicely

I think we do fancy going abroad as it's not just the markets, but the whole atmosphere of it. I love Christmas but hate the commercial plastic santa stuff - somehow Austria just did it a bit more nicely.

[kicks]

Belfast and Munich is pretty good too!

[R TOY]

Hmmm, Lincoln/travel lodge v Austria ?? Yep , see your point Hope you enjoy and theres loads of snow for you.

[satans worm]

How about Bratislava? Big Christmas market apparently, plus you can do a day trip to Vienna if you want more (11eur and 40mins on the train)!

[mvalek1]

bratislava is not bad, but vienna is much bigger and nicer market-wise, and its only an hour away as the previous poster said.

[BigS]

I went to Berlin about 5 years ago, there's about 4 or 5 markets around the city.
We spent the weekend wandering around the city and living off street food and gluwein
Only snow there was on the artificial slope at Potsdamer Platz though, still a cracking place to visit.