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Where to celebrate Catholic Christmas in Europe. Waiting for a miracle: where to go for Christmas. Germany - Berlin and Munich

When it comes to celebrating the New Year, everyone chooses their own way to celebrate this holiday. Someone sits at home in front of the TV, someone rushes around the world, trying to get as many impressions as possible on this day.

In this article we will figure out where to go to Europe on new year holidays... There are many places in Europe where you can celebrate this bright holiday. Everyone wants to have vivid memories after the New Year. Therefore, I have selected for you the most interesting options for cities and hotels that will help create an atmosphere of magic and fun. Still the main night of the year.

In all cities of Europe, New Years celebrations are approximately the same. I will try to highlight the distinguishing features of each option. And also hi flight options, I will advise good hotels and tours to Europe on new year holidays 2018. Go!

New Year holidays in Europe - where to go?

London, Great Britain

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Why?

London looks especially magical during New Year's Eve. The whole city is shimmering with festive lights. If you like England, then it's time to decide to celebrate New Year exactly there.

Things to do?

If you decide to celebrate New Years in London, visit London Wonderland at Hyde Park or book a table at a club / bar / restaurant to enjoy delicious food and great music. Be sure to watch the Queen's Procession Parade - a true 3-hour extravaganza that runs along the Thames. Usually about 300,000 people and 10,000 artists and musicians gather here.

Watch New Year's Eve fireworks from the famous London Eye. Count the beats with Big Ben until midnight. Sing along with the crowd “Auld Lang Syne”. Walk along the Victoria Waterfront and Waterloo and Westminster Bridges.

Helpful advice

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Ibiza, Spain

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Why?

Where it is warm in Europe for the New Year is in Ibiza. The average daytime temperature is +17 degrees Celsius. The island of Ibiza is famous for its vibrant nightlife. If you like warmth, club life and dancing until the morning, then Ibiza is the best choice for you.

Things to do?

Celebrate the New Year at Ibiza's most famous nightclub, Pacha. Keep your eyes, mouth and ears wide open for a very fun holiday in this place.

If you suddenly want luxury and quiet privacy with your family, head to Hacienda Na Xamena Spa Hotel, here you can just relax and enjoy life, everything else will be done for you.

Where to stay?

Dubrovnik, Croatia

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Why?

Dubrovnik is one of the unobvious places in Europe where you can celebrate the New Year, but no less wonderful. They come here most often in the summer and are ignored in winter time, in vain!

Things to do?

If you want to get drunk and have fun on New Year's in Dubrovnik, head to the Latin American clubs Fuego, Capitano or Revelin.

If you want to dive into the flow of celebrating people, then head to Stradun and Old city Dubrovnik (Big Dubrovnik old Town Street). Sit back and listen to a wonderful concert by Croatian bands. Of course. Will not do without fireworks.

Where to stay?

Barcelona, \u200b\u200bSpain

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Why?

New Year's in Barcelona is not for weaklings. Celebrations and festivals here start at 21:00. You can walk the streets, listen to music, watch performances, drink and eat various goodies. Barcelona is another place where you will be warm on New Year's, with an average of +15 degrees.

Things to do?

New Year is celebrated here with great pomp and is called Nochevieja. All the fun kicks off at Montujic's Magic. Both locals and tourists from all over the world gather here to count the chimes together and celebrate the New Year. There are also very beautiful fireworks.

New Year in Paris, France

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Why?

Paris for New Year offers the widest range of New Year's parties for every taste. If you want to visit one of the most best places to celebrate the New Year - feel free to go to Paris. New Year's Paris is beautiful, which is worth one Cathedral on the Champs Elysees.

Things to do?

If you want variety on New Year's Eve, then you've come to the right place. Cruise on the Senne and sightseeing with a delicious lunch at Bistro Parisien, champagne and a vibrant show at Crazy horse, beautiful Bluebells girls from Lido de Paris and much, much more. Whatever way you choose to celebrate the New Year in Paris, you will definitely remember it.

Where to stay?

A special choice for a special day - Eiffel villa Garibaldi.

Madeira, Portugal

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Why?

For something a little more exotic, head to the Madeira Islands. They look very smart on holidays. And celebrating the New Year on the island is a very special feeling. In addition, Madeira is also warm, on average +18.

Things to do?

Madeira Islands are famous for their sales in December and many people come here for shopping. New Year's fireworks look very beautiful from the islands. Here they begin to celebrate the New Year on the sly from the beginning of December until the twelfth night (greetings from Catholic Christmas). The whole island is beautifully decorated and there are concert programs wherever you look. The Madeira Islands are the place to stay longer, not just one night.

Berlin, Germany

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Why?

Vienna, Austria

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Why?

Vienna is traditionally considered one of the best cities in Europe to celebrate the New Year.

Things to do?

On New Year's Eve, the inhabitants of Vienna gather in the city center to walk the New Year's Way or Silvesterpfad. The party starts at 14:00, people slowly pour out into the street and refuel with hot mulled wine and caramelized apples.

At midnight, the Pummerin bell rings from the tower of St. Stephen's Cathedral, and the first fireworks are launched over Prater park.

The famous "palace on the rails" - the Majestic Imperator train invites you to celebrate the change of the year in luxurious style with a gourmet dinner and tie at midnight on the Danube bridge, which offers wonderful views of the city and festive fireworks.

If you want to celebrate the New Year in a more relaxed atmosphere, head towards the City Hall to watch the New Year's concert projected onto the big screen.

The main thing is to eat at least a little "Glücksschwein" or "Fortune Pig". Pork on a festive night is sold in all forms and shapes.

Be sure to eat some of the Glücksschwein, or luck pigs, that you find in every form, from sucking pigs to pork marzipan. New Year's Vienna will delight and surprise you.

Istanbul, Turkey

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Why?

At the very least, you don't need to worry about a Schengen visa. Turkey is an unusual representative of Europe and the New Year can be celebrated here in a completely special way. The weather in Istanbul for the New Year is also quite warm, about 7 degrees above zero.

Things to do?

Istanbul is also changing for the New Year. Start your evening with a traditional Turkish lunch at Bebek Restaurant or Istiklal Caddesi where the celebration takes place in a relaxed and pleasant atmosphere. Then join the cheering crowd at Taksim Square, Istikul Street or Faith, where revelers organize impromptu street parties. The most advantageous view is from the Golden Horn.

If noisy parties are not your profile, then you can take a river cruise along the Bosphorus and watch the celebration from afar as you sail past the city. But you will have the most advantageous position to watch the fireworks at midnight.

Where to stay?

Prague, Czech Republic

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Why?

Prague is another great option for those who want to celebrate the New Year in Europe and are looking for an inexpensive way to go. Many Russians like to celebrate the New Year in Prague. Besides, it's not far. Prague has a very dramatic (in a good way) atmosphere on New Year's Eve. You have many options for where to start celebrating.

Things to do?

New Year's Prague will delight you with a variety of opportunities. There are many good clubs, bars and restaurants here. You can start the party on a jazz cruise on the river, or in Old Town Square with the city dwellers. You can go to some beautiful placeeg Lesser town, Petrin hill or Prague castle. The main square is the most interesting at midnight.

In Prague there is a nice tradition of breaking bottles of champagne, sometimes head-on, if you want to take part, bring a helmet.

Gdansk, Poland

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Why?

New Year's Gdansk is a lot of fun. You should definitely come here if you love food. In Gdansk, they believe that the more you eat, the better your next year will be.

Things to do?

Have a good meal at Wigilia, of course, and then go and get a good drink at Skwer Kosciuszki, and then have a good dance at the Walrus club.

The most festive streets of the city are Dluga and Pl. Teatralna.

Where to stay?

Amsterdam, Netherlands

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Why?

Amsterdam is often called the city of love, and if you want to celebrate New Year in a romantic setting, then this is a great choice.

Things to do?

New Year's Amsterdam surprises. In addition to organized walks in public places like the Rembrandtplein, Nieumarkt, Museumplein and Dam Square, Amsterdam hosts many impromptu “intimate” parties that you can join. And if you want to celebrate the New Year in a crowd of happy people, then you should go to the above streets.

Of course, it will not do without festive fireworks. Most best view traditionally from bridges, when you can see the lights not only in the sky, but also their reflection on the water surface.

Take a glass of champagne and local delicacies from street vendors, and make a wish with everyone to the chimes. And then go to any bar, club or restaurant to continue the celebration.

Stockholm, Sweden

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Why?

Christmas in Sweden is celebrated in a very relaxed atmosphere, but on New Year's in Stockholm they come off with might and main.

Things to do?

Despite the fact that the Swedes northern country, they still prefer to celebrate the New Year on the street. So eat some delicious seafood at some good restaurant, and then head towards Skansen to see the most New Year's Stockholm. New Year has traditionally been celebrated here since 1895. At midnight some famous Swede will recite the poem "Ring Out, Wild Bells" to the accompaniment of fireworks.

After midnight, after walking around, drinking champagne and hugging the Swedes, go to a club or bar. As a rule, they work until 3-4 in the morning.

If you want to celebrate the New Year in quiet and romantic surroundings, head to Lake Malaren.

When you have free time, go see a local City hall, Sodermalm, Fjallgatan and Monteliusvagen, they really deserve attention.

Where to stay?

Reykjavik, Iceland

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Why?

On New Year's Eve, daylight in Reykjavik lasts only 4 hours, which means that locals are happy to illuminate everything around with bonfires, bright lanterns and garlands. Which turns New Year's Reykjavik into a fairytale town.

Things to do?

Burn bonfires with the locals as a symbol of burning the troubles of the old year. There is no official part of the holiday and local residents start up fireworks. On New Year's Eve, about 200,000 people take to the streets and half an hour before midnight the sky is colored with lights.

For the best observation position, head to Perlan or the Landakotskirkja Church.

After the festivities, many go to clubs and bars. Because Icelanders leave their homes to celebrate the New Year relatively late, then they celebrate until the morning. Stretch out until 5am and you'll see locals queuing up to get drunk and eat hot dogs. Many go to the hot springs to improve their health.

Helsinki and Lapland, Finland

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Why?

The most popular Santa Claus in the world lives in Finland. It is here that the atmosphere of the New Year's miracle is felt very brightly. If you want to celebrate the New Year with children, then choose Finland.

Things to do?

First, decide on a place of celebration: Helsinki or Lapland?

The main holiday of the country takes place in Helsinki, on the Senate Square. Local residents gather here to drink champagne, listen to the mayor's congratulatory speech, watch a festive concert and tell fortunes on small tin horseshoes.

In Finland, fireworks are allowed for only 8 hours, so the Finns come off with might and main, painting the sky with colorful lights, and the air with pops and the smell of gunpowder.

Christmas is one of the most beautiful and brightest holidays on earth. Many people have hopes and expectations associated with him for something important, fabulous, magical. And those who can't wait any longer, and there is nothing, can arrange a holiday for their loved ones: Christmas is a great reason to spend a few days with dear people, surprise them and give them, for example, a weekend in Europe. In our selection you will find a list of places where, according to experienced tourists, is the best time to celebrate Christmas.

1. Classic Catholic Christmas

In order to get acquainted with all the traditions and enjoy the special flavor of Catholic Christmas, it is best to go to Old Europe: Czech Republic, Austria, Hungary, France, Poland, Germany. Christmas markets are already opening in all of these countries: many charming shops with countless souvenirs, sweets, mulled wine and punch. You can leave hundreds of euros at these bazaars - but it's worth it! At Christmas, European cities become like those fairy-tale kingdoms that we once read about in the tales of the Brothers Grimm and the great Andersen: maybe even real magic happens in them.

In Germany, the capital of Christmas is Nuremberg, where the country's main Christmas market opens. In France, Paris itself turns into a magic kingdom. In Hungary, in Budapest at the end of December, there is a festival of music and wine, in Belgium and Denmark - a Christmas beer festival.

Experienced tourists call two cities the most beautiful Christmas cities: Prague and Vienna. It's really difficult to choose between them, but BusinessTimes is leaning towards Vienna: 6 Christmas markets are already open in this city, the city hall has turned into a fairytale castle, and the park near it has turned into a magical kingdom, with colored glowing lanterns and huge sweets and icicles in the crowns of trees ... The whole city is dressed up in colorful garlands and the festive atmosphere is gradually capturing all residents and tourists.

2. Classic Northern Christmas

You can see traditional Christmas with northern landscapes in the homeland of Santa Claus - in Finland. For snow lovers, Norway or Sweden are also perfect, where you can visit numerous snow festivals, go skiing, but at the same time enjoy the Christmas coziness of small European cities.

3. Christmas for sports lovers

If souvenirs and garlands seem redundant to you, and most importantly for you - good vacation with family and sports entertainment, the best option is the ski resorts of France, Switzerland, Italy. For those who would like to relax on Christmas without spending a lot of money on it, we can recommend Poland or Belarus - recently, ski tourism has been actively developing here, and even in Belarus you can find good places to stay for a very symbolic cost. True, you won't feel the Christmas flavor there: Belarus celebrates both Catholic and Orthodox Christmas, but not as widely as in Old Europe.

4. Christmas on the beach

If you are tired of winter, cold and darkness, then a great option is to go to the beach for Christmas week. And here the choice of place depends only on your preferences: it can be either classic Egypt, Thailand, Turkey, or less popular places like Indonesia, India or Cuba. Goa is about 30 degrees Celsius at Christmas, so get ready to surprise your coworkers with a wonderful tan when you return to work.

5. Exotic Christmas

This option is suitable for those who have already been to many places and have seen a lot. If you have free funds and want to relax, but Europe and Thailand are already tired, go to Mexico: there you can taste Mexican punch and special sweet bread, which is baked especially for Christmas - after all, Mexico also celebrates it. Theatrical reconstructions and exotic excursions, heat and sea - all at your service in one trip. To this you can add the beaches of Brazil or Florida, where the temperature never dropped below 0 degrees Celsius - because what could be more exotic than Christmas with palm trees!

Napapiri is rightfully considered european capital Christmas. Located right on the line of the Arctic Circle, the village receives thousands of tourists every year who come here in search of a children's fairy tale. Here you can not only chat with the most real of all Santa Clauses, but also ride the very magic reindeer that deliver gifts all over the world on Christmas night, buy souvenirs made by Santa himself and even help him in this troublesome business at one of the many master classes. Do not forget to look at the mail of Santa Claus to send congratulations to your family and friends - the addressees will receive letters with the corporate seal of the Arctic Circle. The most convenient way to get to Santa Claus Village is from the city of Rovaniemi, which is 8 kilometers from Napapiiri.

Budapest, Hungary

If you are planning a trip to Central Europe in December, be sure to stop for a couple of days in Budapest - one of the most colorful Christmas fairs here, which will delight not only gingerbread and mulled wine, traditional for all European countries (they can be called a pleasant addition), but before all with a variety of local products and Hungarian handicrafts. Decorated with garlands and colored lights, the stalls, similar to village houses, are full of numerous Christmas tree decorations made from natural materials, brightly embroidered tablecloths and napkins, leather and textile accessories and other authentic handmade souvenirs. And at this time, glowing trams run around the city, a ride on which brings good luck.

Alaska, USA

In Fairbanks central district Alaska, there is a small town with the self-explanatory name North Pole (North Pole), where from November 28 to January 5, a merry Christmas In Ice festival takes place. Ice sculptures and labyrinths, colorful lights illuminating the dark polar sky, fireworks, sleigh rides, ice sculpture workshops, picnics under open air - it is worth coming here with the whole family, children will remember such an adventure for a lifetime. And if you come around December 21, then on this day you can witness the winter solstice.

New York, USA

The symbol of Christmas in New York is the famous Christmas tree near Rockefeller Center. Once in the city on holidays, don't miss the chance to ride a horse-drawn carriage, feeling like a character from a vintage Christmas card from the beginning of the last century. From mid-November to 5 January at Central park they also organize mini walking tours, during which you will hear urban legends and stories and you will surely not resist buying exquisite souvenirs from street vendors. Wonderful hot chocolate will help you warm up on the 2-hour walk, which is well worth trying - otherwise Christmas is not Christmas. And to fully experience the spirit of the holiday, go to Brooklyn - its inhabitants, many of whom are of Italian origin, are famous for their ability to decorate their homes and yards so that entire neighborhoods become living scenery for the Hollywood film adaptation of a Christmas tale.

London, Great Britain

Every year from late November to early January, London's Hyde Park is home to the Winter Wonderland Christmas theme park. One of its main attractions (but far from the only one) is the largest skating rink in Great Britain illuminated by hundreds of thousands of lamps. In addition, there are two circuses, many carousels and ice sculptures, and a Christmas market with a huge selection of gifts, souvenirs, accessories and street food. The entrance to the park is free, here you can just walk, gawking at the idle crowd and drinking cocoa or mulled wine sold at every step, but you will have to pay to enter the rides.

Amsterdam, Netherlands

In the Netherlands, Christmas begins on December 5th - on this day, Sintaklaas, the Dutch Santa Claus, delivers gifts to children. However, he does not forget adults either. With a warm heart from the gifts received, the Dutch are waiting for the arrival of Christmas itself on December 25 - the day when the whole family gathers at a common table. Amsterdam brightens up in December and is filled with light and a cheerful loitering crowd. The central canals framed by buildings of the 16-17th centuries are especially beautiful.

San Juan, Puerto Rico

Christmas in Puerto Rico is one of the most fun in the world. The holiday is not limited to December 25, as in Europe, but continues until the Epiphany on January 6, which, as in the entire Spanish-speaking culture, is called the Day of the Three Kings and is also considered a great family celebration. All these two weeks are an endless series of parties, family and friendships. The traditional Christmas drink in Puerto Rico is egnog, which is a cocktail of spirits (rum, whiskey or brandy), eggs and spices whipped with sugar and cream. The main dish of the family holiday is invariably baked pork shoulder.

Next week opens the long-awaited series winter holidays, the first of which is Christmas, celebrated in Catholic tradition on December 25th. For our foreign colleagues, the holidays will come on Wednesday - the anticipation of the cherished day will be filled with joyful chores in anticipation of a family celebration. Anyone who wants to bring New Year's days closer and quickly immerse themselves in the festive atmosphere, ELLE recommends to go to Europe for Christmas - to one (or several) of the fabulously decorated cities in our review.

There is no need to look for or invent reasons to go to Paris - they are always there. The French capital comes first on our list as it is the most obvious answer to the question, "Where to go for Christmas?" In addition to the delight of the wonderful illumination and festive decoration, the City of Love is guaranteed to endow guests with a generous portion of romantic impressions. If you arrive a couple of days earlier, there is a chance to arrange an unforgettable pre-Christmas shopping, interspersed with enthusiasm about the enchanting decoration of the main shopping centers Paris, including the famous Galeries Lafayette. In addition, the traditional Christmas market from November 14 to January 4 offers everyone a truly French variety of holiday treats, including mulled wine, gingerbread, and sausages, as well as traditional dishes from the most remote corners of the country. The largest Christmas market stretches along the Champs Elysees, a dozen others are easy to find on the city map.

The main attraction for a winter visit to Dresden is the Striezelmarkt, the oldest Christmas market in Germany and one of the most famous in Europe, first established in 1434. The name comes from the word Hefestriezel - this was the name of the traditional fruit and nut cake, which today is more often called Christstollen: with its shape and white color, this rich masterpiece was supposed to remind the celebrants of the baby Christ wrapped in diapers. The market is open for a whole month - from November 26 to December 24 and closes on Christmas Eve on the eve of Christmas. The townspeople go to feast with their families, and numerous tourists - to celebrate the onset of the holiday with a glass of scalding mulled wine, eat sausages and stollen, admire the wonderful Christmas tree in the fairground and walk along the shining fairy lights of the streets.

The capital of French Alsace is also famous for one of the oldest Christmas markets dating back to 1570. The fair runs this year from November 27 until new year's eve - 31th of December. The beauty of the festive city is breathtaking: during Christmas time, Strasbourg is visited by more than two million tourists who want to feel the authentic atmosphere of the holiday.

Christmas is a great time to stroll through snowy Prague with lyrical pauses for a glass of spicy svařené vino - local mulled wine. The city is adorned with festive fir trees, twinkling garlands and, of course, Christmas markets - especially impressive ones work in Wenceslas Square and Old Town Square from November 28 to January 1. The center of attraction for tourists is a Christmas tree brought from the slopes of the Krkonoše mountains in the north of the Czech Republic. A magnificent tree, shining with lights, flaunts on the Old Town Square, illuminating the dark Gothic Prague with a truly magical glow.

Numerous hotels and restaurants in the Latvian capital are vying with each other in creative ideas for tourist "Christmas packages". Winter Riga is fabulously beautiful and, importantly, much closer to other European cities that hit our hit list "Where to go for Christmas 2016". Long before December 25, fairs are organized in the squares of the city, elegant Christmas trees are installed. The decoration of the city implies generous illumination on all streets, squares and boulevards, fabulous illumination of bridges and magnificent window dressing, each of which turns into a masterpiece of design art for the holiday. All this creates that special mood, which is called Christmas. By the way, on the eve of Christmas shops are open until late, following the gift rush, but on December 25 they will all be closed.

The air of the Hungarian capital on Christmas days is literally saturated with the aromas of honey-cinnamon cookies, mulled wine and elegant Christmas trees. Rustic wooden kiosks and two outdoor stages of the pre-holiday bazaar occupy one of the city's most beautiful landmarks, Vörösmarty Square. What is not a reason to spend Christmas Eve here and, after walking around the city shining with lights, go to the hotel to continue the holiday in the traditional “home” format?

For a classic Christmas with nutcrackers and waltzes - to the Austrian capital! City with rich history and with aristocratic manners entertains guests in a Christmas style from November 13 to December 26, inviting them to appreciate the exquisite festive menu in restaurants and an endless selection of unusual gifts and mouth-watering delicacies at any of the 20 festive markets.

Christmas is especially good for the old towns - and the Swiss capital is no exception. When choosing where to go for Christmas, we advise you to think about Bern: the time of the winter holidays is a great time to explore the 800-year-old city, decorated with shining garlands and ornate Christmas trees. A city filled with old houses with tiled roofs - the perfect setting for a festive weekend. The souvenir assortment of traditional fairs is replete with Bernese bear symbols in gingerbread and confectionery performance and a luxurious variety of chocolate.

For almost a month now, the aroma of sugar-baked almonds, round ebleskiver donuts and glög has been hovering over the capital of the Danish kingdom, shining with festive lights (in Denmark and Norway, hot spiced wine is called gløgg, in Sweden - glögg, in Estonia and Finland - glögi) , townspeople choose Christmas trees and gifts, and restaurants offer a Christmas menu. Despite the winter wind and rare snowfalls, most cafes and restaurants offer guests to drink tea, gleg or beer right on the street, wrapped in a warm blanket. Tourists who have chosen Copenhagen to celebrate Christmas love in the Tivoli Gardens; extra chic - stay for a weekend at the Nimb hotel, which looks like a fairytale palace, located right in the famous gardens. In addition to the traditional fun of the Christmas market from November 15 to January 4, the oldest amusement park in Europe is decorated with fir trees in flickering lights, fabulous illumination of alleys and a unique light show with fountains.

For those who are not worried about the question “where to go for Christmas at an inexpensive price”, we advise you to bet on Zurich. Most popular city Switzerland is delighted to invite guests to any of the seven Christmas markets from November 19th until Christmas Eve. The largest opened at the Central Station (imagine arriving from the airport to the train station - and immersed in the aroma of mulled wine and fondue!) - and it is not only one of the largest in Europe, but also the most attractive, thanks to the splendor of a festive tree covered with shining ornaments from 5 thousand Swarovski crystals.

The most delicious Christmas markets are in the Belgian capital. Locals they also know that New Year's entertainment is not limited to family gatherings in front of TV screens. If you like parades and concerts, you should go to the city fair, open from November 27 to January 3, where, in addition to goodies and souvenirs, a Ferris wheel, a carousel and even an ice monster are waiting for revelers instead of the traditional snowman.

Singers from all over the country flock to Salzburg to perform at the famous Christmas Eve Fair. Attention, be vigilant while walking along the richly decorated shopping arcade from November 13 to December 26! Beware of Krampus - an aggressive spirit that accompanies Santa Claus with a shadow (by the way, you can get to know him in cinemas from January 1, by buying a ticket to the frightening fantasy comedy "Krampus"), - not only children risk getting a slap from a fairytale villain for accumulated disobedience ...

It so happened that Christmas in Russia is celebrated modestly, without fanfare, most often with the family. Perhaps due to the fact that at first we celebrate the New Year, and we are so tired of the fun and, albeit joyful, but still troubles, that by Christmas there is nothing left for anything. In Europe, where most of the population belongs to the Catholic faith Christmas is celebrated a week before New Year's, December 25, and has received much more attention. Cities are changing, a holiday atmosphere reigns everywhere - garlands, festive Christmas trees, the ubiquitous Santa Claus and their faithful deer - all this makes an incredible impression! Moreover, Catholics begin to prepare for the holiday in advance - so you have a chance to see everything with your own eyes, even if you do not manage to get into the city in the midst of events. Remember that for Europeans Christmas is a family holiday, shops are often closed on this day and municipal institutions, according to a special schedule, the movement of transport is carried out. Prices at this time are also higher than usual, so it is quite reasonable to plan a trip in the first half of December - you will feel the holiday atmosphere, but you will not experience any inconveniences. Hotellook.ru will tell you in which cities in Europe you will find the same Christmas mood for all New Year holidays ...

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Prague, Czech Republic

When choosing where to go to feel the Christmas atmosphere, Prague cannot be ignored - this city always attracts tourists thanks to its architecture, traditions and customs. If there is an opportunity to visit this city at Christmas or before it, it should not be missed. As in any other European city, here you can visit many Christmas fairs, taste baked carp - a favorite treat of Czechs during this period, admire the main spruce of the capital, which is lit, by the way, on December 1.

Paris, France

In Paris, a city so beloved by romantics, preparations for Christmas will begin at the end of November. Indeed, having arrived in Paris in December, you will not be able to think about anything except the rapidly approaching holiday - everyone around is absorbed in cheerful turmoil and thinks, probably, only about gifts. The main spruce, 35 meters high, is being erected on Concorde Square, and various festive events will also be held there. An interesting Parisian tradition is to play puppet shows in shop windows that will impress not only children, but also adults. In addition, skating rinks are flooded all over the city every winter - the one in front of the mayor's office is, of course, the most famous. The atmosphere that reigns there on Christmas night is simply indescribable!

Nuremberg, Germany

A trip to Nuremberg can be a real adventure - this german city deservedly considered the European Christmas capital. It is there that you can meet the heroes of biblical stories - baby Jesus and the Virgin Mary, feel the spirit of a fairy tale, write a letter and share your dreams, which will certainly come true - after all, the magic mail works without interruption. The famous Christmas market in Nuremberg opens on December 1 and lasts until Christmas Eve, which means that by visiting it, you can have time to see many more interesting things!

London, Great Britain

London is one of the most interesting and beautiful capitals in the world, and the way Christmas is celebrated here confirms this. They begin to prepare for it in the same way in advance - the last week of November is already filled with festive chores. According to many, it is London streets that decorate for the holiday in the most amazing way - in the city center, almost every street has its own unique style. The famous Hyde Park hosts Christmas fairs, attractions, skating rinks - everything for the pleasure of citizens and tourists! There you can also ride a Ferris wheel and see festive London from a height of 60 meters - an unforgettable sight!