If you were booking a last minute ( now) trip away for Christmas, where would you go? ?

[Lulanna]

Adult DC’s have their own plans, just shared. A chance for us to do something else, just for us.

Booking now isn't ideal, but ideas and links welcome.

We're taking the train from London to Vienna - can't wait for snow, mountains and Christmas markets!

If I had time I'd also book a couple of days at Aqua Dome in Oberlangenfeld and have an amazing time in the hot spring spa.

I feel for you.

I would get the Eurostar and then train across to somewhere in Central Europe - Bavaria, Austria, Czech Republic - and have a lovely Christmas in a hotel where they will do everything for you with gusto. You can get a sleeper from Amsterdam to Prague for example. So you can have a lovely relaxing train trip over and then be spoilt.

I’ve done Christmas in an Austrian hotel and it was heaven. Decorations, good food, Christmas carols, no need to lift a finger.

Ireland. Ferry and taken the car. Either rent a cottage or splurge on a hotel:
Ashford Castle
Carton House
Dromoland Castle
Adair Manor

Macdonald resort in Aviemore have some nice Xmas events covering the day.

We've booked a cottage in the Peaks.

I would book to go the Lanzarote and get some sunshine, been many times around Christmas & Feb half term, always had good weather, t-shirts and shorts. But if you don’t want to fly, why not look for a nice Airbnb in the U.K., or a U.K. cruise, or no fly cruise. Just thought Potters Resort, a UK inc resort, one in Essex and the original one in Norfolk. I hope you find something really nice.

A European city, as most have all their museums etc open right through Christmas.
Have had great holidays in Rome, Vienna, Amsterdam & Venice - lots of options 're flights & no jet lag.
The best Xmas Day I ever had was spent looking at Dutch Golden Age paintings in the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam!

Sorry - I saw that you don't want to fly, but a trip to a European city by train would be lovely. Maybe book a sleeper?

I have just booked 4 weeks on a tropical island.
First booked travel insurance, then flights (business class), transfers and hotel direct with providers. Came in anywhere between 1K and 4K cheaper than the same trip via an agency.
It is more of a health retreat (with lots of massages etc.) than 24/7 cocktails, have done similar before. Peaceful and relaxing - am counting down the days.

I’d come with you!

There are more independent travel agents around than you think. If you ask on local Facebook pages you will get lots of recommendations. If you’re in the W Midlands I can recommend one if you want to PM me.

If you enjoy train travel, you could make a lovely scenic train journey with overnight stops in places that appeal to you. Eg if I was taking a week over xmas, I quite fancy going Eurostar to Paris for lunch then connect through to Zurich for a night, then into the Alps and do the Bernina Express or Glacier express, staying somewhere en route in the Alps for 2 nights over Xmas day itself (choosing somewhere with a lovely spa natch), then down to Lake Como area for a couple of nights (lots of northern Italy still has xmas markets after the 25th), then perhaps Turin for 2 nights, then back up through the French Alps on the train to Lyon for a final night then home.

If you aren't keen on long train journeys and snow, please ignore this idea completely!

Thank you so, so much for your ideas. I do love the thought of travelling by train into Europe and will definitely check it out. Funnily enough we were going to do that in the summer, the heatwave struck and we changed plans. I hadn't thought about resurrecting them for Christmas.

If not, a cosy cottage sounds great. I've started to look for something.

I dreaded returning to this thread given the response from one PP and wasn't going to bother. Now glad I did.
Sad that some people use MN to snipe at others. Thank you mumsnet for addressing this one.

I'm going to Valencia for a few days before Xmas... luckily have a friend over there and a week or so after Xmas am of to Marrakech - booked through an excellent (so far) independent travel agent.
Despite the recent issues I'd happily still go to Istanbul, I also like the UAE (not just Dubai) at Christmas (I know how many haters that'll get me but was working there at the time). Nearer to home.... Ljubljana is lovely and easy to get train to Zagreb.