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Holidays

Use our Travel forum for recommendations on everything from day trips to the best family-friendly holiday destinations.

Original poster

Are you doing a Christmas market this year?

21 replies

Twos0ups · 19/09/2022 12:03

Just that! We’ve taken the opportunity of this unexpected day off to do some holiday planning for next year

Have decided we are also going to do a Christmas market via Eurostar for 2-3 nights late November early December.

Narrowed it down to Brugge, Lille and Brussels.
Have you been to any of these and would you recommend?

OP posts:
Original poster
Twos0ups · 19/09/2022 12:06

Also, sorry for random question, but is Lisbon good for a solo trip?
very tempted to book a four night trip in April.
found some decent flights.
Thanks

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MissAmbrosia · 19/09/2022 13:06

Bruges is very pretty but the market is small. You could combine with Ghent or Antwerp? The Brussels market is quite impressive and is spread over different locations. Haven't been to Lille for years but there was a big wheel and everything centred around the main square. I love Cologne market but it gets really busy. Aachen and Maastricht also nice. We were going to do a girly trip to Budapest but have been put off by so many flights being cancelled at short notice (including my hols to Italy next week). So we will probably do one of the Dutch or German markets instead, but haven't decided yet.

MissAmbrosia · 19/09/2022 13:07

Lisbon should be fine for a solo trip. Felt very safe to me.

Original poster
Twos0ups · 19/09/2022 13:10

@MissAmbrosia . Thanks. I’m kinda favouring Bruges atm, but that could change. Will come down to hotel prices, as this a last minute budget trip!
Agree about Cologne. Loved it, and the German markets generally.

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Original poster
Twos0ups · 19/09/2022 13:13

@MissAmbrosia Thanks. Been to Porto a few times, Been wanting to go to Lisbon for a while.

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stayinghometoday · 20/09/2022 13:25

I love Bruges as a city ans have been there many times. I recommend the city itself, but the christmas market is seriously underwhelming. So go for the city, if you want to visit a christmas market, go somewhere else.

BuwchGochGota · 20/09/2022 13:30

Brussels and Lille are so close that you could quite feasibly stay in one and visit both markets. Lille to Brussels takes around 35 minutes by train (when we went SNCF was cheaper than Eurostar or Thalys and just as fast).

Whitney168 · 20/09/2022 13:39

stayinghometoday · 20/09/2022 13:25

I love Bruges as a city ans have been there many times. I recommend the city itself, but the christmas market is seriously underwhelming. So go for the city, if you want to visit a christmas market, go somewhere else.

Amen to this. Love Bruges in the summer, but the Christmas markets are a tiny amount of unadulterated market-stall rubbish. So disappointing.

Don't know why they don't make more of it when they are normally such a tourist trap.

Vienna for us this year.

Pide · 20/09/2022 14:22

I know you didn’t ask about Krakow… but DH and I went there for the Christmas markets last year and are going again this year but taking DC with us this time.

It was magical ✨

Pide · 20/09/2022 14:23

Not Eurostar either (really should read OP more carefully 😄) Still quite a budget trip through, flying with EasyJet or Ryanair and there is lots of cheap accommodation

Original poster
Twos0ups · 20/09/2022 14:27

Thanks guys. Interesting about Bruges. Have been twice in summer and loved it, but might not have the vibe I’m after in winter if it’s a bit dead!

Think we’re going to go for Lille.
Only have two nights as well an an overnight in London, so will stay in the one place.

I’m tempted to go back to Cologne again though. Loved it, and the Airbnb we stayed in a couple of years ago is available! Decisions decisions 🤔
Vienna sounds fab.

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Doubleraspberry · 20/09/2022 14:31

Strasbourg! A couple of hours from
Paris by TGV. Utterly gorgeous city, very good Christmas market.

YumYummy · 20/09/2022 16:05

I am going to Brussels early December.

supadupapupascupa · 20/09/2022 16:31

I can highly recommend vienna

Original poster
Twos0ups · 20/09/2022 20:31

@Doubleraspberry Going to Strasbourg for a short break with DD next year, otherwise it would be a contender.
@YumYummy Have fun!
@supadupapupascupa Definitely want to go to Vienna. Never been.

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maddy68 · 20/09/2022 20:39

Brugge Xmas markets are very disappointing. I really would go somewhere else

Hoppinggreen · 20/09/2022 20:41

We are going to Munich
It will be busy but we know Munich reasonably well and are staying in a town just outside that we have also visited quite a few times. We will probably do 2 shorter days than try and cram it all in with a couple of days doing something a bit more relaxing

Hoppinggreen · 20/09/2022 20:42

Hoppinggreen · 20/09/2022 20:41

We are going to Munich
It will be busy but we know Munich reasonably well and are staying in a town just outside that we have also visited quite a few times. We will probably do 2 shorter days than try and cram it all in with a couple of days doing something a bit more relaxing

no good with Eurostar though, sorry should have read the OP more carefully

Daijoubudesu · 20/09/2022 20:48

Lille was very disappointing when we went a few years ago. Small, expensive and mostly tat. We had done it within an hour. Nothing much else to do. Tried to come back early but couldn't. Never been to another Christmas Market.

Original poster
Twos0ups · 20/09/2022 20:52

@Pide Went to krakow last year. Love it. Agree Accommodation is really plentiful and cheap.

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Original poster
Twos0ups · 21/09/2022 09:23

well, we have decided to go back to Cologne. Air b&b booked! Went in 2019 and loved it.
The chocolate museum was a highlight 😮
Thank you all for the suggestions. I am going to add them to my list for future trips.

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