Winter wonderland or European xmas market?

[Zara445]

I'm a single parent to DD (10) planning on visiting somewhere fun on the run up to Christmas. Thinking either Hyde Park winter wonderland or a European Christmas market. Anybody have any advice on which would be best?

Edinburgh Christmas market is lovely and magical, a few rides and beautiful scenes in the gardens with gorgeous views of the castle! We go yearly but we don’t live far!

Berlin at Christmas is great for kids. When we went, there was a funfair here: https://www.berlin.de/en/christmas-markets/5741424-3230598-christmas-funfair-on-landsberger-allee.en.html, ferris wheel and carousel on Alexanderplatz, toboggan run and ice skating in Potsdamer Platz, acrobat and fire eater performances dotted around etc… At one of the markets they had a roller skating rink with nightly roller discos instead of ice skating. We also did the winter light trail in the botanic garden and went up the rotating tower for excellent views of all the twinkly lights around the city.

I would imagine a European Christmas market is a whole holiday whereas Hyde Park is a day out so surely the expense would usually be a deciding factor?

I wouldn't bother with Hyde Park personally, I found it dirty, noisy, overpriced and over-stimulating.

I've heard that Lapland UK is amazing and if expense is no issue then there's always the real Lapland! Also there's Polar Express and of course all the light walks.

Bruges is magical and wonderful! The ice rink in the middle of the town square surrounded by markets and beautiful old buildings is like a fairytale. Everything is walkable as its tiny, there are picturesque canals and quirky little cafes and of course delicious Belgian waffles.

Winter Wonderland is a vastly overpriced commercial crappy soulless waste of time and money. The food is all commercial processed junk, the attractions are a rip off and there’s no character. It’s beyond disappointing and has precisely zero Christmas magic.

Hyde park winter wonderland is both utter dross and a rip off. Go for a Christmas European market instead.

The German and Austrian Christmas markets are excellent. I have been to Cologne, Vienna, Nuremberg and Munich. I liked them all but liked Munich the best as it had lots to do for a city break. Cologne and Nuremberg have excellent markets but fewer things to do, if that's a consideration.

Totally agree about Winter Wonderland - avoid!!

Edinburgh christmas market is hideously busy at the weekend and full of generic overpriced tat these days.If you do go, try to come during the week.

We went to Wroclaw last year - it had an amazing Christmas market. Lots of people were doing it as an extreme day trip so out and back in the same day. You could have a look and see if there is anywhere else like this.

Hyde Park Winter Wonderland is horrific. My 2 teen DS referred to it as Winter Scam Land.
I spent a small fortune on train travel and a hotel to visit and it was a complete waste of money. The stalls had the same tat they sell at York Christmas Market and the rides didn't look safe. We went the year the bungee ride snapped!!!

WW is bloody awful. Wouldn’t go anywhere near it. All the markets are pretty much the same and selling the same tat.

Winter Wonderland is shit!

Went to Budapest last year with DD, sweet Christmas markets, beautiful city, we loved it.
WW is very expensive and would be a day trip experience

Thing is anywhere that celebrate Christmas has something fun.
I'd swerve the tourist commercialism altogether and do Barcelona that does Christmas on the 6th Jan. Everywhere the twinkly lights and Christmas fun - they have a pooing man ( you have to see the three story high version on the shopping mall) and log reindeers without the hype of main celebration vibes.
It's fabulous.

I don’t think a 10 year old gets much out of a generic Christmas market tbh.

I think you’re too late for Lapland uk tickets but it is fantastic, she’s at the top of the age range though really.

Tickets for something festive at the RAH? Looking at the window displays in London, hot chocolate somewhere fancy or with a view?

Agee with all the comments about Winter Wonderland. It’s disappointing.
I love a Christmas market and have been to so many, UK and abroad. You’d be better off choosing a location you like the look of and incorporating the Christmas market into the experience.
My favourites have been Vienna, Tallinn, Copenhagen overseas, and Bath and Edinburgh at home.

If budget allows for a short Eurostar trip, Lille is lovely at Xmas - the market is small, but the town and shops are beautifully decorated. Big wheel etc. Bruges xmas market is tiny for actual stalls but the ice rink in the main square is really pretty. We go to Ghent every year. Markets in Cologne are lovely but weekends, especially the evenings, are rammed. I was actually frightened the last time I went. Aachen was nicer. Maastricht and the cave markets in Valkenburg. This year we are going to try Arras - supposed to be the largest xmas market in Northern France. Photos look nice.

Brussels Xmas market is actually quite nice and has some rides etc for kids, and an ice rink. It's spread out over different areas. MN never seems to like Brussels much though.

I haven’t been to Colmar but they are meant to have a fantastic Christmas market and it’s the setting for beauty and the beast so your dd might like that

Winter wonderland is rubbish and a complete rip off.