Page 2 | December European Break - help?

FreezingJane · 2025-11-06T10:07:03+00:00

I'm on the hunt for a December break destination. Ive watched a few YT vids and scoured Skyscanner, but nothing is jumping out. Needs to fullfil the following- Flight from south west airport. 3 nights Not Prague or Budapest (recently been) Christmas markets. Somewhere cold/wintery/snowy... Pretty architecture and good food/wine Any suggestions? I'm hoping this break will instill a bit of Christmas spirit that has been lacking for several years!

Original poster

FreezingJane · 07/11/2025 12:37

Thanks all, some wonderful ideas there. Really like the idea of Vienna or Gdansk, so will check out the flights.

OP posts:

ozarina · 07/11/2025 12:51

I didn't like Vienna. Rude people and not very Christmassy. Plus many buildings are rebuilt as were war damaged.

AlohaRose · 07/11/2025 17:53

ozarina · 07/11/2025 12:51

I didn't like Vienna. Rude people and not very Christmassy. Plus many buildings are rebuilt as were war damaged.

Well, I disagree with that. I went some years ago with a group of friends to Vienna and had a wonderful weekend. Very easy public transport, Christmas markets in I think four locations in the city, all of them slightly different. Lots of decorations and Christmas items which you don’t see in the UK. One day we also got a local train out to the Shonnbrunn Palace where there was a Christmas market with items that we hadn’t seen elsewhere and if we had been more organized we would also have toured the palace which is apparently amazing. You might or might not get snow but That is the case in many cities nowadays.

BriceNobeslovesMurielHeslop · 07/11/2025 19:42

@ozarina you probably wouldn’t like Poland very much- the people are a bit brusque by our standards maybe, but also fair, kind and helpful, and huge parts of Warsaw and Gdansk had to be recreated brick by brick using old photographs after the war. I found that very moving though- more like a testament to resilience rather than not seeing “the real thing”. By your description I might quite like Vienna!

OMGitsnotgood · 08/11/2025 09:55

AlohaRose · 07/11/2025 17:53

Well, I disagree with that. I went some years ago with a group of friends to Vienna and had a wonderful weekend. Very easy public transport, Christmas markets in I think four locations in the city, all of them slightly different. Lots of decorations and Christmas items which you don’t see in the UK. One day we also got a local train out to the Shonnbrunn Palace where there was a Christmas market with items that we hadn’t seen elsewhere and if we had been more organized we would also have toured the palace which is apparently amazing. You might or might not get snow but That is the case in many cities nowadays.

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I agree with all of this, we loved Vienna too.
Not sure how anyone can claim that everyone in a city is rude, or knock it because they had to rebuild some buildings after the war. Most bizarre.

i think most other places I would suggest have been mentioned. I would add Bratislava, we loved it and I can imagine it will be even more lovely in the run up to Christmas.

ozarina · 08/11/2025 10:00

To me there is no point in going to a place and oohing and aahing over buildings which are post WW2. I would rather go to a place where the buildings are original. It's that simple. It's not bizarre . It's my preference. I'm not saying you are bizarre so knock it off please.

ozarina · 08/11/2025 10:03

BriceNobeslovesMurielHeslop · 07/11/2025 19:42

@ozarina you probably wouldn’t like Poland very much- the people are a bit brusque by our standards maybe, but also fair, kind and helpful, and huge parts of Warsaw and Gdansk had to be recreated brick by brick using old photographs after the war. I found that very moving though- more like a testament to resilience rather than not seeing “the real thing”. By your description I might quite like Vienna!

If you had actually read the thread I had recommended Krakow! I love Krakow. Yes I know the Northern cities were destroyed in WW2. I have found the opposite - very polite and friendly inhabitants. Great food. Fabulous buildings.

BriceNobeslovesMurielHeslop · 08/11/2025 12:07

@ozarina oh sorry- well then please accept my apologies! I love Poland too -Krakow
is my favourite but I did find in Gdansk people were a bit less effusive. Still beautiful though, I’ve got Wroclaw on my list next.

ozarina · 08/11/2025 12:25

BriceNobeslovesMurielHeslop · 08/11/2025 12:07

@ozarina oh sorry- well then please accept my apologies! I love Poland too -Krakow
is my favourite but I did find in Gdansk people were a bit less effusive. Still beautiful though, I’ve got Wroclaw on my list next.

I love the look of Wroclaw and I really want to go to Zakopane!

Nevermine · 08/11/2025 13:35

Wroclaw is lovely. Great atmosphere, nice people, very pretty. The Christmas Market is huge.

mmgirish · 08/11/2025 13:54

We went to Vienna a couple of years ago. The Christmas markets were very nice. We also took a day trip to Bratislava on the train as well which was very nice.