How to choose the best Christmas city break destination

Deciding where to take your Christmas city break will depend on just how you wish to enjoy the festive season. Europe is blessed with a fantastic variety of rewarding city break destinations, offering nightlife, culture, history and romance. All our top city break destinations make for very rewarding holidays at Christmas. Romantic city break destinations like Venice and Amsterdam are especially atmospheric in the winter. You will avoid the summer crowds and enjoy cosy cafes and restaurants at their romantic best. The larger European capitals will provide plenty to do after dark.

 

If snowy roofscapes and mulled wine are your idea of Christmas holiday romance, you will love the Baltic capitals of Riga and Tallinn. There is something about middle European architecture that suits cold frosty weather. Both Budapest and Prague look fabulous in winter snow. Cities in Germany are famous for their Christmas markets. You will find excellent weekend Christmas breaks in Cologne and Munich. Also romantic is the stately city of Vienna, with its wonderful architecture, busy cultural programme and historic cafes and restaurants. Atmospheric Eurostar destinations like Brussels and Lille are within easy reach of London and the south.

 

Few city breaks can guarantee warm sunshine in December but you will certainly have a better chance of enjoying winter holiday warmth on the Mediterranean. Try stylish beach holiday resorts like Monte Carlo or Cannes. Temperatures are normally mild in Spanish holiday favourites like Malaga and Seville. Trendy Palma de Mallorca makes a great winter holiday break from the British winter. If you are prepared to travel longer distances you could consider exciting short break holidays in Hong Kong or Rio de Janeiro.

 

Short winter days allow less time for sightseeing and more time for nightlife and entertainment. Few cities can rival London and New York when it comes to theatre and musicals. Most UK city break destinations offer plenty of live shows over the holiday period and make for cheap holidays at Christmas. All the best lively city break destinations remain busy at Christmas and New Year. Cities like Madrid and Berlin are bursting with authentic nightlife in the winter holiday season.

 

To enjoy a Christmas city break with children choose a destination with a good balance of attractions for both you and the kids. Larger cities like London and Paris lay on plenty of special events at Christmas time. All the famous attractions are open all year round. Copenhagen’s Tivoli Gardens provides plenty of Christmas entertainment for both adults and children. Smaller cities cut down on tiring public transport. Children will also enjoy Christmas shows in UK city break favourites like Cardiff and Manchester.

 

Many short break holidaymakers are hoping to avoid the Christmas clichés. If you are looking for an exotic holiday atmosphere you could head for the extraordinary city of Marrakech. Exotic city break holidays in Dubai and Kuala Lumpur offer a complete change of scene. Or you could combine city break sightseeing and ski holiday action in Granada or Bratislava.