These Top 5 Holiday Cruises Will Make You Visit Christmas Markets Around Europe

by Amit | Dec 13, 2022 | Vacations & Leisure

A Christmas market cruise can help you feel festive, offer a pleasant holiday, and give you opportunities to find one-of-a-kind presents for loved ones.

On these cruise itineraries, you may visit holiday markets that date back to the Middle Ages. You can also learn about the villages home to unique local treasures like traditional winemaking and handicrafts.

These Christmas market cruises offer passengers plenty to rejoice about. From festive onboard activities like tree trimming and dessert making to the mulled wine and fresh gingerbread that will welcome you at each stop.

1. Christmas Along the Danube (Abercrombie & Kent)

Travel during the holidays on our new Abercrombie & Kent cruise. The nine-day trip departs from Munich, Germany, and proceeds through Austria’s Salzburg, Linz, and Vienna before arriving in Slovakia.

This trip offers a more personalized experience with only 24 passengers on board. In addition, a resident tour director is available to lead visitors on tours of the Christmas markets in Munich’s old town and Domplatz, Austria, and Linz, as well as private baking classes for linzer torte.

Visitors will arrive in Vienna on Christmas morning and have the opportunity to meander through the expansive Christmas market before witnessing a strudel-baking demonstration and an evening concert at the Kursalon from the 19th century.

2. Magnificent Europe Christmas Cruise (AmaWaterways)

Travelers on this 14-night cruise see five distinct nations, historical towns, and rural areas of Europe. The ship departs from Budapest and travels to Vienna, where passengers are given a tour of the city and its Christmas markets. Additionally, there are stops at the Christmas markets in Germany’s Nuremberg and Regensburg.

Visitors continue after experiencing smoked beer in Bamberg to Kitzingen, Germany, for wine tastings and Cologne, Germany, for walking tours. After that, the cruise travels to Amsterdam for a leisurely canal tour.

3. Parisian Royal Holiday (Uniworld)

The new S.S. Joie de Vivre, which the cruise line debuted earlier this year, will be used for this eight-day excursion with Uniworld. The journey starts and concludes in Paris and passes through Northern France, stopping at the Champs-Elysees and the Christmas markets in Rouen. The Rouen streets come to life during the holidays with street entertainers and lights.

Visitors may also indulge in holiday delicacies at La Couronne, where Julia Child famously had her first lunch in France. There is also an opportunity to view Notre Dame’s magnificent Christmas tree.

4. Christmas Markets in Alsace (CroisiEurope Cruises)

With a history stretching back to 1570, Strasbourg, France’s Christmas market, is the oldest in all of Europe, and this four-day trip from CroisiEurope takes you to the center of it. The Maison du Pain d’Alsace is a stop along the route where you may sample the bredeles, biscruits typically produced during the holidays.

Visitors visiting Strasbourg can also visit the Eguisheim Christmas market and wine cellars that date back to 1472.

5. Dashing Through the Danube (Contiki)

Younger tourists (18–35) are the target audience for this eight-day river trip across four nations. In Germany’s Regensburg, the cruise departs. After visiting the Christmas markets in Regensburg, visitors board the ship again for a mixology lesson and a traditional Bavarian meal.

Passau, Vienna, and Budapest will all have Christmas markets that the ship will visit. In addition, Budapest castle ice skating lessons and onboard training in creating Viennese sweets are two amusing extras on the voyage.

The target demographic for this eight-day river trip through four nations is tourists between 18 and 35. In Germany’s Regensburg, the cruise departs. After visiting the Christmas markets in Regensburg, visitors board the ship again for a mixology lesson and a traditional Bavarian meal.

Passau, Vienna, and Budapest will all have Christmas markets that the ship will visit. In addition, Budapest castle ice skating lessons and onboard training in creating Viennese sweets are two fun extras on the voyage.

5 Ways To Celebrate And Enjoy Christmas In Australia In 2022

by Amit | Dec 12, 2022 | Vacations & Leisure

Christmas in Australia falls in the hottest month of the year in Australia. This may be why many Australians are choosing to celebrate Christmas in July. On the other hand, they may celebrate more traditionally during this month because of the milder weather, which they cannot do throughout the summer. But whether you celebrate Christmas in Australia customs in July or December, you will have a memorable experience. Therefore, learn how it is celebrated and what to expect when you travel to this great country over the holiday season.

5 Best Ways to Celebrate Christmas In Australia

Here are five delightful ways to celebrate and have a great time at Christmas in Australia, whether traveling with friends, family, or alone. This will make your journey worthwhile.

1. Blue Mountains: Enjoy A Traditional Roast

Even though many Australians still observe Christmas with a traditional roast in December, the extreme heat at this time of year might make it a bit challenging to appreciate the feast. Due to this, you should visit the Blue Mountains in July for a customary celebration that includes a roaring fire. Numerous hotels and eateries in the Blue Mountains may provide a Yuletide experience.

2. Sovereign Hill: Experience The Lights

Sovereign Hill, an outdoor museum in Ballarat, Victoria, shows the difficulties of the 1850s Australian gold rush and the best Christmas decorations in Australia. However, as part of the Christmas celebration, it is turned into an enchanted winter wonderland with bright lights and fake snow in July. So if you want to enjoy an Australian Christmas celebration in July, this is one location you should go to.

3. Perth: Explore The Nightlife

Christmas in July is a lovely time to visit Perth. However, you will only have a good time if you plan to come here in December wearing a Christmas sweater. When it comes to Christmas attire in Australia, jumpers have a special place, and you may have fun with them. You may view spectacular lights and decorations in the city’s pubs because they are decorated for the holidays. This city is full of Christmas experiences in the summer.

4. Queensland: Enjoy a Sicilian-Themed Party

Will you like to see some unusual Christmas decorations in Australia? Then, make your way to Queensland’s Ballandean Valley, where you can experience a Sicilian-themed Christmas in Australia 2022 party hosted by a vineyard every July. The winery, which the Costanzo family has owned since 1946, ensures the celebration is distinctly Italian. Even La Befana, the Italian Christmas witch, makes an appearance!

5. Lord Howe Island: Meet Santa

You might not have considered spending Christmas Day on an island, but when you’re in Australia, you have to get creative. Lord Howe Island, located off the New South Wales coast, is among the most well-liked locations in the nation to observe the holiday. You can see Australian Christmas fare and even meet Santa Claus.

Final Words

Everywhere in the world, people celebrate Christmas with great enthusiasm. However, Christmas in Australia is a special occasion. So plan a trip to Australia and delight in these five thrilling Christmas celebrations there.

Top 5 European-Style Christmas Markets in the USA You Can Experience

by Amit | Dec 7, 2022 | Vacations & Leisure

Get ready for Christmas happiness by wrapping up: Although they are located in the United States, these lively European markets have an authentic sense of the European tradition. If you’re looking for holiday charm but cannot travel across the pond to Europe’s famous holiday markets, we’ve found the best Christmas markets in the United States.

1. The Great Dickens Christmas Fair, San Francisco

Visitors to The Great Dickens Christmas Fair in San Francisco can immerse themselves in Victorian London for five weekends starting on November 19 and ending on December 18, 2022. Merrymakers will come across music halls, theatres, bars, dance parties, stores packed with handcrafted seasonal treasures, and hundreds of characters from the universe created by literary great Charles Dickens as they travel along the winding, lamp-lit alleys of this not-so-winter wonderland. Don’t miss the opportunity to visit the cart selling freshly roasted organic chestnuts in vintage paper cones.

2. Peoples Gas Holiday Market, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

From November 19 through December 23, downtown Pittsburgh hosts the Peoples Gas Holiday Market in honor of the holiday season. The market is located in the exquisitely lit Market Square, allowing for wandering outside. While exploring the wooden chalets filled to the brim with handmade Polish folk art, German Christmas goods, Celtic Irish trinkets, and even fresh Austrian strudels and bratwursts, visitors can listen to live music.

3. Solvang Julefest, California

Get your fix during the annual Solvang Julefest, held in the Danish-American community of Solvang, founded in 1911 and upholding Danish culture to this day, from November 26 to January 6, 2023. The entire town is decked out, which adds to the fairytale ambiance, which the Solvang Julefest website defines as “a walk-through of a vintage postcard and a Hallmark movie simultaneously.” However, the market is ideal for eating your festive Danish dishes. Avoid missing the Solvang nativity pageant, Julefest Parade, candlelight tours, and tree lighting ceremony.

4. Downtown Holiday Market, Washington, D.C.

Visit the Downtown Holiday Market in Washington, D.C., from November 18 to December 23, 2022, for an outdoor shopping village with regional jewelry, pottery, paintings, and textiles – a touch of European beauty in our nation’s capital. More than 75 boutiques, craftsmen, and crafters are available for shopping, and visitors can take in nightly seasonal entertainment. At 8th and F Streets N.W., the market is located in the middle. It’s closed on Thanksgiving Day and on December 5.

5. Holland Kerstmarkt, Michigan

Head to Holland, a town in Michigan designed to resemble the country with the same name once upon a time, to experience one of the most festive domestic locations (now known as the Netherlands). The yearly Kerstmarkt (“Christmas market” in Dutch) in Holland features 18 booths and is an outdoor European-style market with seasonal goods, regional cuisine, and artisan demonstrations. Kerstmarkt, which takes place at the 8th Street Marketplace from November 19 through December 10, 2022, coexists at the weekly farmers market.

Top 5 Best Festive Cities to Visit at Christmas in the World

by Amit | Dec 5, 2022 | Vacations & Leisure

Every year on December 25, people celebrate Christmas to remember the birth of Jesus Christ, the most revered figure in all of Christianity. Christmas is one of the most celebrated festivals in the world, with an estimated 45% of the world’s population participating!

Christmas is a season of exchanging gifts, singing Christmas carols, and enjoying excellent baked goods. So what better way to spend the holiday with your special someone than while on vacation? Now that we know some of the best Christmas travel destinations worldwide let’s examine what they offer.

1. New York City, USA

Unquestionably, one of the liveliest destinations to visit is New York City. The city is decked out with Christmas lights, and beautiful shows are going on. If you’re in New York at the end of the year, you should visit the Rockefeller Center since their well-known Christmas celebrations offer a breathtaking holiday experience. You can also visit one of the many holiday markets around the city, from uptown to downtown, to find the best gifts for your loved ones.

Visit one of the light festivals organized throughout New York over the holidays if you enjoy gorgeous lights and décor. Some are the Dyker Heights Christmas light show, the Brooklyn Garden Lightscape, and the Glow at the New York Botanical Garden.

2. Jerusalem, Israel

The city of Bethlehem in Jerusalem is one of the top choices for the most incredible places to celebrate Christmas because it is thought Jesus Christ was born there. However, if you’re traveling to Jerusalem this Christmas, remember to stop in Nazareth, where Christianity first began.

Because it is believed that Jesus Christ was born there, Bethlehem, a city in Jerusalem, is one of the best destinations to spend the holiday of Christmas. However, remember to stop in Nazareth, the birthplace of Christianity, if you’re heading to Jerusalem for Christmas.

3. London, England

London, one of the top travel destinations in the world, is fantastic during Christmas! Look at the events scheduled in some of the most well-known Christmas destinations, like Trafalgar Square (home to the largest Christmas tree in the world), Westminster Abbey, and Hyde Park.

In addition, if you enjoy Christmas carols, make a quick journey to the Royal Albert Hall and take in one of the hall’s well-known carol concerts. Finally, take the Harry Potter bus tour of London at night if you’re a Potterhead, or take a detour to the Scottish Highlands to see the wonderful world of Hogwarts coated in snow!

4. Zürich, Switzerland

Are you a passionate shopper? If so, Zürich is among the top destinations to visit throughout the holiday season! There are three prominent Christmas markets in Zürich. These include the Zürich Hauptbahnhof Christmas Market, the Weihnachtsdorf Market, and the Niederdorf Christmas Market, all located at Switzerland’s most crowded train station, the Old Town.

The Zürich Hauptbahnhof Christmas Market is one of Europe’s biggest indoor Christmas markets, and it runs from November 24 to December 24 every year. A 49-foot Swarovski Christmas tree with many crystals hanging from its branches is the main draw of this market.

5. Tokyo, Japan

Even though Christmas is not a recognized official holiday in Japan, you should celebrate it in style! You may celebrate Japanese Christmas while on vacation in Tokyo, including a hearty fried chicken bucket and strawberry shortcakes. Sounds unusual. The Japanese have added flair to this holiday by creating several fascinating, original traditions!

Along with the unforgettable Christmas dinner, the Japanese people also observe their version of Valentine’s Day on December 24 every year, which is an intriguing custom. So, if you and your significant other are in the city at this time, spend Christmas Eve celebrating the “most romantic day of the year” the Japanese way by dining outside, seeing the city, and spotting the lovely holiday decorations.