The Christmas holidays can be a very stressful time of year, especially if family members you can’t stand are showing up at your house. But here’s a revolutionary idea: pack your bags and leave that stress behind.

Make a plan to celebrate the Advent season, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, and even New Year’s Eve, in a faraway place where everyone has a good time, despite the snowy weather and cold temperatures.

So, dust off your passport, grab your parka, gloves, wool sweaters, and waterproof boots, and join us for an end-of-year vacation centered around Christmas markets in picturesque locations (mostly in Europe, d ‘where these markets originate). . This is where you can buy unique gifts for all your loved ones – without having to be around them!

And for those who you really are TO DO love to reconnect with during this happy holiday season, we suggest you take them along to start a new and unforgettable holiday tradition.

Christmas markets in Europe date back hundreds of years, so it’s no surprise that they do them better than most other places. Beginning with the Advent season, which typically begins in late November and is marked by the four Sundays and intervening weeks that culminate with Christmas (often taking place with a shift in products offered during the week following Christmas Day). ‘Year), Christmas markets also mark the arrival of winter, with snowy conditions to frame the scene.

Winter wonderland in Austria – and the original holiday market?

Austrian towns host Christmas in style, some with the added bonus of also offering skiing, sleigh rides, tobogganing and snowshoeing in the nearby Alps. These two are our favorites:

Snowy Salzburgwith its huge fortress overlooking the incredibly picturesque Old Town (UNESCO World Heritage Site) which includes Salzburg Cathedral, has the Christmas marketan ancient Christmas market which began in the late 1400s and (with a small break) is still held on Domplatz (Cathedral Square) and neighboring Residenzplatz, while Vienna claims the oldest in Europe which would have taken place in 1298. This is a very controversial market. claim across the continent as other cities vie for this historic designation.

But what really matters is the experience today, and that’s why Salzburg’s historic market is so beloved, with nearly 100 traditional huts housing vendors offering handmade gifts as well as culinary delights ranging from hot chocolate, roasted chestnuts, holiday candies and other delicious treats.

Additionally, more than 90 choirs perform daily, and musicians known as “tower blowers” play Christmas carols on wind instruments from three of Salzburg’s venerable towers nearby. The whole thing is decorated with twinkling lights above that evoke a starry sky. Music lovers can follow in the footsteps of Mozart (he was born there) and “The Sound of Music,” which was filmed here, for non-Christmas fun and head to the fortress, where another market Christmas awaits them with a breathtaking view. as a bonus.

Inside Innsbruck, there are seven different Christmas markets in this Austrian Alpine town of Olympic fame. They all have in common that they serve mulled wine and Austrian biscuits to shoppers and are full of woolen treasures, Christmas decorations and more in their traditional cabin stalls.

Visit the Old Town Christmas Market to enjoy its location among medieval buildings, and stroll to Kiebachgasse, the nearby fairytale-like alley filled with Christmas decorations. Advent on the Market Square (Market place) is the Innsbruck market. Ideal for families with children, it is centered around a 45-foot-tall Swarovski crystal Christmas tree and features puppet shows, story times and a classic carousel filled with carved wooden horses, carriages and even an elephant to ride. The event celebrates its 30th holiday season in 2024.

Very old and very cool Christmas markets in picturesque Germany

Holiday markets are extremely popular throughout Germany: once Christianity took hold around 300 CE, it became the dominant religion and events evolved throughout the country.

To feel like you’re going back in time, start by Dresdenwhere the Christmas Striezel Market has been part of the history of this beautiful Saxon city since 1434. Celebrating 590 years of joy for visitors in 2024, the market’s many traditions include riding a Ferris wheel, seeing the enormous Erzgebirge Pyramid (a version of the smaller hand-made wooden “pyramids” that families decorate each Advent season), taking a ride on the classic carousel and, of course, shopping until may every gift be found.

Discover warm beer with bratwurst, enjoy roasted almonds and chestnuts, or for sweet delights, opt for cotton candy, gingerbread cookies and the market’s famous Christmas. Stolena pastry to die for. And don’t miss the market’s famous plum potato, complete with a top hat. Then, simply stroll the streets of Dresden and soak up the sights, as it is among the most beautiful cities in the world.

Head southwest toward the Black Forest near Switzerland to find the Ravenna Gorges Christmas Market (Ravennaschlucht Weihnachtsmarkt), where a cool and modern version of holiday markets awaits you. Originally modest in the 20th century and now a bustling place in the woods, the market is nestled under the huge Höllental railway viaduct near Freiberg. Illuminated in brilliant primary colors and filled with striking visuals, the Ravennaschlucht makes a unique location for an Advent market, especially when the train speeds past.

Like most European Christmas markets, Ravennaschlucht is created each year with decorated wooden stalls where artisans sell their handmade goods, many of which reflect Black Forest traditions, including cuckoo clocks and wooden toys.

It’s also the perfect place to sample the region’s culinary delights, from warm, soft pretzels to spicy dishes. Lange Rotary (a long, fatty sausage) or a classic Black Forest ham sandwich – all pair perfectly with tangy local German mustard. Adventurous eaters can enjoy wild boar or other local game meats and wash them down with locally brewed beer or an intoxicating mulled wine.

Don’t forget to try at least one slice of Black Forest cherry cake, made with local cherries soaked in brandy, to top off this unique forest holiday evening.

Go north to find a Christmas tree Heaven and Santa

Gothenburg, Sweden Liseberg Park Christmas Market remains difficult to overcome. Liseberg is the city’s famous amusement park, opened in 1923, and still remains one of the most popular places in the city center.

Imagine a heavenly winter wonderland unfolding before your eyes inside the park gates with large-scale decorations, over 700 completely renovated Christmas trees, sleighs, boats, snowmen, reindeer, igloos – you name it, it’s adorned with lights, baubles, icicles and snow. There are 70 stalls selling everything from sheepskin slippers and hand-blown ornaments to gingerbread molds and handmade leather goods.

All this and 40 amusement park rides until late in the evening, a sparkling ice rink, carol singers and much more. The prize stands are filled with visitors as everyone also wants to win the gigantic versions of the classic candy brands. (Think of a Toblerone the size of a five-year-old and you get the idea.)

Additionally, the food and drinks are delicious, with the likes of caviar, herring, reindeer, moose, cheeses, mini crepes, pastries and chocolates accompanied by mulled wine, steaming Valrhona hot chocolate and specialty coffees to keep you warm inside. But save room (and make a reservation) to check out Restaurant 1923 inside the park, where their huge traditional Swedish Christmas buffet “Julbord” lets you sample everything from 10 different pickled herrings to gravlax, lutfisk, meatballs, cinnamon buns and more.

For the ultimate holiday trip with kids, board a Finnair flight (via Helsinki) to Rovaniemi meet Santa Claus at home. This picturesque Finnish town located in the Arctic Circle is known as “the official hometown of Santa Claus” and is where the jolly, red-clad gift-giver always calls home. In Santa’s Holiday Village there is a year-round Christmas market filled with Finnish-made toys and gifts and a place where your family can actually enter the Arctic Circle together. Restaurants serve local specialties like reindeer and seafood from the nearby crystal clear waters, so immerse yourself in a new culinary experience.

And plan to stay at least one night in one of the surrounding areas Santa Claus Igloos Arctic Circle and, if the skies are clear, stay up with the kids and watch the Northern Lights explode in the night sky for a truly stress-free Christmas adventure!

-Jenny Peters