4 Best Christmas City Breaks

Updated On: April 20, 2024 by   Ciaran Connolly

A Christmas City break is an exceptional vacation that everyone gets ready to celebrate. Some people consider the Christmas vacation a kind of getaway from a busy life. Others wait for Christmas to have fun and enjoy activities with family and friends.

Many countries prepare a while ahead for the Christmas celebrations for travellers to enjoy and have fun as it is the most fantastic time of the year. Feel the spirit of Christmas with the sound of the choirs singing carols and the smell of cinnamon in the air. 

Christmas market breaks are a great way to indulge in the festive spirit. Try a sneaky small pie or two, and explore the tinsel-tousled stalls for souvenirs for friends and family. 

1. Reykjavík, Iceland

Iceland is the ideal holiday destination for travellers searching for the Christmas spirit. Christmas traditions in Iceland are among the most distinctive and cherished in the world. Icelanders are devoted to honouring them throughout the holiday season. Enjoy the holiday atmosphere by strolling through Laugavegur Shopping Street and enjoying the Christmas lights.

Expect a natural winter wonderland and enjoy the world’s most beautiful scenery of wild lava fields and rocky mountains with guaranteed snow. You can also try a tranquil and rejuvenating experience in the Blue Lagoon’s geothermal with the water’s high mineral content. Experience a self-drive into the mountains and witness the northern lights shining in the dark sky. If you want a rush of adrenaline, it is recommended to visit the Snaefellsjokull glacier.

The Heiðmörk Christmas Market, Reykjavík

Skógrktarfélag Reykjavkur hosts a Christmas market at Elliavatnsbaer in Heimörk every Advent weekend from 12-17. The vendors here specialise in natural-materials products and objects inspired by or made from the forest.

Christmas Food 

Icelandic Christmas traditions are unique, and it’s not unexpected that food plays a big part in many of them. The three primary meat meals that every Icelander will enjoy on Christmas Eve are ham, smoked lamb, and ptarmigan. These are by far the most typical and well-liked Christmas foods. However, one can anticipate seeing Licorice tops, Lakkr’s toppers over the holidays, and a meringue cookie with chocolate chips and liquorice wrapped in chocolate.

Perhaps the most mysterious of all the traditional Icelandic Christmas foods are fermented skate or kaest skata. Traditionally, this dish is consumed on 23 December, also known as St. Thorlákurs Day. Skate is fermented in this dish, giving it a strong flavour and aroma.

2. Zurich, Switzerland

The cities of Switzerland are ideal for your next city trip. Zurich has a lot to offer Christmas visitors. As a city by the water, Zurich features a unique mix of attractions, including museums and art galleries, excellent shopping, a charming old town, river and lakeside beaches, and an abundance of restaurants and vibrant nightlife.

Zurich Christmas Markets

Christkindlimarkt is the train station and Zurich’s most centrally located Christmas Market. In addition, it is one of Europe’s largest indoor Christmas markets, with 140 stalls. A 10-metre-tall Christmas tree is probably the most innovative Christmas tree. It puts us in the right mood, and the glow of the magnificent decoration leads us on a pleasant voyage of discovery through memories and dreams. Brands display their latest collections at the base of the tree in glass cabinets that twinkle with the dangling crystals above.

Christmas Food in Zurich

In December, Zurich is fragranced with spices, dough, and cinnamon. Every step leads to a stand selling raclette, fondue, and hot chestnuts. According to the Swiss Cheese Union, Fondu Cheese has been promoted as the Swiss National Dish since the 1930s, and it’s the perfect treat for the cold outside. 

The most popular Christmas dinner options are Filet im Teig or Schinkli im Teig with potato salad. Öpfelchüechli is deliciously crispy apple fritters served with custard. It is recommended to try it if you love sweets.

Zurich Christmas Lights

This Christmas highlight in Zurich enchants young and old alike every year. They are switched on 24 November 2022 at 6 pm and will stay lit until 6 January 2023. This year, the lights will be turned on at 6 pm on Thursday, 24 November 2022. The Christmas lighting “Lucy” on Bahnhofstrasse creates an atmospheric atmosphere for visitors and the shopping experience. 

New Year’s Eve in Zurich

On New Year’s Eve, the entire city of Zurich is out and about, particularly in the city centre. People gather to hear the annual ringing of the Grossmünster bells and then marvel at the spectacular fireworks display over Lake Zurich. Nearly 100,000 visitors flock to the lake basin yearly to marvel at the spectacular fireworks. People go to one of the many bars, where they party more loudly and enthusiastically.

Cruise, The Rhine

Spend the Christmas season enjoying the stunning scenery of the Rhine with a glass of local wine as impressive architectural heritage slips by. On a Rhine cruise, you can celebrate the festive season since most trips stop at Rhineland cities like Koblenz, Rüdesheim, Speyer, Boppard and Cologne. 

Enjoy Cologne’s harbour with fairy lights flashing and take in the sight of the gigantic Christmas tree standing proudly in front of a historical setting. Charming Christmas markets are another place to socialise. Walk through peaceful towns and explore picturesque riverfront villages decorated with sparkling lights.

3. Berlin, Germany

Germany is renowned for its Christmas Markets, where a wide variety of holiday delicacies and decorations are sold. It celebrates the Christmas holidays with gusto as its famous markets are filled with much-mulled wine and glowing Christmas lights. On 24 December, Santa Claus delivers the holiday gifts.

Hip Berlin presents a giant funfair, and you can enjoy the Christmas atmosphere with a ticket to the Alexanderplatz show. The renowned Ski Jumping “Four Hills Tournamen” is held throughout Christmas and New Year‘s. Festive history buffs might want to go astray and spend Christmas at the magnificent ancient castle of Colditz, which was far from Christmassy in the war years. This time of year does not see a lot of snow. If you go to a town situated at a higher height, you might be in luck.

Christmas Markets in Berlin

A Christmas market is held in almost every German town and city; there are at least 70 separate Christmas markets in Berlin alone! Here is a list of a few top German Christmas markets that are well worth seeing.

• Spandau Christmas Market
• Berlin Christmas Market
• Alexanderplatz
• Charlottenburg Castle.

Roncalli Christmas Circus

17/12/2022 to Mon, 02/01/2023

The Roncalli Christmas Circus enchants young and old Berliners with a fun and festive show every year in December. It has become a tradition to be present when the Tempodrom presents itself festively decorated inside and out, with everything the Christmas heart desires. Dancing snowflakes, heavenly artistry, funny clowns, and the smell of cotton candy and popcorn are all included—experience Roncalli’s unique atmosphere in one of the world’s most beautiful circus tents.

4. Bridgetown, Barbados

Christmas is the perfect time to visit Barbados. Bridgetown, the nation’s capital, is illuminated in red and green, and the roundabouts are decorated with various Christmas-related themes. Every year, Santa makes a spectacular appearance in a new style.

Various holiday events, like parades, concerts, and other traditional celebrations, make Barbados festive during Christmas. Barbados is most relaxed from mid-September to mid-December, when hotel prices are reduced to a third. Barbados can experience highs of 29C during the holiday season with a possibility of rain, but it does not last long.

The island’s Atlantic side is an exciting whirl of scenic shores, flapping coconut palms, rolling surf, and topsy-turvy hills. You may take a break from the celebration to swim with hawksbill turtles. Make a toast to fresh starts as you take in the year’s last sunset.

Barbados Food and Rum Festival

Barbados is always a draw for visitors from all over the world. Every November, it becomes the centre for chefs of local, regional and international fame, who participate with gourmets of every description. That’s how they celebrate the wide variety of epicurean treats for which the Barbados Food & Wine and Rum Festival is famous. 

Attendees enjoy the best international cuisine and cooking presentations by top chefs, including Food Network stars Anne Burrell, Marcus Samuelsson and Tyler Florence.

Tom Colicchio, Carla Hall, Chris Cosentino, Rob Feenie, Craig Harding, Anthony Giglio, Tim Love, Andrew Pern and Ming Tsai have also appeared at the festival. They presented their unique culinary talents to grateful audiences. 

Besides, the culinary experiences are rum and wine experts, who are always on hand to display their respective beverages and show how they pair with the different epicurean treats.

Queen’s Park on Christmas Day, Bridgetown

 Bridgetown’s capital city is where Queen’s Park is situated. On Christmas Day, it is the ideal spot to celebrate. People enjoy catching together with friends and loved ones while watching the styles on the show. They enjoy live music performances from the Royal Barbados Police Force Band, various gospel artists, and a Tuk Band as they celebrate.

Christmas vacation is a getaway for many people. Families and friends gather to celebrate and have fun. Most countries around the world prepare for Christmas and receive visitors. These countries also feature famous festivals and events that you are lucky to attend.