Best Christmas markets in Europe

adeelmpk

We're [couple + a 4 year old] planning to drive over to Calais [via Euro tunnel] first weekend of December and I'm thinking of best way/places to spend the weekend. We'll arrive Calais around 4pm and our train back is on Sunday 8pm.

We would love to see some Christmas markets and at same time visit and do something interesting during Saturday and Sunday day times. At the moment I'm planning to drive straight to Brussels Friday evening and stay there until Sunday morning and then back to Calais via Lille after a 3/4 hour stopover. Why Lille ... ? Because wife would like to buy some macaroons Any other suggestions for places/Cities to spend time given that we're not spending too long driving back and forth.

Thanks a lot .

[Deleted User]

Why Brussels? As someone who used to live in Belgium I can tell you that there are much nicer places.

Try Gent / Ghent, or Brugges instead. Gent is lovely and much less touristy than Brugges.

Gouldy

Brugges is meant to be lovely and have brilliant markets I would definitely say go there!

adeelmpk

Spider_In_The_Bath wrote: »

Why Brussels? As someone who used to live in Belgium I can tell you that there are much nicer places.

Try Gent / Ghent, or Brugges instead. Gent is lovely and much less touristy than Brugges.

Thanks for the idea, would you say a day would be enough for each city or both days in one place and perhaps do they other on next trip.

freshfruitbandit

Brussels is very nice if you are going for the first time at Christmas but Like spider in the bath said it is very heavy with tourists and there are nicer places to go. Cologne probably is the best i've been to, Dusseldorf 2nd. Not done Ghent but Brugges is nice too but can be slightly heavy on tourists side too.

andrewf75

Spider_In_The_Bath wrote: »

Try Gent / Ghent, or Brugges instead. Gent is lovely and much less touristy than Brugges.

I would second that

Gent is a great place

pogofish

adeelmpk wrote: »

We're [couple + a 4 year old] planning to drive over to Calais [via Euro tunnel] first weekend of December and I'm thinking of best way/places to spend the weekend. We'll arrive Calais around 4pm and our train back is on Sunday 8pm.

We would love to see some Christmas markets and at same time visit and do something interesting during Saturday and Sunday day times. At the moment I'm planning to drive straight to Brussels Friday evening and stay there until Sunday morning and then back to Calais via Lille after a 3/4 hour stopover. Why Lille ... ? Because wife would like to buy some macaroons Any other suggestions for places/Cities to spend time given that we're not spending too long driving back and forth.

Thanks a lot .

When did all these places become part of the UK then?

If its any help, there is a Christmas Markets thread already going in the correct forum.

[Deleted User]

andrewf75 wrote: »

I would second that

Gent is a great place

It is over for this year, but try and go to the Gentse Feesten as it is brilliant. Link to the 2015 event earlier this year.

http://gentsefeesten.gent/en

[Deleted User]

adeelmpk wrote: »

Thanks for the idea, would you say a day would be enough for each city or both days in one place and perhaps do they other on next trip.

Hi,

I would stay in Gent and get the train to Brugge for the day. The trains are easy to use and it will be about 30 - 40 mins between the two cities.

Brugge is lovely, but it can get very busy. I think Gent is so much nicer.

*smurfy*

If you've not been to Brussels,then maybe spend a day there,not sure there is enough there for a day really,but just my tastes and having lived there I think I just miss the excitement of the tourist things there. If you want the Christmas markets without going into Germany about an hour from Brussels is Liege,Maastrict and Valkenburg. Never been to the first two planning to this year but been to valkenburg few times. I'd also say if possible try and do 3 week days rather than weekends as they far too busy!

joerugby

In my experience the best Christmas markets are in Cologne

Hotels are plentiful, food and drinks are good and the city has a lot to see and do

I'd drive straight through Belgium without stopping - Cologne is 260 miles from Calais, all motorway