Holiday Destinations: Towns to Visit at Christmas and fall in love with this great Christian holiday.
Is it possible? Of course it is. There are places in the world that seem to have been created exclusively for late December, and today we're going to discover them.
Rovaniemi, Finland
Will it be, as he claims, the "official Santa Claus village?» Maybe. This town is in the Finnish Lapland and is particularly known for Santa Claus Village, the amusement park where everything revolves around this non-biblical but very Christmassy character.
Rovaniemi Park is open year-round, but the best time to visit is December. If you go at another time, don't worry, it's still so close to the Arctic Circle. there is always snow and you can always do winter activities or spend the night in igloos.
Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Germany
On our list of festive destinations, towns to visit at Christmas, it is the turn of Rothenburg ob der Tauber, just halfway between Munich and Frankfurt.
In this medieval village with cobbled streets and a charm straight out of a Brothers Grimm tale, but if you go at Christmas it gets even more beautiful.
Visually, it is an unbelievable town, with a long history and charming traditions, both Christmas-related and not. It houses the German Christmas Museum and the German Christmas Festival is held here every year. Reiterlesmarkt, one of the best Christmas markets in all of Europe.
Gdansk, Poland
The truth is that Poland has many beautiful cities, towns and villages but for Christmas we will choose Gdansk, over the Baltic Sea.
In December, the town is decorated with countless lights and opens a market, the largest and oldest in the region.
Mousehole, United Kingdom
This charming town is still on our list of festive destinations, towns to visit at Christmas, It's in cornwall, United Kingdom.
For more than 60 years there has been a Christmas event called Mousehole Harbour Lights This event involves the lighting of hundreds of lights that bring life to the small bay at the tip of Cornwall. It's estimated there are around 10 little lights, no less.
The silhouettes of the little houses overlooking the water are lit up with colors. It's cold, there's a Christmas spirit, and everything is bathed in magic. Don't you want to go? Every year, thousands of English people come to be part of the moment.
Colmar, France
Colmar cannot be missed if we talk about medieval towns with Christmas charmThe town has beautiful traditional architecture, like almost all of the French Alsace, but at Christmas you have to take off your hat.
Picturesque if there ever was one, Colmar It is old, it has cobblestone streets and the little houses look like something out of a Hansel and Gretel story. Every Wednesday and Saturday in December, at 5 p.m., a children's choir takes up residence at the local channel, which they call Little Venice, to sing Christmas carols.
While it's a beautiful destination at any time of year, the Christmas atmosphere definitely suits it better.
Hallstaatt, Austria
I know this is one of Austria's most popular tourist destinations, and you might be missing out on mass tourism. I know, but have you seen how beautiful this Austrian village is? Picture-postcard.
On the banks of the Hallsstätter See and surrounded by the Alps, the village has long enjoyed UNESCO protection as a World HeritageTheir little houses are from the XVI century, it has narrow streets and it almost certainly snows at Christmas time, so it's the best time if you want to experience unforgettable holidays.
The town also organizes a Christmas marketIn the main square, there is a Christmas tree, a nativity scene made by local wood artisans, spiced wine, and plenty of things to buy and eat in a truly magical setting.
Rudesheim, Germany
This charming holiday destination is located in the heart of the Rhine Valley, a wine-growing area and year-round tourist destination.
But… at Christmas time is when its beauty is underlined by the atmosphere that is created here. A Christmas Market of the Nations, with many stalls selling goods and food from all over the world.
In addition, medieval buildings of the town and its streets and alleys are decorated with festive atmosphere. It is a charming place to spend Christmas and You can get there from Frankfurt by boat or train.
If you arrive by boat, you can take the free bus that takes you to the internationally-inspired Christmas market.
Valkenburg, Netherlands
This charming town is in the south of the Netherlands and at Christmas it comes alive with colored lights, Christmas trees, stalls and music.
So why is it special? Because everything happens underground. The town has caves, internationally renowned caves, which is where the Christmas market stalls are set up.
And there is a cave bigger than the rest, the Municipal Cave, which hosts one of the largest Christmas markets in Europe.
There is also the Velvet Cave dating from the 11th or 12th century, formerly a stone mine from which the stones that make up Valkenburg Castle, a refuge during the Second World War, came.
Villalago, Italy
Sure this medieval Italian village you didn't know him. He's in the Abruzzo Mountains and it is a charming place located between Lake Scanno and the artificial lake of San Domenico.
In Villalago only 600 people live there and is part of the network of The most beautiful Italian villages, in recognition of its extraordinary architectural and scenic beauty.
You have amphitheater shape, With stone houses built into cliffs and precipices, very narrow streets, and staircases that form a veritable labyrinth. If you walk around looking at the houses, you'll see that many have coats of arms with animals, flowers, and even faces, legacies from a long past.
Lacu Valley, from this Latin name comes the current name of the town, referring to the nine natural lakes that once existed here and of which many have already disappeared.
villalago It is at an altitude of 920 meters and its beauty attracts visitors, although the most religious also come for the Hermitage of San Domenico, built between the 10th and 11th centuries. It includes a cave carved into limestone and a church with frescoes depicting the saint's life and work.
The truth is that the hermitage is a pilgrimage destination every year in August, so the town comes alive, offering horseback riding, hiking, and mountain biking. There are also boat rides and windsurfing on the Sagittario River and the nearby waterfalls.
Y At Christmas, Villalago offers a unique event.: Torches, candles, and fireworks illuminate the waters of Lake San Domenico on the night of December 26. after the sun sets.
Then a curious thing begins procession of diversYes, divers. They carry ceramic statues to the bottom of the lake: Jesus, Mary, Joseph, a donkey, and an ox, symbolizing Christmas, which float in the waters during the night until they magically disappear into the depths of the lake.
What do you think of these Charming festive destinations to spend Christmas?