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Christmas market guide |  | | | 27 October 2008 | For many people, the excitement of Christmas lies in the preparation – from decorating the house and stocking up the cupboards to exploring festive markets for unique gifts for friends and family. Shoppers looking for a memorable festive experience can take advantage of one of the many rail and ferry crossings between the UK and the continent for a Christmas market break in one of Europe's top tourist destinations.
One of the most popular options, owing to its easy accessibility and the size of the event, is the Lille Christmas Market, which will be held in Place Rihour from November 19th to December 30th. The entire square is taken over by stalls selling arts and crafts, providing plenty of opportunities to pick up some unique Christmas gifts and souvenirs. There are also market stands selling local cuisine and hot drinks to help visitors stay warm while browsing.
People planning to spread their trips over a number of days will find a number of hotels within easy reach of the Lille Christmas Market, including the Hotel Kanai, the Novotel Lille Centre Grand Place and the Hotel Holiday Inn Express.
Lille is a particularly popular destination for Christmas market breaks owing to its location in northern France, which makes it very easy to reach for British visitors. People planning Christmas market ferry trips also have a range of travel options to choose from. Both P&O Ferries and SeaFrance sail from Dover to Calais, while Norfolkline offers ferry crossings from Dover to Dunkerque. Prices for these services start from as little as £25 for same-day return crossings in early December or around £50 for two-day trips.
Northern France certainly offers the benefit of easy access by ferry but people interested in combining their Christmas market breaks with a visit to one of the world's top tourist destinations can also head to Paris. The French capital boasts a number of popular markets, the most high-profile of which include a Christmas village at the Boulevard Saint-Germain-des-Pres and a festive fair at the Place Saint-Sulpice.
There are plenty more exciting Christmas options to be found in France's neighbour to the north-east, Belgium, which is just as easy to reach from the UK. The Brussels Winter Wonderland Christmas market will take place in capital's Place Saint Catherine from November 28th to December 28th. This particular market is famed for its warm and friendly atmosphere, boasting picturesque light decorations, countless stalls to browse through and even an ice rink for brave visitors to try out. Nearby hotels include the Stanhope, the Hotel Chambord and the Leopold Hotel. Like Paris, Brussels benefits from direct Eurostar access, with trains heading to the city following stops in Calais and Lille.
Another popular option in Belgium is the Ostend Christmas market, which also includes an open-air skating rink and is close to a number of restaurants and Flemish pubs. Considering its location on the northern coast of the country, Ostend is best reached via ferry crossings. People planning Christmas market breaks in Ostend can head to the port of Zeebrugge with P&O Ferries, which sails from Hull, or with TransEuropa Ferries from Ramsgate.
Festive fairs can also be found in a number of destinations around Holland. People staying in the south of the country can head to the Valkenburg Christmas market or Winterland Maastricht, while visitors to the Amsterdam region can pick up their seasonal gifts in the capital itself or in the town of Dordrecht.
DFDS Seaways, P&O Ferries and Stena Line all sail to Holland, with services from Newcastle to Amsterdam, from Hull to Rotterdam and from Harwich to Hook of Holland.
Whichever destination they choose, visitors to European Christmas markets will be guaranteed a memorable festive experience providing plenty of opportunities to pick up some ideal gifts and unique souvenirs. |
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