The top 5 Christmas events in Europe

With ferry services available to cities and countries all over Europe, there has never been a better time for holidaymakers to experience Christmas in a foreign destination. Several festive events will be taking place over the coming weeks, providing the perfect excuse for hard-working travellers to treat themselves to a short break.

Winter Wonders - Brussels

Brussels gets into the Christmas spirit every year with its Winter Wonders festival. Based at different locations in the heart of the city, the event will begin on November 27th this year and run until January 3rd. Adventurous visitors might fancy trying out the ice skating rink and sledding track, while those hoping to do some gift shopping during their break can head to the market on Place Sainte Catherine, which features some 240 chalets. Other highlights of Winter Wonders include the Electrabel Nights display at Grand Place and a special installation at the Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert.

Travellers based in southern England can get to Belgium via the Ramsgate to Ostend ferry service provided by TransEuropa Ferries. Norfolkline and P&O Ferries also provide travel options with their ferries to Zeebrugge, which operate from Rosyth and Hull respectively. Belgium shares a border with France, meaning that visitors also have the option of taking ferries to Calais or Dunkerque from Dover and driving into the country.

Leopardstown Christmas Festival - Dublin

People with a passion for horseracing can take ferries to Dublin this Christmas to experience one of the highlights of the city's sporting calendar. The Leopardstown Christmas Racing Festival will run from December 26th to 29th, attracting tens of thousands of people to the racecourse about six miles south of Dublin city centre. Top trainers and jockeys take part in the festival, which offers over €1 million (£905,000) in prize money. Visitors have the option of paying for a VIP package that includes mulled wine and a meal, as well as the services of an expert tipster.

Visitors planning to head straight to Leopardstown would be best served by the Holyhead to Dun Laoghaire ferry link provided by Stena Line. Irish Ferries operates on the Holyhead to Dublin ferry route, which is also served by Stena Line. People based in northern England can take ferries to Dublin from Liverpool with P&O Ferries or Norfolkline Irish Sea.

Kerstcircus - Rotterdam

Rotterdam's annual Kerstcircus is an ideal event for people planning to let their hair down and have some unadulterated fun this Christmas. The show will be performed at the Dutch city's Ahoy Theatre from December 18th to 30th. All of the acts one would expect to see at a circus, along with a few surprises, will appear in the arena, including clowns, acrobats, jugglers, contortionists and trapeze artists. Performers come from as far and wide as China, Mongolia and Africa to appear in the Kerstcircus. The event is one of Rotterdam's most popular Christmas traditions and will be celebrating its 39th outing this year.

Direct access to the Dutch city is provided by P&O Ferries, which operates a Hull to Rotterdam ferry service. Travellers can also take ferries to Amsterdam from Newcastle with DFDS Seaways, while Stena Line offers an alternative for those based in the south with its Harwich to Hook of Holland ferry link.

Winterfest - Glasgow

Glasgow becomes a magical winter wonderland during its annual Christmas festival. Winterfest 2009 is already underway and will continue to offer all sorts of seasonal fun and entertainment until January 3rd. Mainly based in George Square, the event features highlights including the Santa Dash on December 13th, which sees people donning their Father Christmas costumes and embarking on a 5km run for charity. Family groups will be able to have some fun on the outdoor ice rink and attractions that are located beneath the giant Christmas tree in George Square. There will also be live entertainment on offer at the Big Stage, which will host events including a Real Radio party night every Friday and screenings of Christmas movies at the weekend.

People based in Northern Ireland will find it easy to reach Glasgow, with Stena Line offering ferries to Stranraer from Belfast and P&O Ferries providing a Larne to Cairnryan ferry service. Both ports are a manageable drive away from the city. Scotland is also linked to the continent by the Rosyth to Zeebrugge ferry route, which is served by Norfolkline. Travellers who fancy exploring Scotland's Northern Isles this Christmas can take ferries to Lerwick or Kirkwall from Aberdeen with NorthLink Ferries.

Les Hivernales - Montpellier

Travellers planning an adventurous trip in France this Christmas will have the chance to stop off in the city of Montpellier, the capital of the Languedoc-Roussillon region, to attend Les Hivernales. This celebration of the winter season and everything associated with it takes place in Place de la Comedie in the heart of the city throughout the month of December. Modelled on Les Estivales, Montpellier's summer festival, Les Hivernales features live music performances, an ice skating rink, arts and crafts workshops and even a mini ski slope. Visitors will also be able to get into the festive mood by attending carol concerts and watching the Christmas parade.

Montpellier is located on France's southern coast, meaning that travellers can sail to any of the northern ports and drive through the heart of the country to reach the city. Those who would prefer a short sea crossing can use the Dover to Calais ferry route, which is served by P&O Ferries and Seafrance, or alternatively take ferries to Boulogne or Dunkerque, which are provided by LD Lines and Norfolkline respectively from Dover. LD Lines also offers ferries to Le Havre from Portsmouth, while Brittany Ferries operates Caen, Cherbourg and St Malo ferry services from the same port.

Posted by Andrew Smith