Q: As a 21st birthday present I am taking my daughter to Europe in early December. I know that the Germans make much of Christmas. Do you have any ideas on which cities, towns and villages in Western Europe including the UK offer the best Christmas displays, plays, shopping and most of all, the best Christmas atmosphere? - Hildegard Chapman.
A: You really can't go wrong in most European cities, as they all make an effort to transform themselves over Christmas to resemble magical winter wonderlands. Personally, I love to visit London in December to shop, admire the shop window displays and see a pantomime. However, to find a more traditional Christmas atmosphere you should cross the channel to western Europe. Germany has the finest Christmas markets, where you can buy handmade goods, drink warm wine with cinnamon and eat gingerbread biscuits. There are spectacular markets in Berlin and Cologne, but the one held in the Bavarian city of Nuremberg is considered to be the quintessential German Christkindlmarkt. The tradition dates back to 1628 and organisers make sure it keeps its traditional, family-oriented atmosphere and reject over-commercialisation. Other cities that have great Christmas markets are Vienna (on the Rathaus plaza) and Prague (held on Wenceslas Square). The most beautiful Christmas town in Europe may well be Montreux in Switzerland, where 120 chalets along the lake are decorated in festive colours and coloured lights transform the entire area into a fairytale landscape. Finally, Copenhagen in Denmark is a great Christmas destination, with the Tivoli Gardens in enchanting form.
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