Christmas markets

[Mrs Ava]

I know I have brought this up before, but when I last posted, back in 2005, mum and I never did get our act together and go.  Well this is the year, we are looking at various websites and have a  couple of ideas.  Just wondered if any of you guys have any feedback on Christmas markets in Europe that you have visited.  Any good, how did you get there, what can you recommend??  We are looking at German, Austria, Switzerland, Belgium or France.

Ta everso muchly.

[Mrs Ava]

[Tin Shed]

Went to Lille last year with my eldest daughter, but there really wasn't much there - haven't been to any others.

[OliveOil]

All the europeans flock to Lincoln Market.

[ACE]

Have a weekend in Praque, near xmas. See you there.

[Lindsay]

Aachen, in Germany near the border with Belgium and the Netherlands is great - very colourful and plenty of german sausage and Gluhwein (hot wine) to beat the cold!

Strasbourg (France) is also well worth visiting.  I don't know why, but the German ones seem so much more Christmas-y though.

Try this site to get some inspiration - http://www.germany-christmas-market.org.uk

Enjoy the planning - I believe that the tourist sites - and the visit when it comes!

[Mrs Ava]

Picked up a brochure today, as well as looking at lots of sights online.  I did look at that one Linsday.  Aachen seems to be a popular one.    Anyone else??

[asbean]

Yes yes yes!!!!

In my dear dear city of Milano ( :-* :-* :-* :-* :-*).  There are two markets in the first week of December - one is called obej obej (pronounced obey obey) to celebrate Saint Ambrogio (the patron saint of the city). It's OK, just, as it has deteriorated over the years, in my opinion.  The other is HUGE and is from 1st to 9th December called L'artigiano in Fiera.  This has stalls of products from almost every country on the planet.  Obviously Italian products are well represented, but pretty well everything is a bargain, and not to be found in the UK.  On the last day the prices come right down (if that's possible without giving the stuff away).  But of course that is the busiest day, and is so crowded it's suffocating.

[Mrs Ava]

Never thought of Italy!

[asbean]

And you can pick up some REAL food while you're there. And some fashion bargains.  And see the Christmas lights.  And public transport is cheap cheap cheap and easy to use.  One of my cousins lives in Munich and I did the markets there as I was staying during S Ambrogio, and was also in Dusseldorf for a business trip in early December a few years ago.  Apparently Cologne has the best markets around there.

[Mrs Ava]

I think we are going to give Frankfurt ago.  We can fly and it is a reasonable price for 4 days, the start of December.  Nothing like planning ahead!

[emmy1978]

And you can pick up some REAL food while you're there. And some fashion bargains.  And see the Christmas lights.  And public transport is cheap cheap cheap and easy to use.  One of my cousins lives in Munich and I did the markets there as I was staying during S Ambrogio, and was also in Dusseldorf for a business trip in early December a few years ago.  Apparently Cologne has the best markets around there.

Asbean - you've sold it to me at any rate!!! Sounds fantastic.

[asbean]

I was in Milan last year on a business trip and managed to go on two evenings, but unfortunately I wasn't well at all (sickening for the dreaded lurgy) and spent the rest of the trip in bed in my friend's flat (and doing some of his work as well, as his computer had crashed and lost about 16 pages of technical translation).  My son (Sabretooth) wants to go this year so I think I'll have to go again.   :-* :-* :-*