Top City Breaks
2012 Special Events
Vienna Philharmonic Sea & Music Cruise - July 2012
London Olympics 2012
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Press release: 16 September 2011
Gourmet-lover, Romantic or
Super-shopper - Which is the Best European Christmas Market for You
This Year?
Europe's Christmas markets are a lovely way to get into the
festive spirit by combining a city break with a shopping trip to
stock up on hand-made decorations, foodie goodies such as Lebkuchen
ginger bread and unique Christmas presents. Specialist tour
operator, Dertour, has a range of short break packages to Christmas
market destinations, and has hand-picked the following
'off-the-beaten-track' markets which are perfect whether you are
looking for a gourmet, romantic or pure shopping experience.
These are just a few examples, as Dertour offers Christmas markets
to 14 countries including Austria, Belgium, Germany, the Czech
Republic, Hungary, France and Switzerland, as well as, for the
first time for 2011, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Italy, Poland and
Sweden. Overall prices start from just £128 per person for a two
night trip to Prague.
Best for Romance (and Gingerbread!) - Nuremberg - from
£330pp - Nuremberg is picture-perfect, with a castle
over-looking the city giving the perfect romantic backdrop.
It also happens to be where the famous Christmas gingerbread,
Lebkuchen, was invented! Depart Gatwick on 2nd December for a two
night break in Nuremberg to experience its Christmas Market, set in
the heart of the city's Old Town, and consisting of 180 festive
wooden stalls decorating Nuremberg's twinkling Market Square.
This weekend break is priced from £330 per person (based on
two sharing) to include two nights accommodation on bed and
breakfast basis at the four star Arvena Park hotel and return
flights from Gatwick.
Best for Hand-Made Gifts - Dresden - from £219pp
- Christmastime transforms the city on the River Elbe into
a winter wonderland. Dresden's Christmas market, traditionally
called Striezelmarkt, is one of Germany's largest and oldest
markets, dating all the way back to 1434. Nowadays over 230
lovingly decorated stalls of Dresden's Striezelmarkt offer a wealth
of festive regional arts and crafts; from wooden ornaments made by
skilled wood carvers of the Erzgebirge mountain villages to
Indigo-printed textiles and pottery from Lusatia, and from
wickerwork and Plauen lace to sought-after paper Advent stars from
Herrnhut. Dertour's weekend packages to Dresden include
return flights from Heathrow to Düsseldorf and two nights
accommodation on bed and breakfast basis in the four star Madison
Hotel situated in the heart of the city. Based on two people
sharing. Departures between 25 November and 24 December.
Best for Gourmet-lovers - Freiburg from £259pp -
Close to the Swiss and French border and located on the western
edge of the Southern Black Forest, one of Germany's most popular
holiday regions, Freiburg is a lively university city with a very
charming atmosphere during Christmas time. And because of its
location, it offers an excellent choice of wine from the region,
plus the famous 'Black Forest Gateaux' which adorn every café
window! Dertour's weekend packages include return flights
from Gatwick to Basel, rail transfer and two nights accommodation
on bed and breakfast basis in the three star InterCity Hotel.
Based on two people sharing. Departures between 21
November and 23 December.
Best for Culture - Heidelberg from £319pp - The
university town of Heidelberg offers some interesting museums as
well as an ice-skating rink at the foot of Castle Hill plus six
different Christmas markets with more than 140 beautifully
decorated stalls. Prices start from £319 per person, to
include return flights from Heathrow, rail transfers, two nights
bed and breakfast accommodation in the four star Leonardo Hotel.
Based on two people sharing. Departures between 23 November
and 22 December.
Best for A Christmas Market With a Difference - Tallinn
from £255 per person - Tallinn in Estonia is actually home
to one of the oldest Christmas markets in Europe, and is also home
of the world's first Christmas tree (first recorded public display
of a Christmas tree was in 1441). It now offers a great
Christmas markets experience in a UNESCO world heritage site, with
this year's market being 'fairytale' themed, with Santa Claus
wondering the market greeting visitors. A two night Christmas
Market packages to Tallinn starting from £255 per person to include
return flights from Gatwick and accommodation on bed and breakfast
basis in the four star hotel Sokos Hotel Viru. Departures between
25 November and 22 December.
Best for Super-Shoppers - Wiesbaden from £265 per
person - If you are into shopping, then the combination of
designer shops and the unique gift stalls of Wiesbaden's 'Twinkling
Stars' market (its officially named this, rather than a Christmas
market because of the amounts of international visitors the town
attracts) is for you. Prices start from £265 per person, to
include return flights from London Heathrow, two nights bed and
breakfast accommodation in the four star NH Aukamm Wiesbaden.
Based on two people sharing. Departures between 22 November
and 23 December.