Christmas may traditionally be a time for staying at home, but increasing numbers of people are booking holidays for the festive season to take their families to exotic locations that are still brimming with the Christmas spirit. Here is an introduction to some of the best spots for a Christmas abroad.
The most obvious choice is the folkloric home of Father Christmas: Lapland. Many companies offer festive-themed tours of the region that make the most of the seasonal legends that have become associated with the area; these allow younger viewers to get close to reindeer, performers in traditional elf costumes and so forth. Visitors of any age, meanwhile, will be able to lose themselves in the snow-swept surroundings.
An alternative to Lapland is Slovakia, another area known for its stunning winter landscapes. It may not be as closely associated with Christmas in the public imagination but is nonetheless perfect for a festive visit, its snow-covered vistas looking as though they have emerged straight out of a Christmas card.
An ideal pursuit for a Christmas holiday is skiing. There are many locations that are suited to skiing holidays, but the Alps will always rank amongst the most popular. If you plan to take children with you on holiday then it is worth remembering that some resorts deal in junior skiing: do some research beforehand and you may find the perfect spot for a family skiing holiday.
Finally, it is worth remembering that some people may choose to go on holiday around Christmastime for the precise reason of escaping the cold weather and will therefore appreciate a trip to warmer climes. A great choice would be Australia: although Christmas celebrations take place in this country it is during the summertime, giving any visitor the chance to experience the festive season without a single chill.
Of course, Christmas is a time for giving and perhaps it would be worth thinking about a Christmas holiday as a gift to be shared with a loved one. This will depend solely on their personal tastes – but perhaps the above suggestions will give you some ideas for a Christmas present that will be remembered for a lifetime.
Charming Prague
Situated in the banks of the Vltava River, Prague is one of Europe’s top tourist destinations. Perhaps Prague owes this distinction mostly to its beautiful vestiges of baroque architecture, which were miraculously spared the ravages of war. Following Czechoslovakia’s ‘Velvet Revolution’ in 1989, tourists flocked to Prague in record numbers to rediscover one of the most beautiful cities in Europe.
The baroque religious statues of the Charles Bridge make it one of Europe’s most famous and unusual bridges. A major restoration of the bridge began in 2007 and will continue until 2020. In Lesser Town (Mala Strana) is Malostranske Sqare, frames with Renaissance and baroque facades; in the neighboring Hradcany (castle) district are the palace, royal castle (collection of paintings by Rubens and Titian), and St. Vitus Cathedral.
Across the Charles Bridge is Old Town (Stare Mesto), around Old Town Square, then New Town (Nove Mesto) and Wenceslas Square – once the heart of the Velvet Revolution, but now without a trace of its tumultuous past. The Jewish Quarter of Josefov, degraded to a ghetto well before World War II, has six synagogues (of which the Old-New Synagouge, built in 1270, is the oldest in Europe) and the Old Jewish Cemetery, with more than 12,000 haphazardly scattered tombstones.
Prague was once the cultural center of the Holy Roman Empire. Today, its ancient heritage is preserved in several of the city’s museums, most notably the National Gallery.
The warmest month to go to Czech Republic are from May to September, however Prague is equally beautiful in the winter if you can stand pretty low temperatures. Surprisingly, travel can be expensive, and not only in Prague. High-season accommodations can be hard to find in the capital so make sure you book in advance. There are many hotels to choose from in Prague with spas and other facilities, such as Corinthia Hotel, which is ideally suited for both business and pleasure, close to the all the attractions in the centre of the city. Are you also excited to buy lang calendars , check out a big collection of calendars with best price here.
