Find your festive escape with Christmas market getaways, cruises and holiday breaks. Get practical tips to choose a Christmas trip you’ll love.

Christmas Market Getaways: Find Your Festive Escape

There’s a moment on a festive break when your shoulders drop. The lights are glowing, something delicious is cooking nearby, and your biggest decision is whether to browse one more stall or stop for a hot chocolate.

For once, Christmas isn’t another job on your list. You’re actually enjoying it.

That’s the taste of Christmas market getaways. They give you a reason to step away from the usual routine and make a little space for the season: a weekend with your partner, a cheerful outing with friends or a family trip that becomes part of your Christmas story.

You don’t need to do everything, spend extravagantly or squeeze three cities into two days. You need the kind of break that suits you. Here’s how to choose it, with ideas for market trips, festive cruises and Christmas holidays that leave room for enjoyment.

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First, decide what you want Christmas to feel like

Before comparing destinations, ask yourself what you’re hoping to get from the trip.

Would you love a lively market and an evening out? A slower journey with different places to explore? Or a few days away where someone else handles more of the planning?

Your answer matters more than choosing the destination with the most spectacular photos. A beautiful market won’t feel magical if you’re exhausted by the journey or trying to keep up with a schedule you never wanted.

Choose one main priority: atmosphere, time together, convenience or a proper change of scenery. Use that to narrow your search.

Christmas market breaks: for lights, little discoveries and festive treats

If you want Christmas atmosphere without committing to a long holiday, start with UK and European Christmas market breaks.

A UK break may suit you if you’d prefer to stay closer to home. A European getaway can bring the excitement of somewhere different, with local traditions and new places to explore alongside the markets.

Neither needs a jam-packed itinerary. The pleasure is often in wandering, noticing a handmade decoration and finding somewhere warm to sit while the evening lights come on.

Check how much time you’ll actually have

Before choosing an organised trip, look at the itinerary rather than just the number of nights. How much of the break is travelling? How long do you get at the market? Is there time after dark, and is the accommodation convenient for your plans?

A shorter trip with generous time in one place may suit you better than a longer itinerary that feels rushed.

Small tip, big difference: wear comfortable shoes you already know. Festive browsing can involve more standing and walking than you expect, especially when every stall gives you another reason to stop.

Festive cruises: when the journey is part of the holiday

Perhaps you like the idea of visiting festive places but don’t want the whole break to revolve around moving between hotels. In that case, explore festive market cruises.

A sailing can offer a different rhythm: time travelling, time ashore and evenings back on board. What that looks like depends on the specific trip, so compare the itinerary with the holiday you have in mind.

For another set of options, browse Christmas market cruises. Keep both collections in your shortlist until you’ve checked their destinations, sailing dates and time ashore.

Questions worth asking before you book

• Are transfers, meals and excursions included, or charged separately?
• How far are the markets from the arrival point?
• Will you explore independently or follow an organised excursion?
• How much walking does the itinerary involve?
• Does the cabin and overall journey suit your comfort needs?

If the markets are your main reason for travelling, make sure you’ll have enough time to enjoy them. A destination on an itinerary doesn’t automatically mean a full day in its centre.

Add an experience that makes the trip yours

A market is a lovely starting point, but it doesn’t have to be the whole holiday. A guided walk, a food experience or a visit to an attraction could give the day another layer, depending on what’s available.

Explore Christmas market activities and things to do once you know where you’re going.

The trick is to choose something you’ll genuinely enjoy rather than filling every available hour. One planned activity, a relaxed meal and time to wander can make a satisfying day.

Try this: book one main experience and leave the rest flexible. You’ll have something to look forward to without turning your festive break into a checklist.

For families, that breathing space is particularly useful. A warm-up stop and a snack can do more for everyone’s mood than another attraction squeezed into the afternoon.

Christmas and New Year getaways: for a bigger change of scenery

Sometimes you’re looking for more than a market visit. You want to spend part of the holiday season away, make a new tradition or celebrate the New Year somewhere different.

Browse Christmas and New Year 2026/2027 getaways and picture the everyday details as well as the big occasion.

Who will you travel with? Would you enjoy organised celebrations or prefer quiet evenings? Do you want an active break, time to rest or a mixture of both?

Check exactly what happens on Christmas Day or New Year’s Eve. Festive meals, entertainment and special events should be confirmed in the booking details, rather than assumed from the word “Christmas”.

If you’re travelling with several people, agree your priorities and a comfortable budget before anyone falls in love with a particular holiday. It makes choosing together much easier.

Last-minute Christmas holidays: for the spontaneous “shall we?”

Not every memorable trip begins months ahead. Sometimes a few free days appear, the usual plans change and you realise you’d love to get away.

Explore last-minute Christmas holidays if that sounds like you.

Flexibility gives you more options to compare, but last-minute doesn’t automatically mean cheaper. Check the full price, suitable departure points and what’s included before deciding a trip is good value.

Make a short list of non-negotiables: your budget, travel dates and the kind of experience you want. Stay open-minded about the rest. A getaway should feel like a welcome opportunity, not a booking you’re trying to make work at any cost.

Practical tips for a Christmas break you’ll actually enjoy

Check the market dates before the holiday dates

Not every Christmas market follows the same calendar. Even within Vienna, the official tourism listings show different opening periods for different markets. Check the specific market you want to visit, including holiday opening hours, before booking travel.

Don’t assume a market will still be open simply because your trip falls between Christmas and New Year.

Build a budget for the whole experience

Allow for transport, accommodation, meals, local travel, activities and a little spending money. Market snacks and small gifts are part of the fun, but deciding on a comfortable allowance helps you enjoy them without second-guessing every purchase.

When comparing packages, look at the total you’re likely to spend, not just the headline price.

Leave room for the lights and for a rest

If seeing the market after dark matters to you, plan your day around that. Have a slower morning or take an afternoon break so you still have energy for the evening.

A warm café stop isn’t wasted sightseeing time. It’s part of enjoying a winter trip.

Pack for being outside

Think layers, a weatherproof outer layer, gloves and comfortable footwear suited to the forecast. A small bag that leaves your hands free is useful for browsing and carrying purchases.

Leave a little space in your luggage if you’re hoping to bring home gifts. That decoration you promised you were “only looking at” may have other plans.

Before you go: a little preparation, more peace of mind

Once the exciting part is booked, give yourself time to check the practical details too. Clear plans make it easier to relax into the experience.

De Travelier’s free guide, “7 Travel Mistakes That Can Ruin Your Dream Trip”, offers practical tips to help you avoid common planning mistakes and leave feeling more prepared.

Download your free travel guide →

Make room for a Christmas memory

It might be a market break close to home, a festive sailing or a holiday that carries you into the New Year. What matters is choosing something that gives you time to enjoy the season with the people you want beside you — or a little space for yourself.

Start with the option that feels right, compare the practical details and keep your plans manageable.

Christmas doesn’t have to pass in a blur of errands. There’s room for a new place, a warm drink and an evening you’ll still be talking about when the decorations come down.