Three Options for Spending the Holidays in Europe

The air is getting crisper and the days are getting shorter, and Christmas will be here before you know it. For those who want to celebrate the holidays in Europe, here are a few options from hotels and tour operators. 

Prague

Christmas time in Prague begins November 29, and the Four Seasons Hotel Prague has created a Prague Christmas Markets package including accommodations, one category upgrade based on availability, a horse-drawn carriage ride around the city center with roasted chestnuts and mulled wine prepared by the CottoCrudo kitchen team, and an afternoon coffee or tea with a selection of traditional Czech Christmas cookies served in the Hotel Lobby or CottoCrudo bar. The carriage ride ends at the Old Town Square Christmas market, where guests can shop and explore Czech festive traditions. Prague Christmas markets are known as among the most beautiful in Europe, definitely a highlight of our city when visiting in December. 

The package is based on minimum stay of two nights with rates starting at EUR 305.00 and is available from November 28 until January 6, 2015.

Four Seasons Hotel Prague will also offer Christmas menus, live concerts in the Lobby and New Year’s Eve celebration for the season.

London

In London, the Savoy will decorate its rooms with trees, door-wreaths and fireplace garlands on request for the holiday, so kids can still open their gifts under a tree. Even better, children will receive a ginger bread house, milk and cookies and carrots in their rooms on Christmas Eve. (The carrots, of course, are for Santa's reindeer.) Kaspar’s will host a Christmas Eve dinner and Christmas Day set dining alongside a special holiday Afternoon Tea, available from December 1 in the Thames Foyer.

For activities on the town, the Savoy has teamed up with Somerset House to offer a two-night stay and access to a special ice-skating experience. The Savoy and Skate includes two-nights in a Superior Room with breakfast, holiday treats on arrival, Festive Afternoon Tea for two and two tickets to Skate with post-skate Champagne and Truffles in Fortnum’s Lodge.

As we noted earlier, this year's New Year's Eve fireworks in London will be ticketed for the first time. 100,000 tickets will be available to the public for top views of the  display and, as the tourism board claims, a better visitor experience. Visitors and locals will be able to book up to four tickets at £10 each from Friday, September 26 at 12 noon (UK time), by going to london.gov.uk/nye

Italy 

Italy-bound celebrants can save $1,000 per couple when they book the December 18-27 departure of Perillo's Marco Polo Tour by October 15. They can spend the holiday exploring Venice, Padua, Florence, Siena and Rome
 
Pricing for this trip begins at $2,​490* per person, double (this pricing reflects the savings). Guests who book by October 15 will save $1,000 per couple on the December 18-27 departure.

Highlights:

  • Visiting one of the world’s oldest glass blowing factories on the island of Murano;
  • Stocking up on gifts and snacks at Florence's two outdoor Christmas markets;
  • Tasting traditional vintages at a Tuscan winery;
  • Exploring the Vatican Museum, Sistine Chapel and St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican City; 
  • Expertly guided tours of some of Italy's most famous towns including, Venice, Florence, Siena and Rome;
  • Spending Christmas Eve - St. Stephen's Feast Day (Dec. 26) in Rome, where visitors can view the Vatican's life-size Nativity, observe Christmas Mass and witness a special Papal blessing.