Topdeck Travel Blog

For her first wintry northern Christmas, Kara travelled to the magical Brugge Christmas Markets for some festive cheer!

If like me you are more accustomed to a warm and sunny Southern Hemisphere festive season complete with beachfront BBQs and long sunny days the thought of a wintery white Christmas is a magical and romantic prospect.

And you certainly can’t get a better northern Noel than with a visit to one of Europe’s Christmas Markets.

In this case, the Brugge (or Bruges) Christmas Market!

Brugge: A Fairytale Town

For anyone who has seen, and loved, the movie ‘In Bruges’ (Colin Farrell anyone?), the city holds a certain quirky appeal.

It’s hard to describe Brugge without using a lot of cheesy and romantic words… it’s a beautiful, breathtaking, peaceful and magical, fairy-tale town.

All these description are true – even more so at Christmas time!

With so many ornate buildings, stalls, shops and decorations it was hard to know where to turn next so my friends Kath and Becca and I needed a plan.

Our mission: to soak up as much of the Christmas Spirit as possible!

First we stopped for a look in a Christmas decoration shop. Thousands of handcrafted fairies, elves, Santas and nativity decorations hung throughout the store. The ornaments were pretty, but a bit pricey, but hey, it’s free to look!

So shiny & sparkly!

Next we sampled the local mulled wine and made our way through the first of two market squares. A warm beverage is pretty much a requirement to keep warm and feel cheery at Christmas time!

The old town is fairly compact and it doesn’t take long to cover the main area on foot and even if you get a little lost down one of the town’s many walkways you’ll soon get back on track.

The main market is found in the centre of the square in front of the Church of Our Lady. There an ice-rink is surrounded by stalls selling food, produce and Christmas-themed goodies.

My total lack of coordination meant skating was off the cards, so we tucked into some tasty banana fritters instead, followed by a round of Belgian hot chips!

Far too full to climb!

Suitably stuffed from our Belgian delights, we were far too full to climb the famous church tower so spent more time sightseeing and shopping.

My shopping basket was full of mouth-watering Belgian chocolates, locally made honey, delicate ornaments and a mini wooden tree complete with decorations.

You’d have to be a pretty big Grinch not to get caught up in the Christmas Spirit of this town. From the giant Christmas trees in town squares and fairy-lights hanging over the canal to the smell of festive delicacies.

A full on day of shopping, eating and walking really takes it out of you so by early evening we were exhausted.

Christmas cheer is everywhere in Brugge

What a better way to finish the day than with a special Belgian coffee – essentially a shot of coffee with a shot of a local liqueur topped with sweet cream. They also offer a rather tasty alcoholic hot chocolate! Nom!

So wrap up warm, don your best carol singing voice and head to the Brugge for the Christmas Markets!

If you fancy a stroll around Brugge with a hot bevvie in hand, why not join Topdeck’s overnight trip to the Brugge Christmas Markets!

Magical Brugge

Topdeck Travel’s Amelia Lawrence experiences her first white Christmas in the Baltics

Christmas, to most of us Australians, means a few things. Hot weather. Cold swimming pools. Delicious seafood lunches. And yet we still listen to Bing Crosby dreaming of a white Christmas, which Santa dashes through the snow and Frosty the snowman comes to life one day. So what is a white Christmas really all about?

We started our white Christmas adventure in Riga, a city famous for its UNESCO World Heritage listing and with an architectural style unrivalled in Europe. Our local guide showed us the Art Nouveau architecture the city is famous for, as well as where to sample some local dishes. We eventually settled on a tiny hidden gem of a restaurant, tucked away in the narrow, winding cobblestone streets in the Old Town, where we indulged in cold beetroot borscht, delicious local sausages and some pickled mushrooms – apparently a Latvian delicacy!

Hot chocolate break!

One of the great joys of Christmas in Europe is the chance to visit the Christmas markets, and during the Christmas season Riga hosts a small Christmas market, where we warmed ourselves with mulled wine whilst deciding which festive Latvian decorations we couldn’t live without!

Church of the Saviour of Spilt Blood, St. Petersburg

From Riga it was on to Russia’s St Petersburg! This amazing city becomes a winter wonderland during December, which was great news for us as it meant very few tourists and almost no lines at the major attractions! It wasn’t until we embarked on a guided tour of the city that we understood what white Christmases are all about – the city’s sites are even more picturesque when covered with layers of fluffy white snow! Sure, it’s cold, but considering that at The Hermitage Museum we seemed to be the only tourists, what’s not to love? After a day of snow and ice we indulge in a sumptuous hot Christmas dinner, and we’re finally starting to get the white Christmas spirit!

After our first white Christmas, we journeyed across the plains to Tallinn, Estonia’s gothic capital. This spectacular city is a panorama of medieval history, culture and charm. We spend our time exploring within the ancient city walls, where the local sites are held within a maze of narrow cobbled streets and looming spires. It’s then finally time to try some delicious Estonian meals, warming ourselves up on hearty soups, delicious meat dishes and even some delicious Estonian rhubarb pastries!

After eight days in the Baltics, we’ve come to realise that while a white Christmas may not be what we’re used to – but it certainly makes for a new and exciting way to spend our holidays!

Interested? Check out this year’s Baltic Explorer

For more information about Topdeck’s range of Christmas and New Year trips, including the 8 day Baltic Explorer Christmas trip, visit http://www.topdeck.travel/christmas-and-new-year.

Wherever you decide to celebrate the New Year, chances are there’s something exciting happening. Unless you’re home with your parents…in which case you may want to have a plan B. If you’re undecided, there’s still time to get together with friends, make new friends, or call up old friends and plan a reunion.

How about taking part in Edinburgh’s world-famous Hogmanay that turns the Scottish capital into a gigantic street party? New Year in Berlin is also promising to be a cool party experience. Then there are the amazing New Years Eve fireworks in Krakow and the crazy/unique nightlife of a New Year in Amsterdam!

If you’re sorted for New Year, but would like to do something different for Christmas or fancy a trip to some European Christmas markets beforehand, check out what Topdeck offers for the upcoming Festive Season!

Extended winter tours are also available so you could see Europe without the crowds in all its snow-covered glory.

Trips aimed at 18-30 something travellers. Fun factor - guaranteed!

Want to get away this Christmas? Keen to escape the winter blues or maybe just fancy a different festive break? Well Topdeck Travel have the perfect answer.

Topdeck are offering fantastic Christmas and New Year packages with breaks in London, Paris and Morocco to name just a few. With these great value deals, at the click of a button you can be spending Christmas exploring the Baltic, celebrating Hogmanay at an Edinburgh street party or enjoying the winter sun in Egypt.

And with prices starting from £60 even the credit crunch won’t stop your holiday plans. Plus half of our 18 to 30 somethings travel alone, so it’s the perfect way to make new friends for the New Year.