My husband has health issues causing us to cancel our three-week trip to Paris, Lyon, Barcelona, Girona, Granada, Seville, Madrid and Toledo in October. Now we are looking at rescheduling for December including Christmas. We've celebrated Christmas in Paris before and would now like to celebrate in one of the Spanish cities mentioned above. What would be your recommendation? As always, you've always been helpful. TIA.
Posted by
Tresana, Highlands Ranch, CO, USA
23278 posts
Best at best is a relative term. I don't know what is best for you and/or preferences. Paris is call the City of Lights and Christmas is no exception. In northern Europe the Christmas season tends to shut down with Christmas. Many of the Christmas markets will fold on Christmas eve. In Spain there is greater emphasis on the Three Kings and Jan 6 so the Christmas season extends through the 6th. We have been in Seville, Granada, Malaga during that time period. Not sure if we have a favorite. We did like Seville but everything shuts down for Christmas eve and day so you need to plan accordingly. The weather can be very cool and rainy. One year over New Years we had close to a week of rain in Granada and day light was short but you adjust.
Posted by
OP
904 posts
Thank you, Frank. I lean toward Granada simply because I love the architecture, tiles, the Alhambra, the Albaicin, etc., but I wonder if simple things like restaurants will be open.
I have researched Barcelona and it appears much is celebrated there at Christmas and much is also open.
We have to fly into and out of Barcelona, so the logistics count.
Addendum: We are flying into Paris and out of Barcelona (one of us), the other two, out of Madrid. We've decided on Paris for Christmas with Spain following.
I'm still interested in what might be open between Christmas and January 9th in Spain (Barcelona, Girona, Granada, Seville and Madrid.) Furthermore, we were in Paris for Christmas in 2016. I'm wondering if there have been changes since then at that time.
Posted by
Vacaville, Ca
1369 posts
In 2021 the Christmas Market in Paris was no longer on the Champs Elysees, I believe it moved away from there prior to COVID. It was set up at La Defense. The Christmas Carnival/Fair/Market was going on at Jarden des Tuileries.