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Christmas travel

Where is a good place to travel the week of Christmas. We love to site see, museums, churches, historic places. We want these places to be open if we travel that week.

Posted by
8001 posts

Having done it for Christmas 2012, I can vouch for Sicily. We rented a car at the Palermo airport and did a counterclockwise tour over 2 1/2 weeks. It’s certainly historic (Greek and Roman sights 2,000 years old), ornate churches, great weather. Not too cold or hot. Presepi, unique Italian manger scenes, are on display throughout villages.

There aren’t magnificent museums like in Madrid, Paris, London, and other large cities, but as I mentioned earlier, there are historic archeological sights, lots of scenic places, and the big island itself is a museum. Mount Etna wasn’t erupting while we were there. The Roman Villa Casale at Piazza Armerena, with amazing mosaics, is up there with any museum, and should be part of your visit!

Posted by
3294 posts

I’ve made Christmas trips to Sicily, Rome, Florence, Bamberg and Paris. Naturally there are holiday closings- Christmas Day and partially on Christmas Eve. Other than that, I don’t remember anything being closed and every place had a great holiday atmosphere.

Posted by
472 posts

Yes, Sicily! We went in Dec., loved it: history & food is amazing, weather was fine with layers (my heaviest was a fleece jacket). Check online/in guidebooks for specific places' possible closures (there's a brand-new RS Sicily bk). With one week, I'd base in Palermo, & aim to get as far east as Cefalu (mosaics) & west to Erice (hilltop village). In Palermo, do a street food tour; our Streaty Tour with Marco was terrific.