Favorite Holiday Experiences in Europe

My favorite is also for Easter. I was studying abroad in England and friends and I went on one of our breaks. One stop, Rome, where we attended mass with Pope John Paul II. I remember waiting in the vestibule to be seated and they had just closed the main aisle and were opening up the sides, which of course are much closer to the alter. We tried to be decorous but once the nuns and priests with us started running, so did we. Once we had been seated a mere dozen rows from the altar we had about three hours to kill, so I taught my Protestant friend how to say the rosary. The four of us immensely enjoyed the experience.

We lived in Augsburg, Germany from 87-91 and our favorite Christmas holiday was a ski trip in Austria.

The Christmas Markets are very nice, but I would not pay thousands of dollars to fly to central Europe in the Winter when it gets dark at 4:30pm and it hovers around freezing.

I am a Southerner and prefer warm weather. I know some love snow and cold weather. I once skied and loved snow for that reason only.

Our first trip to Rome in 2000(?) was a few days after Christmas. We went to the Vatican and noticed giant TV screens in the square. About the time we entered the Vatican JPII appeared on the screens. I explained to my wife it was a recording of some sort. A few minutes later we found ourselves standing in front of the pope giving service. Later we went out and he waved to us from the balcony. Ok, he was probably waving to everyone, but it was JPII so I will take it personally. Now I know about the Feast of the Epiphany; something I had never heard of before.

A few years back we spent nearly four hours standing for a Christmas service in an Orthodox Church in Moscow’s Red Square. The devotion was humbling and inspiring.

Not a “holiday” but the first time we were invited for service in a small Budapest shul located deep in the less pleasant quarter of the city was one of the most amazing moments of my life. The welcomed us like family and honored us as guests.

A different type of holiday was just this year. The 25th Anniversary of the independence from Russia of the Ukraine. Their having so many social issues and being in the middle of a war with Russia in which they have lost nearly 6000 military and civilians in two years, and with much of their country occupied by Russian troops it was stunning to see the pride, the resolve and the determination to have their own path in the world. One of the most powerful experiences of my life.

I'd like to share our Christmas travel experience, even though its not European.

DH and I went on a Caribbean cruise for Christmas 2012 with my sister, her husband, and their three children. It took a little for DH to be convinced; he really likes his Christmases at home. I pointed out that not having children ourselves, it was a great opportunity to make lasting memories with our nieces and nephew. I also pointed out how hard I work to create the Christmas he enjoys, exhausting myself along the way.

We were on one of the Royal Caribbean ships with a Royal Promenade (a big internal street), and on Christmas Eve at 11pm everyone was invited to a Christmas Carol sing-along. The promenade was packed and we sang carols together for about 45 minutes. Everyone was beaming.

The next day, Christmas Day, I awoke a little melancholy, but then put on my bathing suit and went snorkeling so got over it in a big hurry.

The other bonus was that since then DH has really stepped up and helps with the preparations for Christmas. Whenever anyone asks me how I liked being away on Christmas Day, I say I loved it -- and by the glow around all the other women in the Dining Room, I think we were all enjoying having our turkey cooked by someone else!

We often talk of going to Europe in December for the markets but in the end I think I prefer going in better weather.

We were in Castiglione, Sicily, one Easter. Large statues of St. Peter, Jesus and the Virgin Mary were paraded through the streets, with the municipal band playing different marches for each character. The march for Mary was "The Stars and Stripes Forever."

EDIT: That was Caltagirone, Sicily - sorry!

We often talk of going to Europe in December for the markets but in
the end I think I prefer going in better weather.

Andrea, I understand completely. I avoided it for years too. Then the first couple of experiences (Rome and London) at Christmas time lived up to my fears; cold and dreary. Then about 7 years ago we got smart and went someplace for Christmas where winter is such a substantial part of their year that they have adapted their culture to make the most of it. Once we just dove into a cold winter world, it turned out to be among our favorite experiences and we have since spent wonderful holidays in a number of countries. Although I wouldn't mind a cruise in the Caribbean either.......

It was perhaps not our favorite but probably our most memorable Christmas and we happened to be in Europe.

I was in the US Air Force stationed at Ramstein AFB in West Germany for Christmas in 1973 and 1974. My wife and I traveled to Berschtgaden in the heart of the Bavarian Alps near Salzburg Austria with another couple in 1974. We traveled in their older used Mercedes-Benz for a couple of days of Christmas leave. Also along were a couple of their single guy friends who drove an older Porsche. (The reference to their older cars is the heart of the story.)
We made this trip a couple of days before Christmas. Berchtgaden is quaint enough at any time of the year but at Christmas is was even more amazing. There was even snow on the ground to add to the fairy tale quality of the Christmas season in Bavaria. During the two days we spent there we did some serious Christmas shopping and then headed home on Christmas Eve afternoon. The two single guys were driving ahead of us when we saw them pull to the side of the autobahn. There car shut down with an electrical problem. So we picked them up and went looking for a service station and tow truck. Just as the owner was closing up on Christmas Eve afternoon we arranged for him to pick up the Porsche. He only spoke German but he hears the Mercedes-Benz and says "Wasserpump kaput". Yes the water pump was making a bad noise. We were Southeast of Munich and had to go hundreds of miles to get home. So we crowed all 6 of us into this Mercedes and headed to Ramstein on a dark Christmas Eve. The whole time I imagined we would be stranded on the autobahn on Christmas Eve. Well a happy ending...as we made it home very late that night. We unloaded our Christmas purchases put them under our tree and went to bed. The others had to continue on to Frankfurt. We heard from them later and they did make it home okay and the guys got their repaired Porsche back the next week.
We still have the Christmas decorations and the other purchased items from that eventful Christmas Eve trip. Memorable but not really a favorite Christmas in Europe event.

My experience is just in the UK various years: Edinburgh, York and London (with one Paris). I love how there are outdoor carnivals at Christmas and the families seemed to be attending them. Winter should be enjoyed. I think New England is just starting to do this. I have to say my experience is that Christmas Eve is bizarre in England with a lot of pubs and drinking. And Xmas Eve does not seem to be a family holiday, in York at least, as the young adults were out to party and the young women, who didn't have dates on their arms, were dressed quite provocatively so I don't think they had planned to head right home to Mom. Christmas Eve did not seem to be an 'at home' family holiday there...but that's with just a few British Christmas's under my belt. And I like pubs so it was fun, while Xmas morning was spent around the tree as usual. In Paris, I thought the decorations were prettiest...and I can't recall Xmas Eve so we must have been at home.

Spending Christmas in Croatia is on our list. We told our family the first year we are retired. - 2020, we will leave the day after Thanksgiving and return home in February after Carnival. Before the break up of Yugoslavia, December 25 was just another day, schools were open and people went to work. Since then, Christmas is celebrated again.

We plan on going to a few Christmas markets (will decide which countries later) then spending Christmas with family in Rijeka and Dubrovnik.

Then about 7 years ago we got smart and went someplace for Christmas where winter is such a substantial part of their year that they have adapted their culture to make the most of it. Once we just dove into a cold winter world, it turned out to be among our favorite experiences and we have since spent wonderful holidays in a number of countries

James, I thought I was living in one of those countries! Clearly it hasn't worked for me -- we went to Paris in February 2010 -- it was the coldest I've ever been in my life!

@Emma, LOL. Thanks for the clarification. They were definitely out out and with no coats so you are so right, as you would be. I found it interesting though if they had a date, they were well dressed or with coat. I just thought they dressed like they were looking to 'hook up' on Xmas Eve which is odd in my small world. I just kept saying to my 21 year old daughter "where are their mothers" and she was just laughing at me. Mind you, I wore my share of outfits many decades ago so not judging, just Xmas Eve really threw me. ;)

Have you also seen Rick's recent Easter special? That link has some articles, as well. He chose destinations with strong Easter traditions, including Spain and Greece. In some years, (Greek) Orthodox Easter will coincide with the western dates and other years be a week apart.

So far my tops are Holy Thursday (Easter Week) in Zaragosa, Spain and April Faire in Sevilla.

La Settimana Santa (Easter Holy Week) in Sicily this year. I have never experienced anything like it. The joy, the parades, the bands; the meaningful celebrations of this special time on the island. Every small town we visited had festivities planned for every night of the week. We attended Palm Sunday services in the Anglican Church of Palermo and Easter Sunday in the tiny town of Scicli. There were people in the streets, all dressed in their best clothes. The Easter celebration included fireworks and a parade featuring statues of the Risen Christ. What lovely memories and a great time to be there! I'll never forget it.

I loved the Christmas markets in Colmar (Alsace), which seemed to focus more on children than the German ones, though the Esslingen (near Stuttgart) Medieval market is a close second. The Alsatian villages are famous for the markets, if you could go early in December and be home for Santa . . .

Oh Emma, what would we do without you? I can visualize now what Wray was describing and put it into a context that "makes sense"--girls dressed up with no coats on. I hope to get to London and the north someday! And "out out" was an extra phrase that I don't think is in the OED!

We just got back from NY. College daughter says she liked our trip to London Christmas week of 2014 better-transportation is so much easier and weather was warmer. She also likes the stores better-said the ones in London had better sales! We loved the Christmas service at Westminster Abbey and she loved Harry Potter Christmas at Universal. Of course, one experience you can no longer have-watching the Downton Abbey Christmas special so that we knew the outcome before even starting the season in US!