Trip at the end November or beginning of December

It all depends on what your interests are and where you've been before. I would probably choose London for a one-week stay. There is plenty to see and do there and great, varied food options. Loads of hotel and restaurant recommendations here on the Forum.

I would choose London as well....so much to see and do with a week. You could spend a month there. And do a day trip to Windsor or Oxford or Bath or Cambridge....tons of options!
Happy Anniversary!

Congrats on the fortieth! I’m a big city fan and so cast my vote for fantastic London. I’d opt for a hotel stay and then research the varied neighborhoods for an appealing vibe that fits my budget. I’d check the theater scene starting at theatremonkey.com and plan to go to Leicester Square to see what’s available day of at the TKTS booth. I love museums and you are spoiled for choosing amongst an impressively long and diverse list. So much outdoor space to take in and be aware you are in the land that gave the world the (paraphrased) ‘no such thing as bad weather, only inappropriate clothing’ wisdom. Check out London Walks for their excellent joinable tours. Getting comfortable with using the Tube is easily done off the internet. And speaking of using the interwebs, it’s smart to point out reliance on AI-generated content is not advised. Hope you enjoy the planning and have an amazing time.

Happy Anniversary, I concur with the other recommendations that London would be a great place for a 7 day visit. There is so much going on around the holidays. Also for a 40th anniversary, there are wonderful restaurants, theatre, etc. for the celebration.

I would strongly consider London--especially if you like theater. The West End has a number of very attractive plays in your time period. Keira Knightley and Kristin Scott Thomas are both on stage. (So is Gillian Anderson in "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf," but it may now be sold out.)

Another vote for London. My husband and I spent a week there over Thanksgiving two years ago. It was lovely. We were prepared for all wet and chilly, but we lucked out and had a few sunny, cool days. So many things to do indoors you can work around any really wet weather.

London! Unanimous it is (so far!). I love Ireland and Germany, but in terms of the 3 cities, London hands down. So much to choose from in the city and very accessible day trips. We will be there the last week of November and the first week of December (repeat of last year's holiday season). Enjoy, and Happy Anniversary!
Cheryl

I will be honest, that time of year is my least favourite in London- it's very dark and rains a lot. There's still plenty to do but to me you are not seeing it at its best. If xmas markets interest you at all, Frankfurt is very close to Cologne, which is meant to have one of the best ones in Europe, and it will be open by then.

Dublin doesnt interest me.

Frankfurt really isn't my idea of a good holiday city but the markets might be okay.

I was i London on December many years ago and it was just miserable.

I would chose to stay home until I could afford the time and money to change planes and go to one of my dream destinations.

I'm with Cat. London is a good choice, but it will be dark and the nights will be short, although the Christmas decorations will be up by December, which is fun. However, if you're looking for something festive and Christmasy, then I would definitely head to Germany. As Cat mentioned, you could fly into Frankfurt, which has a fun market, but then you could visit the Cologne markets, and there are many other Christmas markets that are pretty wonderful around there, such as Regensburg, Stuttgart and Esslingen, and a lot more.

My sister and I are heading there the first 2 weeks of December, and we'll be going to many of the Christmas markets in Germany, then heading down to the Black Forest where we will stop in Gengenbach, and then over to Strasbourg and Colmar in France, then finally up to Paris.

In fact, to be honest, is there any reason why you're not including Paris in that mix? Paris is probably one of the most romantic cities there is, so I would think it would be an ideal place to spend a 40th wedding anniversary. If you're cutting it because you can't get a direct flight there, I guess I would wonder whether avoiding a layover would be better than visiting a really incredible city at Christmas.

I lived in Germany for four. years and prior to and after that visited much of the country.
Frankfurt has some things to see, but in my opinion doesn't rate high when compared to other cities or areas of Germany.
My three favorite areas of Germany are Bavaria, Berlin area and the Rhineland down to the Black Forest.

Suggest you do some research before you pick when to visit.
https://www.audleytravel.com/us/germany?infinity=ict2~net~gaw~cmp~710303190~ag~1249046511883846~ar~~kw~best%20places%20to%20visit%20in%20Germany~mt~e~acr~2569645010&audcmp=710303190&audadg=1249046511883846&audkey=best%20places%20to%20visit%20in%20Germany&auddev=c&audadid=&audpos=&audtrgt=kwd-78065751237886:loc-190&audtel=ppcnb&audnet=o&msclkid=e208c88b0bbd18e26cdba235c80322a1&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=ESE%20-%20GER%20-%20Germany&utm_term=best%20places%20to%20visit%20in%20Germany&utm_content=Germany%20-%20Places%20To%20Visit

https://travel.usnews.com/rankings/best-places-to-visit-in-germany/

Ireland is great, but why only do Dublin. You would need 10-14 days to do the country, so suggest you delete Dublin and wait until. you can visit the country, not just one city.

As for London, it is great, but a bit expensive. For a two week trip, you could spend the entire time in the UK, do London for 5 days then visit York, Canterbury, Oxford, Bath, Winchester, Stratford Upon Avon or places in the amazing countryside.

I understand this to be a one-week trip, which is why I suggested London, along with lots of other people. Flying into Frankfurt and traveling around visiting Christmas markets is WAY too much moving around in one week, IMO. As another commenter suggested, going to Ireland and only visiting Dublin (or even adding Belfast) misses the point of Ireland, which is the natural beauty. The days will be short and the weather lousy in all of these places in late November or early December, maybe worst of all in London. The difference is that London has a week's worth of indoor activities (museums, concerts, churches, plays, restaurants, shopping, something for just about any interest).

What G3rryC said!

G3rryC expresses my thoughts about choosing London. My suggestion is to check for available accommodation as soon as you decide which week you will go---or perhaps availability of accommodation will help determine which week. Perhaps also check availability for concerts and shows if to see if there is something you really want to see. Are tickets still available?

I hear you on wanting a direct flight. With only one week, you want to maximize your time.

There are those who love London in the winter, G-d bless them. Not my cup of tea and I live in Eastern Europe so my standards are .... anyway ...

One week trip. Some of us have to see it to comprehend it:
Sat: depart
Sun: arrive noon to 3pm
Mon: there 1
Tue: there 2
Wed: there 3
Thu: there 4
Fri: there 5
Sat: there 6
Sun: return and arrive about 4pm

Yes, a travel week is 9 days to get value out of tge flight tickets.

You can do a lot of stuff in 6 and a half days on the ground. So if one doesnt like the idea of London, the premise that its all you have time for doesnt hold up for my way of traveling. Ive done less thsn that in the last 18 months in the USA/Spain, Rome, Croatis, Montenegro (twice), Austria and Ukraine.

Paris! One flight change. Maybe 6 more hours of travel time round trip on a 216 hour week. A bit of a long trip to Paris bit with good planning might be wonderful.

3.5 days in Vienna and 3 in Budapest; both dry and stunningly beautiful during the holidays. I suspect between Emily, TexasTravelMom, Mardee and a half dozen others a nearly perfect plan would be possible.

And plenty of others to consider.

I suggested London because of the weather--even if the weather is bad, there is much to do.

In December, the weather throughout Northern and Central Europe will often be lousy. The number of rain days in London in December is not substantially higher than the number of rain days in the other cities we are discussing, and at least there should not be snow with freezing temperatures.

In short, if weather is a serious consideration, December is not the time to go to Northern and Central Europe. I have been to England, Paris, Amsterdam and Belgium during this time period. You may get lucky, but the weather typically just isn't good.

This isn’t to make a point. I just love these exercises. So, forgive me.

The high temperature is the average high on 23 November and the low is the average low for 7 December which is the period suggested by the OP. Interesting that on average Central Europe just isnt as cold as the old cold war spy movies suggested.

Rain days are the average total precipitation (rain and snow) during the period 23 November through 7 December.

Snow days are the average during the period 23 November through 7 December and is part of the total precipitation. So, in London, for example, you will have on average 8 days of wet rain over the two weeks (half the days being looked at) and at 0.4, very little chance, of snow; while in Budapest you will have on average 4.1 days of wet rain over the two weeks and 1.3 days of snow. Snow in Vienna and Budapest rarely amounts to more than 3”. Just enough to make everything pretty.

• Dublin: high 9.9°C (49.8°F), low 2.5°C (36.5°F), rain 9.1 days, snow < 0.2 days
• Frankfurt: high 6.7°C (44.1°F), low 0.4°C (32.7°F), rain 8.6 days, snow ~1.3 days
• London: high 9.2°C (48.6°F), low 2.2°C (36.0°F), rain 8.4 days, snow ~0.4 days
• Paris: high 8.8°C (47.8°F), low 2.1°C (35.8°F), rain 7.8 days, snow ~0.3 days
• Vienna: high 7.0°C (44.6°F), low -0.6°C (30.9°F), rain 6.6 days, snow ~2.2 days
  
• Budapest: high 7.2°C (45.0°F), low -0.5°C (31.1°F), rain 5.9 days, snow ~1.8 days

Wherever you go on this list the temperature will be 45 to 50F for a high and 31 to 36F as a low so if weather is an issue, I think its about the rain more than temperatures … or it would be for me because those temps are the same coat.

And as much fun as I had with the exercise, I would go to the location I thought I would enjoy most regardless of what is above.

AND you asked what to do:

Europe

• https://www.europeanbestdestinations.com/best-of-europe/best-christmas-markets-of-all-the-time-in-europe-all-stars-edition/

Budapest

• https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/hungary/budapest-christmas-markets-d26f8ab1-2048-4160-bfb3-bf13b096683e
• https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/hungary/updated-budapest-performance-venue-list
• https://budapestchristmas.com/

Vienna

• https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/austria/vienna-christmas-markets-2025-a-local-s-take

Before you get too deep into any of it, I would also suggest costs. Some places, because of better pricing or greater value, might permit you to have a higher level of quality for a special occasion.

I am the the pro-Frankfurt person of course. It makes a great hub for sightseeing and there is so much to see in the city anyway. Chock full of history going back to the Romans, medieval churches, fantastic farmers' markets, a long Jewish history, and of course the Christmas markets.
On Wed. and Sat. nights there is a brass band playing from the gallery of the Alte Nikolai. If you are here on the 28th, there is the Pealing of the Bells. The last Sat. of the month, a lot of the museums are free. Most of the inner city churches have concerts every evening of some type, often organ, but also bells, brass, choirs, etc.

Near-by markets less than an hour away, plus there is the market in the city forest and 2 roof-top markets in Frankfurt:
Heidelberg 23.11-22.12
Wiesbaden 24.11-23.12
Mainz 26.11-23.12
Limburg 27.11-22.12
Michelstadt 27.11-20.12 (Wed-Sun.)
Marburg 28.11-23.12
Büdingen 2-6.12
Idstein 4-6.12

I can't imagine that Mr. E would have found the time to find the data for his exhaustive weather post if his beloved Aggies were having a better season.

His advice at the end is the best one. Given the time of year, if someone is thinking about Italy or Belgium, consider the weather. But if someone is thinking about where to go in Northern and Central Europe, he should go where he wants to go. The weather differences are just not big to be a decisive factor. And with weather, you never quite know exactly what you are going to get.

I'd recommend London as well, we were there last year for the last two weeks of November and loved it. The city goes over the top with Christmas decorations. If you're interested here's my Trip Report.

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/trip-reports/trip-report-november-in-london-the-christmas-edition

I couldn't find it to provide another link, but Carrie is another regular Forum contributor and wrote a TR as well. If I'm not mistaken, she loved London that time of year so much that she's going back again this year.

RJ you know my predicament so well I had to laugh. It was over before it started.

I love London but it has to be a perfect trip and a short trip. Too many goats have to die to compromise on the trip.

Jennifer, Do let us know what you decide re your destination. Curious minds want to know! And when you return, maybe a short trip report? We are all always learning.

Surely it's a no brainier? Dublin rivals Brussels for the most mediocre capital in Europe, and whilst Frankfurt gets a bit harshly treated it has nothing like the wealth of things to do that London has

Dublin and Brussels both have much to recommend them if you know where to look.

This is the start of Christmas market season, which would be a reason to pick Germany--Frankfurt, but also going to other markets.

Without knowing more about your experience and interests, that's the only thing I can say. If you haven't been to any of those, I would pick London any time except market time--but I am a Christmas market junkie and live in Europe, so I am probably somewhat biased.