Could be heaven 17
SAIL around the Caribbean for 17 nights next month for £873 full board, or all-exclusive for £15 more per day. The Fred Olsen Braemar leaves Southampton on December 5 for Madeira, then across the Atlantic to Saint John, Basseterre, Castries and Bridgetown before you fly back to the UK. Go to iglucruise.com or call 0203 733 5557 for more details and to book. IT’S beginning to feel a lot like… well, time to leave the country. But if you enjoy that special Christmas vibe, there are plenty of places at home to catch it.
Pretzel and schnitzel
A lot of what we regard as Christmas tradition – such as seasonal gingerbread, angel chimes and decorated fir trees – originated in Germany.
And German Christmas Markets, convivial places to shop, eat and meet friends, are another thing which in recent years we’ve taken to our hearts. And to our cities.
One of the biggest and most authentic is the Frankfurt market which comes to Birmingham’s Victoria Square, with stalls offering handmade decorations and delicate glass baubles, plus meaty bratwurst and the warming mulled wine the Germans call glühwein – or “glow wine”.
And shortly after the market opens, so does the spectacular Christmas trail in the Birmingham Botanical Garden, transforming it into a magical illuminated wonderland. The trail weaves its own little stories and encourages visitors to interact with the seasonal themes. DETAILS: The market is free to enter. See germanchristmasmarketbirmingham.com. The Christmas trail is £14 adult, £8 child – birminghamchristmasgarden.co.uk.
Dasher and dancer
Situated under the skirts of the cathedral, the boutique-sized Winchester Christmas Market is one of the prettiest in the land – and the close presence of the Gothic architecture, with the ethereal wafting sounds of organ and choir, makes it more spiritual than most.
The market’s ice rink also has an unusual feature – a glass roof, making it suitable for all weathers and ensuring that skaters can still enjoy the looming presence of the cathedral.
The market itself may not be big but the emphasis is on unique gifts, particularly British made. There’ll be a lantern parade with carols on November 30, regular live music and, of course, the services in the cathedral itself. DETAILS: Free to enter, find out more at winchester-cathedral.org.uk.
Prancer and vixen
A country house attraction with a safari element is usually a summer destination, but Wiltshire’s Longleat is changing all that.
All sorts of strange characters and shapes are already going bump in the woods, with the return of the Festival of Light and Chinese magic lanterns. The latter are illuminated shapechanging larger-than-life fairytale characters, each telling a story.
It’s a place to let the imagination loose – a land where princesses live, mermaids swim, firebirds fly and dragons roar.
More traditional offerings include a Santa train ride to meet the man himself, giant multimedia Christmas tree, and Longleat’s grand interiors dressed for an Edwardian Christmas. DETAILS: A ticket covering everything costs £30.55 adult, £22.90 child. See longleat.co.uk. than th just the usual fare. There’s a fairground, the UK’s U largest ice rink, a choice of different types of circus, a cocktail and karaoke hut, an ice bar, a magical kingdom walk-through of ice sculptures, sc and a Cinderella-on-ice show.
Plus all the usual Christmas stalls, a giant Fe Ferris wheel and loads of live music. In short, it’s m more a Christmas theme park than anything el else, although you have to book individual el elements in advance to be sure of a seat. DETAILS: D Entry to the site is free, but each of th the above attractions is ticket-based. Access to th the ice bar, for example, costs £14. See hy hydeparkwinterwonderland.com.
Bells and whistles AAC Alps and ice
It’s typical of London not to be satisfied with the traditional trappings of Christmas.
The Hyde Park Winter Wonderland has to appeal to urban sophisticates, so it has more Meanwhile in Wales, the party is starting early in downtown Cardiff. The big see-through roof is