Looking for a dose of Yuletide fun from a bygone era? Simple, says John Hillman, just take a ferry (£49 rtn) to the continent and head to the Bruges Christmas Market. Grab your Christmas Trip and stay at cosy our Family French Farm House with a 3 or 4 Night break in December for £129 for upto 6 people
Old French Farm House, 3 Bedrooms Sleeps 6, Log Fire
Our 6 remaining dates for this year are: 2 – 6 Dec, 6 – 10 Dec, 10 – 13 Dec, 13 – 17 Dec, 17 – 20 Dec and 20 – 22 Dec. All at £129 plus your ferry crossing £49 return.
The magical city of Bruges, in the Flemish region of Belgium, is a spectacular sight to behold at any time of the year but arrive during the month of December and you’ll think you’ve stepped into a child’s Yuletide fantasy.
The city already boasts stunning medieval architecture, wrapped in ribbons of ancient canals, which long ago won it the title of ‘Venice of the North’. Visitors to the city are often shocked that a city this picturesque isn’t as well regarded as its glamorous Italian relative.
Bruges is an important city, once the seat of the Count of Flanders and is now a spiritual hub of Flemish culture. Local traditions, responsible for spectacular food and music festivals throughout the year, really come into their own during December.
The Flemish community hold traditional concerts and spectacles throughout the city, during this month, the centre of town is illuminated with thousands of lights and candles and an enormous Christmas market pulsates all around them. The result is a feast of shimmering joy in the depths of the winter’s darkness.
Anyone looking to escape from the commercial glittery razzmatazz of our own Christmas shopping experience and head to something altogether more traditionally atmospheric should pencil in a day or two at Bruges’ incredible Christmas Market.
Idyllic walks along misty canal banks; nostalgic rides in open carriages, wrapped up warm in cosy woollen blankets; all rounded off with a top class meal at one of the many gastronomic restaurants. In the crisp air of winter, the historic centre of old Bruges becomes even more romantic, more poetic, more mysterious. It is almost as if the World Heritage city waits for the coolest months, until the large mass of summer visitors has gone, to show its most charming side: a side reserved only for those in the know.
Snow and Ice Sculpture in Bruges – Around the World
This winter the snow and ice sculpture festival in Bruges will take you on a cool and fascinating journey to the world’s most popular tourist destinations and most impressive tourist attractions.
Man’s urge to travel is as old as man himself. It was this urge which first led to the great voyages of discovery. Get ready to make your own voyage of discovery through stunning continents and exciting cultures and meet many of history’s great figures along the way. Follow in the footsteps of great globetrotters and visit some of the most famous cultural monuments in the world. Your journey will take you to more than 20 countries.
A group of experts compiled a new wonders of the world list in 2006, selecting 21 nominations from 77 buildings. This list, together with the far longer list of cultural and natural heritage sites compiled by the UN organisation UNESCO, has proved the inspiration to 30 international artists for the annual Snow and Ice Sculpture Festival in Bruges.
’Around the World’ opens its icy doors to the public from 26 November 2010 to 16 January 2011, in front of the Central Railway station in Bruges, from ten o’clock in the morning until seven o’clock in the evening. Come and visit those inspiration places that you really must see!
After the trek through the ice you’ll come to the ICE BAR where you can enjoy a drink IN THE ROCKS. Everything is built from a mass of snow and ice and combined with captivating lighting. Come along on a breath-taking trek through the WORLD at -6°C/20°F.
The free program booklet serves as a travel guide along the biggest treasures of humanity on six continents. In short, it is spectacular, educational, but especially a not to be missed world journey for every family. Unique in Europe but don’t forget to wear warm clothing!
Lille’s Christmas market is groaning with toys and traditional decorations
Lille, France
A short drive will transport you to the Lille Christmas market in the Place Rihour, which is groaning with toys, traditional decorations, nativity figures and gingerbread. Carol singing and concerts are planned to coincide with the market, but the main event happens on Saturday 20 December at 5.30pm, when Santa and his elves descend from the belfry of the Chamber of Commerce to hand out sweets to the waiting crowds of children below.
Open from 19 November to 30 December, 11am-8pm (closes at 9pm on Friday and Saturday). Lille Christmas Market visit www.lille tourism.com
Brugge and Lille are a 1 hour drive from the Farm House.
Remaining Dates – 2 – 6 Dec, 6 – 10 Dec, 10 – 13 Dec, 13 – 17 Dec, 17 – 20 Dec and 20 – 22 Dec* £99. All at £129 plus your ferry crossing £49 return.
Make your trip even more worthwhile by returning to the UK after topping up on cheaper fuel, wine and great french foods for Christmas.
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