Christmas Market travel tips

The most magical Christmas experiences are made of ice and snow. So wrap your loved ones up and hit the ice at these ice skating rinks across the UK.

The best time to visit Madrid varies, and it depends on what you're looking for on your trip to Spain. Poolside lounging and people-watching in plazas under guaranteed sunshine is possible between mid-spring and early autumn, but the height of summer can make outdoor sightseeing a little unbearable. Madrid’s restaurants are fabulous year-round, and the food scene is thriving like never before, but there’s a charm to scouring the local markets and following fellow foodies as they spill into sprawling parks to tuck in either side of the midday sun. Here, we run through the seasonal highlights of the Spanish capital, explaining why it’s possible to uncover a new side to the city every month of the year.

Go up north for festive fun in the city of Manchester, with the main market hub situated in Albert Square, twinkling beneath the town hall. Follow the trail of market stalls through the city centre to find little Christmas gems – including amber jewellery, Belgian chocolate and French soaps.

Set before the gothic backdrop of Cologne Cathedral and under the largest Christmas tree in all of the Rhine, is Weihnachtsmarkt Am Kölner Dom – the biggest and most popular Christmas market in Cologne. Explore its glittering wooden pavilions to find handmade gifts including wood carvings, tree decorations and soaps.

As the days grow shorter and the evenings cooler, Labor Day Weekend in the United States marks a bittersweet moment: it serves as the unofficial conclusion to the summer travel season.

Set almost in the middle of the country, Lithuania’s second city is 92km from the capital of Vilnius. Two rivers – Neris and Nemunas (Neman) meet close to the Old Town, a compact tangle of streets. The centrepiece is Town Hall Square, which hosts events such as a Christmas Market.