Excited to welcome Christmas with these 5 special festivals around the world

1. Winter Wonderland at Hyde Park, UK

Winter Wonderland is the UK's largest Christmas festival, held annually in London, in the southeast corner of Hyde Park. This year, the festival takes place from 17 November 2023 to 1 January 2024, which means it will last through New Year's Day. The event will be open from 10:00 to 10:00 pm every day, except Christmas Day.

From thrilling rides to family-friendly shows, classic festive food to London's latest street food, cosy bars to a magical ice kingdom, Winter Wonderland is a dream for those who love to immerse themselves in a vast space with countless exciting activities during Christmas. When night falls, Hyde Park is transformed by thousands of twinkling lights.

2. Budapest Christmas Fair - Hungary

Budapest Christmas Market on Vorosmarty Square and Basilica. Vorosmarty Square is located right in the heart of the city and is Budapest's oldest Christmas market. Here you will find dozens of wooden stalls, a concert stage, thousands of handmade gifts, and "very Christmas" foods such as Kurtoskalacs - chimney cakes, sausages, mulled wine, roasted vegetables, street snacks such as Langos, dodolle (potato dumplings),...

Meanwhile, the Basilica is more prominent with Christmas laser shows on the Basilica itself and an ice skating rink surrounding a large Christmas tree. This year, the fair runs from January 18 to the first day of 2024.

3. Winterfest Cruise Parade, USA

If you are looking for a new experience during Christmas instead of watching the white snow falling, watching the cruise ships celebrating the biggest holiday of the year will certainly be a very special and strange experience.

The Winterfest Cruise Ship Parade takes place every December in downtown Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, USA. This is one of the most special Christmas festivals in the world. Along the Intracoastal Waterway, visitors can admire the beauty of giant cruise ships lit up in thousands of Christmas lights.

4. Christmas Festival in Strasbourg, France

The Strasbourg Christmas Festival is held annually from the last week of November through the end of December on the Grande Ile in Strasbourg, France. It is home to Europe's oldest Christmas market, with the first one being held in 1570. With over 300 local stalls selling holiday decorations and gifts, visitors can enjoy a wander around the market for cute items, or traditional gifts, such as small biscuits called "bredles", and mulled wine.

This year, the festival takes place from November 24 to December 24. During this time, the streets are splendidly decorated, the glass windows are sparkling with lights, making the atmosphere more bustling than ever. Every year, a 30-meter-high Christmas tree is brought to Kléber Square, decorated very impressively and sparklingly, and is also an important symbol of Christmas in Strasbourg, France.

5. Berlin Christmas Market, Germany

Christmas season comes, the whole city is filled with sparkling colors with Christmas trees decorated splendidly, sparkling lights along the streets. There are many markets scattered throughout the city, each with its own style and many interesting experiences. But the most visited market is at Charlottenburg Castle and the market near the Kaisr Wilhelm Memorial Church.

Alternatively, Weihnachtszauber, on the magnificent Gendarmenmarkt square, is one of the nicest markets with lots of arts and crafts to choose from. If you are interested in sports and entertainment, head to Winter World, on Potsdamer Platz. There are winter sports activities, with skiing, skating and an ice rink with free lessons for children.

Bileo