As Christmas is drawing near, you might want to book a last minute getaway to a magical winter wonderland; why not pick an ethereal European city to spend the festivity at? We are big fans of the whole Christmasy vibes that European cities have, and holidays never felt more joyous.

Be it strolling along the gorgeous tree-lined streets of Barcelona, or having a romantic dinner by the Eiffel Tower in Paris, Europe has endless to offer and most of these cities truly embodies the Christmas spirit.

Have a once-in-a-lifetime experience at any one of these cities in our guide to the 12 Best European Cities to enjoy your Christmas holiday at. It is not too late to book your dream holiday!

#1 AMSTERDAM

Amsterdam transforms into a festive wonderland every Christmas, with a whole list of exciting activities that you can add to your itinerary.

This includes the spectacular Amsterdam Light Festival happening from 28 November 2015 to 17 January 2015, various Christmas markets all over the city, outdoor ice skating rings and more!

#2 BARCELONA

If you are not a big fan of snow, Barcelona is for you as it rarely snows in December, so you need not worry about dealing with extreme cold.

What Barcelona has are fabulous light displays, museums and fantastic restaurants that you can dine at for some unforgettable Christmas dinners. Of course, Barcelona is always a fantastic destination for shopping for high street labels, and you can expect lots of sale events.

#3 BERLIN

What this beautiful city prides in is their “collection” of crazy huge Christmas markets that are sure to get you in a jolly festive spirit.

You can ice-skate, ride toboggans, and take part in all the Christmasy activities at Potsdamer Platz – right in the heart of Berlin city. You can even play curling on ice (very popular in Berlin); this is surely something you can not do in Singapore!

#4 BRUSSELS

Brussels is great for ice-skating, especially now that it has moved to the Place de la Monnaie. It is a must to check out the various Christmas markets here and you will be spoilt for choice, we guarantee.

There are ferris wheel and merry-go-round fun too. Oh, Brussels have got some pretty darn mean chocolates that you must try too.

#5 BUDAPEST

Think big scale laser shows, Christmas markets and even hot spring pools at Szechenyi Baths in Budapest. Yes, the hot spring baths (including lovely outdoor ones) are must-visits as a respite from the cold.

Take a river cruise to experience scenic views of the city too, and have a lovely time at the Nutcracker Ballet at the Hungarian State Opera House.

#6 FLORENCE

What you would be happy to know is that Florence’s historical and acclaimed museums are actually less crowded during the year-end festive season, so you can use this opportunity to truly enjoy the artworks.

It is also no surprise that Florence has amazing Christmas markets that are a must-go. You should also head to the Duomo for midnight Mass in Italian on Christmas Eve for an authentic Italian Christmas experience.

#7 LONDON

Never say no to spending Christmas at London. There are almost too many reasons why! Besides the Christmas fairs, insanely beautiful lights and world-class food, London boasts festive vibes that is upbeat and unbeatable.

If you need more reasons, London is a shopping paradise and there are many parks where you can do Christmas picnics at.

#8 PARIS

But of course, Paris is romantic all year long and Christmas is just another reason for us to visit, really.

Watch the Eiffel Tower light up in full glory, sip tea and eat macarons at the many French patisseries, and take a stroll in Jardin des Tuileries. Hop on a carousel in Paris or have a go at an outdoor ice skating ring; we are sure that Christmas in Paris is one you will never forget.

#9 PRAGUE

Prague’s great range of Christmas markets are open daily at the Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square, where you can have a taste of a true blue European Christmas. Look forward to lots of street snacks and merchandise!

Other activities that you can enjoy here are nightly Prague opera and ballet performances. A walk along Charles Bridge with your loved ones will sweeten the winter, too.

#10 ROME

The ancient city of Italy is one that history buffs will love, but hey, a well-deserved holiday here does not mean all Julius Caesar and nothing else.

Hearty Italian meals and fresh morning bakes, street performances and museum visits, and shopping along Spanish steps are but some activities to fill your days. And Navona is our favourite square to appreciate arts.

#11 SALZBURG

This amazing Austrian town is especially known for their Christmas markets set in the jaw-droppingly beautiful Cathedral Square. From traditional craftsmanship to delicious Christmas cookies, you will be in awe with everything that Salzburg has to offer.

For more fun, go skiing or visit a sauna/spa.

#12 VENICE

The lights display will have you swept off your feet here in Venice. It is such a beautiful destination to spend Christmas at; well, Venice is always a great holiday destination anyway.

Immerse yourself in museum-hopping, do some Christmas shopping, take a gondola ride down the canals and have the freshest seafood meal – you deserve it!

Whether you are looking to plan a shopping trip at Paris and London or an Italian escapade, here are 12 essential cost-saving tips for your trip to Europe.

Europe is an extremely popular continent to travel to, and whenever we think of taking a big holiday, Europe is the top-of-mind destination.

Whether you are looking to plan a shopping trip at Paris and London or an Italian escapade, or anywhere else in that fascinating continent that has so much history, cultures and lifestyles to offer, planning a big trip may not be easy. There may be hidden costs that you never knew of, or miscalculations of supposed savings.

For first-timers to Europe, this guide will help you make more efficient and effective planning. If you have been traveling to Europe, can you resonate with these points and could you have saved more if you abided by these cost-saving tips for a holiday to Europe?

#1 LOOK OUT FOR AIR TICKET SALES FROM TIME TO TIME

We often score deals from our constant stalking. Follow your favourite airlines on their social media platforms, because that is where they will shout-out about their sales. They are more often than not early bird specials, and they can be as wonderful as a whopping 50% discount.

Let us paint you an example: a regular return ticket to London Heathrow Airport (out of Singapore) on Singapore Airlines will easily cost mid-S$2000. A promotional return flight can be as attractive as S$1,300 after taxes and fuel surcharges.

Other times can be dump rates, where last minute deals are offered simply because they need to fill up a flight. Impromptu holidays are always fun, yes? Book your sale tickets today, and fly tomorrow.

There is no fixed pattern per se. They all depend on several variables – season, demand, carrier, length of stay…

#2 CHECK YOUR OPTIONS FOR RETURN FLIGHTS – YOU NEED NOT FLY BACK FROM THE SAME CITY YOU FLEW IN TO

Yes, it is safe to say that it is mostly cheaper to fly in and out of the same city. Open-city tickets are typically more expenisve, but that does not mean you are spending more. In fact, the price difference may bring about more cost savings.

Say you are starting your holiday at Paris, and you fly in to Charles de Gulle (CDG) airport. Your last stop is Rome, which probably means you have to do an inter-city transfer back to Paris to fly out from CDG airport. That amount you are going to pay for your domestic flight ticket or train ticket may well cost more than the price difference we spoke about. The opportunity cost would of course be the time wasted on the inter-city transfer, when that time could have been better invested in more sight-seeing.

Check both prices – the return flights from the same city and the open-city option – then check your inter-city transfer options. Work your sums before you secure all your tickets.

#3 DON’T BE TOO OVER-AMBITIOUS AND CRAMP TOO MANY DESTINATIONS IN YOUR ITINERARY

Now, this is arguably the most important lesson we’ve learned from multiple trips to Europe. On our first, we were overly eager and psyched about the sheer idea of taking a big holiday. And naturally, it is human’s nature that when you invest this much money on air tickets and large amount of time on a holiday, you’d want to clock more destinations and go to as many cities as you can.

Sure, that is not wrong. But logistically and realistically, it won’t work out. Being over-ambitious when planning your itinerary will bring about fatigue, frustrations, and rat races. The frequent mistake we hear of (as with our own on our first Europe trip) is allocating only 3D2N per city. And why is this wrong? Let us illustrate.

You arrive at your first destination, you take some time to administrate your check-ins and to freshen up with a hot shower, you settle down with a first proper meal. By the time you are set to sight-see, your day might well be over. That leaves you with the next and only full day to tick off whatever you want to do in that city. Because the third day is your last and you are supposed to move on to your next destination, which only means you’d have to pack up and process your check-out, then make your way to the airport/ train station. Even if your flight/ train is at night, your tour is limited because there is only so many things you can do when lugging your suitcases.

‘Being over-ambitious when planning your itinerary will bring about fatigue, frustrations, and rat races.’

And the pattern goes on for your subsequent destinations. So you see, if you do a 3D2N per city, or even a 4D3N, your time per pit stop is very limited and please do not forget the possibility of unforeseen circumstances, such as unexpected long queues, unannounced one-day closure of a place/ restaurant for whatever reasons, rain and harsh weather conditions etc.

From our experience, it is ideal to map out your priorities when you plan your itinerary. Allocate more days for cities that you have a lot to clock, and have a list of must-sees and can-do-withouts so that you’d know where to head to first. Leave some breathing space for yourself; chasing flights are not fun, so is walking a mile to an attraction and having only ten minutes for photos before rushing off to your next point.

#4. THERE ARE MORE ACCOMMODATION DEALS THAT AWAIT YOU BEYOND PAGE ONE OF YOUR SEARCH

Of course, the top few searches are always your best bets. But for all you know, you may find steals if you would just scroll past the first page of your search results. Speaking from real experience, we promise. The ones that we end up staying at are often the ones that we found from much scrolling and filtering.

Also letting you in is the fact that the web will display results they want you to see and act on. Of course, that may mean the site is commissioned to displaying those “deals” as the top few. Don’t be fooled by those instigating messages like “Only for 1 day” and “1 room left”. You don’t know how infuriating it was for us when we fell for those, only to go back to the site a week later and realize that the supposed last room we paid for is still available – sometimes even cheaper!

#5 BOOK YOUR STAYS WITH AIRBNB

In case you don’t already know, we are huge fans and believers of Airbnb – especially when we take trips to Europe. There will always be apartments that fit our budgets, no matter big or small.

And they make better accommodations because European hotels tend to be small and cramped and leaves you with no space to walk after you open up your suitcase, but Airbnb apartments usually offer more space. And that’s more bang for your buck!

Stay where the locals stay, breathe in the neighbourhood and learn from the locals on where they wine and dine; Airbnb stays are always more atmospheric and charming. Sign up for your Airbnb account via our link and enjoy S$34 off your first booking.

#6 DO NOT STINGE ON YOUR ACCOMMODATION AND COMPROMISE ON THE LOCATION

We are done with compromising on locations just to save a few more euros at a farther hotel/ apartment. Nope, not gonna do that anymore.

Stinge on your accommodation and you get a lousy location that will have you walk for what seemed like eternity before you reach the nearest bus stop. Or it may also mean you have to change a hundred buses plus walk for a century before you get to the main shopping street/ attraction.

‘Airbnb will always be apartments that fit our budgets, no matter big or small. And they make better accommodations because European hotels tend to be small and cramped.’

Waste of time, waste of money on multiple trips and long taxi rides, and waste of energy. Pay a bit more to stay next to the train station, or of walking distance to the areas that you will be going to a lot. You will be thankful to have parted with that extra amount of money.

#7 THERE MAY OR MAY NOT BE A NEED TO BUY UNLIMITED TRANSPORT PASSES

Many cities offer passes for unlimited bus and train rides. Those can be pretty value-for-money, especially if you know you are going to travel within the city quite a bit to get to your many points. But you may not need it too, if where you are putting up at is strategically located within the main areas.

We can’t say for sure when you would or would not need one, so don’t rush into buying one. Study your itinerary, do simple calculations on the number of trips you would need to take on the bus/ train, then decide if you need one.

#8 MUSEUM PASSES AND FAST PASSES, TOO

Some cities offer passes of such that grant you unlimited museum visits and/ or fast passes. They may not come cheap, so be sure to decide on the attractions you intend to visit before you make a commitment to buy these passes.

But more often than not, they bring about cost savings – both literal and opportunity costs. For example, a Roma Pass costs approximately €30. It includes two museum entrances and fast passes. What do you know? We skipped the crazy snaking queue of 2 hours to enter the Colosseum!

#9 INTER-CITY TRAIN TICKETS MAY BE ON SALE

If you are headed to various cities by train, check out the website regularly prior to your trip. Don’t book the first one you see, because for all you know, there will be a half-priced ticket for the same fleet when you check back again three days later.

Same as air ticket sales, there is no fixed pattern. But all you need to do is to spend a minute every day to try your luck on the booking sites, and the moment you see a significant “dip” or an unheard of price, then you know that is the ticket for you.

Well, spontaneity may also bring about cost savings. And risks. We tried buying tickets for the same day travel at the train station itself, and some had us paying a premium, while some saw savings of almost 50%.

#10 PREP YOURSELF WITH CONNECTIVITY BY SECURING TRAVEL WIFI DONGLES OR PREPAID DATA CARDS

Another important point to note is the availability of travel wifi dongles and/ or prepaid data cards at wherever you are going to. Some cities offer really good deals with immediate activation, while places like Paris would require a painful 3-day activation – which means you might end up paying for nothing because by the time your card is activated, it is time to kiss the City of Love goodbye.

You know what? Place your trust in Changi Recommends. Their travel wifi is a life-saver and it is completely hassle-free. Just make your booking prior to your departure, pick it up at the terminal you are flying off from, and activation is immediate upon landing.

#11 BRING MORE CASH TO SHOP

Simply because credit cards’ exchange rate are usually not favourable and you will end up paying more for that Chanel 2.55. No biggie for small items, but if you are already planning for your luxury shopping, then have the cash ready. Sounds oxymoronic, but shop with cash to save more!

#12 DO YOU REALLY NEED A CAR?

Lastly, if you fancy driving overseas, think again – do you really need a car? Would it incur more costs instead? Parking in Europe is not cheap, and that is to say the least. Some historic places and protected areas forbid parking altogether, so you might end up spending another sum on taxi or public transport to get to the attraction.

Do your research and have a better understanding of the parking costs and availability before you decide on whether to rent a car or not.

A trip to Europe is always an exciting one to look forward to. From jaw-dropping landscapes to majestic structures, each holiday there feels like a unique adventure. So make your trip a fruitful one with these 10 things to note before travelling to Europe.

A trip to Europe is always an exciting one to look forward to. From jaw-dropping landscapes to majestic structures (seriously, I can never get how detailed some of the buildings are, especially when they were built without the technology we’ve got today), each holiday there feels like a unique adventure. So make your trip a fruitful one with these 10 things to note before travelling to Europe.

#1 DO YOUR RESEARCH

Watch clips of each country you’re visiting to get a feel of what it’s going to be like. Note which way the traffic in each city goes, as different countries abide by driving on different sides of the road (obviously).

And, this is one thing you may learn through experience, but here’s this: each city has its own rules when it comes to crossing the road. Germans may wait patiently for the green man to flash, but in Italy, be careful, even when there’s a traffic light. Its drivers go pretty fast, so make sure they come to a complete stop before making your way across the road.

#2 LOOK FOR CHEAP ACCOMMODATION

Hotels in Europe don’t come cheap, especially if you’re hoping to get a good night’s rest. We recommend using apps like Airbnb, where you get to rent rooms or apartments from locals. Other options include couchsurfing or hostels, but it really depends on how adventurous you are.

Read: Here are the top 10 reasons why we love Airbnb.

#3 DOWNLOAD THE NECESSARY MAPS BEFORE YOU GO

It always helps to know where you’re headed to, especially if it’s your first time in a new city. And, instead of calling attention to the fact that you’re a tourist with your printed maps and guidebooks, let your smart phone do the job instead.

You can download the map of the area you’re looking for via Google Maps. Just type in ok maps in the search bar, and wait for it to load. Evernote, a popular notetaking app is also useful when it comes to clipping receipts and other paperwork such as your documents.

#4 SKIP THE GUIDEBOOKS

They may be useful, but why spend a couple of dollars on it when you can download information for free online? There are plenty of travel apps online which has guides for major cities such as London, Rome and Copenhagen and Paris can be useful when it comes to getting information on the site that you’re going to be visiting.

Also, Google Translate is your best friend, if you don’t speak the language of the city. You may not be an expert in the field, but all you really want, is to get your message across. Right?

#5 TRAVEL DURING OFF-PEAK SEASON

It really depends. Summer’s usually the high season for travellers in Europe. That’s also when most of the stores and tourist attractions are open. But if you’re a winter person, you’ll face less crowds and shorter queues… and lesser stores will be open.

For example, if you’re headed to Cinque Terre or the island of Capri (both in Italy) in winter, you’ll find an empty town, as most of the stores are closed. But if you’re there for the sights and photographs, you’ve got more time to admire the scenery!

#6 STRETCH YOUR DOLLAR

Focus on your priorities and determine what you’re going to spend on. Are you going to indulge in gourmet food in Europe, or would you rather save it on covering as many sites as possible? Is having comfortable accommodation important to you, or would you rather spend it on shopping? These are questions you should ask yourself, so you can set aside some money for each aspect of your trip.

#7 HEAD TO THE LOCAL TOURIST OFFICE

It varies from each city, but you may find useful tips, as well as discounts, free passes to attractions or public transportation and fun events you may want to suss out.

#8 DO AS THE LOCALS DO

The locals know best. Don’t be afraid to ask them for their recommendations. You’ll never know where they may lead you to. But of course, keep your eyes peeled. If you feel uneasy about a situation, please get away from it as fast as you can.

#9 PACKING TIPS

Make a list of essentials you must have. They include: international adapters, chargers, comfortable footwear, a formal outfit (in case you’d like to visit a fancy restaurant or something), toiletries, and the list goes on. But our point here is, pack light.

Read: Here are the top 10 essential travel items and accessories that will make your life that much easier, as well as save time and money.

Chances are, you’re going to be there for two weeks or more, and you need to save space for shopping! Bring clothes you can mix and match easily such as separates that are easy to work with. Think of the outfits you’re likely to wear each day, and plan from there.

#10 KEEP YOUR VALUABLES SAFE

It’s so obvious, but we can’t stress this enough, especially in larger cities like Barcelona, Rome, Paris and Athens, where pickpockets are prevalent. Look out for them (don’t stereotype – the person who looks least like it may clean out your pockets if you’re not careful), try not to look lost, and don’t flash your valuables about.

Read: How to avoid tourism scams – be smart and not fall for these old tricks. 

Don’t keep all your valuables in one place, and invest in a money belt or a hidden pouch for your cash and travel documents. It may look (and feel) unglamorous, but it’s worth it. Also, don’t forget to make photocopies of your passport, papers and itineraries, as well as email them to yourself in the event it gets lost or stolen.

About the writer:
Amanda Tan has written pieces for several publications, which include stories on food, lifestyle and beauty. She believes life is too short for regrets, and hopes to live in London (just for the experience). She is also a self-professed cake addict, and can never resist a slice, at any time of the day. If you’d like to share life hacks, travel tips and general advice, you can drop her a note at scented19@gmail.com.