Travel | Christmas 2026
Christmas market season is almost here. Wooden stalls, mulled wine and twinkling lights are just a short hop from London. Here are four festive city breaks, all under three hours away, with tips on where to stay from Ruby Hotels, plus our tip for planning your trip.
1. Cologne, Germany (1 hour 15 minutes)
Cologne Cathedral Christmas Market is the city’s largest and best known, set right beneath the Gothic cathedral with a giant Christmas tree and more than 150 wooden stalls selling crafts and festive treats. Go shopping on Hohe Strasse and Schildergasse or try ice skating at Heumarkt. Stay at Ruby Ella, between the cathedral and the shopping streets, from £105 a night. With such a short flight, it’s an easy two-night trip.
2. Amsterdam, Netherlands (1 hour 10 minutes)
Amsterdam offers more than markets. The Amsterdam Light Festival illuminates the canals from 26 November 2026 to 17 January 2027, one of Europe’s most atmospheric winter events. Try oliebollen (fried dough balls) and appelbeignets (apple fritters) with mulled wine. You can fly or take the Eurostar, and Ruby Emma, from £90 a night, puts you close to both the light festival and the markets.
3. Stockholm, Sweden (2 hours 30 minutes)
For a traditional Scandinavian Christmas, head to Skansen, the open-air museum on Djurgården, where historic homes and farmsteads are decorated for the season. Try smoked treats and sugared almonds at the market and join traditional dances around the Christmas tree at Bollnäs Square. Winter days are short, so cosy evenings matter: Ruby Frida is a stylish base from £88 a night, the cheapest of the four.
4. Rome, Italy (2 hours 30 minutes)
Rome’s festive centrepiece is the Piazza Navona Christmas market, with stalls among Baroque architecture and historic fountains. Warm up with vin brulé, Italy’s mulled wine, and a slice of panettone in a trattoria. Ruby Giulia sits between Roma Termini and the main sights, so you can take the train from the airport and start exploring straight away. Rooms start from £145 a night.
5. Book early for the best deals
Christmas market weekends are hugely popular, so flights and hotels fill up fast, especially in late November and early December. Midweek trips are usually cheaper and quieter. And if you’d rather stay closer to home, check out our guide to Christmas in York.