This Sunday in Europe begins Advent - Christmas time. Orthodox Christians have a Christmas post - the time of abstinence and enhanced prayer. The European Advent is not like this: His center is the Christmas fairs, where you can eat delicious food, buy beautiful gifts, watch different ideas and just absorb a festive mood. We chose the seven best fairs for those who want to go to Europe beyond the Spirit of Christmas!
Koln
Here there is a Christmas fair for every taste. Proponents of tradition will go to the fair at the Cologne Cathedral, parents will behave in the "Village of St. Nicholas". And it is possible to go to the world's first Christmas LGBT fair, founded only a few years ago. Reliable to the three-hundredth tower of the Cologne Cathedral to look around all the festive points at once!
What to do : To admire Christmas Verteps - they are installed over the entire city more than a hundred. There are vintage and not very, European and exotic, traditional and created contemporaries, realistic and symbolic. What is : Potato pancakes with apple sauce. And do not forget to drink mulled wine from a memorable collection cup: they are different every year, you can collect a collection!
Budapest
The main Christmas Fair of the city is located on the Little Square of Wörchmart. Hungarians love to eat very much, therefore the entire central part of the fair is given to the so-called "gastronomic terrace". With the fair on Square Wörushmart traditionally competes the fair in front of the Basilica of St. Ishthan. We advise you to look at both!
What to do : Yes, there is and there. In the breaks to listen to the concerts of folklore groups and buy souvenirs -cilateral products from wood and ceramics. What is : Goulash, roast goose liver and sausages from mangalitz meat - a special Hungarian breed of pigs. Drink by Palinka (fruit distillate) or strong herbal tincture "Unicum".
Strasbourg
The most beautiful Christmas Fair France is here here in the capital of Alsace. And not only France - Strasbourg held two years held the title "The Best Christmas Fair of Europe".
What to do : Ride on the rink on the area of dofin and admire the festive illumination - she decorates almost every house in the old town. And on the walls of the Strasbourg Cathedral, a fantastic light show is shown. What is : Shukrut, Foi Gra-grades, traditional Alsas christmas cookies.
Brugge.
Silhouettes of Fair Stalls Bruges repeat the shape of local medieval houses, from which it seems that this beautiful city suddenly doubled.
What to do : Walk along the canals and skating around a huge Christmas tree. What is : Mussels with Potato Fries or Tartiflette - Casserole from potatoes and cheese. Drink - hot spices with spices. And, of course, without Belgian waffles and Belgian beer, too, do not do!
Copenhagen
The capital of Denmark decided to stand out - here the main Christmas market of the city does not take place at the Cathedral or Market Square, but in the Park of Entertainment Tivoli.
What to do : ride on the American roller coarses and carousels and admire the surprisingly beautiful show fountains. What is : Traditional Danish sandwichs with a pate of a pork lever and about a million varieties of festive cookies. And only during Advent in Denmark, you can try a special Christmas beer Julebryg.
Prague
On the first Sunday of Advent on the Old Town Square of Prague solemnly light lights on a huge (always natural!) Christmas tree and the fun begins! What to do : Temple living donks, ponies, calves and sheep - Vertips on the Old Town Square Maxmally realistic. What is : Baked on coal pork, roasted cheese and busty spicy accepters. Drink Mulled wine and Czech beer.
Nuremberg
One of the oldest christmas fairs of the world is held since the beginning of the 1600s at the Medieval Church of Our Lady (Frauenkirche).
What to do : Slow down the children on the old carousel, go around the fair in a yellow carriage, hidden horses and, of course, meet with a lively symbol of the fair - the infant of Christ. He, however, is not such an infant, but rather a child. The role of Christ traditionally plays a beautiful young girl (it is taken from a variety of contenders) in golden clothes. Child-Christ appears at the Fair every day from Tuesday to Friday exactly at three o'clock. What is : The famous Nuremberg Gingerbread "Lebkuchen" and tiny (size with a little finger) Nürberg sausages whose recipe remains unchanged since the XV century. Put the blueberry mulled!