Where to go to the new 2022-2023 year: the best countries of Europe for winter holidays. What to see where it is better to meet the new 2022-2023 in Europe-Italy, Rome, France, Paris, Finland, Denmark, Czech Republic, Hungary, Spain, Austria, Vienna, Greece, Germany, Cologne, England: Description, Entertainment

Christmas Europe in 2022-2023 is like a fairy tale. The magical world of gingerbread houses reigns here, and everyone lives in anticipation of a miracle.

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New Year and Christmas customs and traditions of Europe

AT Italy Instead of Santa Claus, a fairy Bofan comes to children for Christmas, who gives obedient children sweets, and naughty - pieces of coal.
Another New Year's tradition of Italians is to get rid of old things in the last seconds of the outgoing year. Usually all the trash - from unnecessary papers and dishes to old TVs - they simply throw it out the window, regardless of the floor.
The main Christmas color Italy - red. On New Year's Eve and Christmas, everything is decorated with red, ranging from the balls on the Christmas tree to underwear (it is it that brings good luck according to local beliefs).

AT Norway The main Christmas character is a goat that, according to legend, cured the Norwegian king Olaf II. On the eve of Christmas, children put straw bundles for a magic goat in shoes, and in the morning they find gifts in the place of straw.
In Norway, it is customary to treat not only people on Christmas night. Be sure to be heard treats of pets and even gnomes, which, according to belief, walk the streets on Christmas night.
there is a rather strange New Year's custom in the Balkans: it is customary to massively dress up in animal skins and strange masks here, walking the streets and courtyards in this form, congratulating passers -by. According to local residents, this guarantees a good harvest in the new year.

In France On New Year's Eve, a whole dry log is set on fire in the fireplace. The longer it smolders, the happier the year for the family.
Swedes In the New Year, the dishes under the door of the neighbor are broken.
Scots On the eve of the New Year, barrels with resin are set on fire and they skate the streets of cities to burn all the bad in the past year.
The British On Christmas, they love to decorate everything with branches of mistletes (a plant that even in the cold remains bright green). Be sure to hang Omels on the chandelier. Anyone can kiss the one who stands under the bouquet of Omel. If the lovers kiss under the Omel branch under the chimes, it is believed that nothing can be separated.

In Scotland, on New Year's Eve, the doors and windows of all houses are open wide - so the Scots release the old year and let in a new one. Guests in Scotland bring not gifts, but coal for the fireplace on New Year's Eve.
French people In the New Year, they congratulate among relatives and close barrels with wine in their cellar.
AT Germany With the last blow of the chimes, you need to jump off the chair with joyful screams of greeting - this helps the Germans to find happiness and luck in the new year.
AT Greece On New Year's Eve, the fruit of the grenade against the wall is broken. If the grenade bursts and the grains fly in all directions, then the year will be happy.
AT Austria and some areas of Germany in the New Year are customary to give each other pigs and pigs in any form: piggy banks, cards, porcelain and clay figures and soft toys. Traditionally, in these countries, a pig is a symbol of prosperity and well -being. Moreover, in Austria, in order to definitely be confident in the upcoming happiness, on New Year's Eve you need to eat a piece of a patch of fried pigs.

New Year's gifts are brought not by Santa Klaus, but by St. Basil.
In Holland, Santa Claus does not come on deer, but on the ship, so everyone is waiting for gifts on the pier.
In the Czech Republic and Slovakia, Santa Claus is replaced by Mikulash - a funny little man dressed in lamb skins.
In the countries of Benilyux, the main New Year's treat is a pie with bob baked inside. The one who gets a piece of a pie with a bean becomes the king of the holiday, to whom everyone should worship all night.
In Hungary, in the first minutes of the New Year, you can deaf from the noise, because it is customary with the last blow of the chimes that there is strength to blow in all kinds of dudes and whistles to attract good luck in the new year.

Christmas in the cities of Germany

Christmas is in the air GermanyStarting from November - it is then that a festive illumination appears in the streets, and the owners of the houses hang out on the facades of various Christmas jewelry.

In December, closer to Christmas, in all cities of Germany, Christmas fairs open, and from that moment the country's atmosphere is filled with the magic smells of mulled wine, gingerbread, honey, cinnamon and spruce branches.

Different areas of Germany are sometimes quite different from each other in terms of language and local customs, since Germany was like a patchwork blanket from individual small principalities. Accordingly, Christmas traditions in different cities of Germany are also different.

Dresden

AT Dresden The main Christmas fair is called Striezelmarkt. Traditional souvenirs of local artisans - skilled crafts made of wood and Stollen - a Christmas cake with butter, raisins and sugar, resembling a cupcake.

Every year, in early December, Stollenfest is held in Dresden - the feast of a pie on which it is baked by incredible sizes, and then everyone is treated to everyone.

For small guests, the fairs are arranged annually by carousels, performances of street artists and a puppet theater, and a “chimneyist house” is also opened - a place where they can independently make gifts, bake gingerbread gingerbread or make Christmas decorations.

Nuremberg

The Christmas Fair Nuremberg Kristkindlesmarkt (Christkindlessmarkt) is one of the most popular in Germany. The traditional souvenir here is the gilded figures of an angel, wooden clicks and carved caskets.

The main goodies of the fair in Nuremberg are gingerbread cookies, which are usually baked in the form of a heart with ginger and nuts. Rum punch and sausages with Mayran are also popular from treats.

According to tradition, on the first day of Crystkindleserkt (literally, the name translates as “Fair of the Baby of Christ”) from among local residents choose a Christmas angel. The chosen girl-Angel solemnly opens the Christmas fair, and also participates in various events all holidays.

Another characteristic feature of the Nuremberg fair: the roofs of all shopping tents (and more than 200 of them are here) are painted in red and white stripes.

Bremen

In Bremen, an indispensable attribute of the Christmas fair is the sounds of a barrelm. Here you can replenish the wardrobe with cozy woolen gizmos, purchase original New Year shoes, multi -colored Christmas candles and of course sweets.

The most popular drink is burden in December - hot wine in combination with fried pork. In children, branded apples baked with cinnamon are very popular. Every day at the fair, performances are held with the participation of Christmas characters and Bremen musicians.

Another crowded place is burden on Christmas - festive festivities on the Embankment Neser. Santa Claus in Bremen, as in Holland, sailed on the ship. Therefore, on Christmas, you must definitely look at the embankment or pier in order to greet the New Year and get the treasured gift.

Koln

Koln It has long been famous for its glass -shoes. Here you can buy a variety of glasses made of glass, dishes, Christmas balls that local craftsmen blow out right with you. Also, Christmas stars, deer figures and real wax candles of unimaginable sizes are also sold from paper and wood.

The main Christmas bazaar Cologne opens annually near the house of the house in the city center. Here everything is saturated with the smell of mulled wine, hot chestnuts and ginger gingerbread. Frying nuts in sugar are very popular.

What to see in the new 2022-2023 year in France?

New Year and Christmas holidays in France last a month - from December 6 to January 6. The most grandiose festive events are held, of course, in Paris.

Paris

The main Christmas symbol here is not a spruce at all, but a nursery of the baby Jesus. Installations on this subject can be found everywhere, the largest is installed on the main square of Paris - the Square of Consent. The spruce here is not very popular, but in Paris an exhibition of fir trees from coutur is held annually.

On Christmas holidays in all Catholic temples of Paris, solemn services are held, which should be visited, regardless of religion. For example, the Christmas Mass in the Cathedral of the Parisian Mother of God is simply unforgettable.

A completely special atmosphere reigns in December in Paris Disneyland. Even if you arrived without children, cut out a few hours to visit the park. Every day there is a colorful parade of Christmas heroes, as well as just enchanting performances and show.

Very popular in Paris Christmas open rinks. They look especially charming in the evening, when they are highlighted with all kinds of lights of festive illumination. Here you can rent skates or come with your

Strasbourg

French Strasbourg is one of the main Christmas capitals in Europe. In the city center, back in November, a truly royal spruce is installed, at the foot of which a whole toy city is built.

It is noteworthy that recently in the design of the Christmas tree, toys are used only blue and white - the main colors of the European Union. Here, on Kleber Square, the main Christmas Fair of France opens.

The symbol of the Christmas Fair in Strasbourg is the famous gingerbread man. Also, hot mulled wine with cinnamon and Alsa herbs, sweet pies of Stolle and amazing apples in caramel are served here.

Residents of Strasbourg on Christmas decorate the windows of houses with soft toys, Christmas balls and green branches ate. It looks very unusual.

Denmark in the new 2022-2023 year-what to see is sure to

Directly on December 24 and 25, nothing interesting in Copenhagen does not happen, because everyone celebrates Christmas with the family. But in the first half of December, you can see a lot of interesting things here.

The main Christmas fair is opened in the Park of Tivoli, and various holiday performances are also held here, there are different attractions for children and a lot of cozy cafes for adults.

On the Nyuhavn embankment, colorful fireworks are almost daily. In the small cafes, Gleg is served (hot wine with cinnamon and spices), sweet pudding of rice with cinnamon and Danish sandwiches - real masterpieces of local cooking.

Italian cities on New Year and Christmas 2022-2023: attractions

Italians are zealous Catholics and are very serious about the celebration of the main event of the year - Christmas. Here, as in France, Christmas spruce are less popular than a nursery. Buildings are decorated with original backlight, which gives them a slightly mystical look

If Christmas for Italian is a purely family quiet holiday, then New Year's Eve, all the inhabitants of Italy strive to spend on the street with friends.
AT Rome There is a slightly strange tradition of jumping from a bridge to the Tiber River. Also on Christmas, flea markets are popular here, in which you can find a real rarity.

In Padua, on the last day of the New Year holidays, on January 6, it is customary to burn the scarecrow of the witches of Befan.
Venice It looks completely fantastic in decorating a festive illumination, which, reflected in local channels, creates a feeling of weightlessness of the city. At the Christmas fairs of Venice, the most popular product is Muranian glass, you can buy unique things at very favorable prices.

In Milan in December, the season of Christmas sales begins. The famous House of Swarovski puts in the Gallery of Wittorio Emmanuel II her own Christmas tree decorated with crystals. On one of the river channels, an amazing floating rink is opened here.

Finland and Santa Klaus in the new 2022-2023

The main place for visiting Finland On Christmas-the residence of Santa Claus, which is located in Santa Park near the polar circle. In Finnish, the name of the Christmas grandfather sounds like “Yullupukki”, and his residence in Lapland is called the village of Yullupukki.

There is a Santa official office and a post office with real elves, from where you can send a letter with a branded Santa Claus stamp to anywhere in the world. A prerequisite - all postcards and letters are written only with pen and ink, as well as a hundred years ago. There is a magic drum in the post office: if you hit it three times, the most secret desire will be fulfilled.

There is also a bakery Mrs. Klaus, where you can bake gingerbread with your own hand; Elf toy workshop, which prepares gifts for children from all over the world, an ice gallery with a real ice princess, and much more.

New Year tours 2022-2023 in Spain: what to see?

Christmas holidays begin in Spain From the draw of the national lottery, in which each family considers it his duty to take part and try to luck before Christmas. An interesting feature of the draw is the announcement of winning numbers - they are not pronounced, but the boys of the children's choir San Ildonfo sing.

The main Christmas treat in Spain - Turron is a traditional nude with the addition of nuts, honey, marzipan and other goodies. In the cities of Spain, Belen’s performances are very popular - live or puppet installations of biblical scenes associated with the birth of Jesus.

At Christmas fairs, inexpensive gifts-surgees are very popular, the contents of each of which are a mystery even for the seller.
The most original Christmas souvenir can be bought in the markets Catalonia. This is a figure of a kaganer - a pooping man. Often, the appearance of popular people and media personalities give kagans. It is believed that the figure of the Kaganer brings good luck to the house.

Often on the streets Spain You can find Christmas trees, to the branches of which anyone can attach a note with wishes and requests to Bab Noel (Spanish Santa).

What should you see in the UK in the new 2022-2023 year?

The most grandiose Christmas fair London Opens in the Hyde Park. In its scale, it is more like a fairy -tale city, since in addition to the fair tents there are many restaurants in the form of a chalet, fair rides, rinks, an ice town, Santa Claus's house and even a small circus.

A Christmas cards made by yourself are considered a beloved Christmas gift here. In the absence of talents or free time, you can order the manufacture of postcards in one of the many workshops.

Many cafes and restaurants during Christmas conduct special festive feasts in the traditions of medieval England. Dinner is carried out in the appropriate scenery, with candles, from cutlery only a knife and a primitive fork, and dishes are prepared according to recipes of seven -time prescription

The most amazing sight of the New Year London is a colorful fireworks over Thames. The best types of fireworks are opened from the bridges of Victoria Embankment or from a ship on Thames. It is important to take care of the places in advance, since a few hours before midnight, tickets for evening cruises on the Thames are usually sold out, and the police overlap access to Victoria embankment to avoid the crush.

Cruises for Thames are a separate point in the Christmas program of London, since in addition to magnificent views on board the ship, a New Year's dinner, a festive show, gifts of gifts and excellent live music are organized. It is important to remember that such cruises are designed only for adults, and to visit them you need to observe an evening dress code.

Another Must See point is the famous London discs and street festivities on Trafalgar Square and Piccadilly. The stiff and restrained British go here in such a gap that the famous Russian riot and drunkenness looks like a gentle babble against the background of the furies of foggy Albion.

Christmas Vienna and Austria in 2022-2023: what to visit?

Vein - The musical capital of the world - does not change its image on Christmas. In addition to traditional fair entertainment, Christmas concerts, amateur and professional chants, secular balls and Open-Air show are very popular here

On weekends, the City Hall hosts the Christmas festival of classical music of performers from all over Europe. Both amateur choirs and professionals of world -class teams act here. The entrance to the concerts is free, so you have a chance, if you're lucky, hear stars of the first magnitude.

On Freyung Street, folk music concerts are often held using traditional alpine instruments and costume processions. I must say that performances are held at a fairly high level and are not very similar to amateur performances.
On Mariahilfer Strasse there are many boutiques and branded stores of world brands, which on Christmas holidays arrange big sales.

In Christmas markets Austria Small home routes (biblical installations), Christmas wreaths and sheepskin products are very popular. The real find can be unique antique products like ancient scissors or sugar forceps. Punch and various sweets are in demand from treats.

Ski resorts in Europe in New Year Christmas 2022-2023: Entertainment

Due to the remoteness of the main ski resorts in Europe from civilization, Christmas and the New Year acquire a shade of backstage closed holidays here. But this does not mean that on holidays you will have to be bored.
Most hotels offer their own show programs and festive gala dings. The cost of these measures is usually not included in the cost of residence and is paid separately. For small guests, separate programs with growth dolls and children's gifts are provided.

Cafe and restaurants in resorts organize holiday programs with a separate menu, live music and New Year's draws, but the tables need to be booking in advance, since places are usually versed long before the holidays.
The streets of ski resorts on New Year's Eve are also not empty. Perhaps here you will not see grandiose fireworks, but someone will definitely run a couple of firecrackers and crackers, and you will definitely find a fun company in order to drink champagne for chimes.

How to meet the new 2022-2023 year in Europe Economy: Tips

The first item in your list of ways to save is early reservation. It doesn’t matter if you buy a ready -made tour or organize a trip yourself, start monitor prices no later than August. Economic Europeans love to book places almost in a year and analyze the most profitable options first.
It will be cheaper to organize the tour themselves, but this option is suitable only for those who feel confident enough for independent movement in a foreign country with an unfamiliar language and an incomprehensible mentality. If you are poorly versed in the cards or are too shy to explain with strangers “on the fingers”, an independent tour is not for you. Contact the travel agency.

We save on booking

If you book the tour yourself, it is worth considering the following nuances:

The cheapest prices for airline tickets offer about 6-8 months before departure. The closer the date of the trip, the higher the price of the ticket.
The presence of armor for a ticket does not guarantee, the price will not change. The airline has the right to recalculate the prices until you pay a ticket of 100% and do not issue an electronic receipt.
You can choose a suitable flight option for booking.com.

When booking a hotel, you can not worry about urgent payment, since there, unlike air tickets, the price of armor does not change. The most popular and proven sites: booking.com. Also, in most cases, you can book a room on the official website of the hotel, but you may have to be conducted in English.

A very significant nuance when ordering a hotel: the period of free cancellation of the reservation. This is a date, before which you can cancel the reservation without paying penalties (if you suddenly changed your mind or find a cheaper option).
Some hotels when booking holiday dates set the minimum cancellation or fines from the moment of booking. Be sure to pay attention to the notes during booking.

To visit European countries, you will need compulsory medical insurance for the trip, which can be issued in the office of any insurance company. The cost depends on the insurance program, the standard option will cost about 1 euro for each day of stay in Schengen. The amount of the coating should be at least 30,000 euros per person.

For ski tours, it is better to arrange expanded medical insurance, since the probability of minor injuries is high, and the doctor’s services in Europe are not cheap.

We save on a visa

With an independent visa design, you can save up to 50% of the cost requested by the agency. Making a visa is not complicated, but painstaking and requires great attention. The main thing that you need to do is to correctly collect a package of documents for a visa.

Find the official website of the consulate of the country where you are going to go.
Find the coordinates of the visa center on the site, through which you can draw up documents for a visa to this country - this is the official partner of the consulate, which you can trust.
Go to the site of the visa center and carefully read the requirements for the visa documents. In case of difficulties, feel free to call the contact phone - detailed customer advice are responsible for the employees of the center.
After preparing the necessary documents, you must make an appointment for the delivery of documents in the visa center. This can be done through the form on the site, or call the center employees and sign up by phone.

Do not worry about filling out the questionnaire. Even if you made an error, you will have the opportunity to rewrite the questionnaire in the visa center with the prompts of employees or order a paid filling of the questionnaire on the spot.
After passing the documents and fingerprints, SMS will receive you about the readiness of the visa. If necessary, for a symbolic surcharge, you can order courier delivery of passports with visas.

We save on guides

Most modern gadgets support Google cards and other applications developed for tourists. Often these applications duplicate the names of objects in Russian, contain useful reference information, determining the distance from you to the object and other useful little things. Sour the cards you need before the trip, and you will not have to hire expensive guides on the spot.

In large tourist cities there are special information kiosks where you can take various booklets with a transport schedule, metro scheme, a map of the main attractions and the like things for free. Such a kiosk is in every airport and at each railway station.

We save on transport

In most tourist places, you can purchase a single pass for all types of transport from one to 7 days. Its cost is much more profitable than paying each trip separately.

On intercity trips, keep in mind that the bus is usually cheaper than other modes of transport; In many countries, there is a daily and night tariff (night cheaper); Places in trains similarly to our compartment and reserved seat are divided into first and second class; In Europe, airlines-Lawkostra are very popular, which sometimes sell tickets at ridiculous prices; Often discounts are provided for students, but it is necessary to present a student card of an international model.

We save on food

The most tourist places have the highest prices. If you want to save on cafes and restaurants, do not look for them on the central streets and in the area of \u200b\u200bthe main attractions. The best option would be to ask an employee of the hotel or owner of a neighboring store about where local residents prefer to eat.

Another option for saving on food is not a hotel, but apartments with a kitchen. Usually it is equipped at least a microwave oven, at best a full -fledged stove and a complete set of dishes. You can buy semi -finished products and products in supermarkets, which will cost you much cheaper than food in a cafe.

We save in touch

The cheapest way of communication is the Viber type program that can be installed on any smartphone. For a call through this application, the Internet is required, which can be connected near many cafes, especially if it is fast food, there is always free WiFi.

Most large Russian mobile operators offer quite profitable roaming tariffs, you can choose the right option before the trip.
The most expensive calls in Europe are from the phone in the hotel room. Following them are intercity calls through automans and local cellular communications for foreigners.