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While there are plenty of great Christmas markets here in the UK, if you’ve been thinking about travelling a bit further afield and making a little mini break of your trip this winter, may we suggest a trip to a little place that's home to what's been dubbed 'one of the best Christmas markets in the world'?
You might have heard of Strasbourg’s famous Christmas market but its sister town, Colmar, is often hailed the ‘Disneyland of all Christmas markets in the world’... and there's currently flights there for as little as £47 return if you know where to look.
Read on to find out how...
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With a picturesque fairytale-style setting and six spectacular Christmas markets to choose from, it's a pretty good way to truly get into the festive spirit this winter.
From taking a stroll around the stalls and wooden chalets, to picking up some unique handmade gifts and presents to bring home with you, given the price of train tickets here in the UK, you’d actually be cheaper making a holiday of it via budget flights than you would taking the train up to the Edinburgh Christmas markets.
Just imagine warming yourself up with a hot drink and all the brilliant photo opportunities. I mean, just look at the photos.
And those who have made the festive trip before were quick to share just how ‘breathtaking’ and ‘beautiful’ it was all lit up for Christmas.
Plus, it’s always nice to get a little break before the hectic weeks and days leading up to December 25. And a little weekday trip away could be the perfect solution.
How to visit the 'Disneyland of Christmas markets' for under £40
We found flights from as little as £38 return, or £47 after the Christmas markets open on November 26 – but you should be able to play around with dates, depending on when you want to fly.
For the cheapest trip, you'd be flying from London Gatwick to Basel (the nearest airport to Colmar) at 6:05pm on Tuesday December 3, with you arriving at 8:40pm. But you’ll essentially still have a full day as the return flight doesn’t depart Basel until 6:20pm the following day, Wednesday December 4. However, if you're happy to spend a little more you can snag a Saturday-Sunday trip for £47.
There are also a range of flight and hotel options on Booking.com.
Thankfully, it’s only around a 45 minute train journey from the airport to take you right into the heart of Colmar's historic town centre.
On the way home the return does get into London Stansted, but doing so will save you quite a bit of money, as opposed to returning via Gatwick.
It is also worth mentioning that the Colmar Christmas markets open officially from November 26 to December 29, so you’ll want to coincide your visit with these dates to ensure that it’s all set up and running.
Or, alternatively, if you’re hoping to explore the town when it’s a bit quieter, you might want to aim for early November, as we have a feeling it will still be an incredible sight to see even before they fully get into the festivities.
Whichever day or week you choose, we have a feeling you'll be blown away by the charming French town.
For more information, visit booking.com or skyscanner.net
Ellis Cochrane