Venere Travel Blog» Christmas

Merry Christmas from Venere.com!

matteo — Sat, 25 Dec 2010 11:00:33 +0000

From all the Venere.com team, the warmest wishes for a happy Christmas! We hope it's a good one (and that you received many great presents!)

Photo by scpgt

Top 3 Italian Christmas Recipes

Anita Choudhary — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 17:00:47 +0000

Whenever you think about Italian cuisine, there are a number of dishes that frequently come to mind, especially lasagna. Where the international traveler is concerned, most of them feel that the allure of Italy is found in the cuisine, culture, Renaissance architecture, shopping opportunities, and the wines. However, with Christmas just around the corner, thoughts often turn to preparing a traditional Italian meal for the holidays to serve up to your family and friends.

Here are the top 3 Italian Christmas recipes that you should consider for the holidays if you want to have a delightful feast and the perfect meal to please your guests with:

Christmas Markets in Copenhagen

Grace A. — Wed, 22 Dec 2010 17:00:45 +0000

Christmas in Copenhagen is incomplete without a visit to the Christmas Markets. Ask any Dane and they will confirm it too. There are many markets that are open during Christmas.

Tivoli Gardens

Tivoli Gardens is the venue for Copenhagen’s most well known Annual Christmas Market. This also happens to be one of the oldest amusement parks in Europe. It opens ever year in the middle of November up to the end of December. Tivoli is close to a good number of hotels and is easily accessible by public transport.

Christmas Markets in Prague

Grace A. — Sun, 19 Dec 2010 17:00:19 +0000

Christmas is a special time of the year to enjoy and celebrate. So if you are looking for a different touch to the festivities this year come and experience the magic of the yuletide in one of Europe’s most beautiful cities - Prague! There's fun and activities for all age groups. It’s the perfect family holiday destination.

Best Christmas Markets of Germany

Abha — Thu, 16 Dec 2010 17:00:48 +0000

The German Christmas markets, an annual affair, open in the end of November and lasts until the end of 4-week long Advent. Choral music wafts through the nippy air of the winter until the last day of the market. A Christmas market, a street market originated in Germany, recreates the nativity scenes, and sells ornamentations for Christmas tree, traditional food, local arts and crafts, gifts and souvenirs, to name but a few.

The “Christmas Magic” Market (WeihnachtsZauber) on Gendarmenmarkt square in Berlin, one of the best Christmas markets in Berlin, showcases works of different genres such as stone and wood sculpture, carpentry, photography and painting. Visitors can watch artisans at work and buy handmade goods. It hosts fire swallowing, acrobatics, juggling, dance, and choral and classical music shows all 38 days to entertain the public. The market serves traditional cuisine, gourmet food, seasonal delicacies and exquisite snacks to reenergize visitors spent after browsing through the stalls.

Christmas Shopping in Zurich, Switzerland

Satu Rommi — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 17:00:43 +0000

Switzerland is one of the best places in Europe to visit traditional Christmas markets. The city of Zurich alone has several good markets in November and December. Zurich city centre gets its Christmas lights in the end of November when the famous shopping street Bahnhofstrasse is decorated for the holidays. From the traditional Christmas Market in Zurich’s old city to the annual Christkindlimarkt, here are the best places to go Christmas shopping in Zurich.

Bahnhofstrasse Christmas Shopping

Zurich’s most famous and possibly most luxurious shopping street, Bahnhofstrasse, is decorated for the holiday season in the end of November.

Christmas Markets in Naples, Italy

Grace A. — Wed, 08 Dec 2010 17:00:58 +0000

Naples is synonymous with presepe or Nativity scenes. From the big cathedrals to public squares right down to the small houses - there’s hardly any place where you wouldn’t find one! Setting up a nativity scene is a source of great pride for these Italians and is an art that is passed on from generation to generation. The nativity scene is said to have been first created by St Francis of Assisi in 1223 when he conducted a Christmas mass in the town of Greccio. It is usually set up around December 8th and continues right up to epiphany on January 6^th.

Photo by House Of Sims

How to Spend Christmas in London

Sian Meades — Tue, 30 Nov 2010 17:00:33 +0000

Christmas in London isn't all about mayhem on Oxford Street and teenage shoppers with angry elbows. There's some great places to go for your festivities. Here's my run down of the best Christmas spots for 2010. If you're lucky, you might even get some snow.

The markets

Markets at Christmas are so much fun. You can legitimately walk around drinking booze for a start (as long as it's mulled or spiced, no one will judge you). The Christmas market along South Bank is my favourite, but Covent Garden and Greenwich Indoor Market are also lovely at this time of year. They exude Christmas spirit, and if you don't see some carol singers, you're unlucky indeed. Make sure you head to the Slow Food market as well. It starts on the 19th December at Southbank.

5 Things to do in London at Christmas

Charlotte — Fri, 19 Nov 2010 17:23:39 +0000

Spending the run up to Christmas in the UKs capital is festive tradition at its best. London of course has some of the best Christmas shopping in the world; although if you are looking for something a little different to celebrate the build up of this magical time of year, here is a selection of yuletide activities the city has to offer for 2010.

5k Santa Run/Christmas Pudding Race

If you feel like something a little bit different, even a bit of winter exercise to help you keep those unwanted holiday lbs at bay, head to Greenwich Park on Sunday 5^th December where they are holding their annual 5K Santa race.

Happy Holidays from the Venere.com Team!

Marion — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 13:00:41 +0000

The Venere.com team wishes you a Merry Christmas and Happy 2010!

5 Family-Friendly Things to Do in Paris during Early Winter

Barbara Diggs — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 15:00:41 +0000

Some like Paris in the springtime, but Paris in the winter isn’t bad either. True, the city can be rather gray and cold during the winter months, but Parisian city officials do a good job of keeping spirits high by setting up various family-friendly activities throughout the city. Here are a few things you can [...]

A Christmas Holiday in St.Petersburg, Russia

Will Joce — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 15:00:28 +0000

The first thing that must be said about Christmas in St Petersburg is that while Christmas falls on December the 25th for those of us from the West, in Russia it is on the 7th January. This is because the Russian Orthodox church still uses the Julian calendar which Russia as a whole followed until [...]

Photo Contest, Photographer’s Rights, Holiday Gifts

Marion — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 10:00:27 +0000

Travel Photography If you like traveling and taking pictures, check out the Lonely Planet Community Blog and learn more about the travel photographer’s rights. Another info for the fans of photography: Solo Traveler is running a “Stop & Stare” travel photo contest. The prize is a $150 gift certificate from Hotels.com. Holiday Travel Gifts If [...]

Top 3 Destinations for a Christmas Holiday in France

Barbara Diggs — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 15:00:43 +0000

Dreaming of spending Christmas in France, but can’t decide where to go? Consider the type of Christmas you want to experience. While the various regions of France have several Christmas traditions in common, many regions have their own holiday customs that vary depending on the foods served, climate, and the local activities on offer. Here [...]

4 Tips for Finding the Christmas Spirit in Paris, France

Barbara Diggs — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 14:00:25 +0000

On the whole, Christmas in Paris tends to be a rather low-key affair. The stores are not mobbed with shoppers frantically searching for last-minute Christmas gifts. Nor are you bombarded with Christmas carols in every store and elevator you enter. And only rarely do you see homes wreathed in fairy lights or lit up with [...]

How to Celebrate Christmas in Las Vegas, NV

Grace A. — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 14:00:41 +0000

If you are not a stickler for all things natural then Las Vegas is a great place to celebrate Christmas. This city of illusions proves itself as the weaver of magic and dreams during this time of the year like it never does at any other time. While walking outside on the strip might seem [...]

A family Christmas Holiday in Strasbourg

Lara Bensenia — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 21:00:10 +0000

Located in the heart of France’s Alsace region on the Franco-German border, Strasbourg exemplifies the best of both French and German culture with its fine wine, gastronomical delicacies, and relaxed conviviality. However, Strasbourg’s most endearing feature appears during the holiday season when the entire town adorns itself in ribbons and lights. For the four weeks [...]

How to Celebrate Christmas in New York

Grace A. — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 21:00:20 +0000

New York plays host to the grandest of Christmas celebration that there is anywhere in the world. Things to see: Christmas Shows and New York Sights Just walking around the streets of New York during Christmas feels like a walk in a winter wonderland. The window displays at the various department stores turn the average [...]

How to Enjoy a Family Christmas in London

Anjeeta Nayar — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 14:00:00 +0000

Christmas in London often conjures up an image of dull drab skies and freezing temperatures but this vibrant city actually comes to life over the festive season when its major streets are illuminated with spectacular displays of Christmas lights and decorations. Tourists along with the city’s populace then throng the numerous joyfully illuminated shops, restaurants [...]

Stollen Bread, Gay Christmas Market, London Guide

Marion — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 15:00:00 +0000

Christmas Tradition The Hungarian Girl invites you to attend the 16th Stollen Festival in Dresden, Germany. In occasion of the festival, a giant stollen bread will be baked and paraded through the Old Town towards the Dresden Christmas Market. Gay Christmas Market Patroc.com gay travel guide announces that Amsterdam will host a special Pink Christmas [...]