5 of the best Christmas coach holidays

Affordable festive trips with amazing views, merry celebrations and some superb Christmas markets

The Lake District in winter is a winner, with less crowds but exceptional surroundings (Getty Images)

It’s the same sensation every year. It might feel as though hasn’t been long since the last one but Christmas is just around the corner, and now’s the time to book a festive getaway.

A taste of Yuletide celebrations as the days grow colder can be found across Europe. Embrace the intoxicating aroma of mulled wine at some of the continent's finest Christmas markets and take in the sights of forests and hills covered with powder-fine snow in France, Germany and Belgium, or stay closer to home and get to know the Lake District or Scottish cities in the crisp midwinter.

By booking a Christmas coach holiday, travellers can pack in the maximum amount of experiences with minimal stress, with all of the organisational elements looked after. Simply turn up, find your seat and await each exciting stop, where you can get to know a destination (and take some fantastic photographs). What's more, it's an affordable way to see new places.

Discover how to have a memorable Christmas break with these coach holiday packages.

Lake District, UK

The Lake District’s peaks are be especially dramatic when covered in snow (Getty Images)

The Lake District is among the most popular places in England for holidaymakers, and is as enchanting as ever winter, when a light dusting of snow covers the peaks while the market towns and lakeside villages are empiter than peak season (but still exude English charm).

Walks in the crisp morning air are a must, as are visits to popular attractions and landmarks like the World of Beatrix Potter or Lake Windermere. Water sports are off the table in December, but you’ll be able to enjoy lake cruises and a host of on-land activities, including archery, clay pigeon shooting and climbing.

Shearings’ Lake District trip is particularly good for a relaxing Christmastime getaway. It takes travellers to g Keswick, Ambleside, Grasmere and Bowness-on-Windermere, with plenty of warm pubs, quiet hiking trails and time to see the lakes.

From £339pp, including four nights at the Windermere Hotel, all breakfasts and dinners, and one afternoon tea. Departing 27 November or 11 December.

Read more on Europe inspiration:

• The best Christmas weekend breaks in Europe
• Eight best ski resorts you can travel to by train from London
• The best winter hiking holidays in Europe

Rhine Valley

This part of Germany is known for an excellent array of Christmas markets (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

The winding path of Germany’s Rhine Valley contains some of the most picturesque villages in the country, as well as some grand cities. A land of Gothic architecture, verdant hills and traditional Christmas markets, it has all the ingredients for a quintessential Christmas break.

From sipping gluhwein in the shadow of Cologne’s Unesco-listed cathedral to whiling away evenings in the pretty Kamp-Bornhofen area right on the river banks, the trip from Harry Shaw is one where the views, tours and experiences will live long in the memory. You’ll stay at the Rheinhotel Wagner, with day excursions to Cologne, Bonn and Rudesheim. After days spent touring the markets and town squares, evening entertainment is on offer as you gaze at the village’s imposing castles.

From £320, including four nights’ accommodation, breakfasts and dinner, and all excursions. Departing 4 December.

Glasgow and Edinburgh

Scotland’s two main cities really come alive during the Christmas period (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Get to know how different – yet equally enthralling – Scotland’s two main cities are on a single trip. Edinburgh, the capital, is a haven of beautiful architecture among winding Georgian streets, home to several of the country’s most impressive landmarks, such as Edinburgh Castle, Arthur’s Seat and the Grassmarket. Glasgow, the largest city, is quickly developing as a cultural hub with an array of art, music and comedy to discover.

They both have great Christmas markets – on East Princes Street Gardens and George Square, respectively – and are home to plenty of museums, galleries and entertaining neighbourhoods to explore in your free time. Book with JustGoHolidays to discover both cities, spending a night in Glasgow and two days in Edinburgh, with a stay in Leith.

From £159pp for two nights’ accommodation at the Britannia Hotel, with breakfast, dinner and an excursion to Glasgow included.

Bruges, Ypres and Ghent, Belgium

Bruges is sometimes called the ‘Venice of the North’ (Getty Images)

Those who are intent on classic European cities with wonderful Christmas markets should visit Belgium in December. Its cities are among the most striking at any time – replete with medieval buildings, grand squares and newer, neo-Flemish architecture – but gain even more sparkle in Christmas as a slew of lights and decorations (plus wooden stalls) take over the cobbled streets.

Bruges’s markets make it an even more fairytale destinations, with the canals and old streets coming alive at Christmas, notably around Grote Markt. You’ll stay here – at the four-star Hotel Le Bois De Bruges – for three nights on the tour from Johnsons Coaches, giving you plenty of time to explore its Unesco-listed centre or just the abundance of chocolate shops and restaurants.

On the first day you’ll spend the afternoon and early evening in Ypres – known for war memorials, such as the Menin Gate – before travelling to Ghent on day three. The market here is spread out over 150 stalls, where the smells of mulled wine and pine meet the buzz of people looking for souvenirs or that ideal Christmas present.

From £549, including three nights’ accommodation, breakfast and all tours. Departing 7 December.

Strasbourg and Colmar, France

Strasbourg’s Christmas markets trace their roots back to 1570 (Getty Images)

Billed as the “Capital of Christmas”, Strasbourg prides itself on its Christkindelsmarik, its main market, spread throughout several areas including the stately Place Broglie and Cathedral Square. The city also focuses on sustainability and the surrounding community, with a special market solely for local producers at Place des Meuniers.

With this tour from Harry Shaw, travellers will also get to see Alsace’s other premier Christmas destination, the delightful village of Colmar. Though smaller than Strasbourg, it has just as much character, with its own delightfully colourful canal district and timber-framed buildings lining the narrow streets. In the evenings, you’ll stay in the nearby village of Klingenthal, at the brilliantly Alsatian Hotel des Vosges.

From £330, including three nights’ accommodation, breakfast, dinner on two nights and all excursions. Departing 24 November.

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