With great deals on flights and hotels coming up to Christmas, it is the perfect time to indulge in a shopping break to a fabulous city – here’s our pick.
Tis the season to spend far too much on your loved ones, or at least it is in modern day Ireland. We reckon it’s best to instead make the most of the current exchange rate in the US or the excellent value European Christmas markets while soaking up the yuletide atmosphere.
To help you decide where to go this festive season, the folks at Hotels.com put together its top five Christmas shopping destinations for 2010. We would’ve gladly sampled the cities below if they wanted to send us all expenses-paid, but maybe next year guys?
1.    New York
Besides its reputation for being the top shopping destination in the world, the energy and charm which New York possess increases ten fold during the Christmas season. Shopping icons such as Macy’s on Broadway, Saks on Fifth Avenue and Bloomingdales not only hold everything you will need to find the perfect present but they are also a great way of disposing of your girlfriend and meeting up later. Having said that, the annual displays, designed by some of the cities top department stores, draw thousands of admirers each year and are an attraction themselves.
No winter break in New York is complete without an afternoon ice-skating in Rockefeller Centre or Central Park. The Rockefeller Christmas Tree is a sight to behold with 30,000 lights illuminating the 65 foot tall Norwegian Spruce. The lighting of the tree is an annual event which draws New Yorkers and tourists from around the world each year. This year the tree will be lit on 30th November.
Where to stay?
Roosevelt Hotel New York (****)
Prices from €159 per room per night with Hotels.com
This hotel is located in the perfect location for a Christmas getaway. Situated on Madison Avenue at 45th Street, where the business, couture and cultural districts of New York City convene in midtown Manhattan, the Roosevelt Hotel New York stands three blocks from Broadway theatres, Rockefeller Centre and Grand Central Terminal.
2.    Paris
A city synonymous with fashion, glamour and a surprising lack of mime artists; it’s no wonder that Paris rates as a top Christmas shopping destination. Parisian boutiques and department stores are excellent choices for Christmas shopping. The city ushers in the season in its characteristically trendy style with elaborate Christmas decorations donning the windows of department stores of Printemps and Galeries Lafayette in the Boulevard Haussmann area. Shops vie for the most impressive windows displays so you can expect to see animated teddy bears, dolls and rabbits dressed by Jean Paul Gaultier, Kenzo and Marc Jacobs, huge fir trees decorated with gingerbread figures, lollipops and sugar sticks and elaborate displays of fairy tale motifs. And let’s not forget the joy of the Champs Elysees, which has rival Adidas and Nike stores.
For authentic and memorable gifts, the Parisian Christmas markets will not only serve as an excellent shopping location but the festive spirit among the wooden chalets is completely infectious. EThe main Christmas markets in Paris are to be found on the Champs Elysèes from the 9th – 24th December this year. Be sure to visit the has rival Adidas and Nike stores and gigantic Virgin Megastore (yes, they still exist).
Evening skies in Paris at Christmas are also filled with fireworks. Enjoy the displays and old seasonal traditions as you relax with a glass of French wine.
Where to stay?
Golden Tulip Hotel Washington Opera (****)
Prices from €160 per room per night with Hotels.com
For a weekend break, this hotel is perfect. Situated close to Palais Royal and Paris Burse, the Louvre and Paris Opera, some of the city’s best known landmarks are within walking distance. The Golden Tulip Hotel is a former private town house of Madame de Pompadour and it stands out due to its Louis XV style façade. With the department stores only a stone’s throw away it’s the ideal location to finish off your last minute Christmas shopping.
3.    London
London is among the best in shopping cities in the world with the famous shopping havens of Harrods, Selfridges and Westfield and of course Oxford Street at your fingertips.
Harrods is a shopper’s paradise with everything you could possibly want for the Yuletide season under one roof. From luxury items, hampers, exquisite Christmas decorations and toys, you need not look any further for gifts this Christmas.
Oxford Street is another shopping treat. Even if you have your shopping finished, it is worth taking a wander through the streets to get a view of the Oxford Street Christmas lights. These are among the most famous in the world with thousands flocking to the West End each year to marvel at the festive lights.
Take a trip to Covent Garden for an experience of a lifetime. It is a foodie heaven with over 32 stalls packed with mouth-watering arrays of fresh food and produce. Previous years have seen stalls featuring special events such as a vintage tea party and the world’s largest cupcake. If you’re tired from being whisked off your feet all day, the world-famous O2 is always worth a visit and let’s not forget the plethora of football teams that ply their trade in England’s capital.
Where to stay?
Prices from €84 per room per night with Hotels.com
Norfolk Square is an elegant building set in the quiet closed off garden square, surrounded by Edwardian buildings on both sides. This charming building is centrally located within walking distance of Oxford Street, Hyde Park and Marble Arch. Paddington Station is also a mere two minute walk away.
4.    Brussels
The relaxed pace and compact size of Brussels makes this city the perfect shopping destination. Not only will you be spoiled for choice with the vast array of shops and markets but the Christmas season transforms the city into a vivid canvas of colour and decorations. The aroma from the selections of food and treats will also make your mouth water.
The Christmas markets in Brussels are a one in a lifetime experience. The Grand Place Christmas market opens this year on 26th November and with 200 chalets to browse through you will find every stocking filler you could ever need and more. Besides daily concerts held in the Place, you can also enjoy the light and music shows, and the Ferris wheel.
Named as the shopping district of Europe, there is a wealth of choice between the traditional and the trendy. Galeries St. Hubert is one of the oldest shopping arcades in Europe and it doesn’t disappoint. It is filled with enticing shops, boutiques, cafès and restaurants. Another must see is the Grasshopper Toyshop, situated just off the Grand Place. It is a small shop but has a mine of treasures and toys and is simply enchanting.
No trip to Brussels is complete without some Belgian chocolates. Avoid the “tourist†chocolate shops and head for the Pierre Marcolini chocolate shop on the Place du Grand Sablon. Mr. Marcolini manufactures the chocolate himself using personally selected cocoa beans. You will find a truly amazing array of chocolates, pastries, ice-creams and sorbets. And while you’re at it, you’re in Belgium – where else are you going to buy a wealth of Tintin paraphenalia?
Where to stay?
Eurostars Grand Place Hotel (****)
Prices from €70 per room per night with Hotels.com
Located a five minute walk from Grand Place, this hotel is centrally located and within easy walking distance to all the main shopping streets. From the heart of the capital, enjoy the many cultural attractions such as the old town centre, the Manneken Pis and the remarkable Gothic Town Hall.
5. Berlin
Germans tend to pull out all the stops for Christmas and each year Berlin is transformed into a veritable winter wonderland of yuletide festivities. KaDeWe, a department store which is often referred to as the Harrod’s of Berlin as it is the largest department store in Europe. Daily visitors of 80,000 flock to the boutiques and shops which are spread over eight floors. Besides shopping opportunities, the KaDeWe has a fine selection of food on offer with delicacies such as caviar, French pastries and Japanese fish.
Another worthy shopping treat is the Europa Center, near the KaDeWe. This classic department is one of the older shopping malls in the city and has over 100 shops and restaurants inside.
German Christmas markets are the place to go in Berlin for festive fun and unique gifts. Berlin has the most Christmas markets of any other German city with 60 markets on throughout the festive season. Christmas gifts, crib figurines, toys, candles and lambskin shoes are just a few of the items on sale at the markets. The Christmas spirit literally hangs in the air with the aroma of hot chestnuts, sausages, mulled wine and baked apples. You will be attracted to the array of delicious treats such as marzipan figures and gingerbread biscuits known as Lebkuchen. A popular market within Berlin is held on the Potsdamer Platz and in the Sony Centre. Here you will find the large outdoor skating rink to truly get you in the festive spirit. Also, don’t forget to visit the giant gold David Hasselhoff statue built in his honour (not true… yet).
Where to stay?
Prices from €101 per room per night with Hotels.com
This stylish four-star hotel is a two minute walk from Berlin’s Kurfürstendamm shopping street. Situated in the Wilmersdorf district in the heart of Berlin, the Berlin Mark Hotel is close to Berlin Kathe Kollwitz Museum and Kaiser Wilhelm Gedachtniskirche. It offers great transport links, air conditioned rooms and an original sushi restaurant and bar.
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