bat23

I love christmas markets, decorations and atmosphere.
I also like snow - walk, sled and views.
We have been in Christmas markets in Vienna, Berlin and Zurich.
I thought next year end/middle of december together with kids december to combine both things - Christmas markets in Milano and then snow activities in switzerland or Bolzano in italy. Everything with public transport.

I wonder if it is a good idea or will not have from both as timing is not so good?
i wonder if Milan is good option for chrismat market and decorations?
I wonder if spending 24-25 december in alpine village is good idea to spend time in snow or that eveythi g is closed then?

What would you suggest? To save one trip to christmas market snd ine trip to snow I thought having both in the same trip

Moderator1

Moved to the Europe forum and tagged for Italy and Switzerland

neckervd

Montreux (Lake Geneva) has a very good Christmas market.
Alpine resorts are usually crowded over Christmas/New Year, biut not all have snow.
For snow guarantee, you best go to Cervinia/Breuil, Zermatt, Saas Fee, Verbier.
All winter sport resorts have prpared winter hiking trails throw snow areas (if there is snow).
Very popular toboggan routes:
Preda - Bravuogn (St. Moritz area)
Bussalp - Grindelwald
Kreuzboden - Saas Grund (Saas Fee area)
Savoleyres - La Tzoumaz (Verbier

WeisserTee

To this list I would add Scuol. Gets far less attention than it deserves. One of Switzerland’s few places still left mostly to locals. And in the Verbier area, Nendaz. A very good spa hotel and a few excellent restaurants / brewpubs. (we are lucky to have a close friend with a gorgeous chalet there). Also easy bus transport to Sion, if interested.

bat23

Thanks a lot! I will look into it.
what also would you think of
Klosters
Davos
Bolzano/ortisei (italy)

i mean in chances of snow (village or montains)and sledding/activities for 10 years old kids.

bat23

Thanks a lot! I will look into it.
what also would you think of
Klosters
Davos
Bolzano/ortisei (italy)

i mean in chances of snow (village or montains)and sledding/activities for 10 years old kids.

mike1728

Last year we left on Christmas Day and flew into Milan Linante. Train to Verona for 4 nights (city was beautifully decorated with a large Christmas Market). From Verona we railed to Bolzano for 5 nights, again very beautiful with the background of the snow capped Dolomites. The Christmas markets were smaller than I had imagined, but less crowded than Verona and for me more enjoyable. From Bolzano we railed to Milan for our last 3 nights. City all dressed for Christmas and there was a nice Christmas Market and a lot of amusement type rides for children. It was situated in a park near our apartment about a 20 minute walk from Milan Central Train Station. The Christmas Markets in this region proceed until around the 7th of January, however the crowds were extremely large due to it being school vacation.

neckervd

Klosers is 1100 metresabove sea level only. it may be in the snow or it may be free of snow, the latter being slightly more probable.
But Kosters is linked by cableways to the 2 ski areas of Madrisa and Parsenn, at 2200 metres, which will have snow.
But Kosters is far away from any iscenic Christmas Markets, the closest being the small and not particularly interesting Christmas market of Feldkirch.
Davos is in the same area as Klosters, but much bigger (more road traffic and air pollution) and slightly higher.

Bolzano/Bozen is a city with 110 thousand inhabitants at an altutude of 200 metres, miles away from any small village in the snow.
.

Gardyloo

Probably not what you're thinking of, but maybe add Santa's village, the arctic circle, northern lights, reindeer pulling sleds...? Finland and maybe Estonia.

suze

Someone beat me to it above. Lac Leman outside Geneva is a gorgeous area, well with towns along the lake looking out to the mountains. Montreux has a festive traditional Christmas market. Also the towns of Lausanne, Vevey, and others nearby are interesting for weekly street markets. Chateau de Chillon is spectacular. Trains and some bus routes work efficiently in the area.

bat23

What about Ortisie in Dolmites?
it is 1200 meter high with cables car. Also it is said to have christmas markets. What do you think of that?

Or low chances of snow ftom there too?
from google maps it can be reached from Milan with public transport

bvlenci

There are websites for skiers that have detailed information about current snow conditions. Here is one:

https://www.snowtrex.co.uk/italy/wol...n/weather.html
you can enter the names of towns and see a detailed report of current conditions and forecasts. Some have webcams.

Ortisei can be reached by bus from Bolzano. There is a good Christmas market at Bolzano.

https://www.dolomiti.it/en/bolzano/e...ket-in-bolzano

Bolzano also has a fantastic museum featuring Ötzi, a prehistoric mummified man who was buried in the ice for thousands of years.

https://www.bolzanosurroundings.info/en/bolzano-culture/top-highlights/oetzi-south-tyrolean-archaeology-museum.html

Cortina d'Ampezzo is also likely to have s good deal of snow in a normal year. They also have a Christmas market.
​​​
https://venice-box.com/en/the-christ...-surroundings/

Cortina can be easily reached from Venice. In fact there's a daily express bus from Venice Mestre to Cortina. I think it would be easier to get to Venice than to Bolzano.

I realize that this trip is planned for next year, but the above websites should be useful for planning.

Swiss_Sights

For the days in the mountains, I would suggest Saas-Fee. The mountain panorama with the many 4000 metre mountains is phenomenal, the place is snow-sure and the Christmas video by the pop group Wham was filmed there: Last Christmas I gave you my heart...

Have a great trip!
Martin

neckervd

I mentioned the places where will be snow for sure. Tons of other places will most probably be in the snow too, but nobody can give you any guarantee.
Winter sport resort towns with ski areas above around 1600 metres will open the ski pists mid December anyway, with a lot of artificial snow, if there is no natural snow..

Montreux is one of the most charming christmas markdets of Switzerland. But you find bigger or smaller Christmas markets in the following Swiss towns too:
Basel, Bern, Biel/Bienne (closes at 7pm), Lucerne, Zurich, Winterthur, St. Gallen,
Between Milan and the Dolomites, the official list shows
Milan, Arco, Rovereto, Trento, Merano, Bolzano, Bressanone and Chiusa, Castelrotto, Ortisei-Selva, Vipiteno, Brunico