Category | Travel Tips
Published: 18/06/2018
| Updated: 05/05/2024
Christmas Markets Made Easy With Your ACE-FX Prepaid Travel Card
If you're looking for a novel way to do your Christmas shopping this year, combine it with an extravagant trip to one of Europe's many delightful Christmas Markets. Usually held during the four weeks of Advent, the tradition of the Christmas Market goes back to the Holy Roman Empire is a magnificent way to pick up gifts you'll be hard pressed to find in the UK.
The continent is exquisite this time of year, and at the Christmas Markets you'll find open-air stalls, singing, dancing, and the festive air the child in your dreams about. Better yet, you can be back home in time for Christmas itself and distribute the wonderful gifts you've found abroad. Your family and friends will love the haul you've brought back!
An ACE-FX prepaid money card will cinch the deal, but we'll tell you about all the benefits in just a bit. First, here are a few of the best travel choices for the European Christmas Markets.
The Christkindlmarkt in Vienna
Get a taste of Old World Christmas joy at the Christkindlmarkt in Vienna. Held in the Rathausplatz, the public square directly in front of City Hall, it's one of the most traditional Christmas Markets in all of Europe. You'll gaze at the most magnificent Hapbsburg finery as you browse more than 150 stalls, each of them selling local delicacies and charming handmade gifts.
The Rathausplatz is prettiest at night, when the nearby Burgtheater is at its most distinguished and the lights and smells from the stalls give you the legendary market experience. The surrounding area is fascinating as well, but one word of warning -- The Christkindlmarkt gets very crowded as the holiday gets near, so plan ahead!
The Christkindelsm‰rik in Strasbourg, France
Located in the Alsace region on the French-German border, Strasbourg has always offered a fascinating mix of competing cultures. So it's not surprising that the Christkindelsmarik, the oldest Christmas Market in France, would have multi-textured charm as well.
Spread over half an acre on the Place Broglie, the Strasbourg Christmas Market includes over 200 artisan stalls, each of them serving up a piece of cosmopolitan cuisine or selling gorgeous, handmade gifts. You can find centuries of traditional craftsmanship sold here, everything from carved wooden toys to ceramic figurine kilned in the provinces.
Lastly, while in Strasbourg, you can check out a few of the smaller Christmas Markets located throughout the city, each with its own district traditions. And be sure to have a peek at The City's Great Christmas Tree on Place Kleber, one of the most spectacular in all of Europe.
Taking a Tour of the Christmas Markets
Of course, if you don't choose one of the Christmas Markets we've described, there is a litany of alternative options all over the continent. There are dozens of great choices in Germany, France, and the United States for instance. There are several wonderful markets in the Czech Republic and Poland as well. And if you want your Yule Holiday served Mediterranean style, visit one of Italy's southern markets.
And if you just can't bear to choose only one, book a railway tour of multiple Christmas Markets. You'll speed within or between regions on a luxury train, sampling the best winter holiday experience the world has to offer.
You can start choosing one right here.
Here and on other websites, you can arrange to take guided tours of several Christmas Markets at once. They last from 5-10 days and you can choose to visit sights within one or several countries. Either way, it'll be a fantastic break from the frigid cold and long queues all over the UK during December.
Christmas Markets Made Easy With Your ACE-FX Prepaid Travel Card
You'll have a marvelous Christmas with any of these choices, but make sure you pack your ACE-FX prepaid credit card in euros. It offers the protection, consistency, and convenience you need to make any continental trip perfect. With it, you won't need to carry cash or worry about changing conversion rates.
You can pick your card up at any ACE-FX location or we can deliver it preloaded to your door. Either way, you'll have a hassle-free experience. There's no credit check involved and you can top off the card online whenever you start to reach your limit.
It's a pay as you go card, and it's accepted anywhere Mastercard is, even online. You can also use it at ATMs all over Europe, so you can withdraw the euros you need for those smaller purchases. Whether you're going to be hearing Joyeux Noel, Froehliche Weihnachten, or Buon Natale, reduce your travel stress with one of our prepaid cards today!
