It's that time of year again: the nights get longer, decorations and trees appear, and Christmas lights make the night sky sparkle.

Who doesn't love a bit of the Christmas spirit?

While we all love a Christmas at home, it can be fun to hop to another country and see how they mark the festive season.

Whether it's Brussels with their historic Christmas market, or Paris with the Eiffel Tower becoming a giant decoration, taking in the festivities of other nations is an experience not to be missed.

Although Christmas is now less than a month, it's still not too late to book a Christmas getaway to a European destination.

To help you get ready for your Christmas break, we've picked five spots to inspire you this winter with flights and hotels chosen.

The best Christmas getaways in Europe for 2024

Prague

Prague is a site to see all year around, at Christmas time it offers a magical atmosphere with history mixed with gorgeous decorations and a welcoming feeling.

At Chritmas time in Prague, you can visit one of the markets, including Old Town Square, Wenceslas Square and inside Prague Castle.

The markets offer a mix of gift ideas and traditional Czech food and drink like some svarak, a mulled wine with plum brandy. 

You can catch a flight to Prague from London Luton Airport, with prices starting at £105 per person via Budget Air.

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If you're not sure where to stay in Prague, you can check out hotel prices on Trivago, with prices starting as low as £62 a night.

Take a browse at more flight and hotel options via Budget Air and Trivago.

Brussels

Brussels is said to be unmissable at Christmas, offering one of Europe's most beautiful Christmas markets, dazzling lights and plenty of activities for all ages.

The capital of Belgium is also home to a festive light and sound show at the Grand Place, seeing the UNESCO site light up with incredible displays.

Brussels is easy to get to, with flights from London's Heathrow taking just over an hour and costing £200 per person for flights with British Airways on Budget Air.

The city at Christmas time has plenty of options for places to stay, as Trivago offers the likes of Hotel Le Plaza, NH Collection Brussels Centre, Warwick Brussels - Grand Place.

You can see more flights via Budget Air and more hotel options via Trivago.

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Berlin 

At Christmas, Berlin in Germany "sparkles and twinkles" according to Berlin.com with Christmas markets popping up, as the streets and squares are decorated with traditional designs.

Self-described as one of Europe's Christmas capitals, Berlin has a touch of tradition with classical and Gospel concerts also taking place. 

You can catch a flight from Manchester Airport to Berlin in December with EasyJet for as little as £214 per person.

During your stay in Berlin, you can relax and enjoy a peaceful rest at the ARCOTEL John F Berlin which costs just £96 a night on Trivago.

You can see more flights via Budget Air and more hotel options via Trivago.

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Paris

The city of Love, Paris, is already a must-see destination, but thanks to the wintery nights and the joys of Christmas, it becomes even more magical than it already is.

The capital of France has Christmas markets ready to explore, ice skating at the Grand Palais, and endless magnificent festive displays to admire along with its already bold attractions and history.

If you fancy visiting Paris at Christmas, you can fly from Liverpool's John Lennon Airport to Paris for as little as £57 per person on EasyJet.

You can enjoy a stay in Paris at the likes of the Auteuil Tour Eiffel, Residehome Paris Opera and the Exe Paorma with prices from £120 a night with Trivago.

You can see more flights via Budget Air and more hotel options via Trivago.

Budapest

If you love snow and winter weather, then Budapest is a must for Christmas, often being blanketed in layers of beautiful snow.

You can explore the markets that are dotted all over the city, including one in Vörösmarty Square which offers the likes of traditional Hungarian food and gifts.

Flights from Manchester to Budapest take around three hours and Jet2 costs around £190 per person on Budget Air.

For somewhere to stay and relax, you can enjoy Hotel Nemzeti which costs just £79 per night via Trivago.

You can see more flights via Budget Air and more hotel options via Trivago.

Now that you've discovered some of the best places to visit at Christmas in Europe where will you be jetting off for a getaway this year? 

Whether it's Paris, Berlin, Prague, Budapest, Brussels or another destination, let's hope it's a wonderful Christmas.

Where would you recommend? Let us know in the comments.