Christmas city tour, what to do and see in NY, Paris and London at Christmas
How to ignite the Christmas spirit with the xmas city guide of the capitals of the world and live unforgettable experiences firsthand
If traditions count, surprises feed the wonder and some vice granted gratifies. The Christmas spirit also feeds and feeds on this and is completely satisfied if all those experiences are shared. This is a city guide dedicated to three main capitals, New York, London and Paris, complex and fascinating places full of positive energy to draw on. What to do and see at Christmas to get into the holiday mood is here. Just start scrolling.
December in New York? What to see and what to do in the Big Apple to kick off the party season
Planning a long weekend in New York in December is a great idea. Being able even the holidays. Because there is no place in the world where tradition, sharing and luxury blend so well with the spirit of Christmas. Guilty pleasure and cultural crossing will win over even the most skeptics, those with a Grinch soul. What to do in New York in December, where to go shopping before, during and after Christmas 2022 is all here.
It starts from the basics: first stop under the Christmas tree in the Rockefeller Center courtyard + skating rink. A tradition that has lasted for more than 88 years. This year the spruce arrives from Queensbury and from the lighting ceremony it remains sparkling until January 2023. The Christmas tree of the New York Stock Exchange at 11 Wall Street, the splendid display, should also be included in the list of festive trees of conifers at the New York Botanical Garden and the illuminated holiday tree at the Washington Square Arch. Decorated with over a thousand paper origami is the one exhibited at the American Museum of Natural History inspired by the exhibits that can be visited at the museum. Without forgetting the trees set up by the iconic hotels of Manhattan: the Lotte New York Palace, the Plaza, the Waldorf Astoria and the Peninsula New York.
For a 100% American Xmas experience at sunset, head to Dyker Heights, the most dazzling southwest Brooklyn neighborhood ever. Every year, residents decorate the facades and entrances of their houses with extravagant shows and truly absurd visual and sound decorations. Remaining in Brooklyn there is also the Brooklyn Botanic Garden Lightscape, a light show in the midst of nature that can be visited until January 8th.
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Elf. Home Alone 2. Miracle on 34th Street. The list of great holiday movie classics set and filmed in New York City is longer than Santa's list. New York is an open-air set and a tour bus to discover the corners and locations that have become legendary thanks to the films is more than a must to get into the ideal Christmas mood. From Central Park to Midtown, the vibes of Scrooged and Serendipity can also be relived by watching clips and backstage anecdotes. Speaking of the 2001 romantic film starring John Cusack and Kate Beckinsale, the address to note down is precisely that of Serendipity3, the historic pastry shop/ice cream shop/snackbar on the Upper East Side where the two meet to share the "infamous hot chocolate frozen". Better to book , also wanting for dinner. 225 E 60th St.
How not to love the iconic orange sofa, Chandler's bunny suit and Rachel's famous cow jacket. Touching the original props and costumes firsthand, to enter Phoeebe and Monica 's world directly will be possible with The Friends Experience, two floors entirely dedicated to the TV series followed by generations, Central Perk and fountain included. (130 E 23rd St, corner of Lexington Ave. and 23rd St.) Slots are booked throughout the week, except Mondays and Tuesdays.
For those who, on the other hand, illuminations and Chistmas Carols cause tooth decay, there is Boroughs of The Death . Specialized in New York Alternative tours off the usual itineraries, during the month of December they offer Ghosts of Christmas Past, a walking tour designed to shed light on the city's most sinister and dark past between West Village ghost stories and Christmas tradition. Why did the Victorians love to tell ghost stories at Christmas? Where did Charles Dickens read A Christmas Carol in 1867? How did Washington Irving, John Pintard (founder of the New-York Historical Society), and Clement Clarke Moore, all members of 19th-century New York City's "Knickerbocker" elite, change the way we imagine Christmas? Meet in front of St. Mark's Church on the Bowery, 131 East 10th Street.
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Christmas shopping in NY: where and how to fill your eyes with joy
Let's start with window shopping, a ritual for everyone, especially New York. In December, the rush for Christmas presents begins with them, the windows of Bergdorf Goodman, Bloomingdale's, Macy's and Saks Fifth Avenue on Fifth Avenue. The enfilade of parallel worlds, beautiful and desirable, is unveiled in conjunction with Thanksgiving and until January 1st enchants and attracts passers-by. To the group of category masters this year we also add the collaboration of The Mark Hotel x Swarovski, one of the most luxurious and chic hotels in Manhattan, which saw the two partners in crime in the gourmet transformation of the entire building into an elegant home of marzipan where you can be fascinated by columns of sugar canes, icing and large lollipops and giants cloaked in light (until 7 January 2023). Even the Louis Vuitton stores have allowed themselves to be contaminated during the Christmas holidays and, together with Lego, offer windows with snowy winter scenarios made with the famous bricks which, among other things, are 90 years old this year. Last but not least in the city there is also the exhibition The Louis Vuitton 200 Trunks, 200 Visionaries: The Exhibition at 660 Madison Avenue which can be visited until December 31st.
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Musical time: New York in December is worth more than a show
The Rockettes dance, kick and tumble like dominoes, dressed as toy soldiers, in perfect sync. Santa Claus also makes an appearance in the most anticipated show of the Christmas season. Christmas Spectacular starring Radio City Rockettes is the musical with which to seal the definitive Christmas experience in New York . Every year the Christmas musical entertains the audience for 90 minutes with 150 artists, amazing costumes and choreography and music in pure Hollywood style. At Rockefeller Center until January 2, 2023. Tickets on the official website or also on Broadway.com, Ticketmaster and StubHub.
What to expect from Artechouse 's Spectacular Factory , a company specializing in digital experience, is difficult to describe in words. It is an interactive multi-sensory intersection of technology, art and science based on the aptitude for the wonder of the Christmas spirit. With this avant-garde exhibition staged in a boiler factory below Chelsea Market, it will be possible to merge tradition and metaverse in a visual frenzy of giant bells, nutcracker happenings and XL garlands. Until 8 January 2023.
Santa's Secret takes place Thursday through Sunday, Wednesday, December 21 and 28, an inviting journey through a winter wonderland with vintage speakeasies included complete with holiday cocktails and variety show. In this tortuous path set up on the fifth floor of the HudsonYards , there will be surprises: from living gingerbread girls and muscular woodcutters to ice queens inside a life-size boule de neige with the ever-present live background of the Santa Big Band and the voice by Inyang Bassey. At 6 and 9 pm and at 4 and 7 pm on Sundays.
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Finally there's Rolf's, an East Side restaurant in Grammercy, completely covered inside with glittering Christmas balls and decorations 365 days a year. But now is the right time to enjoy a drink at the counter or taste one of the infinite versions of schnitzel and glühwein given the German imprint of the place. Instagram opportunity: 1000. At 281 Third Ave with the advice to book to avoid queuing.
All there is to do in Paris in December waiting for the holidays
Despite the restrictions on energy consumption imposed by the government, Paris will be able to be, even in December, the city of a thousand lights thanks to fewer hours of lighting with the decorations off by midnight and the definitive conversion to LED lights. La Ville Lumière prepares in style to celebrate the festive season and what to do and see in Paris in December to get in the spirit of a Joyeux Noël is already here. Also wanting to leave for a trip by train. The Venice Simplon-Orient-Express strengthens its presence in Europe and releases new itineraries for December for some of the most evocative winter destinations in Europe, providing an unforgettable travel experience in the cities of Florence, Paris, Venice and Vienna . The classic itinerary from Venice to Paris on 2nd and 12th December, returning on 20th December, will stop in Florence on 7th December (Venice-Paris) and 8th December (Paris-Venice) and will start again from Paris in the direction of Vienna on 17 December, to then return to Paris on 18 December.
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The points of light, like diamonds, must be placed cleverly to light up the context with beauty. Thus, defining which are the bright places in the city whose sparkle it is essential to enjoy, apart from the Eiffel Tower, is certainly not a quick summary, but it is true that there are some truly indispensable locations. As are the Champs Elysées after 10pm, when the stores are closed but glittering, the crowds have disappeared and the streets are clear. The Louvre Pyramid, Avenue Montaigne and Place-Vendôme . In the fifth arrondissement, the Jardin des Plantes hosts a fantastic evening festival of illuminations: "Mini-Mondes: The Enlightening Evolution" with more than one hundred luminous structures representing the complex world of insects. From 18:00 to 23:00 with tickets purchasable are online. Even the Parc Floral in the Bois de Vincennes organizes its first light show called Les Sentiers Lumineux de Noël, an illuminated path in the most suggestive nature ever lasting about 60-90 minutes open only in the time slot between 17:30 and 21:00 .
Then there are les vitrines , as the French call them, another ritual of the Parisian Christmas season. Galeries Lafayette , BHV, La Samaritaine and Le Bon Marché and Bon Marché Rive Gauche have in store a calendar of activities inside and outside the buildings that are not to be missed. Galeries Lafayette Coupole, for example, hosts on the fourth floor " Planet Christmas" , Planet Sapin in French, an engaging circular multi-sensory light experience; Bon Marché Rive Gauche, instead, in the Saint-Germain-des-Prés district until 30 December gives a luminous dimension from Paris of the 19th century at nightfall. Last but not least, there are the walks in the passages, delightful covered walkways born at the end of the 18th century dotted with small shops and cafés. From Galerie Vivienne to Passage Jouffroy up to Passage Choiseul (Rue des Petits Champs) where, among other things, the Japanese Christmas Market is set up.
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Paris folies, Christmas is pure fun
Paris = Disneyland? Why not. A piece of French-naturalized American culture has rightfully entered the book of experiences to be experienced if you pass by the Ville Lumière in a joyful period such as the Christmas holidays. Enchanted Christmas is the title of the EuroDisney playground program just 30 kilometers from Paris which also includes the New Year's Eve party with the park open after midnight. But it must be remembered that just five minutes from the theme park is the La Vallée Village fashion outlet, a fashionista village with over 110 French and non-French boutiques where you can stock up on gifts at friendly prices. Until December 24th at 21 rue des Archives in the 4th arrondissement there is Maison Ghibli, the pop-up store of master Miyazaki 's Japanese animation studio, a treasure trove of objects ready to offer great satisfaction to fans. For disciples of Harry Potter and the world of Poulard, the appointment is in the Marais at 130 rue de Turenne at Wizard, a temporary shop open until 31 December dedicated 100% to JK Rowling. The Cité des Merveilles 2022 is instead an engaging experience that combines fun, experience and awareness of biodiversity. Cité Fertile is located in the Parisian suburb of Pantin , a redevelopment project supported by the values of sustainability and sharing. For the Christmas period, and until early March 2023, it will be possible to visit it and enjoy rides, luminous artistic installations, Christmas markets, food courts and winter bars and other activities.
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Shopping in Paris in December between flea markets, personal shoppers and magical experiences
Listing the Christmas markets in Paris would be like compiling the new telephone directory. Some above all: that of Notre-Dame de Paris in piazza Viviani until 26 December. The Alsatian Christmas market until 16 December at the Gare de l'Est station in Paris, the one set up at the Paris La Défense open until late. For a luxury experience, with the reopening of Samaritaine Paris after 16 very long years, the Prince de Galles of Luxury Collection Hotel, offers guests The Parisian Shopping Package X Samaritaine an exclusive shopping experience which includes a chauffeured trip to and from the hotel, a guided tour of the warehouses with a mini tour with the history of the building and its surroundings, a private shopping session and a return signature cocktail at the 1920 bar inside the hotel. Reserve them on marriott.com . Until December 10th Dior opens "L'Atelier des Rêves" , an immersive pop-up store for the holidays in the majestic setting of a hotel particulier in the 8th arrondissement with the intention of recreating the universe of the Château de la Colle Noire , Monsieur's refuge on the French Riviera, where you can make olfactory discoveries and make-up sessions, a customization workshop or even an augmented reality experience, in collaboration with Meta, to give life to the Dior constellations designed by artist Pietro Ruffo for Dior Beauty Christmas. To book.
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Among the events in December in Paris, the theater wins
Both on December 24th and 31st it is possible to enjoy Kontakthof, the dance theater show by Pina Bausch, the third to enter the repertoire of the Paris Opera Ballet. At the center of the work the themes of the German choreographer, love, anguish, violence, desire, sadness but also a lot of humour, in a scenography by Rolf Borzik enriched by the lights of Jo Verlei. Totally Crazy is the title of the new episode of the show in the renowned cabaret hall of Paris, Crazy Horse! Elegance + Immersion + Glamor is the perfect equation for this winking, world-famous show. With the new Backstage Tour + Cocktail + Champagne + Show formula, to be experienced only on Friday at 7.00pm in French and Sunday at 7.00pm in English, it will be possible to enter the heart of this famous performance. Guaranteed laughter with Oh My God, She's Parisian! he cabaret show in English in which only a true Parisian can describe the city of Paris as Julie Collas knows it. The show, seen by more than 20,000 spectators from all over the world in just 2 years, returns to the scene for a second appointment at the Théâtre Bo Saint Martin , which can also be combined with a flute of champagne.
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Greedy Paris, what to see (and taste) in Paris during the Christmas period
Food and France. Food is what makes Christmas, truly Christmas. To rediscover and appreciate the gastronomic traditions of the holidays, all you have to do is book the Paris Christmas Gourmet Food Tour, a mouth-watering journey to taste and buy seasonal delicacies, oysters and champagne and 13 traditional desserts such as gingerbread, chocolate Yule logs and spiced wine in a cozy Parisian tearoom. We meet at 6 pl. Saint-Sulpice in front of the Saint Laurent boutique. How to miss Alain Ducasse 's artisanal chocolate, a stop at the Foucade pastry shop or Lenôtre, or for a tea at the Hôtel de Crillon and at the Molitor Paris at MGallery. It's still. A cheese vault in the heart of the Marais? Descend into the special cave for aging the cheese under an excellent fromagerie and it will be like having an insider's view, guided by a Master Affineur, on how cheese is aged to perfection.
If Christmas calls London, please answer
Where to start a Christmas city tour in London , the realm of the most deeply rooted and solemn spirit of the celebration of the holidays? It will be the dark times we are living in and which for the British people add up to the recent death of the beloved Queen Elizabeth, but in December in London the 2022 Christmas celebrations will have only one goal, to light up the streets and public places of aggregation with light and sparkle in the name of sharing and warmth. LED lights with reduced hours, mind you. Among very tall Christmas trees and the sumptuous and futuristic ones, to get into the right spirit of the holidays, it is enough to walk with your nose up: the facades of the buildings and stores will not disappoint your expectations. As per tradition, since 1947, the magical tree placed in the center of Trafalgar Square with an adjoining market arrives from Norway, then there is the one covered in red and white lights in the center of Covent Garden: the beating heart of commerce and an exchange point . Even the hotels in London compete to adorn lobbies and entrances with original intuitions or drawing from the purest tradition. From the garlands of The Ritz to the pacifist tree of The Connaught created by Suzy Murphy, one will be dazzled by "The Diamond", the mirroring and luminous tree designed by Sandra Choi creative director of Jimmy Choo 5 meters high, designed in collaboration with the production designer Simon Costin, at Claridge's.
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And then there are the shop windows, the streets and the facades of the department stores. Fabulous World of Dior is the setting with which Dior has customized the entire Harrods building. A bright and hyper-decorative take-over with the appearance of the traditional spiced ginger-bread decorated with white icing also includes the creation of a Dior village inside the store made of real biscuit and icing. Until January 3rd. Even Bond Street , the street of luxury, lights up with value and Christmas spirit thanks to illuminations inspired by the Crown Jewels to pay homage to the queen tiaras made with over 90,000 LED lights. And from the 5000 stars of Oxford Street you get to Regent Street which since 1954 he hasn't waited long with light shows ON from 3pm to 11pm: The Spirit of Christmas , this is the title of the light installation, sees 16 angels with an impressive 17-metre wingspan cover the street with a canopy of 300,000 sparkling lights. Finally, a walk under the lights of Carnaby Street is a must, which for Christmas 2022 celebrates the iconic moments in British history of the last 25 years with tributes to Bohemian Rhapsody, the Rolling Stones and mesmerizing scenes from Under The Sea.
The 15 Selfridges windows dedicated to Christmas celebrate the moments of joy associated with culinary traditions. Fortnum & Mason in Piccadilly celebrates "the joy of festive traditions, merriment and the making of memories" as the character named Geoffrey is depicted as he engages in a variety of Christmas traditions, from lighting Christmas pudding to decorating baubles, in eight separate windows. Liberty London , with its evocative Tudor style perfectly celebrates the magic of everyday life, while inside, a visit to the fourth floor dedicated to Christmas decorations is highly recommended.
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December London Classic, golden oldies
Sit down next to a real fire with a cup, a goblet or a pint is all you need to find inner peace, especially if it starts to rain outside and the cold starts to make itself felt seriously. And Scarfes at the Rosewood London hotel is the right place at the right time with the perfect formula: a large fireplace, comfortable sofas stretched out in front and a magical cocktail list. Another appointment with the on ice tradition follows. It is the largest ice rink in the United Kingdom: inside Hyde Park, the tradition of Londoners and non-Londons, it includes at least one pre-Christmas evening at Winter Wonderland : an enthralling experience on the ice, between sculptures and adrenaline-pumping roller coasters, a circus, bars at will, Christmas markets and a myriad of street-food proposals. For more adults there is ice skating set up inside the neoclassical courtyard of Somerset House which for the 2022 edition, in collaboration with Moët & Chandon, is transformed into a magical winter wonderland complete with a 12-year-old Christmas tree meters. Ever played curling? In London at The Curling Club on the South Bank you can and how. And if you can't find a place, in King's Cross there are the icy slopes of the Coal Drops Yard. And if you are lucky enough to spend December 25th in the city, here is also the reporting of one of the most bizarre Christmas traditions in London , as well as being one of the oldest. This is the Peter Pan Cup, a race held on freezing Christmas mornings since 1864. Strictly for spectators, unless you are a member of the Serpentine Swimming Club, you can watch the test of the most vigorous at 9am sharp . (Serpentine Lido Hyde Park).
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Show time: December events and shows in London
The Royal Albert Hall is the guiding star of Christmas celebrations. This year's highlights include the Christmas Gaiety show on 3 December, ensemble which sees drag star Peaches Christ lead the likes of RuPaul, Cheddar Gorgeous and Pixie Polite in a chant accompanied by the BBC Concert Orchestra - while the Big Band Christmas by Guy Barker on December 9 will ignite the Christmas spirit of the onlookers. On 11, 12 and 13 December for those nostalgic and a little allergic to the golden spark of traditional Christmas holidays, it is good to know that The Cure will play at Wembley Arena , for those who experience Christmas as an emo celebration. Until 7 January at the Spiegeltent the La Clique company entertains the public with a frenetic blend of cabaret, burlesque and unique vaudeville. This Olivier Award-winning troupe returns to Leicester Square this Christmas with a show that has been described by The Times as 'edgy, brilliant and wonderful'.
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Christmas in London 2022: pint or cup?
Churchill Arms is a Kensington institution. Every year this much-loved and busy pub spends £25,000 decorating its facade with plants and when Christmas comes they add 80 Christmas trees and 22,000 lights to create a lavish display. Much loved and frequented, it is necessary to arrive in time to enjoy a healthy beer and Thai food. Instead Miracle at Henrietta will provide the perfect pitstop for a highly instagrammable quality cocktail . An ingenious format that will be able to transport the guests to a 70s house decorated for Christmas like in a TV show of the time. Here the kitschness of the holidays is the strong point so much that you can't stay for more than an hour and 45 minutes. But it will be worth it. The names of the cocktails? Christmapolitan , Elfin Around and Snowball Old Fashioned . At 14–15 Henrietta Street just behind Covent Garden. Finally, inside a church that has been deconsecrated since 1974 and preserved in its sacred features, is the second of the four London commercials with a sustainable restaurant concept: Mercato Metropolitano Mayfair. From organic food and beverage managed in a virtuous way, during the Christmas period The Pop Up Choir will host the voices of an a capella choir to be placed where the altar once was. Merry Christmas.
