Vacationing at Christmas isn’t something we have ever considered, but the family chatted and agreed that Paris was a good idea. The kids had ten days to work with, and we had a similar allotment, so we dedicated five nights together in Paris, followed by time to explore other destinations separately. Malcolm and I split our time among Edinburgh, London, and Paris – three iconic cities known for their Christmas Markets and extreme lighting displays. Rather than recount the blow-by-blow of our time in each city, I will share a ‘Best Of’ for each destination.
Edinburgh, Scotland – Best Christmas Light Displays and Christmas Market
We started our journey in Edinburgh, Scotland. The Royal Mile stretches from Holyrood Palace to Edinburgh Castle, with its implied grandeur and a surprising intimacy that compels exploration of side streets and alleyways. This city is picturesque at any time of year, but especially so at Christmas. From Old Town on the hilltop to New Town below, we loved everything about Edinburgh. There were pubs and fine dining establishments, pop-up skating rinks, Harry Potter’s Diagon Alley (colorful Victoria Street), spectacular light displays on every historic monument, retail shops beckoning shoppers with elaborate displays, and the sound of bagpipes on every corner. Imagine all that, plus a vibrant and visually stunning Christmas Market, and you have a city that loves its heritage as much as it loves Christmas.
Edinburgh by Night
Edinburgh by Day and a walk through Dean Village.
London, England – Best suited to us
Malcolm and I have visited London several times, and we always enjoy our time here. The food scene is inspiring, and although we should branch out, we still visited some old favorites. This year, we returned to Bob Bob Ricard and The Flat Iron, and we tried Dear Jackie, a recommendation from our SIL. We had excellent meals and service at all three. Sorely missed was a return visit to Sofra in Mayfair, which we discovered a few years ago. If you love Turkish food, this is the place.
We didn’t attend a show this year, but the theater district was just a short walk from our hotel. Next time, we will plan ahead. Christmas lights in London are incredible, and the best seem to be around Covent Garden and Oxford Street. We stayed at the St. James in Trafalgar, which is perfectly located for exploring on foot. We averaged about 15,000 steps per day here and felt right at home. Over the years, we have visited most of the city’s historic sites, colorful and stately neighborhoods, markets, and parks, and we highly recommend allotting a minimum of four full days to take it all in.
Paris, France – Best Overall Experience
Paris speaks for itself. Without adornment, it is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. While we didn’t see the excessiveness of Christmas decorations that we saw in Edinburgh and London, these displays were elegant and refined, just like the city.
We leased a beautiful apartment in St. Germain, which is within walking distance of Luxembourg Gardens, several coffee shops, high-end shopping, and a few cafes. This destination was about spending time with our kids and celebrating Christmas. Our days were filled with walks along the Seine, taking photos in quintessential Parisian locations, eating, drinking, and spending time together preparing meals. We enjoyed shopping for fresh produce, meat, cheeses, bread, flowers, wine, and of course, dessert. We even shopped for a Christmas tree.
When we weren’t walking the streets of Paris or lounging at home, we were discovering new eateries and bars. This year, the kids introduced us to LaRenommee, which has dining upstairs and a cocktail bar downstairs. We had our meal upstairs, then asked for a table in the cocktail bar, where we had dessert. The atmosphere was intimate and pleasing in both venues. The kids went back a second time while we stayed in, having overindulged too often during the week. Dumbo is a great hole-in-the-wall burger joint that serves outstanding smashed burgers. Most folks seemed to take them to go as the seating is sparse. Rojo is a unique wine bar that serves cocktails with creative names like Egg-cited and Eggs-boyfriend. Intimate, moody, and original are descriptors that come to mind. Bachier serves delicious Lebanese ice cream, with its signature crushed pistachios rolled onto every serving. LeRigmarole is a gastronomic delight. We ordered the sampler menu and received course after course of amazing food. The menu changes nightly, at the Chef’s whim. Plates are small, but plentiful. It is impossible to describe our culinary experience in this amazing foodie city, but ‘romantic, indulgent, satisfying’ are words that I could easily overuse.
According to our kids, a visit to Paris isn’t complete without a trip to Hemingway’s Bar at the Ritz Carlton. It is a bit pricey, but the atmosphere is elegant, cozy, and reminiscent of Hemingway. We toasted to Christmas Eve and lingered for a while as if in a favorite bookstore. Malcolm and I were in charge of meals at the apartment, so we retired early to prep the food and set the table. We kept things easy this evening with a semi-homemade dinner of tortellini and meatballs.
The temperature dropped significantly on Christmas Day, but the sun was out, and we took a walk through Luxembourg Gardens in spite of the cold. Stopping for a hot chocolate along the way was not only a good idea but necessary for these Florida tourists. Later, we prepared a Christmas dinner of beef tenderloin, haricot verts, roasted vegetables, salad, and onion soup (purchased at the local Brasserie). We topped off the meal with a delicious Buche de Noel (chocolate Yule Log).
And finally, the streets of Paris at Christmastime…
Happy New Year and Cheers to 2026
Picture Retirement 
What a fantastic time away Suzanne – I love how you had time together and time apart – and that you covered three gorgeous locations. The London lights and decorations were beautiful, and you did an amazing job of preparing your Christmas food in the apartment. You all looked very cosmopolitan and the photos were gorgeous. And those icecreams at the end – oooh la la!
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Leanne, it’s a long flight, so we make the most of our time away, even if it means splitting up at some point. I love my kids, but five days of go, go, go, is all we can take at this age. Those icecreams were amazing, well worth waiting in line, and eating them in the cold.
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A special and precious Christmas time, Suzanne! You’ve proven that Christmas away from home can still be very Christmas-y, with good food, family, and presents in the form of experiences. The perfect mix!
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Liesbet, I missed Christmas at home, but I’m glad we had the experience. It was much more ‘Christmassy’ than expected. I think the fun and frivolity of shopping for the tree and getting it back to the apartment was one of my favorite days.
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What a wonderful trip you had! I love Paris but have never spent Christmas there – something to consider perhaps? And I’m glad you like London so much, but please, if you’re coming again do get in touch and maybe I can introduce you to one of my own favourite restaurants here 🙂
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I’m simply not a foodie but I can tell you had a wonderful Christmas. Edinburgh is always beautiful but can be darn cold! Fabulous for walking and Holyrood Palace. I lived in London when I was young and walked my legs off. Only been to Paris for our Silver Wedding. You’re right- your lovely daughter is so like her Dad. Bom Ano xx
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Jo, Edinburgh was comfortable, as was London (chilly, but not bone cold). Paris was fine until Christmas Day, then it got cold. We were prepared, though, so we carried on – albeit with shorter outings. We love food, as evidenced by my overload of food and drink pics. Cooking it, eating it, watching someone else cook it, reading recipes, watching cooking shows – it’s a bit of an obsession.
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Sarah, I promise, next time I will get in touch. I did think of you while we were there, but didn’t want to impose. We had three wonderful days, in spite of a little rain during our evening walks. What a beautiful city you live in.
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Suzanne, these three locations in which to spend the Christmas holidays were spectacular. I would love to visit Scotland any time of year. The markets look brimming with goodies! All that gorgeous food!…good thing you got all.those steps in. Proves these cities are wonderfully walkable. Glad you also got some family time in and some quiet time to!
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Terri, while both cities are very different, Edinburgh and London fit us to a tee, and we could return there time after time. It’s easy to spend several days in either city without a car.
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I was going to say the same as Sarah….tell us when you’re coming to London next time, and if we’re around, we’ll show you some of its “other” delights. Glad you enjoyed….those are still three of our favourite cities in the world.
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Hi Guys, we will definitely return, who knows when, but we will let you all know in advance. That would be a fun gathering…:-)
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Lovely photos of what looks like a wonderful Christmas vacay, Suzanne!
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Terry, it was pretty amazing. Cold in Paris, but wonderful nevertheless.
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I spend a Christmas day in Paris way back in 1970 – the thing I remember most vividly were the vendors on every corner selling hot chestnuts (which I wasn’t that fond of)! Back then – most restaurants were closed for the holiday. Times certainly do change!
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Jan, we saw hot chestnuts in a few places. Bars and restaurants open everywhere. Christmas Day was quiet – a great day to walk the city, with very few people out and about. I enjoyed the atmosphere.
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What a beautiful and wonderful trip you had, Suzanne. All three cities Edinburgh, London and Paris are among my favourites. The tree shopping in Paris definitely set the tone for Christmas. Thank you for sharing your experience and photos.
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What a fabulous trip! I have never traveled overseas during the holidays but I may have to plan something in the next few years. The festivities, food, and family time you enjoyed look absolutely glorious! Thank you for sharing your pictures and recommendations. I’ve definitely made notes.
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Janis, it was a nice change-up from our usual at-home Christmas, but I won’t make a habit of it. I missed decorating, baking cookies, and watching Christmas movies. Maybe next year we’ll just take a winter vacation and spend Christmas at home. Best of both worlds!
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I loved Edinburgh when we visited a few years ago, and seeing it dressed for Christmas was an absolute treat. Thank you for that. We’ve truly enjoyed London as well—it’s endlessly enchanting—but Edinburgh has my heart. Thank you for taking me there once again.
I enjoyed your Christmas in Paris. How wonderful it must have been for all of you to be together there. The food, the drinks, the little tree, and the Eiffel Tower— phenomenal!
Thanks for sharing. Have a beautiful week ahead.
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Nancy, it was wonderful to spend the week with the kids in Paris, but Edinburgh has my heart as well. London is still the most ‘liveable’ destination for me and a place we will return to time and time again. Have a great week.
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I have never wanted to visit Paris but your descriptions sound divine. Lovely photos.
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It is a beautiful city, but if I don’t go back for a while, I’ll be okay with that.
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I hear what you said about being okay with not going back to Paris, Suzanne. The last European trip I did, I went to all the places I wanted to absolutely see, in case I never got back to Europe again. I had a magical trip and although there is many more places and things to see, I feel as you do – I am okay if I don’t go back for a while. that.
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We love Edinburgh, and especially around Christmas. We prefer Edinburgh to Paris. The Scottish people are friendlier, and the Scottish Christmas is not as commercial as the French one in Paris.
The Fab Four of Cley
🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂
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If it were completely up to me, Edinburgh would have been my pick for Christmas. I loved each location for different reasons, but you are right about Edinburgh -friendly and less commercial.
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Awesome photos! I am so glad you had such a wonderful holiday!!!
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Thank you Linda. We had a great time.
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Nice to see the pictures of Edinburgh where I grew up. The Christmas market started in 1999 and has grown a lot since then. I think it a pity that Edinburgh has become so ‘touristy’ – last time I was there I was shocked that you had to book in advance for the castle and the really tacky shops along the Royal Mile. It still is a lovely city though.
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Lucky you to have grown up in Edinburgh. I can imagine that it must have been quite something. It wasn’t too overrun with tourists when we were there, but we were glad we purchased our castle tickets online weeks before our visit. There were some ticky-tacky shops along the Royal Mile, but we’ve come to expect that almost everywhere we travel. Side streets were fun to explore, and we loved our walk from Old Town to Dean’s Village. I think I’d like to see it all again in Spring or Summer.
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What a fantastic holiday, Suzanne! I thoroughly enjoyed your descriptions and especially the photos. My husband and I visited France, including Paris, 14 years ago and absolutely love it. Thanks for bringing back those memories.
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Hi Christie, I am glad that my post helped you recall fond memories of your time in Paris. It is a magical city.
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Suzanne,
Lights, food, action…and y’all really packed it in. Sounds fun, and the food spots sounded delightful. Your pictures of the lights and decorations made everything seem very Christmas-y. We’re in Jacksonville for another 10 days then head to Orlando where our granddaughter is competing in the Cheerleading Championship at Disney. We need warmer weather here. Thanks for sharing your trip with us. Have a great week and please stay in touch. Joe
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Good luck to your granddaughter in the competition. I’m sure she will be great. We had a warm day today, but we are expecting a drop in temperatures tomorrow morning. It won’t last long, though, so you should be getting some warm temps soon. Enjoy.
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So happy to find this post as we have spent the weekend beginning to plan our trip to London and Edinburgh this spring. How lovely all 3 cities were in their Christmas finery. Sounds like you had a glorious trip. Pinning this post so I can refer back to it. Thank you!!
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Hi Leslie, London and Edinburgh in the spring sounds wonderful. Feel free to contact me if you have specific questions. Just remember to get your castle tickets online at least a week or two in advance. Thanks for dropping by.
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What a gorgeous and festive way to spend Christmas! We share your appreciation for excellent food, so I enjoyed all of your photos. 😊 And even better if the atmosphere is as beautiful as the food! That was such a fun way to celebrate with your daughter and son-in-law. Lots of walking and exploring and finding wonderful restaurants is my idea of a grand vacation. May this year bring you and Malcom many more delicious adventures! (All of your photos are great, but I especially love your family photo at the end.)
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Hi Laurel, Christmas in Paris was a fairytale come true, for sure. What I liked most about it was the leisurely pace we enjoyed – nothing rushed, or mandated. Other than a couple of dinner reservations, we did not pre-plan anything. It was nice not to have a schedule.
I hope all is well with you, Eric, and Magnolia. I suppose you are getting some pretty cold weather about now. Our forecast for the next few days is dreadful, but I’m grateful that when it passes, that will be the end of winter in South Florida. Thanks for visiting.
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