By Hannah Flight Finder Hannah loves spotting a deal for somewhere she can add to her endless bucket list. When she’s not busy writing up travel inspo, you’ll find her buying new vinyl, or tackling her reading list.

It’s that time of year again: the nights are cosier, chocolate for breakfast is totally acceptable, aaand Michael Bublé is defrosting.

As soon as November rolls around, lots of us start planning which French, German, or Austrian city we’re gonna flock to, to soak up all the festive vibes—like the aptly named “ Capital of Christmas”.

But once you’ve ticked off all the best European Christmas markets…what’s next?

Well, luckily for you, we’ve done the leg work and found all the places you might not have thought of, but are just as festive at this time of year. Just, in a different way.

So grab your blanket and a mug of hot chocolate and we’ll get started :-)

Greece

“Kala Christougena!”

If you’ve only ever thought of Greece as a summer destination, then this one’s for you.

On the first week of December, Christmas well and truly arrives at Athens’ main square (Syntagma) as they put up a huuuuge fir tree—we’re talking about 19 meters tall.

But, they’ve really only started doing that recently. Traditionally, people would decorate their boats by adding colourful lights to welcome sailors home after long voyages. Here’s how it looks at the harbour in Chania.

CC image courtesy of R Igor on Flickr

Festive food to try

Now, when it comes to sweet Christmas treats, two of the most loved around here are melomakarona honey biscuits and kourabiedes buttery cookies. Yum! You’ll find them in all local bakeries and pâtisseries, but one of the best places to try them in is at the themed ‘Little Kook Café’ in Athens—they go all out for the holidays.

And while we’re on the topic of food, if your trip runs over New Year's too, then don’t be alarmed if someone chucks a pomegranate at your door. It’s all in the name of good luck, promise!

Will I still get a white Christmas?

You don’t think we would have skipped the white stuff, did you? Well, another surprise is that Greece does, in fact, have ski resorts! Kalavrita is around 2 hours away from Athens and is one of the biggest in Greece. You’ll find 12 slopes for all abilities, and with equipment rental available, there’s no need to and squeeze your skis into your suitcase.

Georgia

“ შობას გილოცავთ”

Georgia celebrates Christmas according to the Orthodox calendar, so 2 weeks after you’ve had your traditional celebrations (13 days, to be exact), get ready to start allllll over again.

One of the most impressive spectacles here is the Alilo Parade on Orthodox Christmas day (7th January). You’ll see thousands of people march through the streets singing and chanting as they carry Georgian flags and wear traditional robes. It’s free to watch the parade, but people will usually donate food, sweets and gifts to later give to those in need.

CC image courtesy of ლევან ნიორაძე on Flickr

And don’t worry, you haven’t got to wait until January to start singing your Christmas songs. The festivities start here in early December when the light displays in Tbilisi’s Freedom Square are turned on, followed by the opening of Christmas markets around the 23rd, and last right until the end of January.

For a full guide on what to expect in Tbilisi over the festive period, check out this Wander-Lush blog.

Festive food to try

While you’re walking through those Christmas markets, you’ll find plenty to snack on. But if you’re asking us, washing down a few gozinakis and curchkhelas with a sip of warming chacha is basically compulsory.

Will I get a white Christmas?

Well, it’s super rare to catch snow in Tbilisi, but elsewhere in Georgia are some of the best and cheapest slopes around—one of our top picks is the Gudauri Ski Resort. You’ll find it around 2 hours further north into the Greater Caucasus Mountains, and with 70 km of routes available for all levels at just $120 for 4 days (yeah, that’s just £25 a day!) it’s a great shout.

Pluuuus, given Christmas isn’t celebrated on the 25th here, their resorts stay open—turns out you might get a white Christmas on the slopes after all. Happy skiing!

Read more…

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By Katy Editor Katy is a seasoned budget traveller who can't say "no" to a cheap city break. When she's not planning another trip, she's dreaming of Georgian Khachapuri.

There are a whopping 22 national parks in Virginia, each serving up more scenic vistas than the last. The Blue Ridge Parkway drive is by far the most popular way to see the forested ridges of the Appalachian highlands and meander on into the Blue Ridge Mountains—and even on to North Carolina, if you fancy!

Unsurprisingly, there are hikes aplenty along the way. We’ve got lakes, we’ve got waterfalls, we’ve got mountains, and even haunted trail shelters. The area is also known for its traditional bluegrass and folk music, with a musical heritage trail, mountainside summer concerts and a music centre keeping the roots alive.

Balancing out all that outdoorsiness can be hard, we know, so kick back and sample some local produce as you go (provided you’re not the designated driver, of course). Chateau Morissette is one of the oldest and best-known wineries in the region, boasting excellent views, a cosy restaurant, friendly winery dogs… and $10 flights of wine.

Now, how about a spot of history? As the site of the first permanent English settlement in the country, and the birthplace of 4 of the first 5 presidents, Virginia has a lot to live up to. It seems only fitting for “the Mother of Presidents” to have a tribute or two to her beloved children, but a private field full of forgotten presidential busts seems a little sad.

Luckily, there’s more to show than just that, from the birthplace of George Washington and his Mount Vernon Estate, to the house Thomas Jefferson designed himself, and the final resting place of veterans and presidents alike, Arlington Cemetery.

Beyond the presidential, you can spend days on end touring Virginia’s Civil War battlefields, memorials and museums, or going back to where it all began at spots like First Landing State Park. Not only is it the site where the first 100 English settlers landed and established a government, it also takes us nicely onto…

Coastline! Virginia has a surprising amount, mostly along the Chesapeake Bay, where there’s a seemingly never-ending supply of charming old town vibes and seafaring history.

The quiet town of Onancock makes the best stop for both historical homes and getting out on the water via kayak. It’s also where you’ll catch the ferry to the isolated island of Tangier, with its overwater houses and Cornish routes. Unfortunately, there’s kind of a clock on that one, as rising sea levels mean islanders will likely have to leave within the next 15 years.

All the important (or silly, or strange) travel news from across the web this week.

• Ever wondered how much of a flight is controlled by autopilot? Or how pilots catch forty winks on a long-haul flight? Well, now we know!
• Archaeology buffs have another country to add to their list—Kazakhstan, where scientists recently unearthed a 3,000-year-old pyramid.
• It was an exciting week for flight geeks, as the first 787 Dreamliner landed in Antarctica, making it one of the largest planes ever to reach the sixth continent—and certainly the first run by an otherwise “low-cost” airline!
• And finally, business class food is the envy of many a weary economy passenger making their way across the world. The exception being on this China Eastern flight, where travellers were served up “imported dog food”… someone clearly made a dog’s dinner of that translation!