Results tagged “The World of Christmas” from Intelligent Travel Blog

All through December we'll be showcasing the best of the holiday season in cities around the world. Today it's Christmastime in Berlin and we've asked local experts for the essential ways to enjoy the winter's best. Visitors and locals alike come together to celebrate the holidays and the New Year, and we encourage you to share your own favorites with us in the comments below. You can find all of the cities we've already visited and stay up-to-date on the rest by bookmarking the series here.

All through December we're showcasing the best of the holiday season in cities around the world. Today it's Christmastime in Montreal and we've asked local experts for the essential ways to enjoy the winter's best. Visitors and locals alike come together to celebrate the holidays and the New Year, and we encourage you to share your own favorites with us in the comments below. You can find all of the cities we've already visited and stay up-to-date on the rest by bookmarking the series here.

All through December we'll be showcasing the best of the holiday season in cities around the world. Today it's Christmastime in New Orleans and we've asked local experts for the essential ways to enjoy the winter's best. Visitors and locals alike come together to celebrate the holidays and the New Year, and we encourage you to share your own favorites with us in the comments below. You can find all of the cities we've already visited and stay up to date on the rest by bookmarking the series here.

All through December we'll be showcasing the best of the holiday season in cities around the world. Today it's Christmastime in Buenos Aires and we've asked local experts for the essential ways to enjoy the season's best. Visitors and locals alike come together to celebrate the holidays and the New Year, and we encourage you to share your own favorites with us in the comments below. You can find all of the cities we've already visited and stay up to date on the rest by bookmarking the series here.

Pabol Castro, Concierge

Sofitel Buenos Aires 

• Families from the up-and-coming neighborhood of Barrio Norte congregate for an evening of music and to participate in a living Nativity at the San Nicolas Church on December 23.

• Many area wineries offer a limited edition sparkling wine for the holidays. Some of the best local brands include Familia Zuccardi, Luigi Bosca, and Rosell Boher.

All through December we'll be showcasing the best of the holiday season in cities around the world. Today it's Christmastime in Tokyo and we've asked local experts for the essential ways to enjoy the winter's best. Visitors and locals alike come together to celebrate the holidays and the New Year, and we encourage you to share your own favorites with us in the comments below. You can find all of the cities we've already visited and stay up-to-date on the rest by bookmarking the series here. Traditionally, celebrating the New Year is much more important than Christmas in Japan (less than one percent of Japanese are Christians). Holidays come early in Tokyo, with many of the lighting ceremonies happening mid-November and lasting through January. 


Mayako Sumiyoshi, Chief Concierge

Ritz-Carlton, Tokyo

• January 1st to 3rd are called shogatsu (Japanese New Year's holidays) in Japan. January 1st is called gantan and is a Japanese national holiday. Shogatsu is the most important holiday in Japan. To celebrate, Japanese people eat osechi.  Like a bento box, osechi offers foods that are colorful and presented in a lovely fashion. Each dish has a particular meaning. For example, prawns for long life, kuromame (sweet black soybeans) for health, kazunoko (herring roe) for fertility, tazukuri (teriyaki-flavored small sardines) for a good harvest, kurikinton (sweet chestnuts and mashed sweet potato) for happiness. Many local hotels and gourmet grocery stores take orders for osechi (available in traditional and Western versions).

• Japan lights up during the holidays. A must-see display is Sapporo White Illumination with more than 370,000 white lights decorating Odori Park and Ekimae Avenue. The Shibuya area from Dogenzaka to Miyamasuzaka and Koendori Street is decorated with more than 600,000 lights.

• Take to the sky at the top of the Mori Tower in Roppongi Hills. Opened for its first holiday season, the Sky Deck is 886 feet above sea level and provides an open-air, 360-degree view of the city.  

• Since the traditional Christmas celebrations are not observed, the holiday season has become a commercial event and locals like to shop. Among the popular places to shop in Tokyo are the Galleria at Tokyo Midtown, where you'll find upscale shops and boutiques, Omotesando Hills for high-end fashions, and Roppongi Hills for an eclectic mix of shops, cafés, and restaurants.

• Pick up specialty cakes during the holidays at the Café & Deli at The Ritz-Carlton, Tokyo. Other sweet shops that sell traditional pastries during this time, include Toshi Yoroizuka and Kyohayashiya.

• Get thee to a Temple. The Japanese all go to temple during the New Year holiday. New Year's Eve is relatively quiet, with the exception of the tolls of the temple bell. It rings 108 times to banish each of the 108 sins. At temple, people pray for safety, health, and good fortune.

All through December we'll be showcasing the best of the holiday season in cities around the world. Today it's Christmastime in Dublin and we've asked local experts for the essential ways to enjoy the winter's best. Visitors and locals alike come together to celebrate the holidays and the New Year, and we encourage you to share your own favorites with us in the comments below. You can find all of the cities we've already visited and stay up to date on the rest by bookmarking the series here.


Àine Kavanagh, Marketing
Dublin Tourism

• Dare to bare like a true Dub and take a dip in the Forty Foot. This popular bathing spot in the pretty seaside town of Sandycove has been featured in the writings of James Joyce and it is customary for locals and brave visitors alike to take the plunge every Christmas Eve and New Year's Day!

• Wander through Temple Bar, the Old City where the cobbled streets are lined with festive market stalls.

• Wrap up in your winter woolies and take to the ice at one of Dublin's seasonal ice rinks. 

• Visit one of Dublin's restored Edwardian houses. Farmleigh, in leafy Phoenix Park, will be decorated in traditional Edwardian Christmas style; food markets, storytelling, flower arranging, and plenty of singing will help you get into the spirit of the season.

• Housed in a historic former church, the Dublin Tourism Centre is your one-stop shop for an unforgettable Christmas in Dublin. Find out what's happening throughout the city, book accommodations and tours, and purchase unique Irish Christmas gifts in the gift shop. On Sunday, December 14, Saint Andrews Choir, Westland Row will sing Christmas Carols in Dublin Tourism Centre, Suffolk Street from 1- 2 p.m.

• Indulge in a white hot chocolate or a steamy cappuccino served with a handmade chocolate at one of Dublin's Butlers Chocolate Cafés. Pick out a box of truffles to take home.

• No Dublin Christmas would be complete without having a pint of Guinness with friends. Visit the home of Guinness at St. James' Gate and with the best views in the city at the Gravity Bar. Or drop into one of Dublin's many traditional pubs and enjoy your pint by a cozy fire.
  

All through December we'll be showcasing the best of the holiday season in cities around the world. Today it's Christmastime in San Francisco and we've asked local experts for the essential ways to enjoy the winter's best. Visitors and locals alike come together to celebrate the holidays and the New Year, and we encourage you to share your own favorites with us in the comments below. You can find all of the cities we've already visited and stay up to day on the rest by bookmarking the series here.

Michael Thorburn, Concierge                                                                                                Mandarin Oriental, San Francisco

• There is a kind of magic that makes the holidays in San Francisco very special. Part of that spell comes from the many cultural programs that are offered during this time. Don't miss the San Francisco Ballet's Nutracker--the story is set in 1915 San Francisco; the San Francisco Symphony's holiday concerts--choral works, gospel, Broadway, and jazz; the Smuin Ballet's classical and contemporary dance, and Beach Blanket Babylon's holiday show with its social and political satire.

• For those who are missing snow and cold, the city has two skating rinks to enjoy. There is a new one in Union Square in the heart of many wonderful stores and boutiques - be sure to stroll past all of their creative window displays. The other rink is in Justin Hermann Plaza located near the Ferry Building where you can skate under the stars near the waterfront.  

• The Academy of Sciences has just opened, so plan a visit to the planetarium, aquarium, natural history museum, and tropical gardens all housed in a spectacular sustainable facility. You may not see Santa, but the albino alligator will give a seasonal grin.

• Dining is a holiday passion in San Francisco. Restaurants offer seasonal menus that are deliciously decadent. Cracked Dungeness crab is in season, and whether served at a restaurant or at home, it is always a treat.

All through December, we're showcasing the best of the holiday season in cities around the world. Today it's Christmastime in Moscow and we've asked local experts for the essential ways to enjoy the winter's best. Visitors and locals alike come together to celebrate the holidays and the New Year, and we encourage you to share your own favorites with us in the comments below.  

All through December we'll be showcasing the best of the holiday season in cities around the world. Today it's Christmastime in New York City, and we've asked local experts for the essential ways to enjoy the winter's best. The number of things to see and do in New York during the holidays are endless, but we've sifted through them to find the top picks. Let us know your own favorite traditions in the comments below.

Frances Croke Page, New Yorker and founder
www.christmastimeinnewyorkcity.com, a great source holiday fun in all five boroughs

• Some of the best holiday finds are the little known events happening at well-known places: the Winter Festival Weekend (Dec. 13-14) at the Intrepid Sea, Air, and Space Museum, where they celebrate with caroling, craft workshops, and storytelling; Grand Central Station's 7th Annual Holiday Train Show (free); the brand new synthetic ice rink at the American Museum of Natural History; the Times Square New Year's Eve Waterford Crystal Ball on view at Macy's Herald Square; or the Wild Holiday Party, where the animals are fed "fishsicles" at Central Park Zoo (Dec 6-21).

• For tree fans, check out the South Street Seaport Chorus Tree, the Origami Holiday Tree (where you can learn to make origami ornaments) at the American Museum of Natural History, and the Park Ave. Memorial Trees, where over two miles of cherry and hawthorn trees are lit to honor the memory of fallen soldiers.

Over the next few weeks we'll be showcasing the best of the holiday season in cities around the world. Today we're taking you to London, and we've asked local experts for the essential ways to enjoy the winter's best. In London, whether you take in a choir performance at Westminster Abbey or join carolers at Trafalgar Square, visitors and locals alike come together to celebrate the holidays and the New Year. We encourage you to share your own favorites with us as well.


Guillaume Couchou-Meillot, Concierge
Sofitel London St. James

All through December we'll be showcasing the best of the holiday season in cities around the world. Today it's Christmastime in Chicago, and we've asked local experts for the essential ways to enjoy the winter's best. Visitors and locals alike come together to celebrate the holidays and the New Year, and we encourage you to share your own favorites with us in the comments below.


Sylvia Rollins, Chief Concierge,
Kimpton's Hotel Monaco Chicago

• The Annual Reindog Parade at the Chicago Botanic Gardens. A dog is a Chicagoan's best friend--and it's never more evident than at the Reindog Parade. Dress up your pet in holiday style for the costume contest and canine parade through twelve gardens. Prizes are awarded for best overall costume, best puppy costume, and best owner/dog look-alike.

• The Christmas Day Bagel Ride. Starts at 10 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 25. The locals love biking--and bagels--and all the merrier when joined together. This social and leisurely paced 12-mile bike ride begins at Chicago's Waveland Clock Tower, 3700 North Recreation Drive, and ends at the Bagel Restaurant & Deli located at 3107 North Broadway.

• 25th Annual Christmas Sing-Along and Double Feature. From December 19-24, locals will make the late Gene Siskel proud by watching screenings of White Christmas and It's a Wonderful Life at the the Music Box Theatre, 3733 N. Southport Avenue. Christmas carols with Santa are sung in between the films.

• Celebrate Kwanzaa with "Raven Black" (4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 28) at Chicago's heralded DuSable Museum of African American History. This fascinating musical production, set during the Great Migration, features the People's Jazz Theatre and music of the African Diaspora.

• The Annual "12 Bars of Christmas" Pub Crawl. Starts at 3 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 6. This walking pub tour comes complete with drink specials and is held at more a dozen bars in Chicago's Wrigleyville (where you'll find plenty of avid Cubs fans).

• Symphony in Lights. Families bring little ones to this spectacle of lights featuring a football field-sized display of 250,000 LED bulbs synchronized to the music of the Trans-Siberian Orchestra. The show is held every hour on the hour between 5 and 9 p.m., through December 31, at the Promenade in suburban Bolingbrook. Carriage rides, ice sculptures, carolers, storytelling and an appearance by Santa Claus occur nightly. 

Over the next several weeks we'll be showcasing the best of the holiday season in cities around the world. Today we're taking you to Rome, and we've asked local experts for the essential ways to enjoy the winter's best. Christmas season in Italy is traditionally celebrated Dec. 24-Jan. 6, or Christmas Eve through the Epiphany. Visitors and locals alike come together to celebrate the holidays and the New Year, and we encourage you to share your own favorites with us as well.


Nicola Oddis, Chief Concierge
InterContinental De La Ville Roma

• Discover the Nativity in over 600 churches in Rome.

• Try Cafe della Pace for a peaceful setting with Christmas lights and decorations and newspapers in all languages.

• Shop along Via Condotti, the best known shopping street in the city.
  

• Walk through the Galleria Borghese, a 17th-century villa with beautiful frescoes set in the greenery of Villa Borghese Park.

• Do like Wagner and Goethe and have a cappucino at Antico Caffè Greco, Rome's the oldest cafe, which opened in 1760. 
  

Today we're kicking off our month-long effort to showcase the best of the holiday season in cities around the world. We've asked local experts for the essential ways to celebrate the holidays in their cities: the places they'd take their friends and family, the best ways to make merry, and events no one should miss. From the lighting of New York City's Rockefeller Center Christmas tree to a midnight service at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, visitors and locals alike come together to celebrate the holidays and the New Year, and we encourage you to share your own favorite traditions with us as well.

Adrian Moore, Concierge
Four Seasons Hotel George V

• The restaurant Pharamond serves the seasonal dish Bouchée a la Reine--a sort of vol au vent puff pastry filled with mushrooms, sweetbreads, and a delicious earthy sauce, served only in wintertime at this gorgeous 18th-century traditional French bistro. Also, fresh oysters are a very holiday type dish, and there is an excellent, fresh selection at the nearby Brasserie Stella or served with a glass of Champagne at outdoor markets. 
  

• The iconoclastic chocolate-maker Patrick Roger always has a spectacular window display.

• The holiday window display by Karl Lagerfeld at Le Printemps department store (with Chanel dolls).

• The Marché de Noël (Christmas Market) at the bottom end of the avenue des Champs-Elysées.
  

• The open-air ice-skating rink in front of the Hôtel de Ville (Paris town hall).

• The food stores Fauchon and Hediard, located around the Place de la Madeleine, both have beautiful window displays (cakes, fruits, foie gras, holiday dishes).

• La Grande Roue, a gigantic ferris wheel that is at the Place de la Concorde for the holiday season, with excellent views of the rooftops of Paris and the Eiffel Tower.