Christmas trees

Win a royal festive getaway with Blenheim Palace family tickets and afternoon tea for four, a 2-night dinner, bed & breakfast stay at Heythrop Park, a £1,000 VIP private tour, and a luxury Christmas hamper.

A prize fit for a Prince and Princess awaits…

This Christmas, Blenheim Palace has teamed up with Heythrop Park Hotel for an exclusive competition offering a prize worthy of royalty, featuring a happily ever after that could be closer than you think!

From 13th November 2026 to 3rd January 2027, Blenheim Palace is inviting visitors to step into a world of festive magic. Britain’s Greatest Palace is set to transform into an enchanting fairytale wonderland, with breathtaking installations, immersive experiences and a spectacular retelling of Cinderella.

Inside the Palace, the beloved fairytale comes to life as visitors journey through beautifully decorated State Rooms, from a magnificent 30ft Christmas tree and Cinderella’s garden to the Fairy Godmother’s magical transformation. Along the way, discover the mischievous stepsisters, admire the pumpkin carriage and experience the royal ball before the clock strikes midnight, culminating in a magical ‘happily ever after’ finale and a very special ‘meet and greet’.

Beyond the Palace doors, the spectacular Illuminated Trail boasts over a million twinkling lights and dazzling installations. Highlights include a sparkling Christmas Snow Globe, interactive Christmas Disco, Fire and Ice display, 10-metre Butterfly Tree, illuminated hot air balloons and immersive Choir 360 experience, alongside returning favourites such as the illuminated tunnel and water fountain show.

With a festive Christmas Market and ice skating also on offer to enjoy, Christmas at Blenheim Palace promises a magical day out for the whole family. Tickets are on sale now, with Cinderella Inside the Palace starting from £43 for adults and £26 for children, the Illuminated Trail from £25 and £19, and combined tickets from £67 and £44 respectively.

Why not make the most of your festive escape to the Oxfordshire countryside with a relaxing stay at Heythrop Park, Warner Hotels’ stunning adults-only destination. Set within 440 acres of beautiful parkland, guests can enjoy elegant accommodation, outstanding dining, live entertainment and a wide range of leisure facilities, making it the perfect festive getaway.

To be in with a chance of winning, simply fill in the form below. If you can’t see the form, click here.

This competition closes on the 6th December.

This stunning market opens in a few weeks and is the most likely to have snow

November has arrived, bringing with it the start of Christmas market season across the UK and Europe. While snow at Christmas in Britain remains somewhat unpredictable, there’s one destination where a white Christmas is far more likely.

And despite being outside the UK, it’s under three hours from London. What’s more, this stunning market has repeatedly been ranked amongst Europe’s finest – and it’s where you’ll find the oldest public Christmas Tree.

Tallinn, Estonia’s capital, is home to one of the continent’s premier Christmas markets and offers the best chance of experiencing snowfall.

Research from Rome2Rio reveals the market has recorded an average of 28.1 snowy days across the past 19 Christmases.

Running from November 20 through to January 6, the market transforms the medieval Town Hall Square into a winter wonderland, with around 40 to 60 wooden stalls.

Liverpool Echo lifestyle reporter Christopher Megrath paid a visit to this spectacular market and declared it amongst the most stunning he’d encountered.

He wrote: “The Old Town Christmas market in Tallinn, Estonia, was by far the most beautiful I’ve ever experienced.

“Unlike its famous Christmas market rivals in cities like Vienna, Cologne, or Salzburg, Tallinn’s market is modest in size.

“I had never heard it mentioned in conversations about Christmas markets, nor did I know anyone who had even visited the country, yet what it lacks in international fame it more than makes up for with its enchanting setting, cosy atmosphere and magical charm.”

Visitors will find themselves overwhelmed by choice at this festive market, which boasts an array of goods ranging from handmade treasures, confectionery, yuletide ornaments and hand-knitted scarves and mittens to ward off the bitter December chill.

RTE crowned the Tallinn market as Europe’s finest, urging visitors to experience the ice-skating rink and the traditional carousel.

Guests can also sample warming mulled wine crafted from indigenous buckthorn berries and fortified with spirits for a particularly luxurious festive beverage.

The market opens its doors towards the end of November, operating between 10am and 8pm, with warming beverages available until 10pm.

This lesser known traditional Christmas market has been crowned the world’s best Christmas market for 2026 with up to 180 stalls

With Christmas fast approaching, a trip to a traditional Christmas market abroad tops many people’s festive wish lists, and there’s one that truly stands out from the rest.

Plenty of people choose a weekend break to soak up the seasonal atmosphere, and this particular destination has just ranked highly in new research carried out by Christmas Tree World, which assessed various markets based on key criteria.

They examined Google searches, December hotel costs, admission charges, number of stalls and access to public transport to ultimately crown the world’s finest Christmas markets for 2026.

Their findings revealed that Nottingham’s Winter Wonderland is ideal for budget-conscious travellers, Dresden’s Striezelmarkt is perfect for families, and Winter Wonders in Brussels serves up the most affordable mulled wine.

Yet, there could only be one overall champion, and that honour went to the hidden treasure that is Christkindlesmarkt in Nuremberg, Germany.

If any location could stake a convincing claim to wearing the crown as the ultimate Christmas market destination, it would be Nuremberg.

It’s nestled within a picturesque and historic city and provides the ideal traditional escape with reasonable prices, accommodation and excellent value for money.

It achieved an impressive 8.2/10 in the study, as a market that has been running for 398 years and still attracts huge crowds today.

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Thanks to its fascinating history and delightful setting, it represents the quintessential traditional German Christmas market many people fantasise about, and with its enormous range of stalls, it certainly delivers. It’s thought to feature around 180 stalls, offering glühwein, bratwurst and the market’s own distinctive Zwetschgenmännle, which are small and adorable decorative figures traditionally crafted using dried prunes.

After paying a visit, one traveller left a review, writing: “The Nuremberg Christmas Market is absolutely magical. The atmosphere is festive and authentic, with beautiful lights, traditional wooden stalls, and a wonderful holiday spirit.

“There is a great variety of local food, mulled wine, and handmade crafts. It can be busy, but it’s well organised and definitely worth the visit. A must-see Christmas market in Germany.”

Another shared their experience, saying: “Visited here after seeing multiple reviews, stating that Newberg market is one of the best in Germany and it truly lived up to the expectation.

“The number of stalls, different handicrafts, and gift items – and obviously the gluhwein was one of the experiences. There are multiple parking spots around the market and easily reachable by train and bus.”

In comparison to other markets throughout Europe and beyond, a December hotel stay costs an average of £144 per night, making it considerably more affordable than other destinations. Most significantly, admission to the market is entirely free, and mulled wine comes at a relatively modest price.

The market runs from Friday 27 November until Thursday 24 December this year, situated in the heart of Hauptmarkt, Nuremberg.