In December, Europe meets St. Nicholas, watching circus performances, listening to gospel, train horses, and continuing to drink mulled wine and cakes are on the Christmas markets .


Austria

Winterfest, November 26 - 31 dekyabrya. Folksgarten, Salzburg
During Advent, Salzburg attracts visitors not only the traditional Christmas markets, but the circus performances of famous artists. In this year's Winterfest will perform two circus troupes from France - Cirque Hors Pistes with the "idyllic coma" and Cirque Trottola with the program "Grinder." December 7, will premiere youth circus SaWaZi from Salzburg.
First 100 tickets for adults are purchased before December 6, sell for 22 euros for children under 15 years - 11 after 6 December prices will rise: 30-34 euros for adults and 15 euros for children. Students are promised discounts. December 31 will be the Gala closing of the festival and New Year with an extensive culinary and artistic program. The cost of participation in the celebration and banquet - 107 euros.

Details:
phone: +43 (0) 664 1 56 00 56
winterfest.at/

Belgium

Christmas Village (Village de Noel), November 28 - December 30, Antwerp
Living in Antwerp say that their Christmas market is the best and the biggest in Belgium. Each year it collects around one million visitors. Wallonia and the French crafts, garland, greeting cards, marzipan, gingerbread, coffee, oysters, chocolate, mulled wine, champagne, beer, black pudding (or "black pudding", as it is known locally) - it is only a small part of what you can be found here, or to taste. Special guest of Village de Noel this year will be a Christmas Bazaar from Thuringia, so that you can try not only to Antwerp treats, but also of Erfurt.
Details:
phone: +32 (0) 4/254-97-
1997 Fax: +32 (0) 4/254-97-98
e-mail: info@enjeu.be
enjeu.be

New races, 26 -30 December, Mechelen
This year's race in Malins celebrate its 29 anniversary. At the beginning of a five-day marathon of international programs Cup dressage, taming and actually race. Next competition class CSI2 * and CSIJ-A and other international and regional classes. Tickets for all performances - from 15 to 47 euros.
Phone: +32 (0) 15-753-968, +32 (0) 15-761-417
Fax: +32 (0) 15 - 752-540
e-mail: info @ jumping-mechelen
jumping-mechelen

Vatican

Christmas Mass in St. Peter's, 24-25 December, Vatican
Those who want to see with my own eyes is the most ambitious event in the Catholic Church calendar, and to hear the famous message of "hail and peace" from the Pope himself, should come to St. Peter's Square the evening of December 24. Wishing to get into the cathedral waiting for the test an infinite queue, and the rest can watch the Mass on huge screens directly from the square. Here is located a huge nativity scene with figures of a man. After the mass, can be followed by crowds of gay congregants to go for a walk at night to Rome, but keep in mind: Romans themselves prefer to rest this night, so that the transport at your disposal will only taxis.
Details:
vatican.va/

UK

Music Festival Spitalfields, 9-12 December, London
According to organizers, the festival of Spitalfields - a spicy mix of musical events of all styles and directions, the theme of Christmas. Mandatory part of the program - execution Christmas Oratorio and Bach's Brandenburg Concertos. This year, Sir John Eliot Gardiner, a renowned interpreter of Baroque music, will conduct Monteverdi Choir (Monteverdi Choir) and the English Baroque soloists-»(English Baroque Soloists). The program also provides free activities for children and their parents, gospel singing, concerts, youth and children's choirs of Great Britain, jazz concerts, visit museums and even a conversation with Sir Gardiner.

Details:
phone: +44 020 7377 0287
Fax: +44 020 7247 0494
e-mail: info@spitalfieldsmusic.uk
spitalfieldsfestival.uk/

International horse show" Olympia " , December 15-21, Grand Hall Olympia, London
The first two days will be given to compete in dressage International Equestrian Federation (FEI), and from December 17, viewers are waiting for the daily performance and racing. Incidentally, the arena will come out not only horses but also dogs. Special guest this year - trainer Jean-Francois Pinon. His show will take place daily in the evening on December 16. Also in the arena of the Olympia you will see a unique workshop on taming, which will hold the famous Dutch Edward Gal with his partner, a steed named Moorlands Totillas. The price of tickets for all events and performances - from 19 to 51 pounds.
Details:
Telephone: + 44 115 993 4101
olympiahorseshow/

Germany

Christmas Bazaar. November 27 - December 24, Nuremberg
on the main market area is already built 180 wooden stalls with the Nuremberg gingerbread, cakes, sweets, gold angels, a den, Christmas ornaments, candles and toys. Best souvenir "endemic" in Nuremberg - is Zwetschgenmannle, figurines of men, made from dried plums, nuts, and toothpicks. Needless to say, to walk through the market should be attached and attached grilled sausages and glyuvayn. For children provide carousels, workshops for the manufacture of candles, Christmas balls, a bakery and a free service from Santa Claus - to issue pre-cooked parents gifts with photographic images of this memorable event.
Details:
e-mail: info@christkindlesmarkt.de
christkindlesmarkt.de/

Italy

Umbrian Jazz Festival, December 30 - January 1, Orvieto
Jazz three-day marathon in Orvieto - an excellent opportunity not only to listen to good music, but also look at the old city. Among the musical grounds of the festival - Theatre Mancinelli, Palazzo del Popolo, the sculptor Emilio Greco Museum, the restaurant San Francesco, an area in front of the Duomo, Palazzo del Gusto and clubs of the city. The festival will open street parade. The culmination of the program will be New Year's Eve with a dinner, a celebratory Mass in the local Gothic Duomo cathedral will be the accompaniment of gospel singers. Along with a festive Mass at the cathedral will be enjoy the frescoes of Fra Angelico and Luca Signorelli.
Among the festival guests Kurt Elling, Bill Frisell, John Scofield, Jim Hall and many others. Ticket Price - 12 to 33 euros (not including Christmas dinner).
Details:
Phone: +39 0763 340493
Fax: +39 0763 340418
e-mail: info @ umbriajazzwinter . it
ujw17.umbriajazz/

Spain

Festival Moors and Christians, December 6, Alicante
The December festival - only part of the whole annual cycle celebrate various events in the history of the city, region and the whole of Spain as a whole. On the morning of city residents take to the streets in anticipation of the Moors and Christians parade, dressed in ancient costumes. The procession is accompanied by drawings and reconstruction of the relationships between the heroes of Spanish history. The main character of the December parade - the patron of the city of St. Nicholas.
Details:
Phone: 965.23.07.22
Fax: 965.23.07.25
e-mail: fiestas@alicante-ayto.es

Netherlands

XIV International Circus Festival, 18-27 December, Folkspark, Enschede
In Folksparke Enschede for the festival will be built an entire village from the set of circus tents. The main tent, where they will make representations to accommodate a 2000 spectators, and will be located next to the tent where you can eat and stare at the exhibition. For 9 days the festival will be given 18 performances, each of which lasts 2,5-3 hours. Among the participants clown Oleg Popov and Gagik Avetisyan, a female snake Tanya Winnick (Ukraine), Julia Chakanova and her trained poodles (Russia), Marcel Kalisvaart with fire-show (The Netherlands), acrobatic Trio Voznevski "and the duet" Vector "(Poland ), The Bikers (Ukraine), The Flying Zuniga (Brazil), as well as artists from Kyrgyzstan, Germany, Czech Republic, France and the Netherlands.
Bidders at the festival are waiting for two categories of prizes - from the professional jury and the audience. In a choice of gold, silver and bronze medalist of the festival involves 75 to 100 selected visitors, among whom may enter any of the guests. The festival will end the gala performance and award winners. Tickets - from 14 to 45 euros.
Details:
Phone: +31 0546-572739
Fax: +31 0546-574439
e-mail: office @ circusfestival
circusfestival/

Finland

Christmas in the fortress of Suomenlinna (Sveborg) December 28 - January 6, Helsinki
Fortress of Suomenlinna (the title translates as "Finnish castle", she same Sveborg - Swedish fortress ") was built in the middle of the XVIII century. Then she had the name of Viapori. Once in December 1917, Finland gained its independence from Russia, the fortress was called the "Finnish". Her story is related in one way or another with almost all the military events in Europe, Finland and Russia over the past three centuries. Since 1973, the fortress was turned into a museum and gave possession of the Ministry of Education, and in 1991 UNESCO declared it part of world heritage.
Employees of a local museum will talk about how to celebrate Christmas with the earliest days of the fortress, and the children learn what Dwarf Fortress. Guided tours, speaking in Russian on a daily basis, in English - on the weekends. The tour begins daily at the information center for visitors at 13.30. Wait for the excursion to the fortress can be in the local museum of toys, which will be open from 11.00 to 16.00 each day.
Details:
Phone: +358 (09) 4050 9691
suomenlinna.fi/

France

Paris Horse Salon, 5-13 December, Paris
Paris Salon - the event for those who not only loves to look at the horses, but knows how to handle them or want to learn it. Go to the salon is dedicated to the huge exhibition halls dedicated to feeding, care, breeding, maintenance and transportation of horses. Here you can buy all kinds of gear riders and grooms, to get acquainted with different schools of taming, works of art devoted to horses, and even buy a carriage and stroller. For children will be constructed its own "village", where the free ride ponies, teach riding and will feed a horse. Tickets for adults - 12.5 euros for children from age 6 - 8 euros.
Details:
Phone: +33 0892707307
salon-cheval/

Fair of St. Andrew, on November 30 - December 1, Avignon
on Avignon fair you can try all the traditional delicacies of Provence and Avignon itself. Named in honor of the fair of St. Andrew, since starting the very day of its celebration in the calendar to the Gregorian calendar. Nowhere else will you find the original Avignon Papalines, sweets made of dark chocolate liqueur, infused with oregano. Here you can try a mild goat cheese, buy a souvenir local ceramics, a calendar with landscapes of Provence and more.
Details:
phone: +33 (0) 4 32 74 32 74
Fax: +33 ( 0) 4 90 82 95 03
e-mail: information@ot-avignon.fr

Czech

Feast of St. Nicholas and the Christmas market, December 5, Prague
Later in the afternoon on Dec. 5 in the old town will begin to ferment three figures: St Nicholas, the angel and the devil. They, of course, immediately surrounded by a crowd of children and their parents. Each counter child Mikulas will ask, well if he behaved in the past year, and, of course, will receive a positive response. But this test does not end: to get a meal or a gift from Nicholas, will have to sing a song or poem to tell. Violators of discipline will find in your socks instead of gifts embers or potatoes, and the most rebellious at all threatening to put in a bag and send it to the devil in hell (although they say that this has never been).
Celebration of St. Nicholas is in the midst of Christmas markets on the squares of old Prague, so do not miss the opportunity to try fried sausage, boiled corn on the cob, Czech beer or mulled wine, which is called here svarak.
Details:
phone: +420 12 444/+420 221 714 444
pragueexperience/

Switzerland

Marathon (Dec. 5) and the festival Escalade (8-11 December), Geneva
Every year in first Saturday in December in Geneva held a marathon. Run through the narrow streets of old town, or cheer on the runners are young and old. Distance for the participants - from 2 to 8 km, to specialists in sports and Nordic walking - only 8 km.
Dec. 8 celebration will continue. On the streets will be a costume parade to commemorate the victory over the invaders Duke Charles-Emmanuel of Savoy, which Genevans won in 1602. The troops of the duke ascended the stairs to the wall, so the whole holiday is named Escalade. Streets flooded lancer knights and ladies in gorgeous vintage dresses. In memory of my mother Royer, who happened to be that night on the town wall, and seeing the enemy soldiers, poured a pot of boiling soup on their heads, on the streets of Geneva during the holiday serves a delicious vegetable soup.
Details:
escalade .ch/cms/index.php/en/the-race
1602.ch/

TEXT: Fedor Wynter Tarasevich
PHOTOS: christkindlesmarkt.de, jumping-mechelen, circusfestival