Rekindle your love of Christmas traveling to the official – yes, official! - European Christmas capital. Each year, the Christmas Cities Network, with support from the European Parliament, designates a different European Christmas capital, recognizing how that destination brings the local essence of the celebration to life for residents and visitors.
In 2025, the European Christmas Capital is Vilnius, the capital city of Lithuania, one of the Baltic countries in north-eastern Europe.
You may think of some of the more famous Christmas destinations – often associated with their Christmas markets, like Nuremberg, Germany, with its mother of all Christmas markets, Strasbourg, France, the largest and oldest in that country, or grand, imperial Vienna, which are all visited by Danube and Rhine River cruises and land travelers alike. Cities like London and Paris are known for their epic lights, shopping and holiday displays. And of course, the religious pilgrimage destinations - like Rome for a Mass or the Pope’s Christmas message – are perennial favorites.
A visit to one of the European Christmas Capitals can not only connect you to favorite and new local traditions, but it can also give you a quieter celebration than the marquee destinations. At Vilius’ celebrations, locals outnumber tourists, and visitors can discover living local traditions that date back to the country’s pagan times.
“I invite everyone to rediscover that sense of wonder and curiosity, as if you were five years old again. It will also be a wonderful opportunity to learn about Lithuanian holiday traditions and sample some seasonal delicacies, including curd doughnuts, sea buckthorn tea, and hot beer,” said Audrius Vainonis, the Lithuanian Santa Claus at the gathering of Santas in Vilnius (pictured, top.)
The official holiday season in Vilnius begins on November 29 with the lighting of the city’s main Christmas Tree in Cathedral Square. Christmas markets, a sparkling Old Town, and even more festive events will keep the Christmas spirit going strong for over a month.
Christmas Day itself is coming early to Vilnius, which is establishing a new tradition of celebrating Christmas Day twice – with the first “Vilnius Christmas Before Christmas” on December 13, 2 weeks before the big day itself.
Highlights of the special day and the entire season include
- a special Christmas currency that can be spent on tasty treats across the city,
- a free Christmas card postal service to anywhere in the world (simply write your message, add the recipient’s address, and drop the postcard into one of the special Christmas mailboxes scattered around the Old Town. Vilnius’ Christmas elves will take care of the rest),
- a 200-strong choir singing Christmas carols in a singalong atmosphere on an outdoor ice rink,
- a square featuring 144 uniquely theme-decorated fir trees,
- free guided tours with a festive theme, including the legends and secrets of Vilnius, how the nobility celebrated Christmas, and unique holiday traditions, and
- Christmas-themed trains running through the holiday period (pictured below).
City organizers hope these experiences help visitors reconnect with their magical childhood holiday memories – and establish some new ones.
You’ll have plenty of time to soak up the magic in the European Christmas capital. The holiday season will close on January 6 with the Three Kings procession from the Gates of Dawn to Cathedral Square.
START YOUR FESTIVE TRIP!
Images courtesy of Go Vilnius.
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