Zurich Christmas Market

 It is up to you to decide which of the seasons you prefer. I absolutely adore winter - the cozy and warm feeling you get from wearing jumpers and drinking mulled wine with your loved ones is unbeatable. On top of that, it's a time where families come together and celebrate the joy of Christmas in all its glory. Zurich's Weinachtsdorf, Christmas market, lights up even the darkest days of winter.

Located in the heart of Zurich, near the Opernhaus, the market is filled with traditional Swiss comfort food stands and a range of homemade gifts and trinkets you can buy for your nearest and dearest. There is also has an ice-skating rink for anyone wanting to test their pirouetting skills out. Even those of you who don't know how to stand on your skates yet - you can always rent a little plastic penguin to balance on to in case you don't want to spend the rest of the holidays in a cast.

The market is a great place to escape to when the city life is getting too much and you need to see something different. Mulled wine can definitely help - even cure - whatever winter blues you're having. There is also some delicious Baileys hot chocolate and Jägertee on sale for when you need a switch from the glühwein. Although the temperature can get quite chilly around this time of year, the atmosphere will surely warm you up, but in case that doesn't help - there are little fire pits placed around the area so you can regain your energy. If you plan on staying a while, there are a couple of cottages where you can sit down and grab some food while 90's apres-ski songs play in the background. However, they tend to serve only two dishes: fondue and raclette - don't expect any filet mignon here!

If you're someone who loves being a part of a big crowd, definitely head over to the Christmas market this winter! This is a great place to bring groups of friends, as you won't get any dirty looks from being a little too loud, but it's also the perfect date location (just make sure the person you're bringing doesn't mind the cold too much).