Christmas markets make great hen parties
Hen parties are the time to celebrate and tying a hen event in with Christmas festivities guarantees an unforgettable party. Twinkling lights, hot mulled wine and ice-skating in some of Europe’s most beautiful cities will add priceless value to any hen event. Soak up the party atmosphere and you’ll feel like the whole city is celebrating with you.
At GoHen we are used to finding great value parties and throwing Christmas into the equation makes for some pretty unbeatable packages. With heaps of great cities to choose from here’s a look at some of the finest.
Tallinn, Estonia
What better way to celebrate the end of single life with a hen party that takes in the charms of Christmas tradition, a festive market and almost guaranteed Yuletide snow. With its reputation as the birthplace of the public Christmas tree, the snow clad medieval city of Tallinn hosts a picture postcard market with traditional stalls selling Estonian fare.
The Tallinn Christmas markets run from November 26 to January 6.
Choose a package that includes a round of Gokarting for a fun packed day and a luxurious sauna in preparation for a great night out. Packages start from just £179pp
Barcelona, Spain
For hens looking for festive cheer, Barcelona might not seem an obvious choice but the Fira de Santa Llucía fair dates from 1786 and now has over 300 stalls selling handcrafted Catalan gifts and decorations. A lively Nativity scene contest, musical parades and shows, 30 miles of Christmas lights and piles of Catalan nougat and Christmas bread. What Barcelona lacks in spicy mulled wine it makes up for as being one of Europe’¬¬s most vibrant cities.
Barcelona Christmas markets run from the end November to the last week in December
A 2 night package in the heart of the city centre, private airport transfers, a luxury spa day with a massage, guided bar crawl and VIP nightclub entry starts from just £180pp
Bath, United Kingdom
A favourite destination for hen parties keen to make the best of the UK, Bath really does come into it’s own at Christmas. Nestled between Bath Abbey and the Roman Baths, traditional ‘sheds’ offer an array of beautiful gifts, street performers wander amongst onlookers and you are never far from hot cider and roasted chestnuts. With Bath’s fantastic nightlife, it’s a city that guarantees a fantastic hen weekend.
Bath’s Christmas market runs from 22 November to 9th December
Combine all the fun of the fair with two nights self-catering in a beautiful period property, a cracking city based treasure hunt, cocktail master class, dinner reservations and VIP clubbing. Package from just £155pp
Budapest, Hungary
If you’ve a taste for mulled wine then Budapest’s Vörösmarty Square is the place to head. Get yourself one of the special festive mugs and have it refilled freely with hearty spiced wines or hot chocolate laced with rum –you even get to keep the mug. Considered to be amongst the 10 best Christmas markets in Europe, the market is a hub of traditional customs, crafts, lively music and dance. Budapest is one of the trendiest locations in Europe, the perfect ingredient for a festive hen party.
Budapest Christmas markets run from November 18 to December 30
Two nights accommodation in the heart of the Hungarian capital complete with festive river cruise, a private tour and rejuvinating thermal spa, starts from just £159pp
Edinburgh, Scotland
Edinburgh is an exciting city whenever you visit but in the lead up to Christmas it comes alive with music, dance, art, fireworks, street theatre, light and fire. The Christmas market is a huge affair with traditional stalls and entertainment jostling alongside a bungee snow dome and the UK’s largest ice rink. To keep you in high spirits there’s Mulled wine a-plenty and it’s the home of the hot toddy - all the hallmarks for the perfect hen party destination.
Edinburgh Christmas markets run from November 18 to December 30 tbc
A hen weekend in Edinburgh guarantees non-stop fun. Combine the Christmas market with a 2-night package that includes accommodation, a pole dancing lesson, cocktail master class, dinner reservations and VIP club entry. Packages start from just £139pp
Gothenburg, Sweden
With an ice bar that serves luminous berry cocktails in carved frozen tumblers to ice skating, reindeers and heart warming fire pits - you can be sure that Gothenburg offers the ultimate in choice of Christmas markets. From Liseberg, lit by 5 million fairy lights to the more traditional charms of Kronhuset and Haga, it’s the perfect destination for hens seeking that festive feel good factor.
From mid November until 23rd December
Gothenburg is an exciting destination with hen parties. Pick from activities such as gladiator duels, grand prix go-karting and sumo wrestling. Add the Christmas market, casino entry and of course, VIP club entry. 2 night Packages start from just £179pp
Kraków, Poland
The beautiful city of Krakow may well aspire to the title of the world's white Christmas capital and with snow pretty much guaranteed, it’s an amazing stage for hen parties seeking the perfect Yuletide setting. Against a backdrop of gothic churches and baroque palaces a large, traditional Christmas market houses wooden stands sell traditional polish decorations, iced gingerbread and other seasonal goodies. Celebrate to the sound of century-old carols, puppet plays and folk dancing.
The Kraków Christmas Market runs from November 27 until the start of January
Krakow offers a host of fun, from pole dancing classes to the exhilaration of snowmobiles. Combine activities with the Christmas market and finish off with a guided bar tour and VIP club entrance to one of the city’s best clubs. 2 night 3* packages start from just £185pp
Manchester, UK
It’s hard to imagine that anything could improve upon the nightlife in Manchester but the lead up to Christmas adds a wow factor to this vibrant metropolis. What started as a small affair is now one of the UK’s biggest Christmas markets with ice-skating, hog roasts, liqueur coffees and a fantastic Champagne bar. In keeping with the best traditions, buy a festive mug and you will be topped up freely with tasty mulled wine for the rest of the evening. Manchester guarantees a festive hen weekend to remember.
The Manchester Christmas Market runs from November 17 to December 23
Take in the best of this buzzing northern city with a morning spa session and spend the afternoon wandering the market. Enjoy a cocktail making class, comedy club, VIP nightclub entrance and a night in a 4* hotel from just £123pp
Prague, Czechoslovakia
There’s arguably no better setting for a festive December Hen party than Wenceslas Square, in the medieval city of Prague. Just one of a handful of markets, you’ll find glittering lights, sparkling rows of decorated stalls, hearty food and of course mulled wine. A tradition that stretches back over a thousand years, the markets still host a live nativity scene with donkeys, sheep and goats completing the fairytale setting.
When: 1 December 2012 – 06 January
One of the many great things about Prague is that everything is in easy reach, so you’ll have no problem fitting in this beautiful market with a top Czech spa, private river cruise, guided bar crawl, dinner reservations and of course, VIP night club entrance. Prices start from just £192pp for luxury packages
To see some of the great packages and events, take a peep at http://www.GoHen.com and http://www.stagweb.co.uk
Photo:
http://www.prlog.org/
