2019 Christmas Trip Planning
For our grand Christmas 2019 trip, we wanted a mix of a white Christmas and warm weather. Thus, our planning for year 3 Christmas in Europe began early!
The Idea
In September, we decided on the plan. In order to have a white Christmas, we would have to go to Northern Europe. However, as much as we wanted to see snow, we didn’t want to really deal with it and getting out of it! Plus, Northern Europe is notoriously expensive!
Because we hadn’t been to Poland, it was a very attractive option. Moreover, the pictures of the Christmas markets looked amazing! We decided we would see the top 3 cities in Poland - Krakow, Warsaw, and Wroclaw - in some sort of order!
To achieve our somewhere warm plan, I used google flights to see which of the Polish airports offered cheap, direct flights to somewhere warm. We had really hard criteria! From Wroclaw and Warsaw, we found decently cheap flights to Malta! While we wouldn’t be able to sunbathe, it would be around 60F or 17C which is shorts weather if you’re asking me!
Final Itinerary
- Krakow: 21 - 23 December
- Warsaw: 24 - 25 December
- Wroclaw: 26 - 27 December
- Malta: 28 - 31 December
Planning our Travel
From London to Poland to Malta to London, we would be criss-crossing Europe over the holidays! Planning our travel would be an adventure and a challenge!
Flights
Unlike most plans where you begin at the front of the trip, we purchased the easiest flights at the very end of the trip! From Malta to London, we were able to get a steal by flying on New Year’s Eve!
Continuing with our backwards theme, the flight from Poland to Malta dropped in price and I immediately snatched it! Because we had alerts for both Warsaw and Wroclaw, the cheap flight made our decision much easier as we would end our trip in Wroclaw.
Once we decided on Poland, I set various alerts for “cheap” flights to Warsaw or Krakow. Because we were flying close to the holidays, the flights were very expensive for a one-way ticket! In the end, the cheapest ticket ended up being a 5:40am flight to Krakow from London Gatwick on EasyJet. As a special treat, I purchased the EasyJet Plus seats which ensured we had two bags, front row seats, and speedy boarding! First time for everything!
Trains!
One of my favorite things about European travel are trains! I absolutely love trains and how it makes traveling so much easier and cheaper between cities. Using seat61.com as a guide, I booked several trains between the Polish cities. Surprisingly, the rail fare was much cheaper than I anticipated and even came with a hot drink!
Lesson Learned - Lodging
Compared to last year, I definitely learned my lesson and had to have a very Christmas themed hotel over the holiday period. Whilst the AirBnBs were definitely cheaper and they would not come with a Christmas tree (or warm rooms)!
Searching via TripAdvisor, Hotels.com, and the Lonely Planet guidebook, I believe I found some gems in the cities! During my research, I would check the prices between direct booking and these websites as we often found deals when we directly booked!
Pro Tip: Book directly to save serious money on the nightly rate!
For Krakow, we stayed at the lovely Hotel Weiolpole that was in a perfect location between Old Town and the Jewish Quarter! The room was very cozy, included a terrific bed and large bathroom. More importantly, it included a mini fridge and free breakfast! If you want points, there was a Holiday Inn across the street.
In Warsaw, we stayed in Old Town at the Sofitel Victoria. Decked in Christmas decorations, I definitely learned my lesson from last year! We definitely enjoyed our stay in the hotel and it is less than a 15 minute walk from the heart of Warsaw Old Town.
Lastly, whilst in Wroclaw, we continued with the Sofitel brand at the Sofitel Wroclaw. It was an excellent decision as it was 20 minutes from the airport while being directly in Wroclaw! Plus, it was mere steps away from Old Town.
For our grand adventure to Malta, we debated endlessly between a local's experience, beach luxury experience, or just enjoy being in warmer weather. Because the temperatures are not ideal during December, we decided to save some money and just enjoy the warmer weather! Thus, we ended up at the Holiday Inn Express, connected to the Intercontinental Hotel in St. Julian's, Malta.
Fixed Costs:
- Poland Hotels: £417
- London to Krakow: £292
- 3 Poland trains: £91
- Wroclaw to Malta: £233
- Malta to London: £90
- Malta hotel: £302
Onto London Gatwick
On Friday night, because we had a 5:40am flight, we stayed overnight at the Hampton Inn Gatwick. Whilst not an ideal hotel stay, we knew that we would hate ourselves if we tried traveling at 3am to the airport just before Christmas! From our flat, it was a quick one hour train ride to Gatwick.
Pro Tip: If you’re staying overnight at the airport, make sure you book a hotel at your terminal! For flying EasyJet, it meant staying at the North terminal.
Our stay at the Hampton Inn was very uneventful, but meant we could sleep in until 4:30am and walk 3 minutes to security!
Planning for a long Christmas trip can be daunting, but when you are flexible, it can become an adventure!