At the Christmas market in the city of London, UK

 Few places elicit festive feelings more than the best Christmas markets in Europe.

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(in northern Europe) From the scent of mulled wine and roasting chestnuts to the sound of Christmas carols, markets are sure to bring out some festive cheer. Many of the oldest and most authentic Christmas markets are in Germany. Today their influence has spread across Europe, even reaching south into warmer climes. For now though, the most magical are located here.

+ Featured here, for example, is the city of London, which embraces Christmas in big and small ways. Mulled wine flows liberally in and around Covent Garden's Market Building (shown here), which is decked with 40 large bells, 12 huge ornaments, and eight disco balls lighting the building. The wider area is lit up and festive, with twinkling lights and attractive displays adorning the neighborhood's many boutiques, especially around Seven Dials. (Staying around here won't break the bank, either, as the nearby Royal National Hotel is London's largest hotel, which is an affordable place to stay in the heart of the city.

+ Ice rinks pop up around the capital, including Somerset House, inviting visitors to glide in warm ambient light under the building's imposing 18th-century architecture. For a more artisanal experience, head to Borough Market, near London Bridge Station. Mulled wine, Christmas pudding, and mince pies join the market's usual offerings of meat, fish, cheese, chocolate, and many other goods.

+ For families, Hyde Park's Winter Wonderland offers a sprawling holiday attraction filled with rides, games, and market stalls. Prices are high, crowds are thick, and you may leave feeling like a customer, but the attraction will likely appeal to children and those who enjoy a Hallmark-inspired Christmas.

+ With wood paneling, cushioned booths, and crackling fires, London's pubs are very well suited to the Christmas season. Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese, for example), is one of London's most historic pubs, famously frequented by Charles Dickens, Mark Twain, and Dr. Samuel Johnson, the author of the first English dictionary. This iconic local on Fleet Street has several establishments spread across multiple floors, including the ground-level Snug Bar with centuries-old wood paneling.