Ellen Himelfarb

Summer's over, Halloween's been and gone, and the evenings are getting darker – but thankfully there's still something to celebrate before the year is out. That's right: it's time to whack on some Bublé and start dreaming of glühwein and tinsel.  From the chilly Swedish city of Gothenburg to the balmy Maderian capital, every corner of Europe's quaint streets and squares will be adorned with lights and alive with cheer. Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year, after all, and the best Christmas markets in Europe are spectacular celebrations of all things festive. Here’s our pick of the very best ones to go to this year.  RECOMMENDED:🏖️The best places in the world for winter sun🎄The best Christmas movies of all time💝The best Christmas songs of all time At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by local writers who know their cities inside out. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines.

Beaches have a very simple sort of a appeal. Picture-perfect definitions of paradise, these stunning spots of land demand one thing and one thing only: to lie down and chill out (whilst, obvs, slathered in a healthy dose of sunscreen). But while many beaches are unified by sun, sea and sand, no two beaches are truly alike. Nature just doesn’t work that way. Stretches of volcanic black sand couldn’t be further from tropical coves or vibe-heavy city beaches. But they’re all magnificent – and the ones below are the absolute best that this planet has to offer. RECOMMENDED: ✅ Our full guide to the best things to do in the world in 2023🌊 The most spectacular places to swim in the world🤿 The most beautiful wild swimming spots in the UK