By Suzanne Russo in New York— Full confession: While I do love the holiday windows I wrote about last week, the crowds that go along with them put me a little bit on edge (okay, maybe a lot on edge). That said, one can’t help but get swept up in the holiday spirit in New » Read more

By Lara Kavanagh in London— If you’re visiting London as a family and have small children in tow, the wealth of things to see and do can be a little overwhelming. One child-friendly activity that cannot be recommended highly enough is seeing a production at the Little Angel Theatre, where the stars of the show » Read more

Last week we gave a rail service update for Britain, focusing on some of the new train services that started with the schedule changes that came into effect last Sunday, December 12. Now we’ll take a look at how the 2011 schedules look for continental Europe. Discontinued services First the bad news. A number of » Read more

By C.H. Kwak— Just over an hour away from Berlin by train, Leipzig makes for a great day trip. Whether you’re a classical music fan or a history buff, there’s plenty to keep you busy for a day (or, preferably, more). Here are some tips to help you have a good time on a budget » Read more

By Monica Cesarato in Venice— Christmas in the lagoon is, in my opinion, a privilege. During the holiday season, Venice is an enchanted and old-fashioned sight, minus the traffic jams and queues at shopping centers that plague most cities at this time of year. With so few tourists walking down the city’s quiet calli (small » Read more

By Theadora Brack in Paris— Oh, the weather in Paris has been frightful, but the city is still delightful. So crank up Tino Rossi’s classic “Petit Papa Nöel” on the gramophone, or pull on your boots and bravely hot step it outside. For your wandering pleasure, I’ve created a personal list of my favorite holiday » Read more

By Suzanne Russo in New York— There are few cities that do the holidays like New York does the holidays (and we’re not even biased). Whether it’s the trees on Park Avenue that become a parade of gleaming white or Radio City Music Hall all done up with its enormous tree of lights (and its long-legged » Read more

By Regina Winkle-Bryan in Barcelona— Santa is secondary in Barcelona. The big day for the Spanish, and Catalans, is King’s Day, January 6. Still, there is plenty of festivity going down this month in Spain’s second-largest metropolis. Here are some of the best events to look for this holiday season: The Santa Lucia Christmas Market » Read more

It is not just across continental Europe that new rail schedules kick in next weekend, but in Britain too. So let’s just take a moment to review what’s new on the rails around Britain for 2011. Scottish Connections Effective Sunday December 12, a new rail service launches between Edinburgh and Glasgow. Travelers between Scotland’s two » Read more