Treat yourself and escape to a winter wonderland

It’s only October, but time is already running out to book flights to Christmas markets. Arlene Harris has the lowdown on the options across Europe.

Christmas is a time of giving, but for many people (myself included), the thought of battling through overheated, brightly lit department stores with cheesy cover versions of Yuletide tunes being blasted on a loop is the stuff of nightmares.

But magic still exists away from the stores and out in the chilly streets and squares of Europe, as stallholders switch on their twinkling lights and lay their festive wares out for us all to browse in a leisurely fashion.