Traveling to Europe for Christmas Holiday

Vienna local here

Is the weather bad?

No. It can be cold, but that's kinda part of a Christmas time experience.

Is it likely travel by plane or train will be delayed for weather?

Nope. Delays due to snow are extremely rare and would mostly happen in the mountains. Not in Vienna or Salzburg, or any of the other cities you listed.

Will it be too cold to spend several hours touring a city on foot?

No, just get good winter clothes. Also, you wouldn't spend that much time outside, as you'd probably visit indoor sites, too. (Churches, museums. palaces, etc)

I've heard the days are short. How might that affect my stays?

It won't. Sunrise is ~8am, sunset ~5pm. Also, our cities all have lights. ;)

Are most places closed? Will I have trouble visiting museums or restaurants?

Shops are closed on 25 and 26 DEC. Museums are open and you'll definitely find restaurants. However, Christmas markets close on 24 or 25 DEC. After that most cities are getting ready for New Years.

-Ideas for interesting stuff to do for Christmas or New Years in these cities?

Christmas itself might be boring, as shops are closed and most locals will be at home with family. Like I said, museums and sights are definitely open.

New years: Google "New Year's Vienna" or "Silvesterpfad Vienna". It's huge and celebrations are all over the old town. We get some 500,000 visitors around New Year, so you might want to book hotel early.

Any other tips for visiting Europe, specifically these cities, during the holiday?

Seeking to visit cities in Rome, Florence, Salzburg/Vienna, Prague, Krakow, Budapest, Amsterdam.

How long are your holidays? You should have at least 3 days for each of those cities...

/r/travel Thread