Christmas markets abound throughout the Continent in December. (iStock)
Austria
VIENNA: This Human World, international human rights film festival, through Dec. 11.
SALZBURG: Advent Singing, Grosse Festspielehaus, through Dec. 15.
SALZBURG: Winterfest, circus performances in tents in Volksgarten, through Jan. 8.
SALZBURG AND SUBURBS: Krampus Runs, frightening beasts in costumes run through town, Dec. 3, 5-6 and 8.
SALZBURG: Winterfest, international circus acts in the Volksgarten, through Jan. 8.
ST. ANTON: Ski season opening celebrations, through Dec. 4.
INNSBRUCK: Luge World Cup, Dec. 3-4.
INNSBRUCK: East Tyrolian Krampus Run, Dec. 4-5 and 7.
SILVRETTA-MONTAFON: World Cup Montafon, ski cross and snowboard cross World Cup competitions, Dec. 7-9.
HOCHFILZEN: IBU Biathlon World Cup, Dec. 7-11.
FLACHAU: Winter Start Up, equipment testing and live acts, Dec. 8-11.
SCHLADMING: Start of Winter Opening Party, Dec. 8-11.
MAYRHOFEN-HIPPACH: Rise & Fall, team ski competition involves skiing, paragliding and mountain biking, Dec. 10.
PITZTAL: Hochzeiger Open Air, Alvaro Soler and Gregor Meyle perform, Dec. 10.
SAALBACH-HINTERGLEMM: Rave on Snow, club festival with electronic music, Dec. 15-18.
GERLOS: Zillertal Arena Ski and Snowboard Season opening, live acts and yoga, Dec. 16-19.
SOELL: SkiWelt Winter Opening party, Wilder Kaiser Brixental, Dec. 17.
VIENNA: Christmas in Vienna, gala concert, Wiener Konzerthaus, Dec. 17.
INNSBRUCK: Christkind Parade, Dec. 18.
CORTINA D’AMPEZZO: Women’s Alpine Ski World Cup, Dec. 28-29.
VIENNA: New Year’s Trail, live entertainment, waltzing lessons, food and drink stands throughout town, Dec. 31.
Belgium
LIEGE: Village de Noel, Belgium’s largest Christmas village, through Dec. 30.
BRUSSELS: Winter Wonders, Christmas market and skating rink, through Jan. 1.
BRUGES: Winter Glow, Christmas market and illuminated trail, through Jan. 8.
LEUVEN: Short Film Festival, through Dec. 10.
BRUGES: December Dance, international dance festival, Concertgebouw, Dec. 8-18.
BASTOGNE: Battle of the Bulge, perimeter walk, commemorations and tossing of walnuts from City Hall, Dec. 9-11.
NAMUR: Salon du Vin, wine and gastronomy fair, Namur Expo, Dec. 9-11.
MODAVE: Christmas at the Castle, festively decorated rooms at the Chateau de Modave, this year's theme is “Magical Christmases and Wonderful Tales,” Dec. 10-Jan. 8.
ROTTERDAM: Bridges Run Rotterdam, 15 km route through city, Dec. 11.
KORTRIJK: Gent Militaria, military memorabilia fair, XPO, Dec. 11.
ANTWERP: Art and Antwerp, contemporary art fair, Expo, Dec. 15-18.
ESSEN: Christmas Beer Festival, Dec. 17-18.
MECHELEN: Christmas Jumping, horse jumping event, Expo, Dec. 26-30.
Croatia
DUBROVNIK: Winter Festival, through Jan. 6.
ZAGREB: Advent in Zagreb, through Jan. 7.
DAKOVO: Christmas Ball Lipizzaner, Dec. 10.
Czech Republic
PRAGUE: Christmas market, through Dec. 24.
SLAVKOV: Battle of Austerlitz re-enactments, through Dec. 4.
PRAGUE: Asian Film Festival, Bio Oko and Lucerna, through Dec. 6.
KROVOKLAT: Christmas in the Castle Courtyard, Dec. 3-5 and 10-11.
PRAGUE: Eve of Saint Nicholas Day, or Mikulas, celebrated on Old Town Square and countrywide, Dec. 5.
PRAGUE: Czech Touches of Music, international classical music festival, various dates between Dec. 11 and Jan 6.
PRAGUE: Magnetic Festival, electronic dance music festival, Dec. 17.
PRAGUE: Christmas Night Run, Dec. 17.
PRAGUE: Dyzajn Market Winter, craft and design market, Expo Center, Dec. 10-11.
Denmark
AARHUS: Christmas in the Old Town Museum, dates through Dec. 26.
COPENHAGEN: Christmas in Tivoli Gardens, through Dec. 31.
ODENSE: Hans Christian Andersen Christmas market, Dec. 3-4 and Dec. 10-11.
ELSINORE: Kronborg Castle Christmas fair, Dec. 4-5.
COPENHAGEN: Christiania Julemarked, Oriental bazaar style Christmas market, Den Gra Hal, Christiania, Dec. 9-20.
COPENHAGEN: Lucia Kayaking, Santa Lucia parade made up of kayaks in the canals, Dec. 13.
England
LONDON: London International Animation Festival, Barbican and The Horse Hospital, through Dec. 4.
BATH: Christmas market, through Dec. 11.
MANCHESTER: Christmas markets, Albert Square and other sites, through Dec. 22.
WINCHESTER: Winchester Cathedral Christmas market, through Dec. 22.
BIRMINGHAM: Frankfurt Christmas Market, through Dec. 23.
LONDON: Hyde Park Winter Wonderland, through Jan. 2.
LONDON: Christmas in Leicester Square, through Jan. 7.
LONDON: Southbank Centre in Winter, through Jan. 8.
LONDON: Christmas at Kew, trail of lights through Kew Gardens, through Jan. 8.
LONDON: Hogwarts in the Snow, Warner Bros. Studio Tour, through Jan. 15.
NEWARK: IACF Antiques & Collectors Fair, Showgrounds, Dec. 1-2.
LONDON: The London International Horse Show, Olympia, Dec. 15-19.
BRIGHTON: Burning the Clocks, lantern procession and fireworks, Dec. 21.
SALISBURY: Winter Solstice celebrations at Stonehenge, Dec. 22.
EXMOUTH: Christmas Day Swim, starts 11 a.m., Dec. 25.
LONDON: The Peter Pan Cup, race open to Serpentine Swimming Club Members only, Hyde Park, Dec. 25.
LONDON: New Year’s Eve fireworks, Thames riverbanks, Dec. 31.
Estonia
TALLINN: Christmas market, through Jan. 8.
Finland
TAMPERE: We Jazz, jazz festival, through Dec. 4.
HELSINKI: Christmas market, through Dec. 22.
HELSINKI: Dog Show, Exhibition and Convention Center, through Dec. 4.
HELSINKI: St. Lucia Day, Lutheran Cathedral, Dec. 13.
HELSINKI: Tsiga Boom!, family circus, Exhibition and Convention Center, Dec. 26-Jan. 8.
France
STRASBOURG: Christmas market, through Dec. 24.
COLMAR: Christmas market, through Dec. 29.
PARIS: Africolor Music Festival, through Dec. 24.
PARIS: Jours de Fetes, funfair at La Villette, through Jan. 1.
NANCY: Saint Nicholas festivities, Dec. 3-4.
ROUBAIX: La Braderie de l'Art, art fair and exchange, Dec. 3-4.
PARIS: Nautic, international boat show, Porte de Versailles, Dec. 3-10.
RIBEAUVILLE: Medieval Christmas market, Dec. 3-4 and 10-11.
RENNES: Trans Musicales, contemporary music festival, Dec. 7-11.
LYON: Fete des Lumieres, light festival, Dec. 8-11.
AVORIAZ: Rock on Snow, ski and snowboard gear testing and DJ sets, Dec. 9-11.
EPERNAY: Habits de Lumiere, illuminations and entertainment along the avenue de Champagne, Dec. 9-11.
LES DEUX ALPES: Rise Festival, ski season opens with parties and live music, Dec. 10-17.
Germany
HAMBURG: Hamburg DOM, volksfest, through Dec. 4.
MUNICH: Food & Life, culinary show, Messe, through Dec. 4.
TUEBINGEN: Chocolart, chocolate fair and illuminations, through Dec. 4.
HEIDELBERG: Enjoy Jazz Festival, through Dec. 12.
MUNICH: Tollwood Winter Festival, Theresienwiese, through Dec. 31.
BAMBERG: Nativity Trail, crèche scenes in churches and squares, through Jan. 6.
RUST: Winter at Europa-Park, through Jan. 6.
NUREMBERG: Retro Classics Bavaria, classic auto show, Messe, through Dec. 4.
DRESDEN: Stollenfest, Dec. 3.
MANNHEIM: Toxicator, electronic music party, Maimarkthalle, Dec. 3.
ESSEN: Essen Motor Show, Messe, through Dec. 11.
FRANKFURT: European Outdoor Film Tour, Uni Frankfurt, Dec. 3; also Heidelberg Dec. 4; Garmisch-Partenkirchen Dec. 10; Mainz Dec. 17.
FRANKFURT: Night of the Proms, line-up includes Kool & The Gang, Amy Macdonald, Nik Kershaw and others, Dec. 6-7; also Stuttgart Dec. 15 and Munich Dec. 16-18.
HANNOVER: Pferd & Jagd, fair for hunting, fishing and horseback riding, Messe, Dec. 8-11.
KARLSRUHE: Knock Out Festival, indoor heavy metal fest, Schwarzwaldhalle, Dec. 10.
COCHEM: Christmas at Cochem Castle, Dec. 10-11.
TRIPPSTADT: Small Christmas Market in Finsterbrunnental, Haus der Nachhaltigkeit, Dec. 11.
MUNICH: Krampus Runs, Marienplatz, Dec. 11.
BERLIN: Louis Lewandowski Festival, celebration of synagogue music, Dec. 15-18.
FRANKFURT: International Horse Riding Show, Festhalle, Dec. 15-18.
WIESBADEN: Christmas Circus, Festplatz Gibber Kerb, Dec. 22-Jan. 8.
TRIBERG: Christmas Magic, Dec. 25-30.
BERLIN: Silvester, Brandenburg Gate, Dec. 31.
TRIER: Silvesterlauf, 5 and 8 km runs, Dec. 31.
OBERSTDORF: Four Hills Tournament, ski jumping competition, Dec. 29; also Garmisch-Partenkirchen Jan. 1.
Hungary
BUDAPEST: Christmas fair and winter festival at Vorosmarty Square, through Jan. 1.
Ireland
CORK: Glow, Christmas themed winter wonderland, Bishop Lucey Park, Fri.-Sun. only, through Jan. 8.
WATERFORD: Winterval, Christmas themed events and market, through Dec. 23.
DUBLIN: Funderland, RDS grounds, Dec. 26-Jan. 15.
DUBLIN: New Year’s Eve celebrations, Dec. 30-Jan. 1.
Italy
TURIN: Torino Film Festival, through Dec. 3.
TURIN: XMas Comics and Games, Lingotto Fiere, Dec. 3-4.
MILAN: L’Artigiano in Fiera, craftsmen sell their wares, Fieramilano, Dec. 3-11.
FLORENCE: River to River, Indian film festival, Dec. 6-11.
CERNOBBIO: City of Toys, Dec. 7-Jan. 8.
SALERNO: Luci d’Artista, light installations, Dec. 2 through end of Jan.
COUNTRYWIDE: Feast Day of the Immaculate Conception, Dec. 8.
TOBLACH: Krampus Parade, Dec. 9.
SIRACUSA: Procession of Santa Lucia, Dec. 13.
ORVIETO: Umbria Winter Jazz, Dec. 28-Jan. 1.
Lithuania
VILNIUS: Christmas Village, through Jan. 1.
Luxembourg
CITY: Winterlights, Christmas market and festivities, through Jan. 8.
CITY: Stoffen Spektakel, fabrics fair, Luxexpo The Box, Dec. 3.
Malta
VALLETTA: The Malta International Christmas Choir Festival, Dec. 2-4.
RABAT: Għar ta' Mħabba, celebration of Maltese Christmas traditions, Dec. 8.
VALLETTA: Republic Day, Dec. 13.
Monaco
MONTE CARLO: Monte Carlo Jazz Festival, through Dec. 4.
Netherlands
VALKENBERG: Christmas Town, through Jan. 8.
AMSTERDAM: Amsterdam Light Festival, Dec. 1-Jan. 22.
MAASTRICHT: Magical Maastricht, Christmas market, skating rink and Ferris wheel, Dec. 1-30.
AMSTERDAM: Masters of Lxry, lifestyle fair, RAI, Dec. 8-12.
DEVENTER: Dickens Festival, Victorian themed Christmas market, Dec. 10-11.
AMSTERDAM: Winter Circus, Royal Theater Carre, Dec. 15-Jan. 1.
GOUDA: Candle Night, Dec. 16.
AMSTERDAM: Valhalla, circus and electronic music festival, RAI, Dec. 17.
ZWOLLE: Ice sculpture exhibition, Dec. 17-March 5.
AMSTERDAM: Funky Christmas Market, Westergasfabriek, Dec. 18.
THE HAGUE: Christmas Circus, Dec. 24-Jan. 8.
Norway
OSLO: Christmas market, Norsk Folkemuseum, Dec. 3-4 and 10-11.
Poland
KRAKOW: Christmas cribs competitions, Dec. 1.
WARSAW: Watch Docs, human rights film festival, Dec. 2-11.
POZNAN: Ice Sculpture Festival, Dec. 9-11.
Portugal
LISBON: Misty Fest, songwriter and world music festival, dates through Dec. 6.
OBIDOS: Vila Natal, Christmas Town, through Dec. 30.
LISBON: Sao Silvestre race, 10 km run through city center, Dec. 17.
Scotland
EDINBURGH: Christmas at the Botanics, illuminated trail through the Botanical Gardens, through Dec. 30.
EDINBURGH: Winter Festival, shows, rides, attractions and Christmas market stalls, through Jan. 1.
EDINBURGH: Christmas Craft, Art and Design Fair, Assembly Rooms, Dec. 3-4.
EDINBURGH: The Santa Run, runners race in Santa costumes to benefit charity, West Princes Street Gardens, Dec. 4.
GLASGOW: Glasgow’s Santa Dash, participants race in Santa costumes to benefit charity, George Square, Dec. 11.
GLASGOW: The Irn Bru Carnival, Europe’s largest indoor funfair, SEC, Dec. 23-Jan. 15.
KIRKWALL: The Ba’, historical street ball game, Dec. 25 and Jan. 1.
EDINBURGH: Hogmanay, New Year celebrations include torchlit procession Dec. 30, street party, concert in the gardens and ceilidh Dec. 31; Loony Dook swim in the River Forth, Jan. 1.
INVERNESS: Red Hot Highland Fling, Hogmanay celebrations, Dec. 31.
STONEHAVEN: Fireball Festival, Hogmanay celebrations, Dec. 31.
Slovenia
POSTOJNA: Living Nativity Scenes in the Postojna Cave, Dec. 25-30.
Spain
MADRID: Arts and Crafts Fair, Paseo de Recoletos, through Dec. 30.
VALENCIA: Feria del Automovil, auto show, fairgrounds, through Dec. 6.
OLIVA (FUERTEVENTURA): Dunes de Fuerteventura Half Marathon, Dec. 3.
SEVILLE: Festivity of the Immaculate Conception, Dec. 8.
LEON: Purple Weekend Festival, celebrates music and culture of the sixties, Dec. 8-11.
MALAGA: Malaga Marathon, Dec. 11.
MADRID: Almoneda Navidad, antiques fair, trade fairgrounds, Dec. 14-18.
MADRID: San Silvestre Vallecana, 10 km race with thousands of participants, Dec. 31.
MADRID: New Year’s Eve at the Puerta del Sol, Dec. 31.
Sweden
GOTHENBURG: Christmas at Liseberg, dates between Dec. 30.
STOCKHOLM: Hundmaessa, dog show, fairgrounds, Dec. 10-11.
COUNTRYWIDE: Santa Lucia, candlelit processions, Dec. 13.
Switzerland
MONTREUX: Montreux Comedy Festival, shows performed in English, through Dec. 3.
BULLE: Gouts et Terroirs, gourmet food show, Espace Gruyere, through Dec. 4.
LAUSANNE: Lumieres, light installations, through Dec. 24.
SOLOTHURN: Kunst Supermarkt, art fair, through Jan. 8.
DAVOS: Songbird Festival, singer and songwriter festival, through Dec. 18.
FRIBOURG: La Saint-Nicolas, celebrations honor city's patron saint, Dec. 3-4.
VEYTAUX: Christmas at the Chateau, Dec. 3-4, 10-11 and 17-18.
ZURICH: Samichlaus-Schwimmen, swimmers in Santa outfits jump into the lake, Dec. 4.
GENEVA: Escalade, commemorates attack on city ramparts in 1602, Dec. 9-11.
FRIBOURG: Christmas Market of Artisans and Creators, Arsen’Alt, Dec. 9-11.
LENZERHEIDE: Magic Forest, shows, culinary specialties and illuminations, Dec. 16-Jan. 4.
ZURICH: Lichterschwimmen, floating candles on the Limmat River, Dec. 22.
Wales
CARDIFF: Cardiff’s Winter Wonderland, through Jan. 8.
CONWY: Winterfest, includes torchlit parade, Dec. 10.
TENBY: Boxing Day Swim, Dec. 26.