Rebecca Engel
A Christmas vacation works a little differently from any other trip. You aren’t just picking a place, you’re picking the version of the holidays you want, whether that’s mulled wine at a snowy market, a giant tree glowing in a city square, or a swim on Christmas morning.
These 19 holiday destinations cover all three. There are the classic European Christmas markets, a handful of North American towns that go all in on December, and a few warm places for anyone who’d rather skip the cold. Each one comes with who it suits best and roughly when its Christmas season runs, so you can line up dates before you book.
1. Vienna, Austria
Best for: first timers who want the classic Christmas market trip
Christmas season: mid November to December 26, with Schönbrunn open until January 6
Vienna might be the most complete Christmas city in Europe. There are around a dozen markets across town, and the biggest one fills the square in front of City Hall with stalls, lights and a huge tree.
The drink to order is Punsch, a hot fruity mix that’s often stronger than it tastes. It comes in a collectible mug with a small deposit, so you can hand it back or keep it as a souvenir.
The palace markets are calmer and a little more elegant. The one at Schönbrunn stays open until January 6, so the festive feel lasts the whole holiday break. For more on the city, see these festive things to do in Vienna in winter.
2. Prague, Czech Republic
Best for: fairy tale scenery on a smaller budget
Christmas season: late November to early January
Prague at Christmas looks like the set of a holiday movie. The main market fills Old Town Square, where a giant tree stands between the Gothic towers of the Týn Church and the Old Town Hall.
Food and drink are cheap by Western European standards. Grab a cup of svařák, the local mulled wine, and something grilled from the stalls. The sweet rolled trdelník is everywhere too, though it’s more of a tourist treat than an old Czech tradition.
One tradition that is very real: in the days before Christmas, live carp are sold from big tubs on the street, because fried carp is the classic Czech Christmas Eve dinner. There’s plenty more in this guide to things to do in Prague at Christmas.
3. Strasbourg And Colmar, France
Best for: storybook towns and one of the oldest markets in Europe
Christmas season: late November to December 24 in Strasbourg, a few days longer in Colmar
Strasbourg calls itself the Capital of Christmas, and it has a real claim to it. Its Christkindelsmärik dates back to 1570, which makes it one of the oldest Christmas markets in Europe.
The market spreads across squares all over the old town. A giant tree stands on Place Kléber, and the half timbered houses are covered in lights and oversized ornaments. Try the vin chaud and a bag of bredele, the small Alsatian Christmas cookies.
Colmar is about half an hour away by train, so it makes an easy day trip or a second base. It’s smaller and sweeter, and the canals of its Little Venice district glow at night all season.
4. Nuremberg, Germany
Best for: a traditional German market with serious food
Christmas season: late November to December 24
Nuremberg’s Christkindlesmarkt is the German Christmas market most people have heard of. Red and white striped stalls fill the main square below the Frauenkirche, and the season opens with the Christkind, a figure in gold and white, reading a prologue from the church balcony.
The food is the real reason to come. Nuremberg’s own gingerbread, Lebkuchen, has been baked here for centuries, and the local bratwurst are small enough to come three in a roll, a snack called Drei im Weggla.
Look out for the Zwetschgenmännle too. They’re little figures made from dried prunes, and they’re one of the oldest souvenirs at the market.
5. Rome, Italy
Best for: a Christmas with a historic and religious side
Christmas season: early December to January 6
Rome doesn’t do Christmas with snow and gingerbread. It does it with nativity scenes, candlelit churches and one of the most famous Christmas Eve Masses in the world.
St Peter’s Square gets a tall tree and a large nativity scene, and plenty of Rome’s churches put out their own. The celebrations run all the way to Epiphany on January 6, when La Befana, a kindly witch from Italian folklore, brings sweets to children.
Christmas Eve Mass at St Peter’s Basilica starts at 10pm and needs a free ticket from the Vatican, so request it well ahead and ignore anyone trying to sell one. The Pope’s blessing at noon on Christmas Day is open to anyone who turns up in the square. For the rest of the season, see these cozy things to do in Rome in winter.
6. Copenhagen, Denmark
Best for: hygge, candlelit cafes and a festive amusement park
Christmas season: mid November to early January at Tivoli
Copenhagen is the place to go for hygge, the Danish idea of being warm and cozy while it’s dark and cold outside. At Christmas the whole city leans into it, with candles in the windows and every excuse to duck inside for a hot drink.
The highlight is Tivoli Gardens, the historic amusement park in the middle of the city, which gets covered in lights and decorations for the season. It’s one of the oldest amusement parks in the world, and it feels properly magical after dark.
The colorful harbor at Nyhavn has its own market in the weeks before Christmas. Order gløgg, the Danish mulled wine, with a plate of æbleskiver, little round pancake puffs dusted with sugar and served with jam.
7. London, England
Best for: big city lights and classic British traditions
Christmas season: mid November to early January
London goes big for Christmas. The lights over Oxford Street and Regent Street go up in November, and the glowing angels hanging over Regent Street are one of the city’s most famous holiday sights.
Hyde Park Winter Wonderland is the giant festive fair, with rides, markets and an ice rink. Christmas at Kew turns the botanic gardens into an illuminated trail after dark, and its tickets tend to sell out.
Plan around Christmas Day itself. The Tube and nearly all public transport stop for the day, so pick a hotel within walking distance of wherever you’re having Christmas lunch. More ideas are in this list of things to do in London at Christmas.
8. Edinburgh, Scotland
Best for: Christmas and New Year in one trip
Christmas season: mid November to early January
Edinburgh is a great pick if you want to stretch the trip past Christmas and into New Year. The Christmas market fills East Princes Street Gardens right below the castle, with a big wheel, rides and plenty of stalls.
Then comes Hogmanay, Scotland’s New Year celebration and one of the biggest in the world. The street party in the city center ends with fireworks over the castle at midnight.
If you’re still going on January 1, the Loony Dook is a tradition where people in fancy dress jump into the freezing Firth of Forth at South Queensferry. Watching from the shore is allowed. To plan the rest of the trip, use this 3 day Edinburgh itinerary.
9. Rovaniemi, Finland
Best for: families with young kids
Christmas season: late November to early January, though Santa Claus Village is open all year
Rovaniemi is the official hometown of Santa Claus, and it takes the title seriously. Santa Claus Village sits right on the Arctic Circle, where kids can meet Santa, send a card from his post office and step across the line marked on the ground. For a Christmas vacation with young kids, it’s very hard to beat.
The rest of the trip is pure winter. Husky rides, reindeer sleighs and snowmobile tours run from the edge of town, and there’s a real chance of seeing the northern lights on a clear night.
Daylight is very short in December, just a few hours of soft blue light around midday. It’s part of the magic, but plan outdoor activities for those hours and pack the warmest clothes you own. There’s more in this guide to things to do in Lapland in winter.
10. Reykjavik, Iceland
Best for: quirky traditions and the northern lights
Christmas season: late November to New Year’s Day
Iceland has some of the strangest Christmas traditions anywhere. Instead of one Santa there are 13 Yule Lads, mischievous brothers who come down from the mountains one at a time in the 13 nights before Christmas, each with his own bad habit, like slamming doors or licking spoons.
There’s also the Christmas Book Flood, the wave of new books that comes out before the holidays. Icelanders give each other books on Christmas Eve and spend the night reading, which makes a December trip a great excuse to browse Reykjavik’s bookshops.
New Year’s Eve is the other big night, when locals set off their own fireworks all over the city at midnight. Days are only about four or five hours long, but the long nights give you more chances at the northern lights. Pair the city with this 5 day Iceland itinerary.
11. New York City
Best for: the classic big city Christmas
Christmas season: late November to early January
New York is the Christmas city most people picture first. The Rockefeller Center tree is lit the week after Thanksgiving, and the rink below it is one of the most famous places to skate in the world.
The holiday windows along Fifth Avenue are worth a slow walk after dark. Bryant Park’s Winter Village has a rink that’s free to get into, with skates to rent, and a market of little glass shops, and there’s a holiday show or concert on almost every night of the month.
It’s also the busiest time of year to visit, so book early and see the big sights on weekday mornings. For a full plan, see these things to do in New York City at Christmas.
12. Quebec City, Canada
Best for: a European style Christmas without crossing the ocean
Christmas season: late November to early January
Quebec City is the easiest way to get a European Christmas from the US. Old Quebec is the only city north of Mexico that still has its old fortified walls, and the whole historic district is a UNESCO World Heritage site.
The Petit Champlain quarter is decorated for the holidays and looks like a snow globe after a fresh snowfall. There’s also a German Christmas market in the old town from late November until just before Christmas, with wooden stalls and mulled wine. It opens Thursday to Sunday for most of its run, so plan your nights around it.
It’s properly cold here, so pack for it. Snow is close to guaranteed, which is exactly the point. See these things to do in Quebec City in winter for the rest of the trip.
13. Leavenworth, Washington
Best for: a Bavarian village Christmas on the West Coast
Christmas season: Thanksgiving to Christmas Eve, with the lights on nightly through February
Leavenworth is a small town in the Cascade Mountains that remade itself as a Bavarian village decades ago. It sounds like it could be gimmicky, but at Christmas it completely works.
Its Christmastown season runs from Thanksgiving to Christmas Eve, with lighting ceremonies and events on the weekends, and the town is wrapped in more than half a million lights. Add snowy mountains, carolers and bratwurst, and it’s about as close to a Christmas card as the US gets.
It’s about two and a half hours from Seattle over Stevens Pass, and the weekends get very busy. Book a room months ahead, or visit midweek when the lights are still on but the crowds are thinner. Check highway conditions before you drive, since winter weather and road repairs can close the pass.
14. Asheville, North Carolina
Best for: a mountain town Christmas with a grand estate
Christmas season: early November to early January at Biltmore
Asheville’s big Christmas draw is Biltmore, the huge estate George Vanderbilt built in the 1890s. It’s the largest privately owned home in the US, and at Christmas the house fills with trees, garlands and decorations.
The Candlelight Christmas Evenings are the best way to see it, with the rooms lit by candles and firelight and live music playing. They sell out and don’t run every night, so book as soon as the dates go on sale.
Around town, the Omni Grove Park Inn displays its National Gingerbread House Competition entries, though viewing for anyone not staying at the hotel is limited to certain days and times. Asheville is open again after Hurricane Helene in 2024, and Biltmore reopened within weeks of the storm.
15. Santa Fe, New Mexico
Best for: a quieter Christmas with a Southwest twist
Christmas season: December, with the big night on Christmas Eve
Santa Fe has its own style of Christmas. Instead of strings of lights, the adobe buildings are lined with farolitos, small paper bags weighted with sand with a candle glowing inside.
On Christmas Eve, the Canyon Road Farolito Walk fills the city’s gallery street with thousands of them, along with small bonfires and carolers. It’s one of the most peaceful Christmas Eve traditions in the country.
Try a biscochito, the anise cookie that’s the official state cookie of New Mexico. And when a server asks if you want red or green chile, you can answer Christmas and get both.
16. Aspen, Colorado
Best for: a ski trip over the holidays
Christmas season: ski season through the whole holiday break
Aspen is the Christmas vacation for skiers. The town sits in a valley with four ski mountains around it, so there’s terrain for every level within a short bus ride.
Downtown is small and walkable, with lights in the trees and shops open late. After a day on the slopes, it’s easy to wander from dinner to a fireside drink without ever needing a car. If you stay through New Year’s Eve, Snowmass usually holds a torchlight parade down the mountain followed by fireworks.
Christmas week is one of the most expensive weeks of the year here, so book early. This ski trip packing list covers what to bring.
17. Maui, Hawaii
Best for: a warm Christmas with whale watching on the side
Christmas season: Christmas week, right at the start of whale season
Maui makes a strong case for skipping the cold entirely. Christmas here means beaches, warm water and sunsets, and it lines up with the start of humpback whale season.
Thousands of humpbacks come to Hawaii each winter to breed and give birth, and Maui is one of the best places to see them. The peak is usually January through March, but whales are often spotted by late December.
Watching the sunrise from the top of Haleakalā is the other big experience, and it needs a reservation from the National Park Service. Christmas week is one of the busiest of the year in Hawaii, so book early. This 5 day Maui itinerary covers the rest of the island.
18. Oaxaca, Mexico
Best for: a colorful Christmas full of local traditions
Christmas season: mid December to Christmas Eve
Christmas in Oaxaca is loud, colorful and full of traditions you won’t find anywhere else. The streets are strung with lights and star shaped piñatas, and there’s something happening in the plazas most nights.
The strangest is the Night of the Radishes on December 23. Locals carve huge radishes into detailed scenes of saints, animals and village life, and the displays fill the main square for one evening only.
Posadas, processions that act out Mary and Joseph’s search for somewhere to stay, run through the nights before Christmas. Stop for buñuelos, a crispy fried pastry drizzled with syrup, and a cup of the hot chocolate Oaxaca is famous for.
19. Cape Town, South Africa
Best for: a summer Christmas on the beach
Christmas season: all of December, which is peak summer
In Cape Town, a Christmas vacation falls in the middle of summer. That means long sunny days, beach picnics and the kind of Christmas lunch that happens outdoors.
Locals head to beaches like Camps Bay and Clifton over the holidays, and the V&A Waterfront puts up lights and a big tree. Table Mountain, the Cape Peninsula and the winelands are all an easy drive away.
December is peak season, for locals on holiday and for visitors, so book early. The days are long, with the sun not setting until around 8 in the evening, so there’s plenty of time for a sundowner.
Tips For Planning A Christmas Vacation At These Holiday Destinations
Book early. Christmas week is one of the priciest times of year for holiday travel, and the best hotels near the big markets fill up months ahead. If your dates are flexible, early December is the sweet spot, with the markets open, the lights up and prices lower.
Check the closing dates. Many German and French markets close on or just before Christmas Eve, while places like Prague, Edinburgh and London keep going into the new year. If you want markets and Christmas Day in the same trip, pick a city with a long season.
Plan for Christmas Day itself. In much of Europe, Christmas Eve is the main celebration and Christmas Day is quiet, with shops, museums and sometimes transport closed. Book Christmas dinner ahead and keep that day simple.
Pack for the weather. The market cities are cold and often damp, the far north is properly freezing, and the warm destinations need sunscreen instead. This Europe packing list covers the basics for a winter trip.
Final Thoughts
The best Christmas vacation is the one that matches how you like to spend the holidays. Some people want snow, markets and mulled wine, and others want a beach and a swim on Christmas morning.
Whichever of these holiday destinations you pick, book early and leave room for slow time. The best moments of a Christmas trip are rarely on the plan. They’re usually just a warm drink under the lights with nowhere else to be.
