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If you’ve always wanted to celebrate Christmas in the most festive of settings, we’ve got the best destinations to make your Yuletide dreams come true. Featuring an abundance of twinkling lights, festive markets and Christmas cheer, these are the best places on Earth for a very merry holiday:
You don’t have to go all the way to the North Pole to meet the real Santa Claus, because this northernmost region of Finland is the snowy home base for the official Santa Claus Village. One of our favourite destinations for a family Christmas holiday, you can meet the man himself, visit his bustling post office and even get to know his team of reindeer. Learn the secrets to being one of Santa’s helpers during a visit to the Elf’s Hat Academy, then spend the rest of the day enjoying snow-filled fun including tubing, ice skating and even an ice disco at the Snowman World activity park.
The entire landscape is a winter wonderland of snow-covered forests, frozen lakes, and pristine white scenery – perfect for experiencing winter activities such as snowshoeing, ice fishing and dog sledding. The long, dark winter nights provide excellent conditions for viewing the nature’s own Christmas lights display: the Northern Lights or Aurora Borealis.
Germany is famous for its charming Weihnachtsmärkte Christmas markets, which are among the oldest and most beautiful in Europe. You can browse the stalls for handmade Christmas gifts and decorations while feasting on a variety of traditional German Christmas foods, such as Lebkuchen (gingerbread), Glühwein (mulled wine) and Stollen (fruitcake).
In Cologne, you can take a Christmas-themed boat cruise on the Rhine River, soaking up stunning views of city’s illuminated skyline while enjoying festive entertainment and dining. Join the icy fun at one of Dresden’s temporary ice rinks, surrounded by festively lit heritage buildings. The heart of Frankfurt’s Christmas festivities is its historic Römerberg area, where the half-timbered houses and cobblestone streets of the Altstadt (Old Town) are decorated with twinkling lights and festive displays.
Edinburgh Castle provides a spectacular backdrop to the city’s celebrations in Princes Street Gardens, which include a festive market and Christmas tree maze, a ferris wheel festooned with fairy lights and even a Santa’s Grotto. The vibrant lights and decorations that adorn the length of Princes Street ensure that you’ll have no trouble getting into the Christmas mood while you complete your last-minute shopping.
Head to nearby George Street to take in the spectacular Street of Light: an annual light show that features thousands of lights synchronized to festive music. Soak up the atmosphere along the Old Town’s Royal Mile, where the ancient cobblestone streets are lined with Christmas buskers, and the Christmas Eve service at St. Giles’ Cathedral adds a touch of Scottish Christmas tradition to your holiday experience.
Set against the stunning landscape of Lake Geneva and the Swiss Alps, the town of Montreux is a festive wonderland of enchanting markets and winter sports. You can shop for traditional Swiss crafts such as wood carvings, candles and textiles among the 150-plus chalets that make up the lakeside Montreux Noël markets. Keep your eyes on the sky and you’re sure to spot Santa in his sleigh, making a flying visit to the Market Square – his flyovers happen on the hour from 5 pm until 8 pm, with an extra flight at 4 pm on weekends.
Take a scenic cogwheel train ride to the top of Rochers-de-Naye where, high above Montreux, the kids can visit Santa in his mountain-top grotto. A visit to nearby Chillon Castle is a must a Christmas-time – every year, the castle hosts a magical, medieval-themed Christmas festival where you can browse for traditional crafts, enjoy festive music and explore the castle’s nooks and crannies by torchlight.
In the Dyker Heights neighbourhood of Brooklyn, homeowners go all-out to create the most extravagant displays of Christmas lights and decorations. A walking tour through this most festive of New York neighbourhoods is the perfect way to get yourself into the mood for celebrating Christmas in the Big Apple.
Next on the holiday itinerary, you could head to the Rockefeller Center’s famous outdoor rink for ice-skating and hot chocolate, or admire the elaborately decorated window displays of Bergdorf Goodman and Sak’s Fifth Avenue. The spectacular costumes, sets and performances of the New York City Ballet’s annual production of The Nutcracker make this show an essential Christmas activity, along with horse-drawn carriage rides through a snowy Central Park and meeting Santa at Macy’s Herald Square.
If you choose to celebrate Christmas in the French-Canadian city of Quebec, you’ll find a snowy wonderland that combines classic European ambience with North American exuberance. The narrow, winding streets of the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Old Quebec, adorned with festive lights and Christmas trees, will make you feel like you’ve just stepped into a Christmas card. The German Christmas Market is modelled after the ones you would find throughout Europe, complete with little wooden chalets selling handmade gifts, crafts and festive foods such as sausages, gingerbread and mulled wine.
The toboggan slide on Dufferin Terrace has been a quintessential Québécois winter experience since it was first created in 1884. This family-friendly thrill ride down an ice-covered track delivers breathtaking views of St. Lawrence River and the Château Frontenac, especially at night when the surrounding landscape is a twinkling wonderland of holiday lights.
The Alsace region of northeast France is one of our favourite settings for a romance-infused Christmas holiday. Half-timbered houses line the cobbled streets and quiet waterways of Strasbourg’s Petite France and Colmar’s Little Venice districts, where you can shop for handcrafts in some of Europe’s oldest and most scenic Christmas markets while feasting on traditional Alsatian treats.
The surrounding countryside is renowned for its picturesque villages and vineyards, which are often blanketed in snow at this time of year – ideal for a festive road trip if you are looking for an uncrowded Christmas destination.
From the spectacular historic buildings festooned in fairy lights to the sound of Christmas markets bustling with happy shoppers. From the mouthwatering aroma of freshly baked waffles to the festive flavour of Speculoos spiced cookies, not to mention a chocolate store on every street corner – Christmas in Belgium is a feast for all of your senses.
You’ll feel like you’ve stepped into the set of a Hallmark holiday movie as you explore Belgium’s Christmas markets. Their fairytale atmosphere makes them some of the most popular in Europe – especially the Plaisirs d’Hiver in Brussels (complete with ice skating rink and Ferris wheel), and the Grote Markt in Brugges, where you can conclude your Christmas shopping with a horse-drawn carriage ride.
With its stunning Baroque architecture and its snow-capped alpine surroundings, the city of Salzburg is a true winter wonderland during the holiday season. As the birthplace of Mozart, Salzburg is heaven at Christmas time if you love classic music – concerts are held in various historic locations throughout the city during the holiday season, many of which feature favourite works by the famous Austrian composer.
The city’s famous Christkindlmarkt, located in front of the Cathedral and Residenzplatz, is one of the oldest and most beloved Christmas markets in Europe, where you can enjoy festive live music while you shop for handcrafts and decorations. The nearby village of Oberndorf is a particularly memorable place to spend Christmas Eve – the famous Christmas carol, “Silent Night”, (Stille Nacht), was first performed there in 1818, and today, you can join visitors from all over the world in the Silent Night Chapel to celebrate its timeless message of peace.
The city’s beautiful Old Town Square (Staroměstské náměstí) is the heart of Christmas in Prague, where a towering Christmas tree stands surrounded by market stalls selling gifts and traditional Czech crafts. Everywhere you go, you’ll find more spectacular landmarks lit up to create a magical holiday atmosphere, from the historic Charles Bridge to the towering walls of Prague Castle.
It’s well worth venturing beyond the capital city to experience the pristine beauty of the Czech countryside, where trees and fields blanketed in pristine white snow provide a fairytale setting for wrapping up in cosy blankets and enjoying a horse-drawn sleigh ride.
With its warm sunny weather and beautiful beaches, it may feel more like a classic Aussie Christmas, but the holiday season in Cape Town puts its own unique twist on the experience by blending festive traditions from its diverse ethnic communities. The V&A Waterfront is beautifully decorated for the holidays with twinkling lights and giant Christmas trees, with live music performances providing the vibes while you shop for artisanal foods and crafts.
The Cape Winelands region, located on Cape Town’s doorstep, is a wonderful choice for a Christmas day trip. Towns like Stellenbosch, Franschhoek, and Paarl are renowned for their beautiful vineyards, historic architecture and gourmet food, and many of the region’s cellar doors offer Christmas Day dining and wine tasting. Alternatively, you could celebrate Christmas Day with a sunrise hike to the top of Table Mountain, or join the locals at one of the region’s beautiful beaches for a day of braai (barbecue) and beach games.
Our selection of the merriest places on Earth to spend Christmas is sure to fill your heart with festive joy. For more ideas and inspiration, or to start planning your Christmas destination holiday, talk to your personal travel manager.
TravelManagers respects and honours the Traditional Custodians of the land and pay our respects to their Elders past, present and future. We acknowledge the stories, traditions and culture of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples on the lands where we work and gather, and those we visit.
