There’s taking a trip, and then there’s taking a Christmas trip. The most magical time of the year has a history of transforming destinations across the world in astonishing ways: cities get decked out in spectacular decorations, streets are packed with local traditions, and squares teem with pop-up festive markets dishing out seasonal treats and stocking fillers.
While we’ve come to associate this wonderful season with things like adorned trees, decorative lights, and window displays, there are several Christmas destinations that truly stand out. So if you’re planning your Christmas vacation and you’re willing to make the most of the holiday vibe, this article may be exactly what you need!
Dive into our travel hit list below, and you’re guaranteed to find a Christmas destination where you’ll embrace those twinkly festive vibes.
1. Vienna, Austria
With its magnificent museums, classical music scene, imperial architecture, and cafes galore, this is a wonderful destination at any time of year. But visit Vienna at Christmas, and you’ll find that it’s turned into a festive, sparkling wonderland that doesn’t look like anything you’ve experienced before.
Wien offers a charming old-fashioned Christmas with dazzling holiday decorations covering imperial architecture, the smell of gluhwein in the air, and three outdoor Christkindmarkts. You can have your pick from a wide variety of ornaments and artisan wares, as well as that wonderful spiced mulled wine and tasty finger foods.
This delightful Christmas destination also holds several concerts performed by the Vienna Boys Choir, which is a special tradition that has been around for more than 500 years.
2. Strasbourg, France
A top Christmas destination, Strasbourg provides a series of themed festival villages that transform the whole city into a magical wonderland of gastronomic delights and holiday sights. For four centuries now, the iconic Christkindelsmärik has been working its magic to the joy of people of all ages.
Over 300 wooden chalets, dotted around different squares in the city, create a fairytale atmosphere that invites you to make some mesmerizing discoveries! At the Village of Alsace Farmhouse, you can taste apricot, prune, and other holiday-inspired variations of farm-fresh foie gras.
While in the village of Bredle, you’ll find a practically endless flow of mulled wine as well as its traditional Christmas biscuits.
3. Rovaniemi – Lapland, Finland
Rovaniemi in Lapland, Finland, is definitely one of the best Christmas destinations in the world. Located just north of the Arctic Circle, some people would say it makes a much likelier home for Santa Claus than even the North Pole.
I mean, what better place to meet Santa than in a winter wonderland of pine forests and deep snow? Here, kids can engage in several fun activities, such as making cookies with Mrs. Claus and even enrolling in Elf School.
Other seasonal highlights include tobogganing in the deep, pristine snow, husky-dog rides, and viewing the Northern Lights. And if you’re willing to try an especially frosty experience, you should stay at the Arctic SnowHotel, built entirely of ice and snow. You won’t freeze in there, as the place does come with saunas and hot tubs to offset the frozen temperatures.
4. Nuremberg, Germany
One of the best Christmas destinations in Germany, Nuremberg draws more than two million visitors each year. Its seasonal market called the Nuremberg Christmas Market features 200 vendors putting up incredible displays, and the whole setting is delightful!
And here’s something interesting about this tradition: you won’t find any conventional, mass-produced plastic decorations and other stuff — the market council is said to be quite serious about selling only traditional, handmade holiday goods and toys.
The whole place is filled with the tempting aromas of mulled wine, along with sweet roasted almonds, gingerbread, and sausage, all in an enchanting holiday atmosphere. Kids and kids-at-heart will fall in love with the Toy Museum as well as the exquisite two-tiered carousel — complete with reindeer and Santa’s sleighs.
Keep reading to discover other lovely Christmas destinations!
5. North Pole, Alaska
As you may expect, the North Pole is the most lovely Christmas destination in the US. In this city, it’s always Christmas, with holiday decorations and lights on display 365 days a year. You can drive down streets like Santa Clause Lane, Mistletoe Lane, and Kris Kringle Drive and even spend the night at Santaland RV Park.
It’s all about Santa Claus around here. In December, this Christmas destination really comes alive with its North Pole Christmas in Ice Contest, drawing ice sculptors from all around the world. National newscasts are also broadcast live from the Santa Clause on a regular basis.
This is also the place where you get the chance to mail your postcards using Santa’s official postal code so that family and friends receive mail postmarked from the North Pole.
6. Colmar, France
Colmar, also known as “Little Venice”, is a well-preserved 13th-century village with waterways that wind through its medieval streets. Here, in this Christmas destination, the magic of the winter holidays can be experienced in its finest form.
Illuminations linking the village’s multiple Christmas markets will guide you through the labyrinth of lovely, narrow streets lined with old half-timbered houses.
The markets nestled in the town squares are like mini villages, and each has its own distinct architectural features. There you’ll find lots of enthusiastic and passionate craftsmen selling their unique and high-quality products, so don’t forget to buy something as a memory.
This lovely Christmas destination also features traditional toy exhibitions, wine tastings, guided tours, and several concerts and other performances.
7. Leavenworth, Washington
If you’ve always wanted to visit one of those festive towns that look like a setting from a Hallmark Christmas movie, then Leavenworth is for you! Located on the eastern side of Washington State’s Cascade Mountains, this Christmas destination is transformed into a veritable snow globe of festive magic during the holidays.
The Christmas Lighting Festival includes traditional caroling, old-fashioned Christmas characters, and obviously an endless amount of brilliant lights. On Fridays, Santa himself welcomes kids with fruit and songs.
Don’t forget to take a trip to the Nutcracker Museum, which houses more than 6,000 lovely nutcrackers, some dating back 500 years!
8. Prague, Czech Republic
Prague is well-known for its unique folkloric traditions and gorgeous gothic architecture, and at Christmas, it’s genuinely unlike any other place on earth.
From its famous Christmas markets with beautifully decorated wooden huts packed with festive treats such as trdelnik, a traditional hot sugar-coated pastry, and spit-roasted hams to craft gift items and ornaments, this place is truly a winter wonderland.
In Old Town Square, you’ll see a stable filled with donkeys, sheep, and goats set around a traditional nativity, as well as lots of music and holiday lights.
This Christmas destination also hosts one of the oldest open-air markets, Havelská Market, which dates back to 1232! There you can shop for handmade Czech glass and crystal jewelry, decorative birch boxes, wooden toys, tasty traditional spa wafers, and local honey.
9. Bruges, Belgium
Medieval Bruges is always beautiful, but it truly comes alive during the cold season with Winter Glow. From the end of the fall until the first month of the year, this Christmas destination turns into a winter wonderland with cozy, festive villages filling three of the city’s squares, an ice skating rink, a light trail, and thousands of decorations throughout the city.
Since Bruges is a pretty small city, you won’t find there the huge fairground attractions that you would in bigger cities. But you will, however, find the most Christmassy, intimate, and cozy atmosphere of all the Belgian Christmas markets.
On top of this, during Winter Glow, the city offers free public transportation and limits traffic on the main shopping streets.
10. Breckenridge, Colorado
Breckenridge is a must-visit Colorado destination all year, but it’s even more spectacular in the winter, when it comes to life with hundreds of decorations, lovely lights, festivals, and other special events. This popular ski town is turned into a delightful Victorian-style Christmas destination during the holidays, and there’s always a lot of snow during the winter months.
The festive seasons kick off on the first weekend of December with the Lighting of Breckenridge, and during the holidays, visitors can enjoy lots of shopping opportunities, carriage rides, and the chance to feel as if they’ve stepped into a real-life snow globe or an old-fashioned holiday.
You may want to read 10 Epic US Winter Festivals You Shouldn’t Miss.
