Top 22 Best Places to Spend Christmas: The World’s Most Festive Cities
We are all for the snow days and the cuddling up with our loved ones next to the fire; however, December is the prime time month also for traveling—mostly to witness how the other parts of the world are celebrating Christmas. These towns are worth to visit any time in a year, but they seemed to be extremely magical during Christmas or the holiday season. Here are the finest places to spend your Christmas this year.
Bruges in Belgium
This is Europe’s best-conserved medieval city oozes attraction all year-round, however, it is really charming during the holiday season. It is hard to envision the place as more magical when you wander in the cobblestone streets, warm up with Belgian mugs of hot chocolate inside their cafes, while admiring the shimmering lights.
Ice skating you’re your special someone at the ideal picture ice rink, situated near the downtown of the Christmas market.
Cape Town in South Africa
If you are looking to escape the winter this Christmas, then it is much better here at the Cape Town. It is summer in the Southern Hemisphere. You can visit one or more of the holiday markets in South African city without the need to wear a scarf and coat.
The outdoor screening of the Home Alone in the adorable Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens during Christmas Day at around 8:30 in the evening.
Cologne in Germany
Nothing embodied the old-world Yuletide appeal like in the Christmas market, since nobody takes the Christmas markets more sincerely than the Germans, and Cologne’s drawing about four million of their visitors every winter.
Enjoy the merry sights from your observation deck of the KölnTriangle, this tower is directly opposite a Cathedral at the Rhine.
Copenhagen in Denmark
According to a World Happiness Report, the state of Denmark is considered as one of the happiest countries in the world, making it the greatest place to spend your Christmas. In the Copenhagen’s Tivoli Gardens, the antique amusement park rides has been ornamented with lights are being surrounded by yet one more adorable, alpine-village design Christmas market selling snacks and gifts until December ends.
Book a table in a restaurant for some andesteg, the traditional Danish dish of succulent, crispy roast duck that is served with cabbage and potatoes for the holiday.
Dubai in UAE
Dubai completed Christmas similar to the way Dubai does almost everything—in reality, over-the-top trends. Do not miss the tree light-ups taking place around the town. Since no visits to Dubai will be complete without some shopping sprees, set apart time to rise up on goodies at the Christmas markets in the city.
Experience a 3-hour dining encounter that includes food coming from some of the best restaurants in Dubai plus the dancing elves with the circus performers.
Hong Kong
The Hong Kong’s Yuletide urban presenting rivals that of NYC’s, together with holiday markets, concerts galore and window displays and then there are lights too. The Symphony of the Lights show—held every night beginning in November, will leave you winded thanks to the extravagantly a range neon show presented across more than forty of the iconic skyscrapers in the city along Victoria Harbor.
Experience a Symphony of Light while on the harbor-façade dinner cruise.
Kennebunkport in Maine
Every month December, the tiny New England city bursts with the holiday cheer during the yearly Christmas Prelude. The 11-day bash that is on at New England as this will get. The lobster rolls in The Clam Shack—believed to become some of the finest rolls in Maine—which will make you overlook about sugar plums and gingerbread altogether.
Watch the arriving of Santa Claus at the Christmas Prelude in a lobster boat.
Málaga in Spain
This is situated in the southern Spain, Málaga that really goes all out for the holiday season. Aside from the holiday markets, massive nativity scenarios, and free concerts, the city hold their yearly Verdiales Music Festival every December. All day, visitors may watch competing the couples don extravagant outfits and practice different figures of verdiales, the district flamenco dance.
The lights along the shopping street of Calle Larios are lit in late of November and kept until December.
Medellín in Colombia
It can be known as “Eternal Spring City,” but Medellín commemorates the winter season of holiday pretty damn well. Their Colombian city places Christmas to overdrive with their yearly Alumbrados, the festivity of lights that started back in 1967. This event is famous for the huge shows and the festival of this year will present million LED lights, mainly at the amusement park in Parque Norte, where the admission is free.
Begin your morning with your cup of coffee with almond croissant on the side.
New York City
There is no scarcity of means to make the Christmas magical in New York City, whether it is ice skating at the Rockefeller Center, lurking around the 34th street wishing to see the miracle, and enjoying the carriage rides by the Central Park.
Watching the Rockettes performed their thing during Radio City Christmas Exciting.
New Orleans in Louisiana
We are not surprised that the New Orleans leans here, but we still take all tingly thinking regarding the Christmas in their city. The NOLA lights up through the events like the LUNA Fête, where their Central Business District fills up with animated graphics and installations. The City Park also became the wonderland for the whole month, with vendors, drink and food stands, and decorations that beautifies centuries-old oak tree.
The yearly Christmas Eve lightings of the bonfires together with the banks of the Mississippi River, the seasonal tradition that is as genuinely “New Orleans” as it came.
Prague in Czech Republic
The Prague’s Christmas markets are some of those finest in the world which run in a full month, and with travelers and locals passing through for the sticky pastries, roasted ham and the mulled wine dose. The main markets happened at the Wenceslas squares and at the Old Town, which is 5-minutes away by foot—and which set to a backdrop of the prettiest Gothic architectures you will ever see.
Watch the yearly presentation of Nutcracker at National Theater.
Park City in Utah
The Sundance Film Festival and world-class skiing were just some of the reasons to visit this Park City, the town also happened to become the wonderful site to spend Christmas season. The past Olympic city has plenty of opportunities for fly fishing, snowmobiling, dog-sledding, and skiing, with no resorts shortage to warm you up in between sprint.
Enjoy snow fest, the festival at the Park City Mountain which includes live music, fireworks, Santa skiing down those slopes ugly sweater parties.
Quebec City in Canada
Quebec City has been one of the aged cities of North America, and the colonial French architecture provides it a clear European feel. Those cobbled streets of Old Town are being packed with delicious bistros and quaint shops, all merrily ornamented for the holidays.
The toboggan run in the Château Frontenac is one of the oldest traditions in the city, and quite the delight. Zoom down an icy track that overlooked the city on the wooden sled.
Reykjavík in Iceland
Reykjavík glows on the streets, in the sky when it’s December. Strings of shiny Christmas bulbs lights the city during the very long nights. While on the clearest nights, the Northern Lights may be viewed from the dark streets in the city.
Those 13 Yule Lads, the group of holiday elf you will see about town that are—in the local folklore—equal to Santa Claus in Iceland.
Rovaniemi in Finland
Lapland region of Finland is the home and the birthplace of Santa Claus. In the Rovaniemi city, the resort and amusement park of Santa Claus Village makes a very unforgettable Christmas encounter for the kids with the reindeer rides, snow-covered cottages, and the friendly employees dressed as elves and refused to break the character.
Experience the evening snowmobile journey to catch the glimpse of Northern Lights overhead.
Rome in Italy
The lanes around town will then be festively alight, but the house to the Catholicism seat is the excellent option for the folks seeking the more sacrosanct Christmas encounter.
Enjoy the midnight mass in the Pantheon, wherein you can perceive hymns echoing off in the walls of a 1,900 years old architectural marvel.
Rio de Janeiro in Brazil
December month in Rio is just about enjoying the icy Caipirinha on the spectacular beach. The city also happened to host the largest display of entire sized nativity scenes of the world during its yearly Festival de Presépios, discovered at the Jardim de Alah in between Ipanema and Leblon.
Experience riding the bike around Rodrigo Freitas Lagoon and enjoy the views of the biggest floating Christmas tree of the world from every angle.
Sydney in Australia
You have not seen the beauty of Christmas lights until you have seen Christmas lights in Sydney. Plus, the Christmas season lasted the whole month here with the “Sydney Christmas”. This is the aptly-named festival happening from November to December. The citywide commemoration started the year with the tree lighting at the Martin Place, and continued with the nightly concerts and Christmas markets.
Take pleasure of the 94,000 lighting LEDs at the unbelievable Boulevard of Light at Pitt Street Mall.
Strasbourg in France
Strasbourg has been the home of the oldest Christmas markets in France, way back about 450 years back. There are about 12 in all to check it out, which is certain to make you busy as the year ended.
See the superlative market underneath the adorable Strasbourg Cathedral, it is the tallest surviving building built totally during the Middle Age.
Tokyo in Japan
The city turned the voltage up yearly with the winter illuminations, with unlike districts competing with everyone to make some of the truly sensational exhibits. This year’s illuminations contain silver lights and twinkly blue at the Tokyo Midtown and the huge Baccarat crystal chandelier. Do not worry if you cannot get there before Christmas day, the winter illuminations had been so famous that mostly remained until February.
Witness The Blue Cavern illumination in the Shibuya, the electric version of a blue grotto discovered in the Mediterranean.
Vienna in Austria
Vienna basically sparkles with the holiday spirit during this holiday season. The city has been identified for its markets, together with Viennese Christmas Market in their City Hall stealing its show yearly. Starting from November to December, the plaza comes lively with more than hundred fifty vendors selling candles, cookies, and toys—all in the authentic Austrian style.
The Christmas Mass in the Hofburgkapelle, where you will take pleasure of the crystalline tones of the one and only choir, the Vienna Boys Choir.
