Ahhhh Christmas. In my opinion, it’s by far the best time of the year! All of the sparkly and bright decorations, the fun and laughter, the massive Christmas spirit and knowing that tons of children will be waking up to gifts from Santa are all what makes me love it so much.
If you love Christmas as much as I do, here are my top 10 favourite places (in no particular order) around the world that I feel are the most festive and magical when it comes to that time of the year.
Number 1- Lapland, Finland
There’s no more perfect place to go at Christmas than Santa’s actual home! Lapland is the most magical place I have ever been to, and it’s up there by far as one of my favourite holidays.
What’s so great about Lapland? THIS!;
- The Northern Lights – if you’re lucky enough you might be able to spot some of the beautiful Northern Lights in all their magical colours!,
- Snowmobiles- these things are super fun, plus you get to explore some of lapland,
- Santa Park and Santa village*- like excuse me, who wouldn’t want to do this?! Enjoy being in picturesque settings that make you feel like you’ve stepped into a Christmas card,
- Amethyst mine- you have the chance to find your own Amethyst (a gorgeous purple crystal which is known to be healing, protective and purifying) and take it home as a Christmas present for one of your loved ones!,
- Ranua wildlife park- a cool place to see artic animals that you wouldn’t normally find anywhere else, including bears, reindeer and arctic foxes,
- Tours of lapland (both day and night) to see beautiful sights like frozen waterfalls or picture perfect towns,
- Skiing and snowboarding,
- Tobogganing,
- Hiking (be prepared for the cold!),
- Walking around national parks,
- Photography tours,
- Visiting a spa,
- Helicopter and hot air balloon tours,
- Shopping,
- Lots of yummy dining options,
- 3 hour cruise around the waters of Lapland,
- Ice skating,
- And so much more!
*Here, you and your family have the chance to meet Santa, go to elf school and graduate, meet huskies and reindeers, bake, wander around the traditional looking buildings, have lunch served by elves and much more. It can’t get more magical than that!
Weather type = super cold, lots of snow, can get down to -9 degrees Celsius or lower depending on the year and month. Be prepared for this.
Recommended stay time=With the extensive amount of activities and things to do I would recommend a minimum of 5 days. If this is pushing your budget then I would recommend no shorter than 3 days to have the best experience.
Expensive place?= Yes.*
Number 2- Hyde park, Winter Wonderland, London
This place is up and running for Christmas only each year. I have been back to visit various times and have absolutely loved it.
What does Winter Wonderland have to offer?:
- Santa land- meet Santa, kids bumper cars, kids rides, a real ice slide, and other fun activities,
- Amazing shows- you must buy tickets for these, the Winter Wonderland website is the best place to purchase them,
- Giant ferris wheel, with views over the nearby area,
- Various roller coasters,
- Haunted mansion,
- Swing ride,
- Tallest transportable drop tower in the world (85 meters high),
- Walk through attractions,
- Christmas tree ride,
- Fun games to play to win prizes,
- Lots of different places to grab a bite to eat or drink,
- Little festive stalls where you can buy gifts and crafts, as well as decorations and food items,
- And more!
Winter Wonderland is full of fun stuff to do, with a great atmosphere, great food and is decorated beautifully. I recommend visiting if you can, it’s suitable for all ages!
Aside from Winter Wonderland itself, central London is a cool place to visit at Christmas time. They go all out with their festive decorations and lights, both in the streets and in the stores. There are a vast variety of shops to choose from, great places to eat, lots of beautiful photo opportunities, ice skating, winter markets, there may be a concert on during your stay, sailing along the river, parks to visit, you can go to see Buckingham Palace (the Queen of England’s house!), and so much more.
Weather type= Cloudy and rainy, average low is 5 degrees Celsius in December.
Recommended stay time= 4 to 5 days as there is so much to see and do in London. If you only want to go for Winter Wonderland then you wouldn’t need more than 2 days to explore just the park.
Expensive place= Depends on the area you choose to stay in.
Number 3- Tallinn, Estonia
I didn’t know about this one, I’d like to go now though!!
Not only is it said to be the best Christmas market in the whole of Europe with magical lights over the entire market and a massive beautiful Christmas tree in the middle of it, but it is also recognised to be ‘one of most beautiful cities in Eastern Europe’. It’s a market full of gorgeous Christmas gifts, crafts and more, which are perfect to take home as presents.
The town itself is very cute, with lots of lovely little cafes and restaurants which makes the Christmas experience even more magical and makes it a lovely place for history and cool photos along with more shops to buy gifts from too.
Other things to do in Tallinn;
- Go to recommended viewpoints to see or photograph beautiful views of the town,
- Ice skating,
- Visit museums,
- Visit beautiful ornate cathedrals (such as The Alexander Nevsky Cathedral),
- Visit the outskirts of the town by going to Tellskivi- this place is more hipster and open to creativity (wall art etc..),
- Go on tours of the town to learn some history about it and see the beautiful architecture,
- Dine in cozy restaurants and cafes,
- Enjoy the traditional feel of the city in general!
Weather type= snow, can reach to -7 degrees Celsius but doesn’t tend to drop lower than that during winter.
Recommended stay time= I believe you don’t need longer than a long weekend here (4 days)
Expensive place?= Average.
Number 4- New York City, America
New York is an amazing place to visit around Christmas time and any other time too, however they really make an effort when it comes to making the place Christmassy. There is even a Christmas tour around Brooklyn!
Some Christmassy things to do in New York City:
- Visit Bryant Park for the winter village- with lots of little things to buy (a lot are unique to New York!), great decorations, places to eat, a big iceskating rink etc…
- Visit the New York or Brooklyn botanical garden, their lights are stunning!,
- Christmas bus tours,
- Christmas concerts (have a look for when you are planning to go to see if there are any going on!),
- Visit the Bronx Zoo- this place has big, amazing animal lights along with Christmas lights to make the experience different and unique.
There are lots of things to do in New York City. Check out my blog to find out what else you can do, where to stay and other useful information on the place!
Weather type= Snowy, average temperature during the day is 6 degrees Celicus, and the average for night is 0 degrees Celsius during winter. Wrap up warm!
Recommended stay time= 5 days minimum due to how much stuff there is to get done in New York City!
Expensive place?= Yes.
Number 5- Telluride, Colorado
This has to be one of the top places to visit for a really authentic Christmassy feel. The town is located in a stunning area with great views of the mountains, it’s snowy, the Christmas lights are top quality and there are lots of fun things to do during the Christmas season.
Some of these things include:
- Christmas shopping (of course)- there are lots of shops and little places to get unique gifts for your loved ones,
- The Polar Express- Yes, just like the movie! People of all ages are invited to sit on a short train trip in their pyjamas, singing Christmas carols, meeting Santa, telling and listening to Christmas stories, drinking hot chocolate and having a magical experience in general!,
- Visit Mountain Village- it is made to look and feel like the North Pole and there are incredible views of the surrounding mountains,
- Christmas shows and parades (have a look at the dates you are going to see if there are any events during your stay!),
- Skiing,
- Gondola rides,
- More Christmassy feeling activities and markets.
The place is magical and worth a visit for an experience pretty close to visiting the North Pole!
Weather type= lowest temperature recorded in December is -15 degrees Celsius, the highest is 3 degrees Celsius. Take extremely warm clothes!
Recommended stay time= 4 days minimum to get some fun activities and shopping in, you don’t want to feel rushed during this magical experience!
Expensive place?= Average.
Number 6- Amsterdam, Netherlands
The incredible thing about this place is that there are more than 25 different Christmas markets that you can stroll around!
This place has great architecture and history, making it a cool place for photos, learning about their heritage, museums and more modern activities for younger generations such as super cool nightclubs.
Things to do in Amsterdam;
- Go on different types of tours around the city (bike, walking, bus, there are plenty of choices),
- Take a cruise ride along the canal to see the Christmas lights from a different angle,
- Ice skating,
- There may be a concert or festival taking place when you are visiting so be sure to keep and eye out!,
- Lots of good shopping both in thew markets and outside of them,
- So many different areas to see Christmas trees and lights,
- Nightclubs,
- Vast variety of restaurants/ bars/ cafes,
- Beautiful, ornate churches,
- Stroll alongside the canal,
- Watch the winter parade,
- And much more!
Weather type= Snowy, lowest average is 5 degrees Celsius during winter.
Recommended stay time= A long weekend (3-4 days)
Expensive place!= Yes.
Number 7- Vienna, Austria
This place is high up as one of the most popular Christmas markets in the whole world.
The earliest mentions found so far about this market date way back to around 1761, so you know its’ authenticity and popularity is rooted in history!
Aside from the Christmas market, there are a few other places that you can visit. There are lots of areas to see great Christmas decorations, you can watch Christmas concerts and shows (depending on if any are playing during your stay), do lots of lovely Christmas shopping, eat and drink local food and beverages such as their Christmas punch- Weihnachtspunsch which comes in many flavours and can be with or without alcohol, visit breathtaking places such as the Upper Belvedere Palace, walk around cool museums and much more!
Weather type= Rarely goes below -3 degrees Celsius and rarely goes above 10 degrees Celsius during winter.
Recommended stay time= 3 days minimum to get main things done.
Expensive place?= Not expensive, however it is above average costs.
Number 8- Strasbourg, France
France’s oldest Christmas market, right in the heart of France. This place is decorated head to toe in spectacular and unusual decorations to make your experience here magical.
Things to do here at Christmas:
- Visit the spectacular Christmas tree in Place Kleber- it is massive and beautifully decorated. There are also market stands where you can get snacks, presents and drinks. Great for photos,
- Ice skating,
- Visit the Notre-Dame of Strasbourg and go to the top for great views of the town,
- Visit La Petite France (translated as ‘the little France’)- it is a gorgeous old fashioned area where you can walk by canals, see stunning buildings, visit a Christmas market, go for tasty food and get some amazing photos,
- Go on a canal boat trip- a great way to have a tour around Strasbourg to see the buildings and Christmas lights,
- All of the Christmas markets- they’re all stunning with so many great stalls in them,
- Have a stroll around the streets to take in the breathtaking decorations,
- And a lot more!
This place is magical, fun, great for photos, amazing architecture, great tours and perfect for this time of year.
Weather type= During winter season, the minimum temp at night is 0.5 degrees Celcius, and the highest temp during the daytime is around 5 degrees Celsius. Not too freezing, but still be sure to wrap up warm.
Recommended stay time= 2 to 3 days minimum. Although there’s lots of bits and bobs to do, they don’t require a lot of time and can be done over a weekend.
Expensive place?= No.
Number 9- Copenhagen, Denmark
This place is buzzing with plenty to do and Christmas lights to make your time here magical.
Top things to do;
- The magical ice rink in Tivoli along with the awesome Christmas atmosphere there in general,
- Tivoli Gardens- perfectly decorated garden areas,
- Visit one of the best shopping streets not only for buying Christmas presents but also the ceiling Christmas lights- Konprinsengade,
- Lots of Christmas markets full of goodies,
- Stroll around the streets to the see gorgeous lights on the old buildings,
- Museums,
- Visit Rosenborg Castle to see the Danish royal jewels,
- Spend an afternoon in Christianshavn- said to be home to some of the best restaurants in the country and a stunning area in general.
Weather type= Chilly and crisp, lowest average 1 degrees Celsius and highest average 5 degrees Celsius in December.
Recommended stay time= 4 days minimum to avoid rushing around and not getting the best possible experience out of it.
Expensive place?= Slightly above average.
Number 10- Miami, Florida
Visiting Miami at Christmas time is a great way to experience magical decorations and activities whilst being able to hop on the beach to get a tan whenever you want.
Some people may not think experiencing Christmas in hot weather is the same, and it may not be if you are used to cold weather, however for me growing up in a place that rarely sees rain (never mind snow!) experiencing Christmas in hot weather is no different! It can still be just as magical and fun and you don’t have to worry about getting frost bite!
So why is Miami a good place to visit during Christmas? Here’s what it has to offer:
- The world’s largest holiday theme park, Santa’s Enchanted Forest- home to the tallest Christmas tree in the south of Florida, a place to sing carols and see amazing lights, light shows, various rides for kids etc…
- Bayfront Park has a massive amazingly decorated Christmas tree,
- Christmas operas and shows (check your dates to see if anything is on!),
- Miami Zoo- you get to have a fun day visiting animals but also get the super christmassy experience as they are well known for having lovely decorations,
- Vizcaya Museum & Gardens have perfect decorations and activities such as art making for the kids,
- Visit Christmas markets,
- Go Christmas shopping in a vast variety of shops,
- Great restaurants and bars that go the extra mile with Christmas decorations,
- Go for a tour around the houses in the Deering Estate to see some magical old fashioned decorations and buildings,
- The Enchanted Place has been one of the best places to see awesome Christmas lights since 1988,
- Have a stroll around Gulfstream Park which never fails to have breathtaking Christmas displays,
- Lincoln Road has a beautiful Christmas tree and lit up palms trees with lots of restaurants and shops in the area to enjoy,
- Pinecrest Gardens is a magical little winter wonderland when it comes to their Christmas decorations,
- Soak up the Christmas spirit whilst soaking up the sun!
To find more things to do in general, tips, advice, where to stay/eat and more, check out my Miami blog!
Weather type= Ranges between 26 degrees Celsius and 17 degrees Celsius during winter seasons. Nights can get chillier so still take a jumper or two for that.
Recommended stay time= 4 days minimum. You don’t want to be running around trying to cram everything in!
Expensive place?= Yes.
*The average prices that I have gone off for each of the expense areas are what the majority of all age groups in the United Kingdom spent, which sums up to an average of less than four thousand British pounds per holiday. These results have come from surveys and tests that were gathered by Statista.
If you have enjoyed the blog and would love to gain more tips on other places around the world, feel free to check out the rest of my blogs.
