Top 10 Travel Destinations for Christmas 2025
Christmas travel doesn’t have to follow the usual winter script. Many cities come alive in December with their own style of lights, food, and seasonal events, and it’s a good time to experience familiar places in a new way. If you’re planning a trip for the holidays, these ten destinations offer a mix of atmosphere, activities, and end-of-year charm.
Phuket, Thailand
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Thailand doesn’t celebrate Christmas in the traditional sense, but that hasn’t stopped Phuket from lighting up in December. Patong features resort feasts and festive decorations. The weather stays dry and warm, which is ideal for skipping cold mornings. Thai street vendors also join in the fun by offering holiday-themed sweets alongside grilled seafood.
Vienna, Austria
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Vienna’s Christmas markets at Rathausplatz and Belvedere Palace set the mood with carols and stalls packed with crafts. Light displays wrap around baroque buildings, and trams glide past streets that look especially cozy at dusk. Choir performances also appear throughout the city.
Costa Rica
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In Costa Rica, December marks the dry season, which is ideal for spotting toucans in the treetops or hiking to a volcano. While most locals observe Catholic traditions, one Christmas tradition is making tamales as a family, wrapped in banana leaves and boiled in giant pots. They freeze well, so you’ll probably be sent home with some.
Prague, Czech Republic
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Prague turns into a holiday postcard. Wooden stalls line Old Town Square, selling cinnamon pastries and handmade ornaments. Wenceslas Square hosts nightly choirs, and the Charles Bridge glows under vintage lanterns. Local bakeries serve vánočka, and locals exchange gifts on Christmas Eve after a meal of fried carp and potato salad.
New York City, USA
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Seeing oversized snowflakes hanging above Fifth Avenue is oddly comforting. New York City’s holiday season involves the tree at Rockefeller Center, skating at Bryant Park, and shoppers crowding Macy’s with cocoa in hand. On Christmas Day, some restaurants stay open late, serving roast turkey and pie.
Rovaniemi, Finland
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At the edge of the Arctic Circle, reindeer outnumber taxis. There’s a Santa Claus Village with an official post office where you can send mail postmarked from the North Pole. Light is limited in December, but it’s enough to catch the Northern Lights if you’re lucky.
Quebec City, Canada
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Quebec City’s stone buildings and snow look like a holiday movie set. The German Christmas Market adds bratwurst and spiced wine to the French-speaking scene. Hotel lobbies display large wreaths, and ice sculptures appear overnight.
Sydney, Australia
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Everything flips upside down in Sydney; Christmas falls in the middle of summer, and people exchange gifts after morning swims. Bondi Beach sees a flash of red Santa hats in the surf, and public parks fill with portable grills and seafood spreads. You might even spot a plastic reindeer or two.
Kraków, Poland
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Each December, Kraków hosts a nativity scene contest, so detailed that some entries take an entire year to build. These involve mini cathedrals, castles, and towns, lit from within. The main square maintains a classic ambiance with sausage grills and warm drinks spiced with honey.
Tokyo, Japan
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Tokyo adopted Christmas with its own spin. Winter illuminations line streets in Roppongi and Shibuya, while department stores compete with themed window displays. Locals line up for strawberry shortcakes and KFC—the latter a surprisingly common Christmas meal thanks to a 1970s ad campaign.