There’s visiting a place – and then there’s visiting it at Christmas. The most magical time of the year has a habit of transforming destinations around the world in spectacular ways: cities get decked out in dazzling decorations, streets teem with local traditions and squares are taken over by pop-up festive markets dishing out stocking fillers and seasonal treats.
That said, some destinations are great to visit at Christmas for precisely the opposite reason: because you might not even realise it’s Christmas at all. Who hasn’t sometimes wanted to forget the holiday exists, head somewhere that Christmas isn’t a thing, and come home when the madness is over?
And so, when considering the best destinations to visit at Christmas, we haven’t just included places with quirky traditions or an unmissable festive atmosphere. We’ve also included some Scrooge-appropriate destinations where you can swerve the festivities entirely.
Dive into our festive travel hit list below and you’re guaranteed to find somewhere great to spend the season – whether you’re embracing or escaping those twinkly Christmas vibes.
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🎶 The 60 best Christmas songs of all time
