Celebrate Christmas in Europe: 12 Places You Can't-Miss This Year

December divulges the best in Europe—as it will be wholly transformed into a winter wonderland, from the snow-covered Nordic Capital to the sparkling cities in the heart of Europe. It is a popular tourist destination because of its traditions, flavors, and activities like ice skating, Skiing in the Alps, and seeing the Northern Lights with the snowy landscapes of Lapland. Usually, several top-notch places are perfect to celebrate Christmas in Europe while surrounded by snow. They also offer snow, coziness, culture, and more. Sipping wine in a cozy Swiss restaurant and indulging in the Christmas market is an authentic experience. 

Top 12 Places to Celebrate Christmas in Europe

In this travel guide, you will discover the top 12 places to spend Christmas breaks in Europe with family, friends, or loved ones while exploring Twinkling markets, experiencing diverse traditions, enjoy pleasant cuisine in the winter wanderlust. Europe has friendly people, alpine views, authenticity, natural beauty, timeless beauty, expansive picturesque landscapes, and more. If you are considering a trip to Europe for Christmas, here is a list of top-notch mesmerizing destinations. 

1. Italy

Italy is the most visited destination in Europe because of its charming local life, colorful markets, vibrant culture, architecture, and fashion. The destination becomes more engaging, especially at Christmas when the city showcases spectacular markets, twinkling lights, diverse aesthetics, and a festive ambiance. To get a fantastic experience, you must know where to start and where to end up. Imagine yourself glamming it up on the dramatic Amalfi Coast and taking a Rome tour to explore the epicenter of the Roman Empire. To make the trip unforgettable, you can spend time with your loved ones at Madrid Island, Adriatic, and Tyrrhenian Seas.

2. Finland

The Land of Reindeer and Santa Claus has everything to offer travelers, starting with snowy landscapes, delicious cuisine, charming old towns, stunning viewpoints, and a wide range of fun activities such as hiking, skiing, and sledding. One can enjoy the unforgettable experience of sledding with reindeer and huskies, crossing the Arctic Circle, easy-going strolling in the nearby town, and even cruising. Therefore, the best things you can do in Finland are take a private tour of the Suomenlinna Fortress, walk Helsinki, and cross the Arctic, a once-in-a-lifetime experience. It is the ultimate place to ceremonialize Christmas in Europe with your loving partner. 

3. Austria

It is a winter wonderland ideally suited for the jubilation of the holiday season, especially to enjoy the vibe of Christmas in Europe as the Vienna Castles, city lights, delicious cuisine, peaceful countryside hills, and legendary Christmas markets covered in Snow create more excitement for the most awaited festival season. Consequently, travelers can visit Vienna to explore its shimmery markets and admire the incredible Crafts. To get exposure to traditional Austrian Christmas, you need to step into Salzburg, the country's fourth-largest city despite being one of the most romantic cities in Austria, where one can enjoy famous carols, Silent nights, and more.

Pro Tip: Want to dive deeper into the festive spirit? Europe is home to some of the world’s most enchanting Christmas markets. From the dazzling lights of Valkenburg to the cozy stalls of Geneva, these markets are perfect for finding unique gifts and tasting delicious treats. Explore our Top 8 Best Christmas Markets in Europe 2024 to discover where to go this year!

4. France

If you are looking for the best destinations for Christmas in Europe, how can you forget France? The destination is filled with endless things to do, starting with iconic landmarks like the Eiffel Tower and aesthetic roadside cafes. Though the Christmas holidays are something every traveler craves to experience at least once in a lifetime, the must-see highlights of the city are covered with sparkling decorations for the festival. It would be best if you did not miss out on visiting the famous Christmas market in Strasbourg, exploring the decorated Loire Valley Chateaux, extraordinary Paris Shopping and Concerts, Normandy light shows, provence unique traditions, Skiing in the French Alps, and more. 

5. Poland

Poland is a great place to have a memorable Christmas with your loved ones while exploring the world's oldest Christmas markets covered in snowy wonderland. TTravelerscan appreciates the mesmerizing lush Christmas trees in TTimesSquares; however, the celebration also involves a lavish dinner on Christmas Eves Wigilia. Although the traditional meal consists of 12 dishes, they are usually meatless except for fish. You can plan to visit Karpacz, the perfect destination for winter sports, or book accommodation in beautiful Zakopane. For Christmas markets, go to the Gdansk and Torun Christmas markets, Krakow, and more.

6. Denmark

During Christmas, Denmark is engaging, with gleaming lights, festive vibes, aesthetic cafes, and delightful cuisine, making it a unique experience. It would be best if you did not miss out on traveling to the world-famous - Tivoli Gardens to feel the magical festive vibes. Despite that, Denmark's famous amusement park has completely transformed into a white blanket that gives spectacular vibes with warm lights and adventurous rides, and you can also stroll around cute little stalls for Christmas gifts and souvenirs. To make the festive holidays unforgettable, you can enjoy Christmas concerts, stroll around the traditional Christmas market, or see popular tourist spots like Tivoli Gardens, The Old Town, and more. 

7. Switzerland

Switzerland is heaven on earth, although Celebrating Christmas in Europe, especially in Switzerland, is incredibly mesmerizing. As Christmas 2024 approaches, planning a family trip to Switzerland is worth it, as eating Fondu and Swiss Chocolate in chilly winter in a white blanket is pleasant. The destination perfectly showcases the depiction of a real fairyland with dancing snowflakes, twinkling lights, decorated Christmas markets, concerts, and tempting food. Suppose you are sure you will spend the Christmas holidays in Switzerland. Otherwise, you can also visit Geneva, famous for ski trips, Basel, charming Gruyeres, and the beautiful snowy Swiss Alps landscapes in Interlaken and Lucerne to enjoy traditional festive vibes. 

8. Germany

Usually, the Christmas celebration continues in Germany for two days, on the 25th and 26th of December; however, there is no perfect winterland in Germany than Nuremberg, which is picturesque with Christmas traditions and fun activities. Not only does Germany have the best places to visit, but it also has plenty of marvelous Christmas-appetizing dishes and ice skating rinks. During the trip to Germany in December, one can take a tour of fabulous cities such as Cologne, Rothenburg ob der Tauber, and Dresden, which is flawless for winter photography, and the fantastic cities Stuttgart and Munich, which give truly historic festive surroundings. 

9. Belgium

Belgium is a small country in Western Europe, and it is the best destination to explore at Christmas for several reasons, including a mesmerizing Christmas market, marvelous market decorations, light shows, and fabulous cities. Therefore, the destination is a flawless combination of Amsterdam and Venice, and the best time to visit here is late November to Early January. In the chilly weather, Belgium's Hot Chocolate is a winter treat; after all, Belgium is so famous for its chocolates and Waffles, although you can enjoy Canal Cruise in Burge and stroll around the Grand Palace to watch the stunning Christmas decorations.

10. Prague

There is no doubt Prague is the perfect definition of beauty; imagine how stunning it will be on Christmas. However, most people believe it is the best destination to enjoy Christmas in Europe because of its incredible architecture, historical places, picturesque, vibrant backdrops, and cute Christmas stalls spanning the town. Thus, the highly recommended go-to place in Prague is the tower of the Old Town Hall, which has the best view of the town at night. Ordinarily, there are plenty of things to do during the trip to Prague, including Christmas markets, sparkling lights, and Charles Bridge, where you can see the traditional lightning and Christmas shows. Besides that, you can also enjoy ice skating in the beautiful town.

11. Black Forest

The famous Christmas destination Black Forest in Germany offers a stunning experience. It combines nature, charming towns, and multiple Christmas markets like Gengenbagh, Baden-Baden, Waldshut, and Freiburg. The markets also offer many local products, including mulled wine, waffles, fragrance candles, home decor, and more. Thus, travelers can make this trip more fun by participating in winter activities such as snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, ski touring, and more.

12. Budapest

Budapest has plenty of beautiful things to do, which is undeniably incredible, especially in December, as the markets supervise the Christmas spirit; however, the windy atmosphere brings unusual magic. Although it is a friendly destination, flight tickets get cheaper in winter, which makes it the perfect affordable destination. Travelers find Budapest the most fantastic destination in winter due to its twinkling lights, decorative markets, and streets. Besides that, one can enjoy warming up in the thermal bath.

Conclusion

Whether you're looking for a traditional Christmas vibe or Italian Style or want to embrace the charming holiday season with loved ones, then it is perfect to plan your holiday season trip to Europe's stunning places, which are listed in the above information. You can explore Christmas markets, tourist spots, and the beautiful winter landscape.