As holiday cheer spreads across the globe, it’s natural to wonder—where’s the best place in the world to celebrate Christmas? And that’s precisely the kind of curiosity we at Traveler love to indulge. Put the rest of your vacation days to good use exploring some of the world’s best cities, which, come Christmastime, transform into seasonal wonderlands packed to the brim with winter festivals, dazzling light displays, and plenty of mulled wine to keep you nice and toasty through the rest of winter.
The holiday spirit is positively infectious, and with so many parts of the world coming alive for Christmas, trust that there are vacation options for every type of traveler. For those seeking a classic Christmas, European getaways like Copenhagen and Cologne deliver with charming markets and snow-dusted roofops. Prefer sticking closer to home? Visit Chicago or New York for celebrations that rival any party across the pond. There are even warm-weather options for folks who’d rather toast to the 25th on a white sand beach.
While every place celebrates the holidays in its own way, they all promise a holly, jolly good time. From Taipei to Zagreb, these are the best places to spend Christmas around the world in 2025.