10 European Destinations Perfect for a Christmas Trip

by Scott Hartbeck
Last updated: 9:00 AM ET, Sat November 23, 2024

From apline peaks dusted in snow to chalets in city center Christmas markets, there's just something special about the way Europe celebrates the Christmas season. There's no better place to take a Christmas trip than Europe, and the following destinations are all perfect this time of year.

Montreux, Switzerland

Famed around the world for its summertime jazz festival and known around Europe for its mild lakeside climate, Montreux still manages to crank up the wintry, Christmas vibes. Within minutes of exiting the Gare de Montreux station, you will spot the Christmas market on the shores of Lake Geneva, setting the perfect tone for your stay. After doing laps of the lakeside chalets and sampling an array of Swiss treats and mulled wine (don't skip the Woodcutter’s Hut bar!), make for one of the grand Belle Epoque hotels to settle in a room with a view of Lake Geneva and the Alps.

One of the best things about Montreux at Christmas is that it's a great base for exploring surrounding places like the uber-romantic Chillon Castle, the town of Vevey (known for its sensational wine) and mountain-top restaurant and hotel Le Coucou. This fireplace-filled chalet overlooks Lake Geneva and is famous for its champagne & truffle fondue. Or, take the Rochers-de-Naye cog railway to the top of the peaks to visit the home of Santa Claus.

Innsbruck, Austria

It's hard to know where to begin regarding the Christmastime charms of Innsbruck. The city is nestled in the heart of the Alps, so you are able to glance up and see peaks dusted with snow all season long. So that's a great start. At ground level, there's a sensational Christmas market in the Old Town, underneath the city's famed Golden Dome where you can enjoy regional treats like kiachl (a decadent fried pastry) and mulled wine while listening to traditional brass bands play.

But that's not the only market, there are several scattered around the city, like the small St. Nikolaus Christmas market across the River Inn, where you can raise a couple of mugs with happy locals listening to a band belt out carols. Then, since this is Innsbruck after all, hop on the Nordkette cable car from the city center and stop off at the Hungerburg Christmas Market, which has arguably the best view of any Christmas market in Europe. Or, keep going on the cable car straight to the top and hit the slopes.

Add in the traditions of the Tyrol region of which Innsbruck is the largest city (think Krampus parades and moving hand-carved manger displays) and you simply won't find a more Christmassy combination of things coming together at once than in Innsbruck.

Luxembourg

You'll be rewarded for going a little off the beaten path this Christmas in the small nation of Luxembourg, which is nestled between Belgium, France and Germany. The capital city (called simply 'Luxembourg' or 'Luxembourg City') boasts multiple Christmas markets, with the Winterlights event illuminating its striking cityscape (think dramatic gorges and caves set among a fetching Old Town) from late November until New Year's Day. A little north of the capital, the town of Clervaux is located in rolling hills and feels like a real-life Christmas village, especially on the weekends, when the town comes alive with festive activities during the entire season.

Copenhagen, Denmark

The spirit of the season is alive and well in this handsome Scandinavian city, and you will be enveloped by the spirit of jul (the name for Christmas in these parts) everywhere you go. Sure, the city hosts multiple Christmas markets, but it's the city's signature sight that really comes through this time of year: Tivoli Gardens. This beloved amusement park in the center of Copenhagen is filled with twinkling lights and stalls selling festive bites alongside the Scandinavian version of mulled wine: gløgg.

After you've been whisked away to the fairytale world, then come back to the modern day at one of the city's cutting-edge spots like BRUS craft brewery, specialist coffee shop Coffee Collective or any of the hip venues in the Meatpacking District. Perhaps the spirit of the season is most alive inside the venerable Hviids Vinstue, the oldest bar in the city that is famed for its signature version of gløgg.

Prague, Czechia

The entire Old Town of Prague looks like it's been taken from a Christmas fairytale, which is best appreciated from many of the scenic viewpoints located in and around the city. The city hosts multiple Christmas markets, but the true magic of being here at Christmas time lies in the special cheery atmosphere in the city, which is only amplified when getting warm at one of Prague's best pubs, sipping some frothy Czech pilsner beer and enjoying some gooey local cheese.

Classic Christmas Markets featuring markets in Innsbruck, Munich, Strasbourg, Nuremberg and Würzburg

Strasbourg, France

Straddling the physical and cultural border between France and Germany, the Alsace region is a land of idyllic rolling hills, vineyards and half-timbered towns. Strasbourg is the region's largest city and has picked up the nickname "The Capital of Christmas". Here, the markets spread out throughout town, with the star of the show being the towering glittering Christmas tree, which is one of the tallest in all of Europe. What makes it extra special is that it's just a short hop to any one of a number of small towns like Riquewihr and Eguisheim that will fill you with a warm glow, or will it be the local wine cellars (decked out for the season of course) that did it?

Cologne, Germany

This city on the banks of the Rhine River offers traditional Christmas fun and modern yuletide merrymaking all with a sneaky streak of coolness. First things first, the city plays host to a handful of excellent Christmas markets, with a few of the best being the Angel's Market (illuminated with enchanting white lights), the market under the Gothic Cologne Cathedral and the Heinzels Winter Fairytale Market, the latter beloved for its ice rink and team of playful elves. After you've soaked up the classic festive atmosphere, make for the Stadtgarten Christmas market (located in the city's oldest park) on the edge of the super-hip Belgian Quarter for a buzzier experience.

Zagreb, Croatia

You've already been looking for an excuse to get to Croatia, so why not make it at Christmas? Sure, most people are heading here in the summertime, but trust me, the capital of the country absolutely sparkles at Christmastime. Admire the giant Christmas tree on Ban Jelačić Square before taking a spin on the ice rink at King Tomislav Square. This is to say nothing of the host of Christmas markets throughout the city, with seemingly each one topping the next when it comes to aromas of mulled wine and cinnamon treats. The city is also alive with seasonal concerts and performances this time of year, too.

Vienna, Austria

Christmas in Vienna is a refined affair as Christmas markets fill up nearly every square in the city and elegant displays of lights dangle over the streets. Two of the prettiest Christmas markets in the city are the one in front of the Schönbrunn Palace (the yellow hue of the grand facade is bathed in soft light and the Christmas tree is especially impressive) and the small market at Maria Theresien Platz, boasting a backdrop of the handsome Museum of Art and Museum of Natural History. See them both for sure, but don't leave town without stopping by the Old Viennese Christmas Market on Freyung Square, where you can enjoy a vintage Christmas atmosphere and great schnapps & mulled wine from Erni's Gluhwein Hut. Outside of Christmas markets, seasonal concerts abound and when you get hungry, you'll find grand cafes the perfect place to recharge your batteries and enjoy some of the sensational Austrian cuisine.

London, United Kingdom

Last but not certainly not least, no list of Christmas-y cities in Europe would be complete without London. Festive versions of afternoon tea, ice skating at Somerset House, shopping (and admiring the lights) on Regent Street & Oxford Street and tracking down shooting locations from Love Actually and those that are said to have inspired A Christmas Carol. These are just a few of the things to do in London at Christmas, but just being here is half the fun as Britain celebrates the holiday with a gusto seen nowhere else on the continent and you'll be warmly invited to join locals as they countdown to the big day at the local pubs. Just don't forget your Christmas jumper, erm, sweater.

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