Why this guide: about 6,600 people a month search Google for “best places to travel in december” (US, DataForSEO Labs, September 2026). This is the answer we would give a client, written to be booked from.
The short answer
- Markets and lightsVienna, Strasbourg, Nuremberg, Prague, Copenhagen, Edinburgh, New York, London, Quebec City, Montreal
- Winter sunAruba, Punta Cana, Jamaica, Cancun, Costa Rica, Thailand, Vietnam, Dubai, the Maldives, Oahu
- Snow and darkLapland (Rovaniemi, Tromsø) for the lights, the Alps and Whistler opening, Banff, Hokkaido, Quebec
Christmas markets and city lights
Vienna's Rathausplatz and Schönbrunn markets, Strasbourg's 'capital of Christmas', Nuremberg's Christkindlesmarkt, Cologne's cathedral market, Prague's Old Town Square, Copenhagen's Tivoli, Tallinn's medieval square, Edinburgh's Princes Street; most run until 23–24 December and a few into the New Year. New York's Rockefeller tree and window displays, London's Regent Street lights and Winter Wonderland, Quebec City's Petit Champlain in snow, Montreal's Old Port, Toronto's Distillery Market.
Winter sun
The Caribbean at the start of high season — Aruba, Punta Cana, Jamaica, Barbados, St Lucia, Turks and Caicos at their best weather; Cancun and the Riviera Maya dry and 27°C; Costa Rica's Pacific coast entering its dry season; the Bahamas. Thailand and Vietnam in their best month; Cambodia's Angkor; Sri Lanka's south; the Maldives' driest weeks; Dubai's cool 25°C with the New Year fireworks at the Burj Khalifa; Oahu and Maui with the whales returning and the surf season on the North Shore.
Snow, lights and the far north
Finnish Lapland's Rovaniemi (Santa's village, huskies, reindeer) and Tromsø or Abisko for the northern lights in the polar night; Iceland's four-hour days and the Blue Lagoon in snow. The Alps open (Zermatt, Val d'Isère, St Anton) with the best snow from mid-month; Whistler, Banff and Lake Louise; Colorado and Utah; Hokkaido's Niseko powder from mid-December. Quebec City and Montreal in snow are the closest Europe to Toronto and New York.
The southern summer
Sydney's beaches and the New Year's Eve fireworks on the harbour, Melbourne's Boxing Day Test, Tasmania's summer; New Zealand's peak season; Cape Town's beaches, the wine farms and the Kirstenbosch summer concerts; Buenos Aires and Patagonia's long days; Rio's summer and Réveillon on Copacabana. All expensive and booked early.
Booking around the spike
The first three weeks of December are moderate everywhere; from about 20 December to 3 January, resorts, ski hotels and city rooms double and impose minimum stays. Book Christmas–New Year by September; travel 1–18 December for the markets and the sun at normal rates. The engine's pages cover Vienna, Prague, New York, London, Quebec City, Aruba, Punta Cana, Cancun, Phuket, Ras Al Khaimah, Banff and Sydney; Vacation Packages bundle the flight, and the chauffeur booker covers the airport run in a snowstorm.
Three things to get right
- 1–18 December: markets and sun at sane prices.
- 20 Dec–3 Jan: double rates and minimum stays — book by September.
- Lapland for the lights books out a year ahead for Christmas week.
