We are very lucky to live near family, we spend a lot of time with them and therefore do not have any guilt for being away on Christmas/NYE. Although I do wish I could be two places at once, the holidays are a great travel time for us as we both have time off between Christmas and NYE, and we can’t pass up on an adventure. It’s also been very fun to find out how Christmas/NYE are celebrated (or not celebrated at all) in different countries all over the world.
Important Tips for Traveling During Christmas
Check the Market Dates: If you’re visiting Europe, make sure to check the Christmas market dates. Many markets will actually end on Christmas and do not run through New Years. While some do, and some were open in Prague, once the holiday is over make sure to check.
Prices can be higher: It’s no question flights are going to be more expensive during this time. It can be helpful to be very flexible with where you want to go. The Asia flights were wildly expensive, but we had very cheap days while we were there. This year we played a bit of flight roulette to find the cheapest direct flights… we’re heading to Grenada in the Caribbean!
Check to see what Christmas is like: If Christmas isn’t celebrated in the country you’re visiting, and you’re okay with that, then go right ahead. On the flip side, it is also important to make sure that things will be open on Christmas. Make sure you can do things, like get Christmas dinner somewhere, and that the whole place wont be shut down. We have avoided some places because I read that we’d basically be stuck in our hotel on Christmas with not much open in a city or town.
2025 Christmas in Tunisia
This is a unique one to say the least. Although Tunisia as a country does not generally celebrate Christmas, we ended up staying at the Four Seasons Hotel and they gave us a bit of a Christmas Experience. The hotel was well decorated and had some nice meals for the holidays. Overall Tunisia is in a low travel season during the holidays and it’s a great time to travel if you want things to be less crowded and more affordable.
We enjoyed visiting Tunis, Sidi Bou Said, the ruins of Carthage, and El Jem. I haven’t written as many blog posts about Tunisia yet as I’d like, but if you want to see the ones I do have, you can find them here —-> Tunisia Blog Posts.
2024 Christmas in the Galapagos Islands
I have to say, although maybe it is just freshest in my mind, Christmas in the Galapgos Islands has been the best one yet. The Galapagos is truly a magical place and I felt at peace traveling there in a way I have felt nowhere else on earth. Being among the animals and nature for days on end was a truly transformative experience and one of my favorite trips of all time.
We spent 3 days on Santa Cruz, 3 days on Isabela, and 3 days on San Cristobal Island. They all had their own special magic and had so much to offer. The weather is amazing in the islands this time of year and many of the other tourists were on holidays too so it had a very jovial vibe. Overall I could not recommend the Galapagos more for an amazing holiday.
I have written a number of blog posts about the experience as I had a hard time finding lots about doing a land based tour. You can check out my posts here —–> Galapagos Islands Posts
2023: Christmas in Grenada (In the Carribbean)
I always feel like I need to add the “in the Caribbean” part becuase there is a Grenada and Spain and I don’t want to confuse people. Grenada was an amazing place to spend the holidays! The weather was incredible and we were outdoors all day every day. There are some absolutley incredible beaches, amazing jungle hikes, the cutest monkeys (mona monkeys), and truly some of the most kind humans we have met anywhere in our travels. We also spent time on the island of Carriacou which was one of my favorite experiences. I struggle with relaxing and this place changed me into a person who could slow down and enjoy! The island celebrates Christmas and NYE so the less touristy things can be closed during these times and you should prepare in advance for dinners on Christmas eve and Christmas. I couldn’t recommend a Christmas Holiday in Grenada more highly!
Check out my post on where to stay: Click Here!
And my post on visiting Carriacou!: Click Here!
2022: Christmas in Chile
We visited Chile this past Christmas. We were in Puerto Natales, Chile on Christmas Eve and Christmas while preparing for our hike in Torres Del Paine. This town wasn’t super decorated or seemingly very into Christmas. However, our hotel did a wonderful tasting menu meal on Christmas, complete with little candy canes and a festive menu. On Christmas, we dine at a place called Afrigonia and they gave us little Santa hats, it was so cozy, it definitely felt like a Christmas vibe! In general, December is a great time to visit Chile. The weather is very warm in Santiago, comfortable on the coast, and it’s the best time to visit Patagonia. Although we still had crazy weather in Patagonia (which I think happens no matter what), we were very comfortable and prepared and found this time of year to be very enjoyable.
For a full blog post on why you should visit Puerto Natales click here.
2021: Christmas in Slovenia
We spent Christmas and Christmas Eve at Hotel Triglav in Lake Bled and the experience was magic. There was a light dusting of snow on the ground, the area felt festive and had a very small Christmas market. The hotel did tasting menus on both nights and the food was incredible. The restaurant at this hotel now has Michelin recognition. We also did a wine tasting with the hotels sommelier in the wine cellar. Walking around the lake is such a fun activity, as is getting the famous Bled cake and checking out the castle. We had lunch at the Bled Castle on Christmas Eve and really enjoyed the visit! Overall, Slovenia was SUCH a charming place to be during the holidays and I would highly recommend it!
To read more about Bled and Slovenia click here.
2020: Christmas in Costa Rica
We traveled to Costa Rica during the height of covid, so it’s a little weird to say, but we got to see it in a very special way – completely uncrowded. Every tour we went on, we were the only people there. Towns were pretty empty so we could eat anywhere we wanted. We’d sit at bars and be one of only a few people, and they’d tell us that there were usually hundreds. Christmas was pretty casual here, some places had decorations, but it was really nothing highly celebrated. We took ourselves to a nice dinner at a Greek restaurant in Playas Del Coco. Overall this is a beautiful time of year in Costa Rica. The weather was extremely pleasant the whole time and we had no rain.
If you’re planning Costa Rica I have a couple blog posts about that: click here.
2019: Christmas in Colombia
Colombia was an excellent place to visit during the holiday season. This year, we actually flew down on Dec 26th so we had Christmas at home. But there was a great vibe everywhere and it felt very festive, especially in Cartagena. NYE in Cartagena is also an awesome experience that I’d highly recommend. Colombia is HOT this time of year, but there are beaches you can boat to, pools to cool off in, and hiking in Salento was a bucket list experience. I highly recommend December here.
I have a post about doing the hike if you click here.
2018: Christmas in Thailand
Thailand was an awesome place to visit in December. We were in Ao Nang for Christmas Eve and Christmas, and we noticed that our hotel decorated and tried to make it feel festive for visitors. But, Christmas in general is not really celebrated here. We traveled to Thailand during this time because we knew it was a great time for the weather. Hopping around islands was the perfect way to spend the end of December, and seeing a lantern festival in Chiang Mai was a bucket list way to spend a New Years Eve!
2017: Christmas in Vietnam
We’d been hoping to travel to Asia for a few years and with the way Christmas/NYE fell this year, we had a few extra days off. Vietnam was an awesome winter destination. We spent some time in cities like Ho Chi Mihn, Hoi An, and Can Tho, and also got away to the island of Phuket for NYE. Nothing here was Christmassy, so if that’s what you’re looking for then this isn’t your spot, but it was a perfect place to visit over the holidays weather wise!
If you’re looking for more info I’ve got a few posts about Vietnam so far here.
2016: Christmas in Switzerland
We visited Lucerne, Bern, Zurich, and some smaller towns as well. This was definitely a more Christmassy trip! There were markets and hot chocolates and decorations everywhere. There were cozy blankets at bars and fake animal skins to sit on, mulled wine, hot fondue, and delightful Christmas treats. If you’re looking for a fun get away for December and want it to feel very “holiday”, Switzerland fits the bill!
2015: Christmas in Nicaragua
Nicaragua was an awesome place to spend December. We were in Leon on Christmas and the whole town was so festive. There were lights everywhere, people were jovial, their were giant “puppet-like” dolls out dancing in the streets, and families everywhere. We tried amazing street food and our hotel even ran shuttles to and from the nearby beach to celebrate the holiday! We also celebrated NYE in Grenada, and I have never seen more fireworks in my entire life! Depending on the government and politics, etc… it is worth exploring the political situation in Nicaragua before visiting. We were very lucky to visit at a time when it was calm and felt very safe.
I have some other posts about Nicaragua here.
2014: Christmas in Amsterdam, Prague, & Berlin
For this trip, we traveled by train through 3 countries. We were super lucky to be in Amsterdam at Christmas. There were some markets going on and an amazing light show displayed all over the canals all over the city. It was so cool to walk around at night and see all of the different light installations. We celebrated NYE in Prague, which is also a massive celebration and was an exciting thing to be a part of!
If you’re interested in other places I’ve stayed around the world, check out my FREE guide on Thatch that shows you all of my favorite spots! —–> FREE guide here!